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Practice with the Kodiaks

The Story Thus Far V2 — by Jason Cash

The state of North Carolina has a new contender in the sport of Gay Rugby,  The Charlotte Royals Rugby Football Club.  Formed out of the curiosity of a few gay guys in Charlotte, NC, the Royals are well into their second year and are gearing up for a successful fall season for 2005.

 

The Royals completed their first real season in May of 2005.  We have been going strong since February 2004.  This year we have been incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non profit organization and we are also members of the NC Rugby Union.  We were also voted into IGRAB as voting members. 

 

Here is my account of how it started:

 

Rugby is not something that strikes a cord in the hearts of many in the southern United States.  When I found out that the gay community was embracing this sport, I decided to research it in my area with the hopes of joining an established club.  The closest club in my area was a good three hour drive away.  I talked to some of the neighboring clubs and they suggested that I start one in Charlotte.  My first response was, “I know nothing about Rugby.”  These guys gave me the encouragement and push to get this idea started.

 

One of the starting suggestions that I was given was to create a Yahoo website to see how much interest I could get.  The site was opened on January 12, 2004 and to date we have 249 members on the site.  This doesn’t translate to 249 team members, just people who are interested in our club from around the world.

 

Members of the Atlanta Bucks then informed me that they were planning a touch scrimmage against the other North Carolina team, The Carolina Kodiaks, and thought that I should invite locals from Charlotte to come and watch and maybe join in.  This was an absolute great kickoff event for the Royals.  This gave us a lot of exposure and the actual roster started to take off.

 

Our practices started by joining in with the local women’s team, The Charlotte Mayhem.  They were very instrumental in teaching us the basics and we really appreciate them for that.

 

We also have the support of the local Leather and Levi Bar, The Charlotte Eagle.  They are helping us with fund raising and recruitment.  Check them out if you are ever in Charlotte, NC.

 

This whole experience has allowed me to get into shape, meet many wonderful people, and learn the great game of Rugby.  Many of the men on the team have come to me to tell me “Thank You, This has really changed my life.”  They also express how much fun they are having with this experience.

 

I really appreciate my team mates and I cannot wait until we have our first match.  I know we will do well because of the dedication that they all give during practice.  The Royals would not exist without them and without the support of the Gay Community in Charlotte, NC.