The Zionsville Youth Rugby Club will play its inaugural season this spring, and the club’s president,Casey Farrell, hopes it can become a feeder program for the high school’s club rugby team and possibly a girl’s high school club team.
Farrell led the creation of the club. He worked closely with Zionsville Community High School rugby coaches with the intention of creating a program that would expose kids to the sport at a younger age without fear of being cut or not being given much playing time.
This spring, the youth club will offer rugby for students in second through eighth grade. Boys and girls in second through fourth grade will participate in co-ed flag rugby. Children in fifth and sixth grade will compete in co-ed tackle rugby. Boys in seventh and eighth grade will participate in another grouping, playing tackle rugby, and girls in seventh and eighth grade will do the same in their own league. Practices and games will be played at Mulberry Fields in Zionsville, 9645 Whitestown Rd.
Farrell said the sport offers opportunities for children and families who are looking to avoid extensive travel and take part in a sport that is not “crazy expensive.”
“We have the benefit of competing against other local clubs because Carmel has a team, and Avon and Fishers (have teams),” Farrell said. “Also, other parents have expressed to me being excited to have another option for a sport. My kids play football, and it’s very competitive as far as numbers (go). Rugby gives kids another option, and it gives girls another option.”
Farrell said female participation in rugby is “skyrocketing.”
“We are really trying to target that demographic to bring them into the club,” Farrell said. “If we get enough girls playing in junior high or whenever, that will feed into the high school, and hopefully they will create their own (high school team).”
Registration for the spring is open. For more or to register, visit zyrugbyclub.wordpress.com or email [email protected].
