Our First Scrimmage of the Season

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when the first game on La Salle's schedule was a "scrimmage" vs the alumni. Our first week of practice (more on this later) went very well given that we had four rookies and the vast majority of the rest of our players had two or three seasons of rugby under their belt. With this young group in mind I was extra worried about what form the game would take.

I made two key decisions about last Saturday: that I was actually going to bet at the game trying to regulate the madness and that I was going with my kit on. My objective was to create the type of environment that was going to make the game fun for the girls who had never played before. More importantly to keep it safe.

So now there are pictures floating around facebook of me in a La Salle Jersey.

I know all the myriad of reasons NOT to play in a game with your players. There's the potential to decrease the player/coach barrier(s.) If you're playing, theoretically, you aren't coaching. Plus there's the very real chance of hurting someone if some combination their fear and my physical size works together that could end badly. None of these issues came up in the game thankfully.

I didn't start the game but about 10-15 minutes in we had a front row player come out with cramps. I had a suspicion that this player, she's had major stomach problems in the off season, was going to need a siesta. So I made my debut for La Salle, playing for a solid 30ish minutes.

There I am modeling fantastic lifting form

No one got hurt.

People learned a lot.

Alumni, current players, rookies and coaches had fun.

There is something really special about being on the field for someone's first game. Coming to a ruck and knowing they aren't quite sure if they have done the right thing or even if it's legal. The look in their eyes when they have the ball in their hands for the first time, knowing someone or someone is looking to take them down. The burgeoning confidence as they become the hunter and make (or miss) their first live tackle. They're special moments that quickly separate the folks who won't play in the long run from the people who have found a new home

Still, we have lots to do. In three weeks we'll face, MARFU DII playoff team, Delaware in what will be the hardest game that the club has played. The following weekend they'll play an even tougher game against Georgetown. The girls said they wanted to be in MARFU playoffs, in the hunt for national championship next year, so we need a taste of what the opposition will be like, then we can reassess whether we are willing to pay the price to play at that level.