Ryunosuke Matsuura '17
In 2011, I came to Maryland from Japan as an exchange student. I couldn’t speak English well and it was really difficult for me to make friends at school. It was rugby that helped me. I found a team named Maryland Exiles. Everyone in the team was very nice to me and I really felt welcome. I realized, “Rugby crosses all borders.” I was fortunate enough not only to win the state championship of Maryland but also to get selected as a member of All-state team, which gave me a great opportunity to make friends beyond the frame of teams. After being selected, I was asked by the coach of University of Maryland whether I was interested in the school, which belongs to D1-AA, but I declined the offer because I not only put much value on academics but also wanted to go to a small school, whose rugby team, I expected, would have a strong solidarity like a big family regardless of the nationalities. Then, I found that Colby was ranked 7th among D3 schools and decided to come to Colby. Honestly, I was afraid of coming to Maine, which is the whitest state in the US. However, when I joined the team, I was glad to see that my expectation was completely right. I feel as if being at home when I am with my teammates and nobody on my team cares about my nationality. This year, we had a tough season because we are still a young team. However, as we became cohesive as one team, we were getting better. At the end of the season, when beat New England College, I clearly saw the bright future of this team. Now, Colby College is demolishing the Colby Rugby Club, which means this college is depriving our home and future. I expect Colby College, which proudly proclaims its diversity, will understand the true value of rugby; “Rugby crosses all borders.”
In 2011, I came to Maryland from Japan as an exchange student. I couldn’t speak English well and it was really difficult for me to make friends at school. It was rugby that helped me. I found a team named Maryland Exiles. Everyone in the team was very nice to me and I really felt welcome. I realized, “Rugby crosses all borders.” I was fortunate enough not only to win the state championship of Maryland but also to get selected as a member of All-state team, which gave me a great opportunity to make friends beyond the frame of teams. After being selected, I was asked by the coach of University of Maryland whether I was interested in the school, which belongs to D1-AA, but I declined the offer because I not only put much value on academics but also wanted to go to a small school, whose rugby team, I expected, would have a strong solidarity like a big family regardless of the nationalities. Then, I found that Colby was ranked 7th among D3 schools and decided to come to Colby. Honestly, I was afraid of coming to Maine, which is the whitest state in the US. However, when I joined the team, I was glad to see that my expectation was completely right. I feel as if being at home when I am with my teammates and nobody on my team cares about my nationality. This year, we had a tough season because we are still a young team. However, as we became cohesive as one team, we were getting better. At the end of the season, when beat New England College, I clearly saw the bright future of this team. Now, Colby College is demolishing the Colby Rugby Club, which means this college is depriving our home and future. I expect Colby College, which proudly proclaims its diversity, will understand the true value of rugby; “Rugby crosses all borders.”
Claire Regenstreif '15
I grew up in Portland, Oregon, and when I decided to come to Colby College in Waterville, Maine, friends and family cautioned me. They said the people and the culture in New England are very different from what I grew up with. They were concerned that I may be surrounded by people with whom I would find it difficult to relate. And maybe they would have been right if I had not found Colby Rugby. When I didn’t know anyone else, I had people who went out of their way to greet me when they saw me around campus. I had teammates to eat meals with, and friends to spend time with on the weekends. And unlike so many other relationships freshmen year, these were not transient bonds formed out of convenience. These were the beginnings of many of my most valuable and lasting friendships on this campus. I am a junior now, and I have watched many freshmen on both the men’s and women’s teams experience this same thing. I see first year ruggers eating together at the dining halls, doing work together in the library, and getting together on the weekends. I know they came together over rugby, and it makes me so proud to be a part of that. I know I speak for many when I say that when I found the Rugby teams, I found my people. I need to know Colby students in the future will find the unswerving community, commitment, and friendship that I found here. I need to know they will have Colby Rugby
I grew up in Portland, Oregon, and when I decided to come to Colby College in Waterville, Maine, friends and family cautioned me. They said the people and the culture in New England are very different from what I grew up with. They were concerned that I may be surrounded by people with whom I would find it difficult to relate. And maybe they would have been right if I had not found Colby Rugby. When I didn’t know anyone else, I had people who went out of their way to greet me when they saw me around campus. I had teammates to eat meals with, and friends to spend time with on the weekends. And unlike so many other relationships freshmen year, these were not transient bonds formed out of convenience. These were the beginnings of many of my most valuable and lasting friendships on this campus. I am a junior now, and I have watched many freshmen on both the men’s and women’s teams experience this same thing. I see first year ruggers eating together at the dining halls, doing work together in the library, and getting together on the weekends. I know they came together over rugby, and it makes me so proud to be a part of that. I know I speak for many when I say that when I found the Rugby teams, I found my people. I need to know Colby students in the future will find the unswerving community, commitment, and friendship that I found here. I need to know they will have Colby Rugby
Sam Kaplan '13
When I was starting out at Colby I was scared. Scared that the tiny school in Maine I had pledged to spend the next four years at would not turn out to be the warm community that it had promised in the brochures. I was afraid that I would be a loner, and that I would have to spend my four years just finding ways to idle time until I could get on a bus to bring me home. That’s what high school was for me after all. And to be fair, my first week at Colby didn't help boost my confidence. I was placed in a COOT that wasn't even on my list of choices, my roommate and I were friendly, but it was clear it would be a distant friendship at best, and I soon found myself dreading meals that I didn't have with my COOT family because I knew I would have no one to sit with. I came to Colby a freshman who was terrified of being alone. Rugby was what took me in its arms and held that fear at bay. I joined a team, but I quickly learned it was more than that; it was a kinship, a community, a brotherhood bound together by sweat, blood, and athletic tape. Rugby made Colby a place I could call home. The coaches who taught me the game and the players taught me to fight for the man by your side, trust him, defend him, and laugh with him after it's all over. I am not ashamed to say that I love my teammates from the very bottom of my heart. Rugby is not like other sports. It doesn't foster brotherhood, it demands it. I know of several students, myself included, who at one point or another was about to leave Colby behind but it was their commitment to a club sport that made them stay. Think about that for a second. A club sport. A team that cannot require its members to attend practice, a team that, at least in my days, had no access to the trainers’ room despite the demands of our a sport, a team who drove itself to games, at times trained itself when coaches were absent, managed to create bonds strong enough to help individuals through the darkest points in their lives. I love Colby rugby. I love the men and women who made up the club, and despite any petty arguments or drama that may have happened between us I would without hesitation run to their aid if they called. And so that is what I am doing now. I told you rugby is not like other sports. You have not decided to cut a team, you have threatened a family, and you have no idea how strongly that family loves each other, and no idea what we are capable of when our family is put in danger.
When I was starting out at Colby I was scared. Scared that the tiny school in Maine I had pledged to spend the next four years at would not turn out to be the warm community that it had promised in the brochures. I was afraid that I would be a loner, and that I would have to spend my four years just finding ways to idle time until I could get on a bus to bring me home. That’s what high school was for me after all. And to be fair, my first week at Colby didn't help boost my confidence. I was placed in a COOT that wasn't even on my list of choices, my roommate and I were friendly, but it was clear it would be a distant friendship at best, and I soon found myself dreading meals that I didn't have with my COOT family because I knew I would have no one to sit with. I came to Colby a freshman who was terrified of being alone. Rugby was what took me in its arms and held that fear at bay. I joined a team, but I quickly learned it was more than that; it was a kinship, a community, a brotherhood bound together by sweat, blood, and athletic tape. Rugby made Colby a place I could call home. The coaches who taught me the game and the players taught me to fight for the man by your side, trust him, defend him, and laugh with him after it's all over. I am not ashamed to say that I love my teammates from the very bottom of my heart. Rugby is not like other sports. It doesn't foster brotherhood, it demands it. I know of several students, myself included, who at one point or another was about to leave Colby behind but it was their commitment to a club sport that made them stay. Think about that for a second. A club sport. A team that cannot require its members to attend practice, a team that, at least in my days, had no access to the trainers’ room despite the demands of our a sport, a team who drove itself to games, at times trained itself when coaches were absent, managed to create bonds strong enough to help individuals through the darkest points in their lives. I love Colby rugby. I love the men and women who made up the club, and despite any petty arguments or drama that may have happened between us I would without hesitation run to their aid if they called. And so that is what I am doing now. I told you rugby is not like other sports. You have not decided to cut a team, you have threatened a family, and you have no idea how strongly that family loves each other, and no idea what we are capable of when our family is put in danger.
