"Rugby is a game of heart and grit. Play because you love the game and your team. Have fun, and make memories."
The Rugby Community is almost an "elite" community. Once you've entered it's fold you become part of something special, something that not "everyone" has done. And you connect with people who have somehow been involved in Rugby in a much different way than those who have only played the standard sports. It's difficult to explain, but the connections you create with those you've just met, immediately grow stronger once you discover that he or she is apart of the Rugby Community. I grew up in Alaska, and was pleased to learn that another girl from my small community there joined the Brigham Young University Girls Rugby Team. Alaska doesn't offer Rugby as a sport in schools, or even during the summers, so to hear that a fellow Alaskan (that I knew) was playing it in University was an exciting surprise. Missy is an amazing all around athlete, and she allowed me to ask her a few questions about her experience with Rugby. Here is her interview with me below:
Missy started playing sports in elementary school with club soccer and basketball. In middle school she made her school's soccer, basketball, volleyball, and track teams. Once she got into high school, she really started to focus on volleyball, but still made the varsity teams for basketball, soccer, and volleyball all four years of high school.
Biggest Accomplishments:
Biggest Accomplishments:
Varsity athlete in 3 separate sports for 4 years.
Basketball: 2nd team all region
Volleyball: 1st team all region 2 years
MVP Southern Region 1 year
All State Team 1 year
Arctic Winter Games 1st place team
4th place state finish
How did you become introduced to Rugby?
My sophomore year of college (second year), I went to one of my friend's games that played for Utah Valley University. They happened to be playing Brigham Young University, which was the school I was attending. It looked like fun, and BYU had a great team. I talked with one of the girls after the game to see how I might go about trying out. They had me join them at practice since it was just the start of the season. There were probably 6-7 other girls that were just starting out as well, so that made it less intimidating. I made the cut, and by the end of the season I was starting and playing in the Division 1 national tournament. It's kind of surreal thinking about it now.
Why did you decide to join?
I was planning on playing volleyball in college up in Alaska, where I am from. But when it came time to decide on what school to go to, BYU felt like the right choice. I didn't end up trying out for the volleyball team, but by the time my sophomore year rolled around I knew I needed to do something. The opportunity to play rugby came up, and I snatched it up.
What was, your greatest fear about the game/joining?
My greatest fear was not being good at the sport. I know it seems silly, but sports had always come easy for me, and I thought rugby was going to be so different from every other sport that I had played thus far. Thankfully, I was wrong about that. It's a mix between all the previous sports I had played, but also quite unique.
How would you compare Rugby to your previous sports?
Rugby is a mix of all the sports that I have previously played. You need good hands and ball handling, like in basketball. Footwork and knowledge of how to kick, like in soccer. Being comfortable in the air (I was a jumper), like in volleyball. Team work is important in every sport, but I think especially in rugby. I was a lock as well as a jumper so I had to trust my teammates without question. I had to trust that they would hold me steady in a lineout. I had to trust that they would keep their form in the scrum. Because in rugby, if those things don't happen, you get hurt. And that level of trust is special and you won't find that outside of the rugby pitch.
Did your team have any major accomplishments?
I was lucky enough to play for one of the best teams in the country. The years I played we were ranked 3rd in the nation during the season, won the West Coast Conference, and made it to the Final Four. The last 5 or 6 years BYU has at least made it to the Sweet Sixteen.
I was also able to play with some really great athletes on my team who went on to be All Americans and eventually joined the US National Team.
What did/do you love about the game?
Like I said earlier, I loved the trust that comes from being close to your teammates. But I also loved how in control I felt. Rugby builds confidence in your self and your athletic abilities. To an outsider, rugby seems like an out of control sport, a dangerous game to play. But when you master the skills necessary, you can turn something scary and intimidating into a fun and thrilling game. I loved the feeling after a match, even though I was sore, bruised, and felt like I had been run over by a semi truck, I knew that I had just done something I hadn't even considered doing a year previously.
What would you tell the girl who is unsure about herself/skills?
It's a little scary going in for a tackle for the first time, or going into a scrum or lineout. But just remember that all of your teammates have been in the exact same position that you have, and so have your coaches. They are all there to help and support you. You'll make mistakes, but honestly, you just have to keep coming to practice and put in the time and effort. And once you have gained confidence in practice, you'll feel that confidence transfer over into your games.
What would you say to the girl unsure of joining?
What are you going to lose from trying it out? Honestly, if you are on the fence about joining, go to a practice or two to try it out. You won't regret giving it a try, but you will regret it if you never even step out on to the field. Some of my best memories from college come from my rugby team.
My teammates were always the ones to motivate me on the field. I never wanted to let them down. I didn't want to be the one that let the offensive player break our defensive line. I didn't want to get a turnover because of a knock on. So I always played my heart out for them, because I knew that they were depending on me, just like I was depending on them. It also felt great when you got a good tackle or stole the ball in a line out. Those things were exciting for me and kept me coming back for more.
(Photo of the Brigham Young University Girls Rugby Team: Photos Courtesy of Missy Weaver)
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