The California Lutheran University Knights Rugby Football Club is ready to get its season underway.
The club was established in 1968, giving it the distinction of being the oldest club on campus, according to sophomore club President Miguel Bolio.
Bolio said he joined the club as a first-year. Bolio said he had no intention of pursuing a board position but since no one else would have been president, he was willing to shoulder the workload of communication and paperwork to continue the club.
โA lot of paperwork. More than Iโd like, but, itโs honestly, itโs a lot, but I donโt really mind it because if I didnโt really take over, it wouldโve just been gone, so I would rather take on the work compared to not playing at all,โ Bolio said.
The Knights are members of the Gold Coast Conference of Intercollegiate Rugby, a conference composed exclusively of teams in Southern California, competing in its second division. The team will play seven games this season, three of those being at home.
After a tough loss at home earlier in the month against the University of Southern California, the Knights will take on Point Loma Nazarene and the University of California, San Diego at home on February 22 and April 5, respectively, before taking on Loyola Marymount University, Fullerton College, Norco College, and MiraCosta College on the road.
Its club designation means it is not affiliated with Cal Lutheran, so it has to raise funds independently through a GoFundMe page, according to club Treasurer Julian Akaka.
Akaka, a native Hawaiian, said his dad, a former college rugby player himself, played a big role in his decision to pursue rugby. Akaka said he originally came to Cal Lutheran to play football, but when COVID-19 hit, he found himself scrambling for a new sport, and thatโs when he was pushed to pursue rugby by the clubโs former president.
โHe was trying to get me to play rugby for the longest time. We had a bet, that I lost. I had to go to one practice. After that, I fell in love with it,โ Akaka said.
Akaka called rugby a, โreally fast-paced, backwards football,โ and said people donโt need to have a full understanding of it before they try to play or watch a match.
โItโs a game that never stops. My coach used to say thereโs 15 quarterbacks, in football, thereโs only one,โ Akaka said.
Vice President Anthony Gallego said that all someone needs to be successful at rugby is effort and the team and coaches will help with the rest.
โNo experience is required in terms of being athletic. You can just come out here and give it your best shot, and honestly, we will put you on the team and you will get experience and you will play. I guarantee it. Thereโs no shame โฆ Weโre here to help,โ Gallego said.
Gallego, a Cal Lutheran football player, said he sometimes struggles with the workload, but that the camaraderie and the personal motivation to be the best version of himself make his long nights worth it.
โI really, really want to make sure my team wins and make sure my team wins that national championship. I know we can, I know weโre capable of it,โ Gallego said.
Gallego said he was most drawn to the brotherhood aspect of rugby.
โEveryone was kind, everyone was really welcoming, and I just felt like it was a brand new environment and a brand new family to be adopted into. And really, itโs been the best three years of my life,โ Gallego said.
Gallego said his biggest priority as vice president is not the field production, but that players learn life lessons as men that they can hold with them forever.
โBeyond the lines of just the game itself, is to make sure that everyone that has come through and played for our team goes and takes a piece of what they learned on the pitch and takes it with them throughout their lives,โ Gallego said.
Bolio said that people of all walks of life are welcome to join the rugby team and that you just have to be willing to try and be coachable.
โAs long as youโre willing to put in the work, we will take you however you are,โ Bolio said.
If youโre interested in joining, message @clurugby on Instagram or email President Miguel Bolio (mbolio@callutheran.edu) or Vice President Anthony Gallego (gallego@callutheran.edu).
This article was updated at 9:09 a.m. on Feb. 18 to correct the photoโs attribution.
