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Caity Healy<\/strong> | Editor-in-Chief<\/span><\/p>\n In its first year as part of the National Small College Rugby Organization, Western Oregon Rugby was already making a name for itself. Two seniors and two sophomores were invited to try out for the Pacific Coast All-Star team to play as Grizzlies: seniors Joey Caver and Matt Cornish, and sophomores Kai Segundo and Trever Kahunahana. Trying out individually, if they made it, they\u2019d be playing the All-Star tournament in Houston, Texas beginning on May 23.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an honor to just be selected to try out,\u201d explained Assistant Director of Campus Recreation Andy Main, \u201cbut if we get someone on the team, I\u2019m really hoping to make it known because it\u2019s a pretty big deal.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Main went on to explain what it takes to be nominated; aside from talent on the turf, it all comes down to character.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe success of the Pacific Coast All-Star team in the past was because they had high-character guys, as well as good rugby players. Absolutely all four of these guys meet that criteria,\u201d Main said. \u201cThey\u2019re good rugby players but also really good guys so I\u2019m really proud they\u2019re the ones getting the shot at this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n On April 13, the morning of the tryouts, the players could feel a change in energy on the pitch.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt was different honestly. I kept thinking about it the day of because I was comparing it to a regular game,\u201d said Caver. \u201cI was still really nervous but I knew that because it was more-individual focused \u2026 I didn\u2019t have all the pressure and focus that I usually do. It was a different focus.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Kahunahana could relate with the energy Caver was feeling that morning.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI was really nervous. Not knowing the coaches\u2026 it\u2019s really hard preparing for that\u2026 just getting thrown into the fire,\u201d said Kahunahana. <\/span><\/p>\n When it came down to it, the four pushed their nerves aside and played as hard as they could. For the seniors, just being nominated was significant, as it was their last opportunity to show their skill for Western.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt means a lot, actually. I\u2019m a senior\u2026 Western Oregon Rugby means a lot to me,\u201d said Caver. \u201cIt\u2019s sad to know that I\u2019m done with Western but now we have this, the All-Star game\u2026 knowing that there\u2019s more gives me hope.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Cornish added, \u201cI\u2019m always trying to go out there and do my best so this felt like a really good thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n As for the sophomores, being nominated at a young age meant something entirely different. For Kahunahana, it was only his second year playing rugby.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFor me it was a big experience. My position doesn\u2019t really get the spotlight,\u201d said Kahunahana, \u201cthe fact that someone actually made notice of my work was a really special thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n For Segundo, this was his first year every playing rugby at all.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt was truly an honor to be nominated,\u201d said Segundo. \u201cI have been constantly working … to get a better knowledge of the game of rugby and to mold myself into the best player that I can be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n After a long day of every player going out of their way to prove their talent and abilities, the team walked away with a sense of pride in what they had accomplished. But for Caver, that sense of pride came in the form of a confirmed spot in the Houston All-Star game.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAfter the game, the coach pulled me aside and asked me, \u2018are you going to be available for the Houston game?\u2019\u201d said Caver, \u201cand I was like, \u2018I\u2019ll make myself available.\u2019 \u2026 I got one of the three total automatic spots on the team from that day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The rest of the players are anxiously awaiting to hear whether or not they\u2019ll be joining Caver with the Grizzlies, and the final results will be released on May 1. But as for now, the nominations alone shows the direction that Western Oregon Rugby is headed.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWOU Rugby is going to be dominant in the future. With the four of us being nominated, it will motivate our other teammates to push harder in practice and in games to be nominated as well,\u201d said Segundo.<\/span><\/p>\n