The Knights Code
(AN OLD CODE FOR A NEW ERA)

~A KNIGHT IS TRUE, AND IS AT PEACE WITH HIS GOD.

 As A Knight, You Will Be Honest & Just In All Business And Personal Relationships.


~A KNIGHT CAN BE TRUSTED, FOR A KNIGHT HONORS HIS WORD.
As A Knight, You Will Do What You Committed To Do, When You Committed To Do It,
OR MAKE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS.....OR DIE IN THE PROCESS!


~A KNIGHT HAS A PROFOUND SENSE OF
 SELF-RESPECT.

 Paving The Way To Fully Love And Honor His Family, Faith, and those around him.

~A KNIGHT OWNS HIMSELF - NO INFLUENCE OR SUBSTANCE DICTATES OR RUINS HIS LIFE, AND THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND HIM.

 As A Knight You Overcome All Your Addictions. The True Armor Of Knighthood Is On The Inside, Not The Outside.

~A KNIGHT THINKS BEFORE SPEAKING, FOR ONCE WORDS ARE SPOKEN…

As A Knight, You Are Bound By Your Words!


~A KNIGHT USES WISDOM AND DISCRETION IN WORD AND ACTION.

As A Knight, You Are Considerate And Compassionate In All Things.



~A KNIGHT TAKES DAILY ACTION TO FORTIFY AND STRENGTHEN:

His Body, His  Mind, And His Spirit.


~A KNIGHT IS CONFIDENT AND ABHORS ARROGANCE.

As A Knight, you know, the Arrogant THINK  they're Grand..., and the Confident ARE Grand!


~A KNIGHT IS STRONG...YET GENTLE WITH WOMEN, CHILDREN AND ANIMALS.
 As A Knight, You Use Your Might To Defend The Weak!


~A KNIGHT ACTIVATES THE BRAIN BEFORE USING BRAWN.

 The Mind Is The Most Effective Weapon; USE IT, When Faced With A Challenge Or An Opponent.


~A KNIGHT HAS A LIGHT HEART AND A SENSE OF HUMOR.

 As A Knight, You Make Even the Most Grueling Task Fun and Memorable.


~A KNIGHT KNOWS WHEN A JOKE IS DESTRUCTIVE.

 As A Knight, You Are Willing To Take A Stand When A Joke Is Harmful.



~A KNIGHT USES GRACE AND DIGNITY IN WORDS AND ACTIONS, ALWAYS.

 Especially, In the Company of Women and Children!


~A KNIGHT HONORS AND RESPECTS PROCREATIVE POWER.
  As A Knight, You Always Know When it is Appropriate to Use These Powers!


~A KNIGHT HONORS AND REVERES WOMEN AND THEIR FEMININE NATURE.

As A Knight, You Know That Proper Interaction With Females is a Knight's duty, and a blessing.
Therefore, You Are Ready And Willingly Protect And Defend female virtue – regardless of the circumstances!


~A KNIGHT HAS A PASSIONATE LOVE AND RESPECT FOR NATURE AND The Planet EARTH.
  As A Knight, You Use Your Strength And Courage To Act When They Are Threatened Or Violated.


A KNIGHT’S VALUES


LOYALTY:

Bear true faith and allegiance to God, Country, Family, your fellow Knights, and the best you.


DUTY:

Fulfill your Obligations


RESPECT:

Treat all people, as they should be treated, as you would like to be treated.


SELFLESS-SERVICE:


Give your time, talents, and best efforts to benefit and serve others.


HONOR:


Maintain a principle centered life. Live into, and becom the best you. Be exact in righteous valor. Live well.


INTEGRITY:

 Do what’s right morally, legally, and ethically. Always!


PERSONAL COURAGE:


Willingly face your fears, danger or adversity (physical or moral).



Remember, your past is not who you are! It is merely the sum of your old choices. The present and future you, are the result of the choices that you make, Now!


Be Disciplined. In Mind, Body, and Spirit!


Never Be Afraid To Stand and Fight for Right!


Put On Your Armor Of Honor,
Pick Up Your Shield Of Love,
And Your Mighty Sword Of Truth!


