Embarrass River Rugby Club returns

The Embarrass River Rugby Club is back to activities and competition after taking a year off due to coronavirus concerns.

The rugby club’s governing bodies, Wisconsin Youth Rugby and USA Rugby, offered guidance last spring along with return to play guidelines designed to keep everyone in the game safe from COVID-19. Now that local restrictions are relaxing, area youth are eager to take the field again.

Embarrass River Rugby Club was organized in 2019 and the impact of a pandemic in the second year was potentially devastating for a youth program in its infancy. Club organizer Brian Gleason and his “founding family” remained determined to maintain progress and keep the programs alive.

The high school girls adopted a new team to cooperate with and have aligned with the Stevens Point girls high school team. Until local programs grow large enough to become self-sustaining, co-op teams are a solution that offer opportunities that are not often present in interscholastic athletics.

Michaela Gleason has played with a number of teams in her rugby career, meeting many players along the way. She currently plays with senior athlete Ellie Villenow of Amherst, who has committed to play for collegiate national champions Lindenwood University in the fall on a scholarship. Gleason’s aspirations of playing collegiate rugby remain on track with a recent invite to play with the Wisconsin girls high school all-star team.

The rugby club welcomed back a group of middle school boys this spring large enough to enter tournaments as a team for the first time. The middle school boys team has played in tournaments this spring in Pulaski and Fond du Lac. The team is led by eighth grade players,

Caden Thomas and Evan Gleason were among the few club members with pre-COVID experience at the middle school level.

Even though competition has started and practices are underway, new middle school players are welcome, including girls who may be interested in the sport who can learn from current high school girls.

Growth of the local rugby club will rely heavily on interest at the non-contact flag rugby level. Most of the youth participating in Wisconsin rugby at this time started in the flag rugby league. Embarrass River Rugby Club also participates in the Wisconsin Tag Rugby league at multiple levels.

The earliest an area youth can get started in rugby is in the first grade. At this level, coaches teach fundamentals of the game and focus on fun. Brian Gleason commented, “It’s a little like herding cats, but the kids have a blast and learn a lot by the end of the season.”

Non-contact programs go through middle school, and experienced players often forgo their last season to become paid referees in the league.

The local flag rugby program begins once the typical school year ends, and the first practice is scheduled for June 7 in Tigerton. Embarrass River Rugby Club is honored to partner with the Village of Tigerton to bring new opportunities to community youth this summer and is grateful for a new space to practice and hopefully host competitions.

Practices will also be held on Fridays in Marion throughout the months of June and July. The flag rugby season concludes July 31 in Wausau for the Badger State Games rugby event.

Information about registration for Embarrass River Rugby Club programs and a calendar of events is available at EmbarrassRiverRugby.com, and the club welcomes new followers on social media @EmbarrassRiverRugby.