Baseball was not the only local team to win a state championship last year; West End Rugby is the defending 2010 Division 1 Virginia High School State Champion.

In front of about 300 spectators at the T.C. Williams turf field, the boys defeated FPYC and WS 2010 graduate Joe Eustace was named MVP.

Being state champions is a prestigious honor and though the baseball team got an appropriate amount of support, West End’s victory went virtually unnoticed.

“Our plan is to start a dynasty of winning,” said sophomore captain Reagan Douglas. “It’s just one step closer to completing our team’s goals.”

FCPS Risk Management bans certain sports and activities that are deemed too dangerous to be sponsored by the schools, as liability becomes a concern. Rugby is one of these activities, along with ice hockey, hang gliding, mud wresting, tug-of-war, skydiving, tattooing and others. As a result, most students and staff are not aware of the team and its achievements.

Though rugby is not technically a school sport, the players deserve the same amount of recognition because they put in just as much effort and dedication. The team practices at Franconia District Park two times every week, and practice is never canceled; in the case of inclement weather, they move to a public park that they call “Ditch on Hooes Road.”

“We want the community around us to be as excited as we are about our team,” said Douglas. “We want to bring pride back to West Springfield and give our community something to look forward to.”

West End is an SYC team that mainly recruits WS students, but also takes players from nearby schools including Lee, South County, Lake Braddock, and anyone else who is interested.

“Out of all the sports that I’ve played,” said senior Niko Sward, “rugby is by far the most fun.”

Douglas has been in the process of organizing a charity event that would feature West End followed by one of the Varsity lacrosse teams. They would play back-to-back games on the home turf with all proceeds going to Kristi’s Christmas, a foundation that gives underprivileged children a chance to go on a shopping trip to pick out new clothes and have a party with Santa Claus. This benefit game would not only contribute to a worthy cause, but also provide West End with some well-deserved recognition.

“Before I leave high school, I would like to see rugby become an accepted FCPS sport where all boys and girls can play for their individual schools and communities,” said Douglas. “Not only does rugby benefit the people who play it, but the communities around them as well.”