Be Living Proof That Chivalry and Valor
Are Alive and Unyielding!


Have The Strength, The Courage,
The Wisdom, And The Passion It Takes.....

To Be A Knight!

Mike's Pledge

My Mission/ Pledge

I will dedicate my time, my strength, and my passion to help the St. George knights reach their true potential. I will prepare myself physically, mentally, and spiritually during practice as well as on my own time. I will create a brotherhood bond and a close knit family with my team mates on and off the field by being an example and by being humble. Once the whistle blows i will not stop or give in to fatigue, pain, or laziness. I will do everything in my power so that our goals and dreams can be reached. I will help my team by helping myself each day with the workout regimen. Richard G. Scott taught, “To become what we truly want to be, we have to be what we want to be, every single day, until it becomes a part of us." I will help by loving my teammates and by improving myself first. I will never stop once that whistle is blown, Never.

Mike

Sweetness, a testament to hill sprints

As a child, I remember watching "Sweetness", I thought he was magical. I was sure no normal human could do what he did regularly. Now, I know where the magic comes from, and I know most of the knights think that I am crazy to require them to run that mountain, but a piece of that magic is available to anyone who reaches for it. William Blake once wrote, "Great things are done when men and mountains meet...".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqmxWZ8Rbwc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=WJeTgQ-lgvE

Jersey Ideas- Voting Time

Gentlemen,

Here are a few ideas I have for the team jerseys.

#12

#13

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

We will put this patch on whichever Jersey we chose.

A Knights mission statement/Pledge

This was written, signed,  and delivered to me by an amazing young man! He exemplifies what it means to be a gentleman, a servant, a rugby player, and most certainly, a Knight. I admire what this young man has become, and look forward to seeing the effect he will have on this struggling world. It's absolutely worth reading, and re-reading.

-Jeremy

Brad's Pledge/Mission Statement

St George Knights

“The Fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road. Long before I dance under those lights….I hated every minute of training, but I said to myself. Don’t quit, suffer now and live the rest of your life a champion.”    - Muhammad Ali

I will train my mind and my body to focus on the task at hand and the task is becoming champions both on and off the rugby field. I will train so that pain is not a stumbling block but rather a building block for success. Discipline through pain and respect for and from others is what I will seek for. I will apply all that I learn on the field in my life and make it a vital part of me, and in return I will be a champion on and off the field.

Champion develops a world class belief long before they become champions:

They can . . . because they think they can. The average man is more concerned about survival rather than success. They create within themselves a “playing not to lose” mentality and that over all limits the desire and drive within them to succeed in this life. Average people see champions as intelligent. The truth is that intelligence plays but a small part; belief is the real reason for a champions success.

“All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you’re not good enough or strong enough or talented enough. They will say you’re the height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. They will tell you NO, a thousand times NO, until all the no’s become meaningless. All your life they will tell you NO, quite firmly and very quickly. But you will tell them YES”

Believing in me and the others around me on the field and in life is key to becoming a champion. I will trust and be trusted by others on and off the field. I will believe in them because they believe in me. Together we will all believe that we are great and can become great. I believe greatness come through hard work, dedication, sacrifice, heart, and a firm belief in one’s self-worth as a player and person. I will believe in my coaches and my mentors because they can help reach my full potential. I will be great because I believe I am great and because the others around me believe in me and in being great. This is my creed and my hopes for rugby and life.

I promise myself, my team, and my coaches to Be my very best every single day.

-Brad

Rugby, the Gentleman's Game!

There is an old Brittish saying of an unknown origin which says: "Football (soccer) is a gentleman's game played by ruffians, and rugby is a ruffian's game played by gentlemen." We know that Rugby is the "Gentleman's Game". But the problem is, there are few in the contemporary world that can clearly define what a gentleman is, or how a gentleman is supposed to act. I stumbled across this today and thought it was worth sharing.

10 ETERNAL TRUTHS OF THE

GENTLEMANLY LIFE by John Bridges

1. A gentleman says "please" and "thank you," readily and often.

2. A gentleman does not disparage the beliefs of others-whether they relate to matters of faith, politics, or sports teams.

