A growing number of area high school athletes have been lacing up their cleats to tackle a sport that before this spring wasn’t available to them.
With its inaugural regular-season match set for Sunday, March 22, the Jersey Cape Storm Rugby Club–the area’s first high school rugby side–boasts a roster of 25 boys from four high schools in Cape May and Atlantic counties.
The club is still actively recruiting players to take part in the 2009 season.
Cape Storm has enjoyed continually growing numbers and impressive success on the field in its first month of existence. In three pre-season scrimmages Cape Storm has outscored its opponents six tries (touch downs) to two, despite an entire roster of players with no previous rugby experience.
“We’ve been lucky to have some really excellent young men who have a great desire to learn this sport and to play it well,” said Head Coach Mike Badger. “The squad has been steadily growing as word gets out about how fun this is. I always tell them to bring a friend; it’s never too late to come out and give it a try.”
The club practices from 4:30 to 6:15 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon on the fields at Dune Drive in Avalon between 9th and 10th streets.
Interested players can find out more and download a membership packet by visiting capestormrugby.org.
Players from Lower Cape May Regional, Middle Twp., Ocean City and Cape May Tech. High schools make up the current squad, with ages ranging from 14 to 18.
Cape Storm is one of more than 40 Under-19 boy’s rugby clubs competing in the Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union. There are now more than 250 U-19 boys clubs nationwide, making rugby one of the fastest growing sports in the country.
The coaching staff is comprised of seven veteran players and coaches, all of them members of the Galloway-based Jersey Shore Sharks Rugby Club, which placed third at the USA Rugby National Championships last spring.
Members of the Sharks are also coaching another first year rugby program at St. Augustine Prep in Richland.
Cape Storm Head Coach Michael Badger is a high school Spanish teacher and football coach with 15 years of playing experience and seven years of experience coaching Under-19 and Under-15 rugby.
His staff includes Jersey Shore Sharks teammates Alex Brigden, Tom Chernack, Julian Dean, Roger Howell, Kevin Lightcap and JD Wood as well as Cape May Court House Chiropractor Dr. Jim Farrell and club administrator Vanessa Badger.
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