Courtesy of N.C. State men's rugby team
Members of the N.C. State men's rugby team celebrate after a victory.
The N.C. State Men’s Rugby Club will host a youth rugby clinic at Method Road Field on Saturday, Feb. 2, which will last from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., at which time the team will compete in their opening match of the semester against East Carolina University.
According to Neel Kuila, a sophomore in mechanical engineering and a member of the club team, the clinic aims to introduce local rugby youth to a higher level of the sport, as well as concentrate on the fundamentals of the game.
“There aren’t a lot of options for getting to see higher standards of rugby around here, so I think the clinic will be a good chance for kids and adolescents to see where there game could take them,” said Kuila.
Participating teams include Bethel High School, Southern Pines High School, the Raleigh Rattlesnakes and the Clayton Copperheads. The clinic will begin with players practicing a series of drills for fundamental skills such as passing, catching, rucking and tackling.
Players will then be divided into groups to work on specific skills with N.C. State’s team, who will engage in more one-on-one attention with the players so they will know what it takes to improve. The clinic will then culminate with a set of scrimmage sessions, giving players a chance to use the new skills they will acquire during the morning session.
Along with teaching local players about rugby, the clinic is also intended as an opportunity for the club team to provide mentorship to younger players, as well as demonstrate their outreach to the community as athletes as well as role models.
“The clinic is a great opportunity for younger players who aren’t really sure what they’re doing to come out and learn with a higher level team,” Kuila said. “It would also be a good way to instill Wolfpack pride in the local high schoolers.”
Kuila said the clinic would also have a positive impact on local youth rugby and raise awareness of the sport. Spectators are welcome to come support local rugby and the Wolfpack Rugby Team, especially as they face-off with ECU in their first match of the semester.