3. A gentleman always carries a handkerchief, and is ready to lend it, especially to a weeping lady, should the need arise.

4. A gentleman never allows a door to slam in the face of another person male or female, young or old, absolute stranger or longtime best friend.

5. A gentleman does not make jokes about race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation; neither does he find such jokes amusing.

6. A gentleman knows how to stand in line and how to wait his turn.

7. A gentleman is always ready to offer a hearty handshake.

8. A gentleman keeps his leather shoes polished and his fingernails clean.

9. A gentleman admits when he is wrong.

10. A gentleman does not pick a fight.

Rugby 7's Collegiate Championship

Gentlemen,

This is worth a watch. It gives a picture of why the teams fail or succeed. In particular I want you to be able to identify what are the key factors of winning vs. Losing. I would appreciate some feedback after you've watched these so I know that you've taken the time.

-Jeremy

p.s. I've included the link to the international 7's. Enjoy!



http://www.hulu.com/watch/155841/rugby-7s-collegiate-championship-invitational-part-1

http://www.hulu.com/watch/155785/rugby-7s-collegiate-championship-invitational-part-2#s-p1-so-i0

http://www.hulu.com/usa-7s-rugby

Daily Personal Running/Workout Schedule (Beta)

· Monday: 2 minute Push-ups, 2 Minute sit-ups, 2 mile run timed e-mail results by Tuesday (Plus, 50 P/U’s, 70 S/U’s@ your own pace, & 5 cycles Tabata squats).

· Tuesday: 2 miles, 10-40’s, 10-100’s, & 10 standing long jumps.

· Wednesday: Stair day@ stadium, 2-laps(warm-up), 3 half-speed stair run, 3 full-speed, 4 start half-speed@ half sprint to top, finish on track with 3-40’s & 4 slow lunging stairs.

· Thursday: 2 miles, 10-40’s, 10-100’s, & 10 standing long jumps, & 8 cycles Tabata
Squats

· Friday: 10 hills, 10 sprints (fence to fence), finish 2-Iron mikes (fence to fence).

· Saturday: PT Test (2 minute P/U’s, 2 Min S/U’s, & 2 Mile run timed. Plus 5-40’s, and
5-100’s

Enjoy!

Inspiration for the Masses (OK... apx. 20)

William Blake: Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Unknown Author: Never be afraid to do something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the titanic.
Winston Churchill: Never, never, never, never give up.
Dag Hammarskjold: Never measure the height of a mountain, until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was.
Al Neuharth: The difference between a mountain and a molehill is your perspective.
Robert H. Schuller: For every mountain there is a miracle.
Denis Waitley: Winners take time to relish their work, knowing that scaling the mountain is what makes the view from the top so exhilarating.
Sir Edmund Hillary: It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.
John Wanamaker: One may walk over the highest mountain one step at a time.
Lena Horne: It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it.
Norman Vincent Peale: Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven't half the strength you think they have.
Robert W. Service: It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out; it's the grain of sand in your shoe.
William Faulkner: The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
Unknown: It’s the degree of commitment you put yourself through with others, that determines what you get out of it in the end.
Henry Drummond: Unless a man undertakes more than he possibly can do, he will never do all that he can.
Tony Dorsett: To succeed... you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you.
Henry Kaiser: Trouble is only opportunity in work clothes.
Henry Ward Beecher: Troubles are often the tools by which God fashions us for better things.
Mark Twain: Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover.
Winston Churchill: If you're going through hell, keep going.
Richard Cumberland: It is better to wear out than to rust out.
Ralph Waldo Emerson: It was high counsel that I once heard given to a young person: Always do what you are afraid to do.
Walt Disney: It's kind of fun to do the impossible.
Mark Twain: Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear. Except a creature be part coward, it is not a compliment to say it is brave.
Napoleon Hill: Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.
David O. McKay: Find a purpose in life so big it will challenge every capacity to be at your best.
Milton Berle: I'd rather be a "could-be', if I cannot be an "are'; because a "could-be" is a "maybe" who is reaching for a star. I'd rather be a "has-been" than a "might-have-been', by far; for a "might-have-been" has never "been", but a "has" was once an "are'.
William Carlos Williams:
The better work men do is always done under stress and at great personal cost.
John D. Rockefeller: The common denominator for success is work.
Tommy Lasorda: The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination.
Michelangelo: The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we hit it.

