In-coming freshman forms rugby team with help from community
May 13, 2014
No padding.
No helmets.
Just cleats, shorts and jerseys.
For the United States, especially the south, the main sport is football. But for many places across the world, rugby has taken over. Rugby is a sport similar to both soccer and football, although no kind of padding or helmets are worn. Jerseys, shorts and cleats are all rugby players wear.
The sport can be aggressive; players are competitive and fight for their wins. Once a player of the opposing team is tackled, the two teams must fight for possession of the ball.
Upcoming freshman Zach Tillery has come up with the idea of starting a youth rugby club in Huntsville that will include all ages, from elementary to high school. Tillery has played team sports since he was 4 years old, but his father’s love of rugby particularly inspired him to start the program.
“I want to start the rugby team because it looks like a fun sport. My dad played rugby for [Middle Tennessee State University] and I would like to play a sport my dad loves. I would love to share this fun sport with other people,” Tillery said.
An informational meeting was held Saturday, April 26 for individuals interested in playing the sport. The Men’s Huntsville Rugby Club has informed Tillery that they are willing to get the program started and provide summer camps to teach the new players about the sport. Tillery has wanted to start the rugby team ever since he watched the MTSU Old Boys play.
“We would like to form a Rugby team, learn the fundamentals of the sport, and also engage in tournaments with other leagues in the south,”Tillery said.