Simson Garcia | Sports Editor

A sign read in giant, bold letters during a 2016 Western club fair: “NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY.” Scanning the message was current junior Sabra Duarte, channeling that message was the Western Oregon women’s rugby club. Their worlds eventually collided and two years later, with plenty of experience to her name, Duarte is now the vice president and forward on the team that will soon be playing in a small-schools tournament in Seaside, California. Duarte may have been the fresh new face on campus, the upstart, or the first-year who’s full of curiosity and relative naivety, but when the opportunity presented itself, she seized her calling.

“I asked the president at the time,” said Duarte. “‘Is that legitimate? I can know nothing about (rugby) and still play?’ She said ‘Yeah! That’s what I did. I came in, knew nothing, and now I love it.’”

Some found the blank line and punched in their name like Duarte. Others, like assistant coach and senior Emily Applegate were simply asked to join during an occasional workout at a place like the health and wellness center.

Duarte is now one of those recruiters, who’s set up tables and helped give the word out on Western’s campus.

“I’ve just asked about every girl I know if they’re interested in playing rugby,” Duarte commented, “I’m often surprised by who’s actually interested in coming out and trying a practice.”

Duarte formed a liking to the sport during her Cleveland High School days in Portland, Oregon, and grew to love the sport more because of “Invictus” — the famed rugby film starring Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman — and has now found the hammer and nail to the sport.

With a new set of skills and knowledge that has helped drive her to love the sport even more, she went into detail: “you really have to be able to trust the other girls on your team and know that they’re going to be there for the tackles so that you can stay in the defensive line ready if the ball gets moved out.”

She’s also formed a new personality on the field.

“Sabra is mostly,” referring to herself in third person, “trying to nail everybody. She’s trying to nail her tackles, nail her jumps and just give 100 percent.”

Rugby is a growing sport, and much can be attested to the inclusion of its seven’s competition in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil — a first for the sport since 1924. Right on Western’s campus, Duarte, Applegate and the rugby organization has extended its outreach.

Just like Duarte, there are now close to a dozen on the rugby team who have recently stepped on the scene with little to no experience and are following along in her footsteps. Miranda Busch, a junior, who just started playing last term, has seen herself in that transition.

“Coming in and not knowing anything, the coaches have been really understanding and really took the time to work with you and explain things step-by-step.”

“To play a sport,” said Alexis Osborn, a junior, who started playing at the beginning of 2018, “where you can focus and get things done while still having a great time is the best feeling. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t play Rugby. I have found my sport and my team that I always want to be a part of.”

When asked how they were first hit with the decision to take up rugby, many said through word-of-mouth or from a friend who was already on the team.

“I found out through Emery (Roberts),” mentioned Osborn. Roberts joined the team at the beginning of fall term.

Now, for Duarte, and the veterans on the team, it’s a matter of getting the new arrivals up to speed. Just down the road, on April 14, Western will be tasked with competing for the small college rugby organization championship in a first-round matchup with Cal-State Monterey Bay.

Duarte spoke of her teammates, like senior lock Madison Fagnani, whose experience has led to greater support of the first-timers.

“(The vets) have been really amazing. They’ve been able to give the younger players and rookies tips on how to improve their form. But even off the field they’re really good at getting people to feel like they’re connected and part of the team and supporting people through academics.”

The team, although it has a handful of younger players, does most of its recruiting process early in the school year and has had time through the long rugby season to draw them into their culture.

To the next recruit, Duarte says: “Be ready to learn and give it your all. Rugby can be very daunting, confusing, and scary for people starting out but it’s totally worth it figuring how to tackle people.” Sabra said tackling in of itself is a huge confidence booster. First-year Josephine McGee who began playing in February agreed and said, “it’s a huge stress reliever.”

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis