Rugby

[Tolsimir]

Hey everyone!

 

My name's Amber (22), and I'm from the Netherlands. Three years ago, I started playing rugby.

I changed clubs about 4 times (because I moved around a lot, loved every club!) and am back to the same club I started three years ago - it was like coming home again. The club is my second family. My love for the sport and its ethics grows stronger everyday. 

 

I believe playing good games are the best ways to achieve goals - turning fitness&health into a game with a strong community behind it is a great stimulant for me to improve myself everyday, motivate myself and others. I used to play D&D and I looove the approach of this community, I can't wait to get started!

 

As for my goals, I live by this:

 

I want to succeed, on the field and in life.

 

Rugby's on schedule 3 times a week (training Tue,Thurs, match on Sunday)

For the first challenge, I'll start small. I want to improve my core. My back is killing me after games filled with scrumming, because my core muscles are bad. I'm curvy and wouldn't mind getting a bit leaner, but that is a nice extra, not a main goal.

 

As a nerd, where would I fit in?

I love books, movies, tv series, games, music (yeah, this is all very general), am very curious and love different subjects (still very general). I want to know everything! I recently graduated as an illustrator/graphic designer and I want to focus on games and learning. During weekdays I read and work a lot into this subject to get proficient with it, in the weekends I work as a bartender. It's cool. Coolcoolcool. Ummm fun detail: I feel more comfortable expressing myself in English than I do in Dutch. Derp.

 

That's it for now! I hope I'll fit in

Can't wait to get started

 

edit: whoops, never finished the title. RUGBY!

[joedog]

Hi! I'm retires from playing rugby but it really might be the best sport on earth. Welcome!

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[Tolsimir]

Ooooh that's a shame but I get that! Don't you miss it? One of my teammates is 50 and one of the fittest players on the field - I hope I can last that long but I know it's rare thank you!

[joedog]

I didn't work hard enough to stay fit to play because I used to have my head firmly lodged somewhere unpleasant. I went to at least 4 retirement parties for one former rugger in St. Louis. She even played at least one match after having a hip replacement. She did basically just walk from scrum to scrum, but still...

 

The main reason I can't play any more is that I played American football for 4 seasons and did some damage to my head. Don't ever let anyone tell you rugby is more dangerous than football. I had the so called concussion like symptoms after every game of football. 

 

At 22, if you get your fitness dialed in there is no reason you won't be able to play up into your 50s! 

[Tolsimir]

Woah, she's insane! And I mean this in a good way, of course. What a diehard. 

 

So does that basically mean no more contact sports for you? I've heard of similar injuries in rugby too, though I'd never say rugby is more dangerous.

I don't think the games should be compared in that way, they're both dangerous in different ways I suppose. But the "my sport's better than yours" vibe will always be around rugby and American Football I guess. Here in NL ruggers compare themselves to soccer players, but especially on an ethics level. When someone dares to argue with the ref, his teammates will say: "what are you, a soccer player?" and the player will shut up.

 

Haha, it is now my goal to play rugby till I'm 50!

[Guest]

Welcome! Never fear, you absolutely fit in  

Rugby! I wish rugby were available in my area, I've always wanted to give it a go.

Anyway, good luck in reaching your goals!

[Tolsimir]

Well Anneh, if you ever make it down to Holland you can join us in training so you can try it out ;p

But I bet there's rugbyclubs closer than that!

[obax]

Welcome! I love rugby, at least as a spectator! My sister and I go to international matches whenever they're held in Toronto. I have yet to see Team Canada win one, though...

 

I tried to learn rugby last summer with my sister's team. It all makes sense when I'm watching it, but it's utter chaos when you're in the middle of it all (or, at least, it is for me). I get completely lost and the play just moves away from me without me realizing until I way behind everyone else... And that was just in practice, I wasn't officially signed up so I never played in a game.

 

That said, I'm considering giving it another go next summer. It'll depend a lot on if I have the funds to sign up or not, though I'm not 100% sure my brain is wired to understand the game from the inside... 

[Frost of the Gloaming]

"Support you local Hooker!"

 

I love the game much more than American football but trying to get ex-football guys to even try to play a pick up game is a chore and a half

 

Your core is the one key element that everyone should work on and is sorely overlooked by a lot of people. NF has some good articles on it

[Tolsimir]

 

I tried to learn rugby last summer with my sister's team. It all makes sense when I'm watching it, but it's utter chaos when you're in the middle of it all (or, at least, it is for me). I get completely lost and the play just moves away from me without me realizing until I way behind everyone else... And that was just in practice, I wasn't officially signed up so I never played in a game.

 

 

Obax, I know exactly what you mean. During my first season, I had no idea what the hell I was doing. Not during the game or during training. But I guess that goes for everyone - a lot of girls that join our team don't even know any of the rules, some have never even seen a game, they just tag along with one of my teammates. It's something you learn through practice - AND through playing games. What really helped for me was having one teammate tagging me along over the field. I think especially as a forward that's an easy thing to do: just follow a teammate and let her explain to you where you stand, what you do etc. And the important thing then is just to go along with it, have fun and not get frustrated because you don't understand everything around you. It'll come.

 

 

"Support you local Hooker!"

 

I love the game much more than American football but trying to get ex-football guys to even try to play a pick up game is a chore and a half

 

Your core is the one key element that everyone should work on and is sorely overlooked by a lot of people. NF has some good articles on it

 

Haha, I always carry my hooker on my left shoulder! I can imagine not getting football guys to do that. I guess it works both ways.

Thanks for the tip on the articles, I'll be sure to check them out.

[obax]

Obax, I know exactly what you mean. During my first season, I had no idea what the hell I was doing. Not during the game or during training. But I guess that goes for everyone - a lot of girls that join our team don't even know any of the rules, some have never even seen a game, they just tag along with one of my teammates. It's something you learn through practice - AND through playing games. What really helped for me was having one teammate tagging me along over the field. I think especially as a forward that's an easy thing to do: just follow a teammate and let her explain to you where you stand, what you do etc. And the important thing then is just to go along with it, have fun and not get frustrated because you don't understand everything around you. It'll come.

 

That's what my sister keeps telling me, but it's hard when the team is a fairly high level competitive one, and everyone on the team is very type-A, and I most definitely am not. Not that they're not welcoming and willing to teach me, they were actually really great about explaining things and helping me figure it all out, but holy it's intimidating!

[Tolsimir]

That's what my sister keeps telling me, but it's hard when the team is a fairly high level competitive one, and everyone on the team is very type-A, and I most definitely am not. Not that they're not welcoming and willing to teach me, they were actually really great about explaining things and helping me figure it all out, but holy it's intimidating!

 

Over the last three years I had the pleasure of playing at 4 different clubs (I moved around a lot because of education) and two of the teams played in a higher competition than I was used to. Both teams were very motivated and trained hard, but there was one difference: team A was happy with their place in the competition (somewhere in the lower ranks) whereas team B used to be way up high in the competition and had dropped a few ranks since that season. They were incredibly frustrated about this. In team A, I felt welcome as a rookie. My teammates helped me out and were really supportive and I grew a lot. In team B, I felt like I wasn't doing enough to get the team up and was stressed out during the games. Result: I played terribly. 

If this team is welcoming and willing to teach you, I say go for it I know how intimidating it is, but the sooner you start, the sooner you'll become an intimidating very type-A rugby rebel! ;D