George Schultz: The minute you start talking about what you're going to do if you lose, you have lost.

Vince Lombardi: The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. That's the essence of it.



Napoleon Hill: The strongest oak tree of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It's the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for its existence against the winds and rains and the scorching sun.
Orison Swett Marden: Obstacles will look large or small to you according to whether you are large or small.
T. S. Eliot: Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.
Jean De La Bruyere: Out of difficulties grow miracles.
John Quincy Adams: Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.
Claude M. Bristol: It's the constant and determined effort that breaks down all resistance, sweeps away all obstacles.
Ella Fitzgerald: Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there’s love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.
Sir Winston Churchill: Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.
Dale Carnegie: Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: Mountains cannot be surmounted except by winding paths.

Nationals here we come!

U19 Eligibility Finally Straightened Out
Courtesy - ERugby NewsFebruary 17, 2009 - This weekend the USA Rugby Board of Directors approved changes in the U19 club player eligibility.Once USA Rugby established a girls U19 National Championship, and also split the Boys Championship into separate High School and U19 tournaments, the discussion of what makes a U19 club player, became heated.Last year, the rules stated that a player on a U19 club must be under 19 and in high school. Several, (including opinions on ERugby News) argued that a U19 club should be played on age-grade eligibility only - if a player is young enough to be in high school, college, or neither, it shouldn't matter.This weekend, the change was made. Effective immediately, U19 clubs may field players not in high school, as long as they are the right age. Players must be under 19 on September 1, of the season in question (so for this season, a player who turned 19 on September 2, 2008 would be eligible as a U19 player).This change will be lauded by many who say it is simpler than the old way, and more inclusive. Young players not in college won't be forced to play senior club rugby.Following is the text of the rule. Note, these rules address games that lead to a National Championship. They do not address friendlies or leagues that don't lead ultimately to Nationals - those games and leagues can choose their own rules.NATIONAL U19 CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP6.1. Club Eligibilitya) Club can be represented by players that meet the requirements of 6.2 provided there are not more than five (5) non-resident players on the Roster for any particular match that may in any way lead to the applicable USA Rugby Championship Event.b) Club may carry an unlimited number of players on its Roster.6.2. Player Eligibilitya) Players are eligible if they have not reached their 19th birthday by the September 1st that occurs at the start of the competitive season.b) Players must have played for the club in at least two (2) Qualifying Matches or second-side match associated with a Qualifying Match during the competitive season at least a week apart from each other prior to participating in a USA Rugby Championship event.c) The player must not have played in a Qualifying Match for any other club during the fifteens competitive season - including in High School, Collegiate or Senior competitions.

02-11-2009 No practice/ Hill Sprinting

We will not be having practice on Wed. night. Which means you need to go running on your own, get to the gym, and bring a buddy,etc... . I received several comments on the marked improvement in fitness that we demonstrated in our last game. Without reservation I can attribute it to running the mountain. Remember seven times is the minimum, ten is expected by March. It will make you faster, stronger, more explosive in every aspect of rugby so push yourselves. Knights never quite.

p.s. Here is an interesting article on hill sprinting. http://www.islavista.net/weightlifting/high-intensity-training.html

-Jeremy

For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my Brother.

Knights,

Send me an e-mail to know that you are checking this page, also include your contact info. Come ready to run tonight, SUU will be coming to practice. You are expected to run the mountain Seven times now, if you can, come early to practice so we wont waste as much time waiting on people to run the mountain. We have to start putting in the work, I anticipate going to nationals if we put the work in, we have the talent, we just need the determination, and a few more talented players. Also, I have posted Technique, and workout links, During the days we don't have practice i.e. Monday and Friday you are expected to run at least two miles, and finish with 10 (minimum) 100 yard sprints as well as the leg, and shoulder workouts suggested. Please push yourselves your teammates are counting on You! Knights NEVER Quit!

p.s. Mouth gaurds are now required @ practice.

