Here we are in the beginning of September, welcoming new classes, entering a new rugby conference, and meeting new teammates, both previous high school players and rookies to the game. There are a lot of changes taking place as we get back into the swing of things both on and off the pitch. Last year, the women’s team finished with an exciting win at Nationals, but with jumps of joy came sadness for those who were leaving us. We are now looking at a year of reshaping, watching young players grow into more demanding positions, where the competition is just as high as last year.
We worked hard during the week of preseason to establish our bond as the 2012-13 Penn State Women’s Rugby Team. We learned how to work with each other and we discovered some of our strengths and weaknesses heading into this season. We had some fun as well; tie dying, having a team dinner, and spending much needed time with each other after a long summer. We finished the week with a very exciting Alumni Game, where the current women’s team beat the alumni for the first time in Penn State history!! Following the game, the team was able to meet our supporting men and women alumni who do so much for our successful program.
This week, we begin or normal routine of practice as we prepare for a round robin tournament this weekend against Susquehanna and Juniata. Preceding the games, we will have a clinic, giving the other teams access to a weekend full of new drills and different views on the game. We hope to expand this weekend next year and have many more teams join us for a clinic.
We are also in the process of welcoming brand new players to the team. We are holding “Rookie Day” this Sunday at noon, introducing the game to interested players on campus. We are hoping to have a big turn out and are looking forward to meeting some more great athletes!
Thank you to all the families, friends, parents, alumni, coaches, fans, and current players that helped make Alumni Weekend such a great success! A special congratulations to alumni Dr. Katie Gloyer, and coach John Flude who shared their engagement with the women’s team after an exciting rendition of our traditional song “Happy Valley”. At the BBQ and banquet we proudly celebrated 50 years of Penn State Rugby. It was great to see how the past has formed the program into what it is today and how it continues to shape the future!