Jade Enright '15
True passion is scarce. It is the confluence of hard work and joy in the hours spent in pursuit of excellence. It is roused by challenges, and thus demands a level of engagement that is only undertaken by those inspired by the process. It impresses the intense emotions, lessons and values learned and instills those ideals into your character.
I have a passion for Colby Rugby.
Rugby, at its core, is about the unfaltering support of your teammates. It is a game rooted in personal sacrifice because of loyalty to a team. As a result, this willingness to put others first redefines failure. Taking the brunt of a tackle opens up space for a teammate. Bumps and bruises signal a well-fought game. Being 100% yourself is celebrated. In rugby, being face down in the mud has nothing to do with failure.
I am a strong-willed, resolute and hard-working individual. In no other discipline have I had the ability to foster my conviction as a woman and my power as an athlete. The Colby ruggers have shown me how to be proud of my strength, boldness and resilience in new and challenging situations.
Passion takes overcoming obstacles and makes them a welcomed challenge. It makes practice out in the bitter cold the best part of my day. A passion for Colby Rugby makes all those involved connected through an inexplicable, yet tangible bond of love, pride, strength and friendship. We support each other tirelessly on the pitch because the game demands it, and we do the same off the pitch because the sport has engrained it in us. Colby Rugby has given me role models in every sense of the word. They make me laugh in the face of hardship, strive to turn the unattainable into reality, take risks and go after opportunities just to follow in their footsteps. They have taught me to be open-minded, kindhearted and sincerely dedicated to the success of others. They have committed hours to teaching me to be a better player, teammate and member of this institution. They were my teammates even when injuries prevented me from being a player, and friends long after graduation. They have pushed me to be proud of myself, and have been there every time that I wasn’t. To be a Colby rugby player is to be there to pull your teammate off the ground today, tomorrow and twenty years from now. I have a passion for rugby because of the Colby ruggers.
I left a lot behind when I left for college. I had had to say goodbye to what had been my life for so long. My horse had been the focus of my attention for years, and leaving for school meant leaving him and my love for our discipline behind. It was a big decision for me to join Colby’s rugby team. I had given up all team sports in high school to ride, and had no idea what it would mean for me to try now. As it turned out, the Colby Rugby team has been engrained with ideals of celebrating uniqueness, diversity and support for one another. They took me in regardless of my uncontrollable energy, lack of limb and body control and my determination to belt my awful singing voice. It didn’t matter how much experience I was coming in with, if I demonstrated that I wanted nothing more than to learn the game, than the Colby ruggers wanted nothing more than to make me feel like I was a part of it. And now, two years later, Colby Rugby is a part of me.
To take away passion is to take away drive and intrinsic motivation. It is to remove reason and personal pride. Here I am alongside and an amazing group of passionate individuals and hundreds of supportive alumni, all who have Colby Rugby entrenched in their identity and are deeply connected as a result. Colby is an institution that seeks and encourages passion in all of its students and faculty because it is clear that one’s success, satisfaction and overwhelming conviction to dream big are all derived from passion. To deprive us, and those to come, the opportunity to learn the values,4 personal understanding and motivation embodied by the rugby club would be a cruel and terrible deprivation of potential for the development of leadership, loyalty, hard work and joy.
True passion is scarce. It is the confluence of hard work and joy in the hours spent in pursuit of excellence. It is roused by challenges, and thus demands a level of engagement that is only undertaken by those inspired by the process. It impresses the intense emotions, lessons and values learned and instills those ideals into your character.
I have a passion for Colby Rugby.
Rugby, at its core, is about the unfaltering support of your teammates. It is a game rooted in personal sacrifice because of loyalty to a team. As a result, this willingness to put others first redefines failure. Taking the brunt of a tackle opens up space for a teammate. Bumps and bruises signal a well-fought game. Being 100% yourself is celebrated. In rugby, being face down in the mud has nothing to do with failure.
I am a strong-willed, resolute and hard-working individual. In no other discipline have I had the ability to foster my conviction as a woman and my power as an athlete. The Colby ruggers have shown me how to be proud of my strength, boldness and resilience in new and challenging situations.
