Women's club rugby strives to improve image

The Xavier women's club rugby team has been called many things throughout the years, but the one word that best describes the club in 2012 is resilient. After being suspended from competition for a semester, the club is back and showing the Xavier community that women's rugby is still alive.
In the past the team had been a perennial power in its conference, inning the conference championship in 2010. The team had 22 members that season and only lost one match all year. Unfortunately the team has not competed in two years, and the club's membership is significantly smaller.
Leading the team now is Lauren Lopez, who has been with the club since her freshman year. Lopez is trying to return the
club back to competition in time for the spring season but so far it has been an uphill battle. The team has not competed
this season but Lopez is confident that they will field a full team soon. When most people think of rugby they think of larger athletes violently tackling each other. While this image is appropriate for men's rugby, women's rugby celebrates a diversity of player types. Forwards tend to be larger and stronger athletes while the backs tend to be shorter and faster girls who can easily run the ball down the field. With 15 different positions in the sport, there is a spot for everyone on the team. Finesse and skill are a large part of women's rugby and the team is making sure that people learn how to play the game the right way. Their new coach has over 20 years of experience in rugby and has played the game at multiple levels. While their coach is new to this team, he has already brought them a wealth of knowledge and is confident that the team will return to being a dominant force. With the addition of a new coach, the team is learning how to play the game the right way and the safe way. Lopez believes that the coaching change has helped the team tremendously in just a few short weeks. Although they are not back to competing yet, the team is still actively involved in the community and works the Saint Vincent DePaul coat drive. The team will also participate in Community Action Day this weekend alongside a large number of Xavier students. While Club Day on the Yard
is usually when clubs recruit new members, the women's rugby club is still actively looking for new players. No experience is necessary and everyone who wants to learn how to play should contact the club.