-Jeremy

Time to get in shape! RUGBY STYLE!

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday(w/no scheduled game) are personal fitness days (for now). Very shortly I will post suggested workouts, and some that are required for those days. Tues & Thurs You will now run the mountain 5 times and 4 laps around the field before we begin practice. Punctual attendance to practice is required. We have games coming up the end of January. See you at practice.

-Jeremy

UVU a good first outing!

It seems a good tradition. The first game of every season has been vs. UVU. Saturday was a perfect rugby day the sun was out the wind stayed away, all in all optimal rugby day. St George started out strong scoring a try within the first few minutes of the match. That woke the Wolverines up then, and the match intensified. The Wolverines moved the ball well and put tremendous pressure on St George who struggled a bit with defensive rucking, It remained a very close game until the 3rd forty minute period. The wolverines saw St George come into their own game moving the ball decisively and effectively. Both Villi Hafoka, and Jordan Palmer scoring almost at will. The newcomers (Michael Mortensen and Tanner Torres) showed great motivation and determination in defense and offense, Welcome! All told the knights had a tremendous game holding their own against a nationally ranked university team. I am grateful for the young men who come ready to work, to practice, learn, and grow in this sport. Alis Aquilae!

2009... Knights ride again!

A new season starts... A chance to try new things, fix things that didn't work, a chance to improve. Conditioning and discipline are the focus this year. We are also trying out a new mentor program, which I anticipate as a win-win scenario. Recruiting is going to be a key to our success. We have some experience on the team now, and we expect those gentlemen to exceed the level of rugby knowledge and fitness that they achieved last season, as well as passing on that knowledge, fitness, and the "rugby bug" to their fellow teammates. We are thrilled for the members of our team who have gone on to serve on missions and know that they will be an asset wherever they are. A new season starts... A chance to look into our hearts and find that there is more of us than we knew. A chance to expand the circle of brotherhood. A chance to be a Knight!

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Forever Strong’ Trailer

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Forever Strong’ Trailer

Posted using ShareThis

Youth Rugby Compulsory?

While in New Zealand a few years back, I was delighted to see a rugby pitch on each corner (it seemed that way anyhow). What tickled me even more than that, was watching small children play. Instead of baseball, football, or smear the queer, it was rugby.
Now, I have no delusions, baseball, football, basketball are a part of America, an integral part of our identity. I played all those sports as a kid. Those sports aren't going anywhere anytime soon. All I am suggesting is giving the kids another choice. If we really want to see rugby improve here in the USA, My thinking is we ought to consentrate on the youth, provide more opportunities to learn, and play rugby.
I grew up in a small farming community in the middle of Utah .A kid moved into town from South Africa. He suggested we play rugby, so we played rugby. It was our own version of course. The resident rugby expert was a bit vague on some of the rules and modes of play. We passed the ball backward but we had blockers. We had a sin bin, unoccupied, except for when someone wanted a safe place to rest. Our scrums involved everyone on the field. We would push, and push until someone got the guts to pick up the ball and run. Our line outs were more like soccer. It was fantastic fun. In fact I broke my nose and chipped a tooth for the first time playing “rugby”.
It is not my intention that we give a size 4 ball to some kids on a play ground, and say “Kill”. Rather, we should work on providing youth workshops, and a touch league. How invaluable would it be if our players came to the high school level already knowing basically how to pass, kick, create space, and knew when they were “off sides”. One of our assistant coaches is a elementary school teacher. He teaches his students to play touch, and they play most recesses. And from all accounts they have a great time. Rugby is fun; we should give our youth the opportunity to play. They will thank us for it.

-Jeremy

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: A Hallmark of dedication

Now this has nothing to do with High school, or Rugby. But certainly, exemplifies Honor, Duty, Loyalty, Selfless Service, Respect, Personal Courage, and Integrity. These are values we all should anxiously espouse, and try to instill in our young men. I did not write this, it was an e-mail I received, I just wanted to share it. I have been to the Tomb and watched the Changing of the Guard. The amount of precision and attention to detail....It was one of the moments, I was most proud to be an American. God Bless all my brothers in the service.