Passion takes overcoming obstacles and makes them a welcomed challenge. It makes practice out in the bitter cold the best part of my day. A passion for Colby Rugby makes all those involved connected through an inexplicable, yet tangible bond of love, pride, strength and friendship. We support each other tirelessly on the pitch because the game demands it, and we do the same off the pitch because the sport has engrained it in us. Colby Rugby has given me role models in every sense of the word. They make me laugh in the face of hardship, strive to turn the unattainable into reality, take risks and go after opportunities just to follow in their footsteps. They have taught me to be open-minded, kindhearted and sincerely dedicated to the success of others. They have committed hours to teaching me to be a better player, teammate and member of this institution. They were my teammates even when injuries prevented me from being a player, and friends long after graduation. They have pushed me to be proud of myself, and have been there every time that I wasn’t. To be a Colby rugby player is to be there to pull your teammate off the ground today, tomorrow and twenty years from now. I have a passion for rugby because of the Colby ruggers.
I left a lot behind when I left for college. I had had to say goodbye to what had been my life for so long. My horse had been the focus of my attention for years, and leaving for school meant leaving him and my love for our discipline behind. It was a big decision for me to join Colby’s rugby team. I had given up all team sports in high school to ride, and had no idea what it would mean for me to try now. As it turned out, the Colby Rugby team has been engrained with ideals of celebrating uniqueness, diversity and support for one another. They took me in regardless of my uncontrollable energy, lack of limb and body control and my determination to belt my awful singing voice. It didn’t matter how much experience I was coming in with, if I demonstrated that I wanted nothing more than to learn the game, than the Colby ruggers wanted nothing more than to make me feel like I was a part of it. And now, two years later, Colby Rugby is a part of me.
To take away passion is to take away drive and intrinsic motivation. It is to remove reason and personal pride. Here I am alongside and an amazing group of passionate individuals and hundreds of supportive alumni, all who have Colby Rugby entrenched in their identity and are deeply connected as a result. Colby is an institution that seeks and encourages passion in all of its students and faculty because it is clear that one’s success, satisfaction and overwhelming conviction to dream big are all derived from passion. To deprive us, and those to come, the opportunity to learn the values,4 personal understanding and motivation embodied by the rugby club would be a cruel and terrible deprivation of potential for the development of leadership, loyalty, hard work and joy.
Jack Sears '17
I am a freshman at Colby and am in my fifth of hopefully many more years of playing rugby. I came to Colby because it had a rugby team. I wouldn't have applied if it didn't. I realize this is unusual seeing as rugby isn't an extremely recognized sport in America, but if you play it even for a few days or read the comments of current and former Colby Rugby players you'd understand why I found it necessary when looking at a college. The type of people who are willing to play rugby are different than any other sport and there is no tangible way to describe this difference. At my high school I did not have many, friends but I always felt supported by the rugby team. I knew I needed those people when I left home to go to college, I knew I needed a college with rugby. To be honest I have had trouble making friends here at Colby. My COOT (orientation trip) was not a particularly tight group and I occasionally spend time with kids in my dorm, but the rugby team has taken me in with open arms into their family. They have not only given me their friendship but they have changed Colby from a college into a home for me. Now that Colby has dropped the sport they're not only destroying the current Colby rugger's experience but they are denying future kids like myself from finding a home at Colby.
I am a freshman at Colby and am in my fifth of hopefully many more years of playing rugby. I came to Colby because it had a rugby team. I wouldn't have applied if it didn't. I realize this is unusual seeing as rugby isn't an extremely recognized sport in America, but if you play it even for a few days or read the comments of current and former Colby Rugby players you'd understand why I found it necessary when looking at a college. The type of people who are willing to play rugby are different than any other sport and there is no tangible way to describe this difference. At my high school I did not have many, friends but I always felt supported by the rugby team. I knew I needed those people when I left home to go to college, I knew I needed a college with rugby. To be honest I have had trouble making friends here at Colby. My COOT (orientation trip) was not a particularly tight group and I occasionally spend time with kids in my dorm, but the rugby team has taken me in with open arms into their family. They have not only given me their friendship but they have changed Colby from a college into a home for me. Now that Colby has dropped the sport they're not only destroying the current Colby rugger's experience but they are denying future kids like myself from finding a home at Colby.
