A New Star is Born: The Temecula Mountain Lions Rugby Club

A New Star is Born:  The Temecula Mountain Lions Rugby Club
written by Vincent McLeod IV, Editor (All-Access)

If you ask any Coach and/or administrator that has operated within the USA Rugby apparatus, they will tell you that you need to make it to the 3rd year to guarantee any long term success, especially in terms of retention.  This has been the time told modus operandi of Rugby in America; the first year is full of butt kicking losses and merely trying to keep players spirits up for year two....if there will even be a year number two!  What the Temecula Mountain Lions Rugby Club has done is shatter this ill-fated notion of new Rugby clubs in America.  In one year of existence, they have gained promotion, grown to have a youth and women team, and expanded their network to the greater Temecula community.  If you look deeper into Temecula Rugby, you will come to find that this was not an accident or "stroke of luck" by its founders.  This was a calculated endeavor that was conceived, then executed according to their plans.  Temecula Rugby is the new model of teams that you will begin to find sprouting up in America, and quite possibly even see existing clubs change their model to in the end.  All Access takes a deeper look into what has made Temecula Rugby what it is today and where it will go in the near future.  The days of hooligan Rugby are gone, ultimately replaced by structured organizations that follow models of planning.  All Access Rugby News sits down co-founder and COO David Gee to get more insight into the club that is Temecula Rugby!

 CLUB PROFILE: Conversation with Mr. David Gee (& Lucy Gee)

COO David Gee

A2RN:  Temecula's mission statement if you will is:

"Temecula Mountain Lions Rugby Club promotes, manages and teaches the game of rugby to all, developing and sustaining a nationally renowned club with members that conduct themselves with commitment, pride, passion and honor both on and off the field."

How has this philosophy served the club?  How well do you think those involved with Temecula are served by this statement?

DG:  We decided there were two types of clubs...an old boys drinking club versus a truly competitive club.  If you are trying to achieve something, you have to give it a shot. 

A2RN:  What was the major driving force(s) for David Gee and Dean de Gouveia in establishing the club?  Wherein did they draw their Rugby experience and excitement for the club from?

DG:  Honestly, talking about forming it for years (5 or six).  Having arrived in CA thought I (David Gee) would retire.  Introduced to Dean and he was burning to do something about rugby in the area.  I had the experience running a club in the UK, so we decided let's get this together and have a go.  We put a plan together and got a group together, six months later we were running.  Had loads of business cards printed up and posters made, even attached them to toilets in drinking places.  Got to 20 members quickly and then moved over to press coverage, car stickers, advertising panels.  Very hard drive on recruitment during this time. 

A2RN:  Founded in 2010, you win the SCRFU Men's D4 title in your first season.  What did this big accomplishment do for your club?  Can we expect more winning ways from Temecula this season?  Is the outlook for the team prime this season?

DG:  Big achievement for Temecula, but put the pressure on our ourselves.  We were determined to get promoted in the first year.  Everything we did was with the view to win the league.  We would have been incredibly disappointed to not win like our goal asked of us.  The opposition was sometimes reasonably good and sometimes not.  Prospects going forward is the same ambition and we want to be a D2 team after the 2012 season.  It is going to be tough but we are retaining 1 new player a week or so.  Lost a few players due to education, military, etc   The stability can sometimes be lacking due to Military personnel in the area, but we have a solid structure and should carry on just fine!

A2RN:  Temecula has a clear base of Rugby play from Men's to Women's and U8-U18 youth Rugby.  Clearly Temecula Rugby is growing.  What is the thought on how to best recruit and retain individuals in your Rugby system.  Are you looking to produce athletes from the youth level and switch them over to the Senior level upon age completion?

DG:  First and foremost, senior division provides foundation.  We then use the senior people to build a youth section.  In our original plan, we did not plan on having a competent youth section until 2013.  We had a few teachers and youth coaches help take off the youth section quicker than expected.  Whole idea is to have the youth section growing since this is the future of the higher divisions of the club in the Valley.  The Women's side happened alot quicker then we initially expected, but still were excited to get that particular entity off the ground.  Good ties with Fallbrook has helped develop the teams as well.

A2RN:  Ask a few sports enthusiasts around, and when they hear the word Temecula, the idea of individuals flying through the air on their motor-bikes often comes into play, such as Brian Deegan, etc.   How has the Temecula area received your development as a Rugby club?  Is recruitment in the area strong?  What are your thoughts on you to get more traditional American Sports fans involved in this typically non-American game in the Temecula area?

