KEARNS BUILDING FORMIDABLE RUGBY TRADITION

ContextSports has watched the growth and popularity of rugby in the United States with increasing curiosity. The sport, though immensely popular outside of the United States has largely been ignored by the American public. But with the growing ranks of professionals and the added injection of capital by the International Rugby Board to support the game here in the U.S. the game is experiencing rapid growth and popularity, particularly in States areas like the Rocky Mountain states, California, Ivy League schools, Chicago and New Jersey where clubs are now trying to institute programs for youths.

One such program is the Kearns (Utah) Rugby Club. A non-profit organization started back in 2005 by cousins Vaiinupo “Kelly” Fitisemanu and Jacob Fitisemanu. Since its inception, the club’s membership has grown along with their popularity and stability. In their first season the club won just four of their nine matches. The very next year their record improved to 6-1 and just last year, their 10-3 record corroborated the club’s commitment to learning the game and improving each season.

Coach and Club President Kelly Fitisemanu took a moment out of his schedule to answer a few questions from ContextSports about the success and mission of the Kearns Rugby Club.

CS: What was the motivation behind starting a rugby club in the Kearns area? Can you provide history?

KF: I felt motivated to start a rugby club in the Kearns area for many reasons. One, was that Kearns is a township community with proud small town values which I believe can produce great rugby talent similar to the small towns in New Zealand. Second, it is a town rich in cultural diversity where I enjoy the rewards and challenges in bringing players from different backgrounds together with a common goal in mind. Finally, I wanted to work with the youth in a sport that could shape their lives in a positive way where they can help build their community. Currently, we are in our fifth season of play and this year have received official club status at Kearns high school, the only high school in Utah to date.

CS: What has been the response to the club and what improvements have you seen in the boys since you first started?

KF: The first year was quite rough actually in building player numbers as rugby is still a novelty in this country, however we did maintain a solid base of players throughout the season. Our numbers have increased steadily since to where we are maintaining enough players to field up to two teams most seasons. Our rugby clinics in the community have also attracted up to a hundred or more participants at times. Rugby has become a popular sport at Kearns high school as the club is featured in television clips and highlights on their school wide “Z News” broadcasts as well as inclusion in the school yearbook.

CS: What age groups are you currently working?

KF: This year the USA Rookie Rugby program will be starting a rugby primer physical education course at two junior high schools feeding into Kearns High School. In addition to the high school, we feature an under 23 team that participates in 7’s and 15’s matches during the summer months which include old boys from our high school program.

CS: Can you tell us about the relationships that you've established with players in the UK like Nic [Fitisemanu]?

KF: Nic has been very instrumental in helping establish the Kearns Rugby club by first of all bringing our coaches up to speed with rugby training programs, drills, and player development information that have been proven successful in the professional clubs that he has played in Europe. In addition, he has provided badly needed player and field equipment by corralling some of his fellow professionals into donating player kit and the like, which we have used for fundraising and player usage.

Nic even visited the club one summer and taught the boys some warm up drills and dispensed the finer points of set piece play. It was a real treat for them to hear a seasoned professional talk about what it takes to play and thrive in their craft. Tongan International prop Tonga Lea’aetoa also visited briefly with Nic and talked shop with our coaches dispensing valuable advice on tight five scrummaging techniques among other tips of value.

CS: What are your goals for the club? Long term and short term?

KF: This year one of our long term goals was achieved when 5 players were courted and selected to the University of Utah rugby program, and one went to BYU. Both teams are currently rated in the Collegiate Division I Top 5.

I am an educator by profession, and seeing the boys enroll in higher education while playing a sport they love is certainly an Everest example of community building I could ever ask for. My encompassing thought is that our players take the team building skills they have learned with them into their communities to strengthen and sustain their families and neighborhoods.

Another long term goal is to have the players that have gone through our program return to help coach and perpetuate the positive actions of the sport on the new players coming up.

In the short term, I feel that first and foremost that the boys need to have fun playing rugby. When you break it down,, rugby is still a game, played by gentlemen. And the operative phrase of “breaking it down” also means to strip away ones prejudices and barriers and come together.

We try to instill the fact that when you train hard, you will play hard… and fair, which are values we know they can carry into their adult lives. There is fun when one learns the importance of support play in rugby. There is fun when one learns and understands the power of the collective during mauls. And there are valuable lessons to be learned when one decides to go it alone.

ContextSports would like to thank Coach Kelly Fitisemanu, Coach Jake Fitisemanu and their fine staff for the wonderful work they are doing with the youth in the Kearns area. As true fanatics of the sport, we are encouraged by the growth and the popularity of rugby in the State of Utah and hope that others will catch the vision of making rugby a truly global sport.

For more information on the Kearns Rugby Club to show your support, click here to visit their website.