Khet Motlana '17
There are eight thousand miles between Colby and the place that I call home. I left everything I knew behind me when I embarked on this new chapter of my life. Not only did I leave behind my family, my friends and the rhythm of the city that forever will be my home but also I lost the security of knowing that there would always be people who would catch me when I stumbled. I came to Colby and I stumbled. I was a small fish in a big pond, an international student in a foreign world. I had to adapt to a new culture, a new system of academics and a new way of life. In those first few weeks I clung to those who were like me, international students who knew what it was like to look around and recognize nothing. It was one of those international students who told me to consider joining the rugby team she was a part of. I was afraid of rugby at first. I am South African, which means that I have been an avid follower of the sport from an early but never a player, never on the field, never in the rucks and never in a team with such a fervent passion for their sport. After that first practice I never looked back, I became a rugger and embraced all that came with that title. I embraced the bruises, the tough practices and the criticisms and through all of this I was embraced. I was embraced with open arms, smiling faces. People who wanted nothing more than to make me feel welcome embraced me. The men and women of Colby Rugby are indeed a family. We support each other on and off the field. Although the administration can never break the bond of this family that has already been established, it can take away the very thing that brought this family together. At the end of the apartheid era Nelson Mandela used rugby to unite the divided and diverse people of South Africa. Colby rugby has similarly managed to unite a group of diverse, passionate and strong willed students. It cannot be allowed that rugby is taken away from us. It cannot be allowed that we are left in the wake of a decision that has already been made. It cannot be allowed. There are eight thousand miles between Colby and the place I call home. Rugby made me believe it was possible for Colby to be my second home.
There are eight thousand miles between Colby and the place that I call home. I left everything I knew behind me when I embarked on this new chapter of my life. Not only did I leave behind my family, my friends and the rhythm of the city that forever will be my home but also I lost the security of knowing that there would always be people who would catch me when I stumbled. I came to Colby and I stumbled. I was a small fish in a big pond, an international student in a foreign world. I had to adapt to a new culture, a new system of academics and a new way of life. In those first few weeks I clung to those who were like me, international students who knew what it was like to look around and recognize nothing. It was one of those international students who told me to consider joining the rugby team she was a part of. I was afraid of rugby at first. I am South African, which means that I have been an avid follower of the sport from an early but never a player, never on the field, never in the rucks and never in a team with such a fervent passion for their sport. After that first practice I never looked back, I became a rugger and embraced all that came with that title. I embraced the bruises, the tough practices and the criticisms and through all of this I was embraced. I was embraced with open arms, smiling faces. People who wanted nothing more than to make me feel welcome embraced me. The men and women of Colby Rugby are indeed a family. We support each other on and off the field. Although the administration can never break the bond of this family that has already been established, it can take away the very thing that brought this family together. At the end of the apartheid era Nelson Mandela used rugby to unite the divided and diverse people of South Africa. Colby rugby has similarly managed to unite a group of diverse, passionate and strong willed students. It cannot be allowed that rugby is taken away from us. It cannot be allowed that we are left in the wake of a decision that has already been made. It cannot be allowed. There are eight thousand miles between Colby and the place I call home. Rugby made me believe it was possible for Colby to be my second home.
Marianne Ferguson '14
The only glimpses of rugby I ever caught growing up were games on slow weekends on obscure sports channels. I thought it was cool looking, but as a young athlete growing up in northern New England I never had the opportunity to experience the game. However, it was always in the back of my mind. I grew up playing field hockey, eventually becoming a captain of my high school team as well as all-conference. I thought I would play the game all through college. When I didn’t make the field hockey team at Colby, I was lost. But after seeing flyers for the rugby team, I figured I would finally give it a shot after seeing it on TV those years ago. If I could play ice hockey on a boy’s team in high school, I could hold my own on the rugby pitch. Spoiler alert: women’s rugby is tougher. Since that first practice, I never looked back. I’ve played flanker, hooker, outside center, and inside center. In 4 short years I went from someone who had never touched a rugby ball to a captain of an undefeated team. In what other sport is that possible? Colby rugby has become a family for me - a family made up of the most diverse men and women in literally every sense of the word. I’ve also been introduced to a game with an international, life-long following and one that forges such a strong bond between athletes (teammates or not) that I have never seen in any other sport. My Colby experience would not be the same without this team and without this crazy wonderful game. I want all future Colby students to have the chance to enrich their Colby experience with rugby.