DG:  When we play our games at home, over 100 easily attend.  We sell alot of t-shirts for the club and we go around and sell raffle tickets for the club. There is a nice little old man who  comes to watch every game (70 year old).  Quite a few comments about how great that is that Rugby is in Temecula.  Rugby is talked about alot in over here; you would be surprised.  The valley has alot of athleticism.  High School's of course want kids to play Football and baseball.  The city has limited space for youth rugby.  The Biggest challenge for the club is to get space for playing; to most public officials in the Valley, Rugby is unknown. In the end, marketing is key for us!  If we can grow at the rate we are, we can have 4 different teams in the near future.  We just have to find our place amongst Football and baseball; must be clever and intelligent about how we do that.  Rugby is more inclusive then many sports.  Good players rarely dominate and it is far more equal, so in time, this aspect will begin to help shape the club and our creed to the community.  After all, Temecula is a close nit community by itself, so this brand of Rugby should accommodate to the community well!

A2RN:  Talk is heavy within Temecula Rugby about becoming a nationally renowned Rugby club.  How does Temecula go about bringing this idea into a reality?  Is this a short or long term goal?  Both?

DG:  At the end of the day, it depends on the people we have in the area.  We have some excellent athletes and great converts to the sport.  I am just in awe of these great players that make the switch.  We talk about it alot, we tell all new players that we want to win and become the best.  Our Head Coach is tough and he expects them to behave at training....do what he says and be respectful because we want it to be a success.  They then pass this on to their friends.  We see signs from other clubs losing players to an established creed that is not as solid as what we have at Temecula. 

A2RN:  Who will be your biggest obstacle this season in defending the Title won in 2011?

DG:  One obvious nemesis, Santa Monica!  Only loss we had was last season to them.  Obviously, they have a long history and a big roster.  We look at them as the team to beat!  In regards, to the other clubs, we do not know too much about them and do not want to disrespect them but Santa Monica we know well.  You have to remember, they (Santa Monica) want to beat us as well.

A2RN:  What is something the SoCal Rugby supporters should know about Temecula Rugby that we have not already learned?

DG:  We are ambitious!!!!  What we are looking to do is domination....it is about Rugby as a whole (Competitive and Community side to the club that is fused); not just building Rugby in Temecula, but in five years time it was double or triple the amount of clubs in the SoCal area.  In England, we travel a hundred miles radius!  We have demonstrated that with a little effort you can build a club quickly.  If we replicate this initial model, we could duplicate numbers in recruitment quickly.  We all get along in the club and everyone knows each other; we are one big family, which is part of our creed.  Supporters feel like part of the club even when not playing.  Wives love the sport and have friends while their husbands are playing on the pitch....not dominated by drink.

Overall message:  Put some energy out there and get the game known!  Get the sport exposed to the community and get the name out.  If people experience they will come. Double the size of SOCAL Rugby in the area in 18 months if we get people to experience!

Head Coach Wayne Woolsey

HEAD COACH THOUGHTS

 

A2RN:  TML enters its first season within SCRFU play.  Most clubs statistically are barely even able to find a field, get balls and the needed 15 to make a full roster.  On top of that, you win it all in the division and secure promotion?  What are your thoughts on this?

WW:   first thought - " What a great year ! , the club founders David and Dean along with a supportive group of Board members recruited, fund raised and created awareness that got this team running. 

A2RN:  David & Lucy praised highly the community and family aspect of the club.  Do you feel this has played a major part in TML's success thus far?

 WW:  Agree 100%

 A2RN:  Strict Coaching policy always produces quality players, at least most would assume.  It is a massive task to undertake to keep players dedicated.  What if anything can you say about the TML players mindset?  Is this a Coachable team?

WW:  the players mindset year one was two groups , group one- the senior experienced players wanting to get back into rugby and then help the rookies learn this game . group two - rookies , we had some players this year that had never seen a rugby game, come out play and learn this great sport.  This is a very coachable team that's willing to listen and take on board the information provided by both the coaching team and experience players.

A2RN:  You have a stellar resume in the Rugby and Coaching realm of things.  What makes you excited about Coaching at TML?

WW:   Its new , as a group Board of Directors, Coaches everyone wants this club to be successful and we can grow and create the model as it goes. That's exciting.

