The rush you get from having the ball in your hands and running towards the try line is one of the most amazing feelings after actually scoring a try, of course. The games can get pretty rough, but if you are playing safely and following the rules it’s very rare that you will end up hurt. The game consists of forty minute halves and you can only throw the ball backwards. A rugby club would be great at Mountain View because Rugby requires love and respect, a certain amount of training, and it also builds character.
Ho
wever, a lot of people are scared of rugby because of how rough the games can get and the actual concept of the game. The concept of the game is very different from any other sport because you cannot throw the ball forward you can only pass it backwards; this makes people nervous because they don’t understand how that works. Nevertheless, rugby is a lot more than just tackling each other, it’s an amazing game that is worth the time spent to understand it.
It’s important to recognize that with such a rough sport comes a lot of respect towards each other and a lot of love. Not only do we respect each other as a team, but we also respect our coaches, our rivals and their coaches. On the field we may try to attack each other, but once we’re off the field we’re all friends and we all truly care for each other. Also, part of Mountain View’s motto is love and respect, which goes hand in hand with how rugby players treat each other. The motto for my team is “ohana” which means family in Hawaiian.
In addition, the amount of training that is needed to play the sport. Rugby isn’t the type of sport where you can go on a jog once in a while and expect to be able to play the whole eighty minutes of the game. Rugby requires a lot of running and a lot of full body contact regardless of your position. As a former strong-side wing, my position required a lot of running and a lot of speed. However, forwards have more contact than running, either way a lot of training is needed. This could help combat kids who are overweight, and help all the players steer away from obesity.
Finally, rugby helps build character in all players because it teaches you the meaning of having good sportsmanship. As I have briefly mentioned, off the field we are all friends regardless of which team we are on. After every game we all huddle up with our teams and give three cheers for the other team, the referees, the coaches and our own team. After we huddle up we form a tunnel and have the winning team go through and high-five all of them. Then, whosoever home field it is hosts a social and provides food for both teams and coaches. During the social we all get to know each other and mention highlights of the game in order to form strong bonds with each other.
In conclusion, we should have a rugby club at Mountain View because of the love, respect and family that comes with the sport, the amount of training and exercise required to play, and because it builds character by teaching good sportsmanship. With Family, Love and Respect being Mountain View’s motto, you should really look into starting at least an informative club about rugby and get kids interested in learning the sport. As a former player I know it can be a little rough and a little time-consuming, but the lifelong friendships I have made and the passion I have for the sport still remain with me today.