Rugby this year has been an interesting journey. From starting the season with a team of almost all new players to winning a game 31-0, there have been many ups and downs. This entire season has been highly challenging. Many discouraging losses and brutal practices felt terrible, but ultimately led to the growth of my teammates and I. Rugby helped me develop myself—physically and mentally. It taught me how to be resilient and to keep running and tackling even if I feel like I am on the verge of passing out. It also taught me the benefits of teamwork and how far being selfless and trusting your teammates can get you.

Much rugby practice was spent learning how the sport was played as a new team, so improvement seemed slow and even impossible. However, as time passed, the team looked increasingly promising due to everyone’s commitment to attending practices and putting in effort. I am thankful to my teammates for stepping outside their comfort zones and becoming great people to play alongside. 

Our first game of the season against BPS was a loss, and because it was a pretty close game at times, that made the loss much more complicated. A small part of me didn’t want to keep playing, but I’m glad I returned to practice and worked even harder because it made the next games more successful and fun. 

Now that the season is over, I am even more determined to start next year as a much-improved player. I can do that by consistently training in the gym and playing rugby whenever possible. I have high hopes for what will come next year, and I know my teammates feel the same way.