A2RN:  Santa Monica, enough said for TML players and supporters!  What are the plans for playing the Dolphins this year?

WW:  The same as every team we will play , we turn up to play hard , play fair , play to win

A2RN:  Recruitment big always in Rugby.  Are you finding the right players for your TML vision?  What is the hardest thing about recruiting Rugby in the area?

WW:  Getting the exposure to the right people.  We are thankful for our results last year . It has driven new players to our club for this 2012 season.

 

After understanding Temecula Rugby, you begin to see the passion that this area has for Rugby.  The Men's program is 2 points out of first place in the 2012 D3 Men's season and managed to beat Santa Monica in the past few weeks.  Although Sin City is playing well, you have to bet on a structure like Temecula to come at them full force and chase the promotion spot until April!  The Club has 61 CIPP'd members (83 in 2011)  on the Men's side, 36 in the Youth, 27 in High School Boys and 20 in the Women's (with plans of adding Girls High School and Rookie Rugby by 2013).  Visiting Temecula's website, you see the dedication and work that has paid off.  Sponsors are on board, pictures are up and content is updated regularly; something that lacks with most clubs in the Southern California area.  Is it audacious to expect a Men's side to gain promotion every year, thus reaching D1 in 4 years?  Of course it is!  Then again, why do we theoretically go to work every day?  We go to better ourselves through many different means an compensations.  What Temecula Rugby is doing is proving that Rugby can be managed and played within the new American framework.  It is teams and clubs like Temecula that will pull USA Rugby away from this pathetic Tier 2 status that we embody to the rest of the world.  The day will surely come when it is just as recognizable to walk the streets of London with a Temecula Lions polo as it is to walk the streets of Los Angeles with a Saracens t-shirt!  Look for the Temecula Mountain Lions Rugby Club to become the premier club/team within 3 years (All Access Rugby News said it first!!).  Even with zero assistance from the lurid union that is SCRFU, this club showed everyone that you just need a vision and hard working individuals.  Let this be a reminder to all clubs out there that you can rise to greatness immediately.  In the words of a former USA Rugby Board Member (classified name), "never let your Local Area Union (LAU) get the best of you, for at present they work for you, not the other way around". 

Visit the Temecula webpage at www.tmlrugby.com.  Check out their online shop and don some of their rather inexpensive apparel. 

The CRC 7's 2012 - Las Vegas Invitational

The Battle in Vegas to come!
written by Vincent McLeod IV


The 2011 proved to be an excellent 7's Tournament for the Collegiate scene.  Two full days of 7's Rugby saw some serious upsets with a few predicted finishes.  However, most probably could not have picked the winner in Central Washington University.  Since then, Central has gone on to establish themselves with great pride.  The 2012 LVI College 7's kicks off with surprising 2011 semifinalists University of Delaware not traveling to the tournament.

Below SCRN breaks down the 2012 matches and gives predictions as to who might come out on top!








UCLA

  UCLA had a decent 2011 tourney.  Head Coach Scott Stewart has had a good pre-season for his 15s side, so we imagine that this preparation will pay off in good physical shape for his 7s program.  

Prediction:  UCLA makes the Semis!






Claremont

 
Claremont, like UCLA, had a good quality 2011 showing.  Against UC Davis they proved well as a 7s program.  Of recent, their 15s program has been up and down, but expect Head Coach Jeremy Ognall to bring out the punches and get Claremont back into dominating form.  This could be the tournament that turns their season around and gives it new life.

Prediction:  Bowl Winners



SDSU

Enough said....Coach Matt Hawkins!  Look for this 7's Eagle star to have his squad ready to compete hard.

Prediction:  Semis!!!

Kutztown University

A surprise loss in the 2011 Finals.  K-town looks solid as usual and these guys will be in the Finals again!

Prediction:  Finals!







Central Washington University

With their continued size and constant work ethic, it will be no surprise to see Central take the title again.  they proved themselves well at the 2011 College 7's National Championship, so if they can keep composed, they will win it all again 100%!

Prediction:  Finals!