-Jeremy


On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns --- All three missed it --- This is really an awesome sight to watch if you've never had the chance . Very fascinating.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why?

21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.

2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why?

21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1

3. Why are his gloves wet?

His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.

4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and if not, why not?

He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.

5. How often are the guards changed?

Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?

For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10" and 6' 2" tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30." Other requirements of the Guard: They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin. The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt. There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress! for duty in front of a full-length mirror. The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery . A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe E. Lewis {the boxer} and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, {the most decorated soldier of WWII} of Hollywood fame. Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.


ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC , our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a service person. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

Recruiting: A new year, now what?

I can't tell you what a relief it was for last year's season to be over. Don't get me wrong some of the players I will miss tremendously, and will have a very difficult time replacing. Many have gone on missions, or off to school. And will be a benefit to the world around them.

Being as it was our first year we struggled a bit to get and keep enough players to field a team. Some got intimidated by the game, others parents forbade them to play. There were a few who did not pay the price to be on the team. They would not show up to practice, and then when they did it wasn't to practice. Come game day they expected to start, and have plenty of playing time, just as long as they felt like it though. We as coaches walked a tight rope not knowing if we would have enough players for each game or the caliber of players we needed to play. So to some extent I had to coddle these "players" and they knew it. I will not face that problem again, it is not fair to those who really pay the price. I expect it to be a bit easier this year hopefully word of mouth will help our cause. How do I go about finding the kind of players I need for this up coming season. There is no telling where they are. I had a kid last year he was so incredibly talented yet before rugby he had not played an organized sport. I had a tennis player that was so powerful, and lethal on on the field you would never know he had not played a contact sport before. The list could go on and on. I need to get finding kids now. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