The only glimpses of rugby I ever caught growing up were games on slow weekends on obscure sports channels. I thought it was cool looking, but as a young athlete growing up in northern New England I never had the opportunity to experience the game. However, it was always in the back of my mind. I grew up playing field hockey, eventually becoming a captain of my high school team as well as all-conference. I thought I would play the game all through college. When I didn’t make the field hockey team at Colby, I was lost. But after seeing flyers for the rugby team, I figured I would finally give it a shot after seeing it on TV those years ago. If I could play ice hockey on a boy’s team in high school, I could hold my own on the rugby pitch. Spoiler alert: women’s rugby is tougher. Since that first practice, I never looked back. I’ve played flanker, hooker, outside center, and inside center. In 4 short years I went from someone who had never touched a rugby ball to a captain of an undefeated team. In what other sport is that possible? Colby rugby has become a family for me - a family made up of the most diverse men and women in literally every sense of the word. I’ve also been introduced to a game with an international, life-long following and one that forges such a strong bond between athletes (teammates or not) that I have never seen in any other sport. My Colby experience would not be the same without this team and without this crazy wonderful game. I want all future Colby students to have the chance to enrich their Colby experience with rugby.
Mac Nichols '14
I've played rugby for 10 years on 6 different teams, and below is a story that happened during my time with the CRFC. Nothing like it has happened to me on any other club. I met Al my freshman year when I joined the rugby team. He was a junior and he was always injured. That winter, I saw him in the gym a lot as he trained very often. Unfortunately, his injuries continued through the spring season regardless. Tragically, his mother died that year and it goes without saying that Al was very distraught. That winter, I saw Al in the gym again and he was training harder than usual. In the spring his senior year, I was captain and Al was put at one of the most physically demanding positions on the pitch. Probably the most abusive position in sports. The position is called "Prop." Professional props enter their career at around 6'1" and leave at around 5'11". Hopefully that puts things in perspective.This fact didn't stop Al. He started every game, and was one of the most reliable players on the team. He worked hard and was absolutely fearless. That season, we busted our butts, trying to be in the gym as often as some varsity teams and flooding Dawn's fitness classes whenever possible. Vomit at practice due to overexertion was common. Our sweat payed off. We won the plate at the largest rugby tournament in the western hemisphere, Beast of the East. When the whistle blew on that frigid rain swept day, we were ecstatic. Naturally, we all ran at one another in celebration, but found ourselves crouched tightly around Al. I remember him repeating one thing, over and over, as he choked on his tears: "I love you Mom." We cried with him. It was a pretty heavy moment. I'm glad it happened.
I've played rugby for 10 years on 6 different teams, and below is a story that happened during my time with the CRFC. Nothing like it has happened to me on any other club. I met Al my freshman year when I joined the rugby team. He was a junior and he was always injured. That winter, I saw him in the gym a lot as he trained very often. Unfortunately, his injuries continued through the spring season regardless. Tragically, his mother died that year and it goes without saying that Al was very distraught. That winter, I saw Al in the gym again and he was training harder than usual. In the spring his senior year, I was captain and Al was put at one of the most physically demanding positions on the pitch. Probably the most abusive position in sports. The position is called "Prop." Professional props enter their career at around 6'1" and leave at around 5'11". Hopefully that puts things in perspective.This fact didn't stop Al. He started every game, and was one of the most reliable players on the team. He worked hard and was absolutely fearless. That season, we busted our butts, trying to be in the gym as often as some varsity teams and flooding Dawn's fitness classes whenever possible. Vomit at practice due to overexertion was common. Our sweat payed off. We won the plate at the largest rugby tournament in the western hemisphere, Beast of the East. When the whistle blew on that frigid rain swept day, we were ecstatic. Naturally, we all ran at one another in celebration, but found ourselves crouched tightly around Al. I remember him repeating one thing, over and over, as he choked on his tears: "I love you Mom." We cried with him. It was a pretty heavy moment. I'm glad it happened.
