At 7 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, MSU’s East Neighborhood is fairly quiet.
Approaching the Vet Med Field, however, cheers, roars and grunts are heard from every angle.
It's not a concert, rally or gathering of even fifty people. It’s pandemonium caused by the women who make up the MSU Rugby Football Club.
These MSU students dedicate at least six hours of the week to rugby, not including games, travel or individual practice. This time commitment is no concern to the club athletes, who are passionate about the sport and spending time with teammates, on and off the field.
Forestry sophomore Zoey Rashott joined the rugby team ahead of this season.
"We all want to be here and want to play, and it shows," Rashott said. "We all have great heads on our shoulders."
The rugby season, which entails seven games— five home and two away— started Aug. 31 and finishes Nov. 2.
Each player has a different story, whether that be their respective backgrounds in rugby, or lack thereof, or how they stumbled upon the club. When they’re all together on the field, they assemble and create great team chemistry.
"They’re all my best friends and I love coming out to practice, even if I have 50 hours of homework to do," biochemistry and molecular biology senior Ryn Van Winkle said.
Creative advertising senior Claire Reinhardt, the team's public relations and social media chair and four-year member, joined the team because her sister played rugby at MSU and convinced her to try out.
Through the team, Reinhardt said she’s been able to get to know "everyone on a very intimate, personal level," from practice and team social events. This synergy is necessary, she said, because rugby is such a "gritty" sport. Tackles, scrums, rucks, and mauls all describe plays where two players— on the same team or not— have to use or battle each other for possession. It's not a sport for the faint-hearted.
Creative advertising sophomore Meryl Peterhans is in her second year with the club, having played for two years in high school. Though initially nervous to join, she realized how accepting the club is for everyone.
"I felt like I fit in on the first day," Peterhans said. "I was terrified to join. I’m just nervous about that stuff, but the team is super accepting. They’re fun girls."
Both Rashott and advertising management sophomore Keira Concannon joined the club this season with no prior rugby experience, but quickly found that the team leaders created a positive environment to ensure everyone could learn the basics.
Though the English sport has become increasingly popular in the United States, club members believe it deserves more recognition. Not many people know MSU has a rugby club, they said.
Players said they want more attention so other women at MSU can join an accepting, positive and competitive environment. Reinhardt said because the club’s atmosphere is beneficial to new and veteran players, the women are can form connections with anyone on the team.
Concannon said more recognition around campus would allow novice-level rugby players like herself to join the squad. It’s not a popular sport at the university, she said, but could be with more recognition.
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For some of the students, the club is vital for a multitude of reasons.
Peterhans said she’s been able to track her self-improvement over the years. Van Winkle said she's become more outgoing and had more fun with the club. Rashott and Van Winkle both referred to the club as "an outlet" that empowers confidence for women on campus.
"I’ve gained a lot of confidence, just as a person," Reinhardt said. "This sport’s definitely something where you have to have confidence, and I think that’s helped me a lot and it’s given me more of a voice."