SCRN Match Predictions for the 2012 LVI College 7's

The Most Brutal Sport in the World? Rugby League makes a splash in SoCal

The Most Brutal Sport in the world comes to SoCal?  An interview with the OC Outlaws

written by Vincent McLeod IV


Rugby league is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field.  One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated as a split from the Rugby Football Union in England in 1895 over the issue of payments to players.  Its rules were then gradually changed in order to produce a more entertaining game that would appeal to spectators.  A game that is closer resembling to American Football then Rugby Union, it has been cited numerous times as the most brutal sport for 80 minutes of play.  Any game that has 13 beasts colliding at full speed with no pads in the hopes of scoring countless tries (touchdowns only this once folks) is a sport we can cite as truly insane and heroic.  SCRN caught with the President and Chairman of the OC Outlwas RLFC, Mr. Fred Lewis, to get his take on Rugby League in SoCal and the future prospects to the spectator friendly game.

Interview with President/Chairman Fred Lewis:

SCRN:  How well has your club been received in the area of SoCal Rugby?

FL:  One of the main reasons that we selected Orange County as the club base was that the OC is a fantastic beach community that supports its business & sporting associates.  The entire Orange County Outlaws Board has worked very hard and in a very short time is establishing ourselves as the leading Developmental Rugby League Club on the West Coast.  We are very pleased with the feedback and support that we have received from the Orange County Community...and with that we are extremely excited about commencing a marketing plan for the end of 2011 that will propel us into the 2012 campaign in the USARL.

SCRN:  What needs to happen for Rugby League to take-off and succeed (like it has in Hawaii and the East Coast) in the SoCal Area? Are there any major hurdles you foresee currently?

FL:  Rugby League has been played in the US for roughly 14 years and the majority of the clubs were established on the East Coast.  The (USARL-AMNRL) constituents and  identities involved in establishing this new sport did and continue to do an amazing job in establishing the level of play and expansion of this great game of Rugby League. Thus, we and all the clubs involved in this RL expansion on the West Coast have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us to mirror what has been done on the East Coast.  Hawaii to their credit has worked some magic in developing so quickly.  We would be remiss if we didn't follow the module of successful clubs both on and off the pitch such as the newly crowned USARL Champs, Philadelphia Fight and the Jacksonville Axemen. The expansion of Rugby League in the US is a Win-Win for all parties!  The major hurdles at this point are more associated with the business components of operating a club such as corporate sponsorship and funding to assist subsidizing operational cost.  The key is to create a product that potential sponsors and partners believe in and see as a viable marketing vehicle for their brand.  We have been fortunate to have established a partnership with the UK based RLC National Club, Nottingham Outlaws, called "Outlaws Unite" which has been highly received and provides both clubs/players/personnel shared global opportunities via the game of rugby league.  In addition, we have an alliance with the Western Sydney Outlaws of the New South Wales Physical Disability Rugby League Association, further illustrating that this great game does not discriminate and is played and enjoyed by all.

SCRN:  Concerning recruitment, very few players in the past have made a success switch from Union to League and vice versa. The Chris Ashton's of the world are unique. With a base of 80 clubs and right under 4,000 players registered in the SoCal area for Rugby Union, do you feel pulling from this base is your ideal recruit?

FL:  The recruitment of players is quite an unique blend of as you alluded to your core of Rugby Union Players, ex-pats or students(UK/Australia) living/working in Southern California, and your development players or Cross-Over Athletes transitioning from other football codes and sports.  The bottom line for the Outlaws is that we want athletes that are excited about learning rugby league with the main objective being to develop them into solid rugby league players.  One of my goals when I created this club was to do all I can to facilitate playing opportunities for Select- US-born players abroad in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

SCRN:  How do you convince an American Football player that Rugby League is really the most brutal sport in the world currently? Do these cross-over athletes play a big part in your team?

FL:  answer in previous question but to add to this.....Yes, the Cross-Over Athletes will play a significant part in OC Outlaws Squad...     We want athletes whom want to challenge themselves to Rugby League...as some describe as "The Toughest 80 Minutes in Sports"

SCRN:  Why Rugby League over Union?

FL:  Personally, I enjoy and have played both codes overseas.  There was an opportunity to start a team from scratch and the challenge of establishing rugby league on the West Coast was very appealing.  Rugby League is probably from a learning and spectators point of view an easier game to pick-up and understand vs. Rugby Union where there are many more rules and interpretations.

SCRN:  Do you have a venue established yet for home games? Is a practice schedule ready for release?

FL:  We are discussing training/home field options with a few venues within  Newport Beach-Costa Mesa, Orange County.  The venue and training schedule will be released in the very near future.








