Freshman Jake Kahoe came to JC expecting to play on the rugby team this spring, but his excitement was quickly quashed with the disbanding of the team.
Rugby at JC was started in 2002 by previous Principal Paul Barker. The lack of student-athletes showing up for tryouts was ultimately the team’s demise this year. Instead of rugby, a men’s badminton team has been established.
“I am extremely upset about not getting to play [rugby] this year. It was one of the things I looked forward to most about coming to John Carroll in the first place . . . Rugby being cancelled enabled me to make it to all the early football work outs, but I would much rather play rugby,” Kahoe said.
Kahoe is not the only one upset. Seniors who’ve had the opportunity to play rugby in past years are also disappointed. Senior Jon Galarraga, who played rugby for the first time last year, says that he probably wouldn’t have played this year due to a hectic schedule, but he is still sad to see the sport go.
“Rugby is similar to football in that it brings players together as a family and brotherhood. Now we don’t even have enough people to play, but rugby is a great sport that instilled character and leadership. I wish it would gain more recognition here in the U.S.” Galarraga said.
According to Athletic Director Larry Dukes, there were several factors that fed into the rugby team disbanding.
“There are simply fewer boys to support several sports in the spring and rugby requires a large number to sustain itself . . . Next, the sport lost a big champion when Mr. Barker left. He was able to find boys who had not played before and convince them to give it a try,” Dukes said.
The rugby team’s first game was played on March 1, 2002, and it was coached by Barker. At his previous school, St. Edward High School in Cleveland, Barker also started a rugby program.
“We had great success and I believed we could duplicate that success at JC,” Barker said.
For a while, the team did have great success. Players from JC went on to play at the Division One college level. In 2007, JC won the MIAA ‘A’ Conference title and went to the National Championship in Salt Lake City, Utah. Barker, too, thinks that the disappearance of the rugby team is a shame.
“The rugby program has been near and dear to my heart and I am very disappointed that the program has folded,” Barker said.
For those who don’t have a spring sport to play due to the absence of the rugby team, there will be new opportunities. The men’s badminton team is having its inaugural season this year.
“It seems every year that badminton starts up for the girls and gym classes, there are several males who desire to play beyond class time. We have heard that the new male international students also have experience and desire to play. Since there is no formal league, it will be a club program at the outset. Who knows – this might be the new sport of the MIAA,” Dukes said.
The coach of the men’s badminton team will be English teacher Eric Sutton. His experience in badminton stems from what he’s learned coaching tennis.
“I know about racket sports, so hopefully I’ll be able to figure it out,” Sutton said.
As of right now, the men’s badminton team does not have a set schedule. Along with playing against other schools, JC may also be playing a women’s team or two, according to Sutton.
Even though this season will not see the formation of a rugby team, all is not lost for next year.
“We will attempt again next year to field a [rugby] team. I am hopeful that the numbers will be favorable to this sustainability,” Dukes said.
Miranda Ripken is a Sports Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com