TEAMWORK RUGBY PLAYERS AIM FOR EXCELLENCE Though primarily a European sport, rugby garnered a following in the United States as well. Harding's 25-man rugby team met twice a week to practice for its weekend games against teams from Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee. The rugby team, founded in 2007, was a Dixie Conference West regular season champion in 2012 and 2013. A regulation rugby game consisted of a 22-man squad, 15 starters and seven substitutes. Rather than scoring points, teams scored "tries." Though similar in physicality to football, rugby required more tactical skill because the only protection players wore was a mouth guard. According to the team captain senior Hunter Beck, there were statistically fewer injuries in rugby than in football because rugby players were required to be calculating in their aggressive play. He added that the team invested a significant portion of practices in tactical drills, refining positions and tackling techniques. "We really stress fundamentals and form tackling," Beck said. "We have drills in which we practice getting low and wrapping up [rather] than full-on run-and-tackle drills. We preach that rather than throwing your body around and spearing a runner, you have to brace yourself, get low and hit harder than you'll get hit." The unity of the rugby team kept the players coming back out to the field. Winning rugby matches was the result of an emphasis on teamwork. The team functioned as a unit, producing a unified front on the field. "Rugby is a brotherhood," sophomore James Morgan said. "You will not find another sport in which the entire league respects and enjoys hanging out with each other after a brutal match." According to Beck, the team made a concentrated effort to preserve a spiritual element to their sport. Their team motto was "selflessness," and they had a spiritual life committee, whose members led team devotionals before games and set up team service projects. The team also tried to interact with their opponents in godly ways, inviting them to devotionals and going out to eat with them after their matches. "Even though we are not fully recognized by the school, we recognize ourselves as a feature of Harding University, and thus as representative of Christ," Beck said. "Because of this, we strive to play with a Christ-like attitude in every game." Rugby's status as an organization rather than an official team actually benefitted the team, according to coach and professional student Hayden Dorsett. As an organization, the team received less financial support and official endorsement from the university, but this preserved the brotherhood and unity among the players. "What sets rugby apart is that we don't offer scholarships; people play because they love the game," Dorsett said. "That's also why I coach, because I love the game, and I love the team. Each one of us is out here because we want to be." Cole Mokry/Mallory Pratt Rugby coach Hayden Dorsett celebrates a victory over the Brighton Storm Men's Rugby Club with sophomores James Morgan and Jacob Baldwin Sept. 7. The HU rugby team won 20-19 against Brighton, Tenn. Matt Dobson Dr. J.D. Yingling, associate professsor of kinesiology, and sophomore Vanessa Lewis distribute papers at the Kinesiology Club's first meeting of the year on Sept. 18. The club participated in several athletic events on campus, such as Relay For Life. Matt Dobson 225
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