SCRN:  What is your vision for the OC Outlaws? Will the LA Raiders be your major cross town rivalry?

FL:  The vision for the OC Outlaws...Rugby League is a tremendous sport ready to assume its place in the American sporting arena.  Through the medium of education and increased visibility, the OC Outlaws and the USARL intend to promote Rugby League at all levels. We invite you to share in our vision of developing this game throughout our community.  OC Outlaws will provide Rugby League players on the West Coast, the opportunity to compete through the highly competitive, Rugby League in the USARL.  The OC Outlaws are dedicated to the development, promotion and expansion of professional Rugby League in the United States. As part of the global expansion of Rugby League, it is our aim to present to the American sports fan and even more specifically, the Southern California sports fan, this exciting action sport.

Regarding the LA Raiders...We at this point see the LA Raiders as partners in this quest to establish Rugby League on the West Coast...both clubs need to work together to gain traction in the sporting landscape as we develop others clubs on the West Coast.  The close proximity of the clubs makes for a natural rivalry which is good for the game…yet to me a rivalry is based on a history and we have to first establish our existence to commence this rivalry...but we do look forward to the Local Derby...against our Cross-Town Rivals...


Notes on Rugby League:

The American National Rugby League (AMNRL) is a rugby league football competition for semi-professional clubs in the United States. It is the country's first domestic rugby league competition. The AMNRL is recognized as the governing body for the sport in the United States by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF), and oversees the United States national rugby league team.  The competition that became the AMNRL was established in 1997, with six teams competing in the first season the following year. It grew to eleven by 2010, with future plans for westward expansion. On January 12, 2011, seven teams announced they were departing the AMNRL to form the new USA Rugby League.

The USA Rugby League (USARL) is a semi-professional rugby league football competition based in the United States. The league was founded in 2011 by clubs that had broken with the established American National Rugby League (AMNRL), plus expansion franchises. The USARL began its inaugural season in 2011.

Queen Elizabeth & the Spanish Armada: An Interview with Kirstin Hartos
written by Vincent McLeod IV

Queen Elizabeth of England (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) ruled during the so-called "Golden Age" of the British Isles. She was not just an excellent female leader, she was ruler of all English subjects and one of the most highlighted rulers in British & European history. In SoCal Women's Rugby, there is argueably not a bigger name circulating then Kirstin Hartos. Griffins All-selection, numerous honors and awards and still contributing to the reign that is San Diego Surfers Women's Rugby; the Spanish Armada. As a SoCal Rugby supporter and general supporter of the game outside of the region, Women's Rugby is rarely given even a quarter of the coverage that the Men's game recieves today. Sadly, to this dismay, quality talent in the game far too often goes missed through our Rugby brains. SCRN sits down with Kirstin Hartos to ask some in-depth Rugby questions about her personal growth and development in the game and to see if the Spanish Armada can in fact get a Championship this season in the WPL!

          

SCRN:   First off, congrats on the dominance that San Diego Surfers Women's Rugby Club is bringing to the USAR Women's scene.  D1 Champs back to back in 2009 and 2010......what are the "obvious" plans for this season?  Does SDSW look just as strong as in the past seasons? What seperates SDSW from other Women's clubs?

KH:   We have been improving every season since Richie Walker took over Head Coaching responsibilities in 2007. That first season with him, we narrowly edged out Belmont Shore for the SCRFU Championship and our first trip to Nationals, where we finished in the bottom four. We improved our finish in 2008, and continued that trend finishing an undefeated 2009 season with our first Division I National Championship, and we were lucky enough to repeat in 2010. From there, we got promoted to the Women’s Premier League and will be competing in our first season there this fall.

Our team continues to get more competitive each season, which is a reflection of the quality of coaching and our collective mentality that we can’t be comfortable with where we are – we have to keep striving to improve. Our younger players are continuing to develop, and we’ve had an influx of experienced players join the team this fall – so we will have even more competition for starting positions this season. And that is a really good thing for us because it will push us all to work harder and improve.

I think rugby players in general are a unique breed. But what I think sets the Surfers apart from other ‘premier’ women’s clubs is that we have always been an underdog, and we are used to having to prove ourselves. We’re heading into the WPL as the 8^th seed (out of 8 teams), and we’re going to have to fight for everything. But coming from SoCal, we’re used to that. We are not a team of individual stars with all kinds of accolades and capped players that we rely on to win. Sure we have stand out players (and I could name a handful), but I think what truly makes us different is that we are a great team together. We respect each other, play for each other, and have fun playing together. Of course we want to win and be successful, but we are determined to have fun doing it.