Stephanie Ruys de Perez '14
I have always loved playing sports and have always been on teams since a very young age. In high school I participated on three varsity sports teams, but coming to Colby I knew I wouldn't be able to get the opportunity to compete on the varsity level. I soon found out that there was one competitive club team on campus, Rugby, and that you could join with no prior experience. I soon joined the team and my Colby experience has been centered around it since then. Rugby means more to me than any other team I have played on, simply because the club is so much more than a team. Colby Rugby is a family. My closest friends, both male and female, are ruggers and I know that these people have my back on and off the pitch. I could not imagine my Colby experience without the team, and while I will not be here to see rugby cut, it is essential that future students continue to have the opportunity to be part of something so special.
I have always loved playing sports and have always been on teams since a very young age. In high school I participated on three varsity sports teams, but coming to Colby I knew I wouldn't be able to get the opportunity to compete on the varsity level. I soon found out that there was one competitive club team on campus, Rugby, and that you could join with no prior experience. I soon joined the team and my Colby experience has been centered around it since then. Rugby means more to me than any other team I have played on, simply because the club is so much more than a team. Colby Rugby is a family. My closest friends, both male and female, are ruggers and I know that these people have my back on and off the pitch. I could not imagine my Colby experience without the team, and while I will not be here to see rugby cut, it is essential that future students continue to have the opportunity to be part of something so special.
Griffen Allen '16
My name is Griffen Allen. I’m currently a sophomore philosophy major, chemistry minor, and pre-med student. When I came to Colby from a small town in southern Georgia. Needless to say when I arrived on campus I knew no one. I had always had a close group of friends, since I went to a smaller K-12 private school. I was frankly terrified that I wasn’t going to make friends. My friends were 1600 miles south at fraternities and sororities across the south, and my parents were on an airplane back to Valdosta. I felt incredibly alone. My roommate was extremely nice, but he was a nordic skier, which meant that he spent most of his time with his nordic teammates. During orientation I had made friends with people on my dorm and my COOT, but I hadn’t really found a home yet. I had considered joining Rugby over the summer, but I had never really committed to the idea. The Tuesday before classes started, I noticed one of the posters advertising the team with Sam Poulin, our current captain's phone number. I texted on a whim asking when practice was. I wasn’t really sure, and I wondered if I had made a mistake. However, I showed up, and that probably turned out to be one of the best decisions of my Colby career. The first person I met was Mackenzie Nichols, or as I would soon call him, Mackie. I had played football and soccer in high school, but I never actually had to throw a ball before since I played defensive line. My skills needless to say needed a lot of improvement. However, I worked at it, and as my skills got better I began to realize I’d found a family. By that winter I came home knowing that I had people around me who always had my back. Had I not joined rugby I may never have found the home that I did, and there is a strong chance that I may have transferred back home to a warmer climate. I love my team, and I hope to play for it until the day I graduate.
My name is Griffen Allen. I’m currently a sophomore philosophy major, chemistry minor, and pre-med student. When I came to Colby from a small town in southern Georgia. Needless to say when I arrived on campus I knew no one. I had always had a close group of friends, since I went to a smaller K-12 private school. I was frankly terrified that I wasn’t going to make friends. My friends were 1600 miles south at fraternities and sororities across the south, and my parents were on an airplane back to Valdosta. I felt incredibly alone. My roommate was extremely nice, but he was a nordic skier, which meant that he spent most of his time with his nordic teammates. During orientation I had made friends with people on my dorm and my COOT, but I hadn’t really found a home yet. I had considered joining Rugby over the summer, but I had never really committed to the idea. The Tuesday before classes started, I noticed one of the posters advertising the team with Sam Poulin, our current captain's phone number. I texted on a whim asking when practice was. I wasn’t really sure, and I wondered if I had made a mistake. However, I showed up, and that probably turned out to be one of the best decisions of my Colby career. The first person I met was Mackenzie Nichols, or as I would soon call him, Mackie. I had played football and soccer in high school, but I never actually had to throw a ball before since I played defensive line. My skills needless to say needed a lot of improvement. However, I worked at it, and as my skills got better I began to realize I’d found a family. By that winter I came home knowing that I had people around me who always had my back. Had I not joined rugby I may never have found the home that I did, and there is a strong chance that I may have transferred back home to a warmer climate. I love my team, and I hope to play for it until the day I graduate.