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 faculty liaison and wrestling team coach, Joe Domko welcomed a crowd of over 500 rugby fans, providing a well stocked concession stand all day, and all the amenities of the picturesque HFHS football facility. USA Rugby officials traveled from Boulder to assist CYR and took footage of the games for promotional material. CYR Executive Director, JR Lapierre, and CYR Board members David Doessels, Rich Duncan and Paul O’Brian were grateful for the many volunteers from Boulder Babes Rugby Club, Black Ice RFC and Tigers Rugby who helped to put this event together.

Check out the photos! and the video below:

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.  

The Colorado Youth Rugby girls rugby championship tournament gets underway this weekend with the grand finale at Holy Family High School on November 1st. The Summit County High School Tigers Green team, currently 8-0, takes the top seed in the tournament Saturday, October 25th at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, in Commerce City beginning at 2:00 pm. The Summit Tigers have won 4 state championships in the past 11 years.

Other girls rugby programs in the tournament include Douglas CountyHS (7-1), Chaparal HS (5-3), Fort Collins Youth Rugby, Los Alamos, NM (4-4), Summit County HS’s White side (4-4), Regis Jesuit HS (4-4), Ranch Rugby (2-6) and SWARM (0-8).

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. On November 1st, from 12:30 - 5 pm,Tigers Rugby Football Club, of Broomfield and Arvada, will host the Championship and Consolation matches. In addition, an All Star format for the rest of the league will open the slate, kicking off the event at 12:30 pm. The 3rd Place match will begin at 2:00 pm, before the State Championship finale at 3:30 pm.

Girls rugby is expected to become a Colorado High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) sanctioned sport in 2010. 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 at (303) 506-8110 for information on the final matches, or to be a volunteer.

Update: Please check out our FAQ.  If you don’t see your question, please let us know.  You can use the Contact Us form below, and we’ll answer your question directly.

If you want to play rugby with us, please call us at (303) 506-8110.  Tigers Rugby Football Club is a member of Colorado Youth Rugby (CYR - http://errfu.org/template.php?sid=89 ), and the Local Area Union (LAU), Eastern Rockies Rugby Football Union (ERRFU - http://errfu.org).   Tigers Rugby Football Club draws its players from  Holy Family, Ralston Valley,  and Pomona High Schools.  We are the CYR North Divsion Champions for the second year in a row.

Dues for 2008 were $130, and the club was also supported by corporate and personal donations.  Equipment (jersey, shorts and socks only) is provided by the club.  Sometimes players wear shoulder or head padding.  Cleats for rugby require the front (toe) cleat be removed from American football cleats, or rugby cleats are available by mail order or at some Soccer Stop stores.

Tigers Rugby Football Club will meet at Paul Derda Rec Center in Broomfield on Saturday mornings starting in December.  We will condition and rotate through stations, where you will play ”touch footie” on the basketball court.  In other stations, you will learn the skills necessary to play the game.  We hope to discuss tactical play with video during our Saturday morning training as well.

Our next season begins in late February 2009.  League matches run through March and April and the State Championship tournament takes up the first half of May 2009.

Paul O’Brian, President
Tigers Rugby Football Club
CYR North Division Champions
(303) 506-8110

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 predictable, and real life ironies keep the viewer alert as the last plays are revealed.

The relevance of the Maori war chant as a symbol of Highland’s collective commitment is a rugby thing. But in rugby circles, you better have a good reason to perform the “Haka”, and you better be good at it. The success of missionary work in Polynesia by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is evident in the diverse make up of a number of high school rugby programs in Utah and California. Though understated, there is good reason to applaud the selfless philosophy and respect harnessed by Coach Gelwix.

As a rugby coach, I must admit, I hoped for a box office break through for the sake of the game. With little more than grass roots marketing, this low budget production features the recognizable faces of Gary Cole (The West Wing), Sean Astin ( Rudy, Lord of the Rings), Neil McDonough (Desperate Housewives, Walking Tall), Penn Badgley (Gossip Girl) and lead Sean Faris.  Even so, it struggled through it’s first three weeks on the big screen. Even if you are among the hundreds of millions who never saw this gem in the theater, tune into cable or rent it when you get the chance.

Rating: 4 out of 5 tries.

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. On November 1st, from 12:30-5 pm, Tigers Rugby Football Club will host the Championship and Consolation matches. In addition, an All Star format for the rest of the league will open the slate.

Holy Family HS Athletic Director, Mr. Ben Peterson had graciously granted Tigers Rugby approval for the proposal on September 8th, while the CYR Executive Committee deliberated three proposals. By majority vote on September 17th, the Board of Directors accepted a proposal by Tigers Rugby head coach Paul O’Brian, beating out Infinity Park in Glendale, and Shea Stadium in Littleton. Tigers Rugby Football Club and their sponsors are excited to bring this event to the Broomfield area. Though Tigers Rugby does not coach a girls team, we are proud to present this major championship event. Girls rugby is expected to become a Colorado High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) sanctioned sport in 2010. 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.

For information on volunteer efforts including Game Day and promotional preparation, please call (303) 506-8110.

Sad news  was shared this week of our brother, Joe Mack’s injuries in a recent car accident.  Trust me, a couple broken legs won’t stop this guy.  God bless our beloved Joe, and please remember his healing in your prayers.

Coach Paul O’Brian

Rugby is not an Olympic Sport, but did you know that it has been in the past?  Well, sort of…

According to  New Zealand Professor Bill Taylor and The Guiness Book of Rugby Records, Rugby appeared in five Olympics from 1900 to 1924.  You can read his “tongue in cheek” article for the complete story.

The Brighton Chapter of Kiwanis International welcomed the coaching staff of Tigers Rugby Football Club on August 6th at the Knights of Columbus Hall. Coaches Paul O’Brian, Pat Quinlan and Mike O’Brian met the Kiwanis members, spoke about coaching the great game of rugby, and presented a “game ball” to Chapter Vice President Richard Bonitz.

Check out the article at YourHub.com