SCRN:   You are a UCSD alumni. Been playing Rugby for over 8 years. What did the playing expereince at UCSD (however much) do for your game development?

KH:   I started playing rugby in 2001 during my freshman year at UC-San Diego. We had a new coach that season, and about 12 rookies. I think that about half of our starters were rookies, actually. I was lucky enough to earn a starting spot in my first season with the team. We had some great leadership from experienced veterans that really helped the new girls get up to speed and learn quickly, including WNT Player Mari Wallace who has played in the last two World Cups. We ended up beating UC-Santa Barbara 3-0 in the final seconds of our last league game to earn our first trip to Collegiate Nationals in the Spring of 2002. I think we were certainly excited to earn a spot at Nationals, but I think that was a pretty pivotal point for me. Prior to playing in the National tournament in Florida that year, our coach at the time had gotten her hands on an email from the coach of another team in another territory that was particularly degrading toward SoCal teams. I recall one of the lines from the email said something to the effect that “SoCal doesn’t even deserve a seed at Nationals.” That’s a statement that’s stuck with me throughout my playing career, and has made me feel like I’ve always got something to prove.

In college we were lucky enough to win the SCRFU Championship for four consecutive seasons and to get to compete at Nationals. It didn’t really seem like a big deal at the time, just seemed like that was what we expected of ourselves. In 2003, we actually made it to the Final Four and played at Stanford’s Steuber rugby stadium for the first time – which was an awesome experience. I learned so much in college, and was fortunate to get to play U-23s with some great players from SoCal and I think that despite some setbacks (like losing both games and playing with only 12 girls at my first U-23 National All-Star Championships in 2002), it has helped me develop as a player and see the possibilities to continue playing rugby beyond college. There aren’t too many sports that women have an opportunity to play beyond college at such a competitive level, and I’m glad I’ve had that opportunity. If I wouldn’t have had a great experience playing in college, I doubt I would have continued to play after that. Not to mention that some of my best friends are girls I played rugby with in college.

SCRN:   For those who do not know Kirstin Hartos outside of the Griffins U-23/15s/7s all-star, what should supporters of the game know about you as a Rugby player that we have not already seen on the pitch?

KH:   Due to my stature, most people think I am a prop, so it usually comes as a surprise to see me line up with the backs. But I kind of like it that way.

SCRN:   Concerning Women's Rugby in SoCal, what if anything needs to change to promote the sport more to a bigger pool of Women? Does lack of coverage ever make particpants in Women's Rugby feel obsolete?  If you had to make any changes to Women's Rugby, what would your ideal league set up look like?

KH:   Our Division II teams play a Spring season, but then the winning team doesn’t advance to the National Championship until November. I think it might benefit the teams more to play a competitive league season in the fall (like the rest of the DII teams do around the country, and as the DI and WPL teams do) leading up to Nationals so that the qualifying team peaks at the right time. I’m also not without bias that it would make things much easier and more sustainable for our club specifically if our developing players could play on a DII side during the same season (so we could field two teams).

For women’s rugby on the whole, I think that the new WPL and DI structure has exponentially increased the costs for travel for teams in both divisions. Obviously for the teams that want to improve and get better, it’s important to get as many competitive games in as you can during the season. In the last two years, SoCal and Pac Coast DI teams played in a combined league. I would argue that this has been a tremendous benefit to our teams to play a wider variety of opponents and be exposed to different styles of play before reaching a national tournament. I think I can fairly say that we, along with the other DI women’s teams (Belmont and Tempe), had gotten sick of playing each other all the time. Sometimes things get stale when you’re always playing the same teams – so it was great to change things up a bit and expand the league. But the costs and commitment are staggering. The men’s DI and DII teams furthest league games are a few hours drive, rarely an overnight trip. In the last two seasons, we’ve had to travel all the way up the West Coast to Seattle for a league match. And this season we’ll fly to New York for our first WPL match. The financial burden to the individual player is tremendous. And it’s tough to find sponsors interested in supporting a women’s sports team. I think we’ve definitely benefitted from the expanded competition, but I worry that it’s not sustainable to get players to contribute upwards of $2,000 from their own pocket just for travel expenses in one season.

