Glendale Rugby Youth Cleans Up
During rugby season, Saturday is game day at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado. However, on the off-season Saturday, January 23rd, the Raptors High School (U19) Rugby squad put their teamwork towards cleaning up 8 parks in and around the City of Glendale. Twenty-one players from Glendale’s U19 Rugby team along with coaches and parents put in an eight-hour day for a total of 200 community service hours.
The team collected more than 95 bags of trash during the eight-hour period. They cleaned up Mir park, Four Mile Park, Garland Park, Cook Park, Jacobs Park, Crestmore Park, City of Brest Park and, of course, the area surrounding Infinity Park. They also cleaned along the streets between Colorado and Holly from Mississippi to Alameda - including both banks of Cherry Creek as it winds it’s way through Glendale.
According to Team Manager Rick Schmitz the team’s community service day started four years ago. “Because we pull players from lots of different high schools we wanted to help them to get to know each other by working for a common cause off the field.”
Schmitz’s son, Josh, plays on the Glendale Raptor’s D1 team and is an assistant coach to the U19 Team. “We have players from a lot of different schools including South, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Wheat Ridge. This project is a great way for them to serve shoulder to shoulder together as teammates.”
The Urban Village of Glendale doesn’t have a high school, but they do have Infinity Park, the only municipally owned rugby stadium in the country. Part of the impetus in building Infinity Park was an effort to give a fresh identity to this little town. That identity is largely based on the game of rugby, and youth development is a big part of Glendale Rugby’s game plan.
Rugby is the world’s second most popular sport. The growth of the sport in Colorado and throughout the United States might have something to do with the ethos built into the game. Rugby focuses on ethics both on and off the pitch where the game is played. Being a good citizen outside of the game is stressed to be as important as good sportsmanship during play.
Wheat Ridge High School Sophomore, Josh Brake, gets it. “This was a great way to give back to the community and it was a great way to get to know our team mates better.”
The Glendale Raptors U19 team is still looking for players. Spring season has started with practices Monday – Thursday, 4PM – 6PM at Infinity Park South. They are working to field teams at 3 levels: a Level 3 team, a Junior Varsity Team, and a Varsity Team. This will provide opportunity for players at any level of ability.
Contact Rick Schmitz at glendaleU19s@gmail.com for more information.
The team collected more than 95 bags of trash during the eight-hour period. They cleaned up Mir park, Four Mile Park, Garland Park, Cook Park, Jacobs Park, Crestmore Park, City of Brest Park and, of course, the area surrounding Infinity Park. They also cleaned along the streets between Colorado and Holly from Mississippi to Alameda - including both banks of Cherry Creek as it winds it’s way through Glendale.
According to Team Manager Rick Schmitz the team’s community service day started four years ago. “Because we pull players from lots of different high schools we wanted to help them to get to know each other by working for a common cause off the field.”
Schmitz’s son, Josh, plays on the Glendale Raptor’s D1 team and is an assistant coach to the U19 Team. “We have players from a lot of different schools including South, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Wheat Ridge. This project is a great way for them to serve shoulder to shoulder together as teammates.”
The Urban Village of Glendale doesn’t have a high school, but they do have Infinity Park, the only municipally owned rugby stadium in the country. Part of the impetus in building Infinity Park was an effort to give a fresh identity to this little town. That identity is largely based on the game of rugby, and youth development is a big part of Glendale Rugby’s game plan.
Rugby is the world’s second most popular sport. The growth of the sport in Colorado and throughout the United States might have something to do with the ethos built into the game. Rugby focuses on ethics both on and off the pitch where the game is played. Being a good citizen outside of the game is stressed to be as important as good sportsmanship during play.
Wheat Ridge High School Sophomore, Josh Brake, gets it. “This was a great way to give back to the community and it was a great way to get to know our team mates better.”
The Glendale Raptors U19 team is still looking for players. Spring season has started with practices Monday – Thursday, 4PM – 6PM at Infinity Park South. They are working to field teams at 3 levels: a Level 3 team, a Junior Varsity Team, and a Varsity Team. This will provide opportunity for players at any level of ability.
Contact Rick Schmitz at glendaleU19s@gmail.com for more information.
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