-Jeremy

Hawaiian Gardens Rugby: a Great Story

In Hawaiian Gardens, youths go into scrums, out of gangs

Rugby has become a big sport in the small L.A. County city. What started as a youth diversion is now a quest for a championship.By Sam QuinonesLos Angeles Times Staff WriterMay 10, 2008When flag football season ended, Gonzalo Rios and his teammates found themselves with too much time on their hands. So Rios and others formed graffiti tagging crews.Administrators at Fedde Middle School in Hawaiian Gardens worried that the youths would end up in gangs and spoke to Ernie Vargas, the players' football coach.Vargas, 56, is the town's youth sports and gang intervention coordinator. Having played rugby in college, he suggested that the children form a team.None knew the sport -- a fast-paced forerunner to American football. Vargas showed them a film and took them to a tournament in San Diego. He taught them the basics and began scheduling games in the Southern California Youth Rugby Organization.They liked the relentless tackling and physical contact. It was football without pads.The Hawaiian Gardens Eagles youth rugby team was born."After that, everybody started changing," said Rios, now 16. "Everybody stopped banging. We liked the sport so much that we didn't have time for that no more."That was in 2006.Since then, Hawaiian Gardens -- one of the smallest and poorest towns in Los Angeles County -- has emerged as a Southern California youth rugby powerhouse.The city's program now has three teams and 45 players under 16, including a team of girls who protested when the city seemed willing to fund only boys teams. Many players have family members who are in gangs.Sharing cleats and jerseys, they beat rivals from larger cities and from wealthier areas where the sport is better known: San Clemente, Santa Monica, Long Beach and San Diego County.The three Hawaiian Gardens teams won their divisions this season; the girls squad went undefeated.This weekend, 10 Southern California teams will compete in the state youth rugby playoffs in San Luis Obispo. Three teams will be from Hawaiian Gardens.The players -- black, Latino and white -- have learned rugby's essential lesson: Support each other."They blend together well," Vargas said.The teams remain as unknown to town residents as the sport they play; their own parents don't understand it. Yet Hawaiian Gardens youth rugby squads offer a glimmer of what is possible to a town where gangs are entrenched and races haven't blended well.A blink on the 605 Freeway, Hawaiian Gardens, with a population of about 15,000, is less than a square mile in area -- a collection of modest stucco houses, dense apartment buildings and low-end retail. The working-class town may be best known for its casino, with its giant electronic freeway billboard, that provides a large chunk of its tax revenue. But more about Hawaiian Gardens is defined by its insular barrio and HG, a local street gang that has plagued the city for generations.The town "is really settled," said Jorge Escamilla, 16, a ninth-grader who started playing rugby on Vargas' first team. "My neighbors have been there for three generations; they don't get out of Hawaiian Gardens."When blacks began arriving in the mid-1990s, they were targeted by Latino gangs, police said. In 2003 and 2004, blacks were shot at and wounded in racist attacks. Also, Artesia High School erupted in violence as gang members attempted to drive out black families."The air was hateful," said a black woman whose daughter plays rugby and who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisal.Tensions remain, particularly at Artesia High School and Fedde, which most of the rugby players attend. This week, rumors circulated at Fedde that blacks were going to be attacked, parents said.In this charged atmosphere, Vargas' relatively new multiracial rugby teams are like a blast of fresh air. Some of the children have traveled across Southern California, played teams from Japan and New Zealand and scrimmaged on the floor of Staples Center.Rugby "gives you that sense of feeling that you're still alive," said Marco Gomez, one of last year's players.But, many parents were put off by the rough-and-tumble nature of the sport. This was especially true for the girls squad, which scrimmages with the boys in practice. Rugby didn't fit some parents' ideas of a girl's sport."I was frightened," said Luz Barriga, whose daughter, Jackie, 14, plays on the squad. "I didn't know what it was. It was just males."But as the season progressed, Barriga watched Jackie, who had never played a sport, grow attached to rugby. When Jackie hurt a shoulder, she begged for two months to be allowed back on the field. A doctor finally approved it last week.Jackie now plays softball, too, and her mother has an appreciation of rugby that failed her at first."It gives her a positive thing to do after school," Luz Barriga said. "Kids get in trouble after school if they don't have anything to do."Despite their success this year, Eagles' practices can be lackadaisical and chaotic. Vargas spends his time telling players to stop talking on cellphones and remove iPod earphones. He hounds them to run laps."In their own personal lives, everything isn't perfect. Discipline in life comes later on, as they mature," Vargas said. "What I'm trying to do is keep them from getting in a gang."Other teams, he knows, are far more disciplined and have more experienced coaches. So why do the Eagles win?"Every single one of us grew up like underdogs," Escamilla said. The first year "I got hit pretty bad. I'd get back up. Everybody here is like that: You get hit and you get back up."A test of that came in August. An informal 19-and-under Hawaiian Gardens boys team played a tournament at Staples Center, which they eventually won. However, a men's tournament also was underway.When a men's squad didn't show, organizers asked Vargas if his team wanted to face a men's team of New Zealanders, Samoans and Americans. The boys agreed.So a bunch of scruffy Hawaiian Gardens 19-and-unders -- the youngest of whom was 14 -- stepped onto the arena's artificial turf to face men who were almost twice their age and could bench-press triple their weight.The men would plow over them, but they'd get up and go at it again."We felt like we were doing something big," said Mack Levao, 18, one of Vargas' original players.In one play, Rios dived over one man to hit another. In another play, the smallest player on the Hawaiian Gardens team scurried between the legs of a rival behemoth. Of course the Eagles lost. But they scored first, and lost by only two scores. The team returned home that night scraped and bruised."But I was very happy I was there," said Marco Gomez, then 17.Looking past this weekend's playoffs, with the town's budget limited, Vargas is searching for sponsors for the team, and to help pay for a trip to England next year.Meanwhile, rugby seems to have settled in Hawaiian Gardens, which Gomez doesn't find that far-fetched. With its gang culture, "Hawaiian Gardens is like a big, giant, rugby field," he said."The difference between life and rugby is there's good sportsmanship after the game. In real life, we don't have that." sam.quinones@latimes.com