Of course if there were some league sponsor to help offset the financial expenses, that would certainly help ensure that the best players continue to get to play (and not just the players who can afford it).

If there were more coverage and exposure of the women’s club teams, I think that would also help get the word out to younger girls who are interested in playing. I don’t think girls in high school are looking to be the first one to start playing a non-mainstream sport, but the more exposure there is locally, the more that can help grow the game.

SCRN:   As stated earlier, the game is growing rapidly at the U-19 and below level. Females like Jamie Garcia and Megan Pinson are emerging and showing they can compete at a high level with players like yourself.  What advice do you give to future Female Rugby players about their development in the sport?

KH:   The best advice I have for future and younger players is that they just need to take advantage of the opportunities at hand. When you have a chance to tryout for any Griffins Select Side, go to the tryout and work your butt off. I guarantee you will learn something from the coaches or other players that are there. And if you don’t go, somebody else will. You’ve got to work hard, and take advantage of the chances that you get. Rugby isn’t a sport that us older girls grew up watching for the most part, so the best thing you can do is just play as much as you can.

SCRN:   Fun Questions for Kirstin Hartos!

1. Prince Harry or Prince William?
Can I say neither?

2. Mission Bay or Point Loma?
Mission Bay

3. Who will win the Rugby World Cup in 2011?
   If I didn’t say New Zealand, I would likely be sitting on the bench for the entire season. So I’m not going to take any chances.
4. If you could have the chance to play one Men's team in SoCal...who would it be?
   The Chargers. Oh wait, did you mean rugby?

5. Favorite Professional Rugby Player? Since no answer was provided....SCRN will answer with Dan Carter:)

6. Chances of SDSW club winning the National Championship this season?
Any given Sunday…

7. Todd Clever, Chris Wyles and Tai Enosa have been asked this by SCRN, so we will keep it going here...Justin Bieber or Justin Timberlake?
JT… Is Justin Bieber even 18?

8. Biggest rival in Women's Rugby for SDSW?
Those pesky gophers who call Robb Field home during our season… you know who you are. Oh, and Flag Football.

9. Favorite San Diego food joint?
The Local, and not just because of the lobster tacos.

Plato and Rugby: Interview with Chris Wyles

written by Vincent McLeod IV

Plato once said that, "a hero is born among a hundred, a wise man is found among a thousand, but an accomplished one might not be found even among a hundred thousand men."  As USA Rugby supporters, we tend to forget about the others behind the superb leadership of Captain America, Todd Clever.  However, if you know Rugby and watch the Aviva Premiership ever, you will no doubt know this man; Mr. Chris Wyles.  Originally born in Stamford, CT and raised in Allentown, PA, Chris moved to England when he was 11 years old.  He then went on to study Politics at the University of Nottingham.  Chris has played in over 110+ Premiership and Championship matches and currently plays for Saracens (2010-11 Aviva Premiership Champions!).  He has been a part of the USA 7's IRB World Series squad and played in over 23+ matches for the USA Eagles.  The man has numerous honors from Player of the Year titles to squad of the decade.  Bottom line, you will not find something in Rugby today that Chris Wyles has not been a part of.  SCRN takes an exclusive look at the "Sarries" and Eagles Fullback.

Chris Wyles Interview:

SCRN:  Playing for Saracens and being a key part of their success, you have to feel honored after the 2010/11 season?  What are you feeling like being an American Rugby Player on the winning Aviva Premiership team?

CW:  I feel very honored to have been part of the Saracens squad in the 2010/11 season. In all honesty, winning a Premiership is something I have dreamt about and is the highlight of my career. Its great to be one of the players representing the US in the Premiership.  I hope we can continue to get more and more Eagles players over to Europe. 

SCRN:  Looking ahead to the WC.  Ireland, Russia, Australia and Italy.  The US has to feel good this year about possibly getting out of the group stage.  What is your mental preparation like concerning the upcoming task?  What team are you most excited about playing if you had to choose one of them?

CW:  It will be an extremely tough group to play in. I personally am most excited about playing Russia. I think it will be an epic battle and I look forward to testing ourselves in this high pressure situation. 

SCRN:  Being a well developed player, how do you feel you are received abroad?  Alot of Americans complain about playing overseas since sometimes they are looked at as second rate players.  If you were in this situation, how would you go about getting on with your play?

