Penn’s rugby team looks to undergo their 7’s season next weekend, playing their first tournament on September 22. The team is welcoming a plethora of new players and even added two new coaches to the squad as well. Sunday’s tournament will be key for the Kingsmen to set their tone for this upcoming season.
Last Year’s Run
The Kingsmen Rugby team played in the state tournament last year and unfortunately lost with a 1-2 record in the group stage. However, the Kingsmen are hungry for a chance at the state title and will not accept the same fate they had last season. The players and coaches are all aware that everything starts with this first tournament next weekend and that they need to give their all. Penn is looking to set the tone and show how all the work and preparation that has been put into this upcoming season will pay off.
“It was pretty disappointing to me and most of the guys on the team,” Junior Aiden Rogers said of not winning state last season. “It reminded us of how great it feels to win, but also how bad it feels to lose. I think everybody on the team has come back with a greater mentality to start the season off with wins; Penn Rugby has always been a top placer in not just the state but the nation as well and we are looking forward to getting back to that standard.”
The New Team
The Penn Kingsmen dawn a lot of new players this season along with some returning players that look to make a big impact going into the season. The biggest change to the team is that Penn has zero seniors on the roster this year. This means a lot of sophomores and freshmen will have to be ready to play with the upperclassmen if necessary; it also means that the juniors, especially returning juniors, will have to take a new kind of leadership role on the team and take that step one year early. The team still holds many returning star players, including Landon Reynolds, Jacob Rhodes, Alessio Retzloff, Braxton Bontrager, and Aiden Rogers. Penn also has brought in two new coaches for this 7’s season, Coach Stuk, who is familiar with Penn players as he was around for the 15’s season last spring, and Coach Doug, a new face for the Penn program, as the former rugby coach for Clay High School.
When asked about stepping up into a leadership role on the team, returning junior Landon Reynolds said, “We need to lead by example more than anything else.” Fellow teammate Jacob Rhodes also said, “The responsibility we have to take on is showing the younger players what Penn rugby is; this includes effort, teamwork, dedication, and representing a respectful manner not only for our team but for the Penn rugby name itself.”
The Game Plan
Going into a new season always brings new challenges, so how will Penn differentiate from last season’s game plan? “Last year we relied on dynamic athletes like Arvonni and Josiah, however this year with no seniors we are going to focus our main points on the structure of our team. There are still plenty of athletes on this team but the main focus needs to be structure.” Penn’s head coach, Carl Case said. Landon Reynolds also said, “Drink plenty of water, take everything in practice seriously, and most importantly teach my teammates as much as I can.” when asked about how he has prepared for the upcoming season.
A New Season
With the season drawing nearer everyday the Kingsmen are sure to be determined to improve on their mistakes and overcome what’s necessary to ensure success for the program. There are plenty of players who are passionate about this program and will step up and represent Penn the way it was meant to be.
Make sure to stay in the loop as the Penn rugby team undergoes a brand new 7’s season, hungrier than ever before.
