Over one hundred fifty Summit County HS girls’ rugby team supporters traveled to Broomfield to celebrate their Summit Tigers victory 20-0, over Chaparral High School for the Colorado Youth Rugby Girls Championship cup.   Los Alamos RFC came from New Mexico to capture third place over Douglas County RFC by a score of 21-19 despite a late charge in an exciting consolation match. In the curtain raiser, an All Star match with players selected from teams rated fifth or below was an active see-saw battle with 32-27 final score.   Collegiate women’s rugby coaches Jim Stebbins from University of Colorado, and Dustin George, of Colorado State University organized these select side candidates in an enjoyable test.

Tigers Rugby Football Club, of Broomfield and Arvada, hosted the Girls Rugby Championship Matches presented by Colorado Youth Rugby with sponsorship by Accelerate Physical Therapy, Chris Biety, DDS, Edward Jones Investments, and Prentice Orthodontics. Colorado Youth Rugby (CYR) couldn’t have picked a better day to crown their new state Girls Rugby Champions, with temperatures peaking in the upper 70s.

In addition to great weather and celebration of a wonderful year for all their members, Colorado Youth Rugby paid tribute to Jozy Gessner, of Summit County, the 2008 CYR Girls Player of the Year.  Along with the trophy Jozy Gessner was presented a $500 scholarship.   Ed McKenna, of Douglas County, was voted the 2008 CYR Girls Coach of the Year; and Los Alamos Rugby Football Club was presented the 2008 CYR Team Sportsmanship Award.

Holy Family High School, represented by the …

Mike G. Gabriel Football Stadium at Holy Family High School in Broomfield will be the site of the 2008 Colorado Youth Rugby Girls State Championship Matches, this Saturday, November 1st.  Mike G. Gabriel Football Stadium was also the site of the Colorado Youth Rugby All Star matches and Select Side try-outs in May 2006.  Contact Paul O’Brian, xlr8pt@aol.com or (303) 506-8110, for information on the final matches, or to be a volunteer.

CYR All Star Match, kickoff at 12:30; 3rd Place Match, Douglas County RFC v Los Alamos RFC (NM), kickoff at 2:00 pm; Championship Match: Chaparral HS vs. Summit HS Tigers, kickoff at 3:30 pm. 

Girls rugby is expected to become a Colorado High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) sanctioned sport in 2010.

Colorado Youth Rugby needs coaches for the boys high school spring season.

Experience is useful but training is available through CYR and USA Rugby.

Responsibilities include recruiting players, administering practice sessions, organizing club activities while providing a positive role model.

Most teams practice at least twice a week with league matches on Wednesday evenings and some Saturdays. There are four Saturday tournaments during the season which begins at the end of February and runs through mid May.

Tigers Rugby, Douglas County, Littleton and many other areas currently need coaches.

Please contact Paul O’Brian xlr8pt@aol.com (303) 506-8110 for Tigers Rugby Football Club coaching opportunities; Rich Duncan rugbyrich123@yahoo.com (303)410-6500 or  J.R. Lapierre jrlapierre2004@yahoo.com (303)523-7336 for more information about other clubs throughout Colorado.

If you wanted to see the rugby movie Forever Strong, you will now have to catch it at Blockbuster.  There are apparently no more Denver area theaters showing this rugby based drama.  

Directed by Ryan Little (Saints and Soldiers), and written by David Pliler, Forever Strong was released on September 26th. It’s premier was sponsored by Colorado Youth Rugby on September 14th, as a highly anticipated expose of the sport played competitively by 2500 Coloradoans. The story of Highland RFC in Salt Lake is an enjoyable dysfunctional family drama of true life events with a nice rugby back drop.Rick Penning, played by Sean Faris (Never Back Down) is sent from Flagstaff, Arizona to Wasatch juvenile detention center in Utah. He is offered early release if he plays for national champion HS rugby coach, Larry Gelwix and Highland Rugby Club.  Rick initially balks, then earns his place at a distinctly different position for Highland. Problem is, his raucous friends and bitter father comprise Highland’s pending opposition in the next national tournament. Dutiful and arduous preparation with his new band of brothers facilitates second chances in sports and in life for Rick Penning.Honor and integrity are never easily achieved, nor even considered important in some competitive athletic programs, but once established for Highland players, it seems obvious and undeniable. Faced with the need for truth, and consistent consequences for moral failure, Rick adopts his new team’s character.  Somber moments and disgusting behavior aside, everyone feels good in the end.  Plot twists are not completely …