CW:  I feel that over the last couple of seasons I have made my mark within the Saracens squad. In reality all that is important is that your coaches and teammates are happy with you.  Everything outside of that is irrelevant.  So, I would say as a developing player you should concentrate on working hard for these people. 

SCRN:  We have over 55 clubs and 3500 participants in the SoCal Youth Rugby apparatus.  Our Collegiate scene is growing at one of the fastest paces in the USA right now.  What advice can you give to those who want to pursue a Professional Rugby career? 

CW:  To pursue a professional rugby career I think you need a huge amount of discipline and persistence. Along the journey to a career in rugby you will undoubtedly get knocked down and told you aren't good enough. The ones that see this as a challenge and work even harder will be in good shape. 

SCRN:  Fun Questions from our readers: 

• Stranded in East Croydon, Steve Borthwick or Hayden Smith with you? Well definitely not Hayden so Steve. 
• Chelsea or Man Utd? Man Utd
• Machiavelli or Plato? Plato
• Ben Foden, Chris Wyles or Chris Patterson? Of course Chris Wyles! 
• Indian Curry or Fish n' Chips? Curry 
• David Cameron, Tony Blair or Gordon Brown? David Cameron
• Twickenham or Wembley? Twickenham 
• Favorite Aviva Premiership player? Hayden Smith
• Prince Harry or Prince William? Prince Harry 
• Hyde Park or Green Park? Green Park

The"Polar Bear" talks 7's Rugby: An Interview with Matt Hawkins

The"Polar Bear" talks 7's Rugby:

An Interview with Matt Hawkins
written by Vincent McLeod IV  (Part 2 on 7's Rugby Series)

John Cena has been dubbed the most fierce and intimidating force in the ring, but the nicest man over a beer; Rugby now has a John Cena!  Few Rugby fans and players in SoCal can understand what it is like growing up in Durban, South Africa and learning to play Rugby from our Father in the backyard.  Even fewer can say they have excelled on the USA 7's National Team.  In the end though, only one of us can be the most recognizable player (outside of Todd Clever in 15's) on the 7's circuit today; the Polar Bear himself, Mr. Matt Hawkins.  SCRN recently talked with Matt about 7's Rugby in the area and its future.



 Matt Hawkins Interview:

SCRN:  7's play is clearly growing in the region (and America for that matter).  As you are aware, the SoCal region has the two qualifiers, with all other tourney's being individually run.  Some teams have complained as to the fairness in this, while others highlight the injury prevention argument that playing two big tourney's decreases "season-long" injuries.  What would a 7's circuit in SoCal look like?  Is this a good or bad concept for the area? 

 MH:  I think a circuit type environment is best. We are trying to create constancy the whole way through, from club rugby to the National Team. To be very honest I am not sure what would be the best way to go about it, but it seems that many people here in the region believe we need to develop some thing that becomes a show case all summer long. I believe that the people we have working on it will get it right eventually, we just have to have patience until that point.

SCRN:  You have been attached with Belmont for their National Championship run in 2011.  What did Belmont do, outside of quality of play, to get themselves this big achievement?  What does the team have above all the others?

 MH:  I think the biggest thing that Belmont has had for a few years now, is they create a great team environment with all players and coaches having the same goal and all of them working in a synchronized effort toward attaining that goal.  This year the guys just really seemed to have an awesome team chemistry and I was just really lucky to have been part of it.

SCRN:  Do you think teams are ready to produce athletes (like Ben Gollings) that are purely 7's players for a club?  Is this a realistic vision for SoCal clubs?  Does it really matter if we continue to pull from 15's squads?

MH:  I think it is a realistic goal and I do believe that sevens is going to be the best way to take Rugby in this country to the next level. There is just so much changing and the environment we have here in Socal is perfect for a sevens athlete. We just need to start providing more platforms for people to be doing it for longer periods of time, not just over the summer.

SCRN:  Obviously, being dubbed the "Polar Bear" by the USAR fan base in Rugby Sevens, you are a massive icon of the game in America.  What advice can you give to people looking to make it big like yourself in Rugby?

MH:  Appreciate the kind words. I think you have to realize that in life there are always going to be obstacles no matter what you plan to do or what your goal is and as long as your focused, driven and dedicated enough to put yourself in the best position to succeed then you will get those opportunities and it is then up to you to take those opportunities.  But know and understand that your never to young or to old to have a dream.