Born to hit
Suffering is the only way to live for members of the Pasadena Rugby Football Club
By Ben Gerhardt 11/20/2008
For most, Thursday nights are a chance to unwind after yet another day at work, catch the latest episode of “The Office,” go out to dinner, or maybe watch a movie.
But for guys like Keegan Hornbeck, Greg Smith, Matt Hetterman, Michael Bryant and some 40 other members of the Pasadena Rugby Football Club, Thursday nights are practice nights. At 7:30 p.m., they gather on the field at Washington Middle School to suffer broken bones, dislocated fingers and concussions.
Hornbeck, a 30-year-old corporate recruiter who sports an intimidating neck tattoo that reads “Life is suffering,” says the reason for joining a rugby club is simple. “It’s the idea of competing where I feel most alive. When you’re sitting in a cubicle all day, phones ringing, computers, messages ... it’s nice to come out to a grass field and really test yourself against other people.”
And it’s in the thick of competition that Hornbeck excels. As captain of this year’s squad, he has been one of the most celebrated players in the area, named last season’s MVP in Division II of the Southern California Rugby Football Union.
But don’t let the awards fool you. For Hornbeck, what matters is not his success, but that of his team. “I don’t really worry about the MVP stuff and things like that because rugby is the ultimate team sport. Everybody has to tackle, everybody runs the ball; everybody has to do everything. To be singled out, it’s an honor, but it’s far less important to me than our team’s record at the end of the season.”
To help his team prepare for the upcoming season, Hornbeck traveled to New Zealand for two months to learn from the best rugby playing nation in the world. “When I went over there I was pretty intimidated,” explains Hornbeck. “I was blown away by the grasp they had of the fundamentals. And it was fun to play the game where it was appreciated. Your community team is your pride and most of those guys aren’t getting paid to play. They show up to represent their town.”
The concept of teamwork resonates in the responses of fellow members as they prepare for a tough preseason schedule, which includes the Pasadena Rugby Football Club 15’s Tournament, beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday at Azusa High School.
For head coach Michael Bryant, rugby presents a chance for men past playing at the high school and collegiate level to test their mettle while being a part of something important. “Rugby offers [the opportunity] of belonging to something larger than you. Our guys still want to compete,” he explains. “They’re still hungry to hit somebody. They’re not done being athletes.” Bryant, who works by day as a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, is not only a coach but also the team’s trainer, diagnosing injuries on the field and stitching up players’ wounds on the sidelines during stoppages in play.
For anyone who has never seen the sport, rugby combines the structure of football with the physicality of wrestling and constant flow of soccer. Each team has 15 players, divided into eight forwards and seven backs, on a 100-meter-long field. For two 40-minute halves the objective on offense is to see how many times your team can run the ball into the “try zone,” scoring a “try,” the equivalent of a touchdown, worth five points. A two-point conversion kick through the goal posts follows. At any time a player can attempt a drop kick, worth three points. If your team loses control of the ball by illegally passing, fumbling it or holding onto it after a tackle, your team forfeits control and is now on defense. The defense’s objective is to stop the offense from progressing the ball by any means necessary.
But the question of “why rugby?” has yet to be answered. There are adult soccer, softball, basketball and hockey leagues. The community is chock-full of road races, where athletes can compete against other runners or cyclists and not have to worry about a possible visit to the hospital afterward.
Team President Matt Hetterman, who played on the Caltech Rugby Club from 2002 to 2005, says rugby satisfies a primal urge for physical competition. “A lot of players who end up playing rugby are former football players. There is no other option, other than flag football or touch football, but it doesn’t really count.”
And sometimes a passion needs little justification besides enjoyment.
“I understand the question of ‘why?’” answers Hornbeck. “Because guys are out here sacrificing their time, bleeding all over the place, showing up to the office with black eyes and trying to explain it — that sort of thing. The closer you look, though, you’ll find that people really love rugby. Otherwise, why would they give so much to play a sport that no one cares about — and hurts? There’s something there.”
Building tradition
The Pasadena Rugby Football Club, or PRFC, has been around since 1971 and used to play a more prominent role in the local sporting scene when home games were played at the Rose Bowl. But with the increased success of other sports over the years, rugby has seen its popularity decline. PRFC now has to share practice space in Arcadia with youth soccer and plays its “home” games at Alhambra High School.
The team is hoping that recent success will help bring more spectators — presently composed of mostly family and a few friends — to matches.
The 2007 season marked a colossal stride for PRFC. The team went undefeated (13-0), winning the Southern California Rugby Football Union Division III Championship against the South Orange County Gators. They then went on to represent Southern California at the National Rugby Championships in South Carolina and finished fifth in the nation.
Last season, PRFC moved up to Division II, but their inaugural season in that higher division was a tough one, ending with a disappointing 3-7 record.
“Last year was our first year in Division II and we had this hesitancy about our game where we kind of got away from our style,” explains Hornbeck. “We were scared to open it up and trust our teammates because we were ... not intimidated by the opposition, but they were unfamiliar.”
For the 2009 season, with years of experience under their belts, expectations are different. “We are planning to go to the playoffs,” said Coach Bryant in a matter-of-fact voice he uses to spell out his plan of attack against the opposition. “We want to go back to nationals. This team is, I believe, absolutely capable of doing that. They are motivated to do that. My expectation is that I will get their absolute best, in practice and in play, and that that will net the kind of success you traditionally look at in the win-loss column.”
Greg Smith, this year’s vice-captain, expresses similar feelings. “The level of athleticism on the team is at its highest. I think in regards to last year, which was our first season in DII, we have made big gains since then. My expectations are to get into the playoffs and see how we do.”
The team has only a short time to gear up for the regular season, which begins with a match against Kern County on Jan. 10 at Azusa High School.
Playing for others
Rugby may be one of the fastest-growing team sports in America, but it has yet to take hold as a major draw for US audiences despite its status in places such as New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
Most people who play in this country have to have a passion for it. They pay $250 in dues. They make their own goal posts. They start painting their home field at 9 a.m. for a 1 p.m. game. Clubs here do not have their own social clubrooms as in other countries, so players often spend post-practice time at local bars — one reason why American stereotypes of rugby players often conjure images of uneducated, boorish brawlers with a predilection for beer and bawdy songs.
In truth, PRFC members include doctors, lawyers, scientists, engineers, teachers, psychologists and established community businessmen — all still seeking to fulfill a need for intense athletic competition.
The game itself is worth the dues for each player, but PRFC wants to do more than just provide a social environment. The team has been supporting the local community for years.
“Everything I’ve asked them to do off the field they’ve done,” explains Bryant, describing how one of the team’s goals is to help others in need. “We raised money to bury a child who was awaiting a liver transplant at Children’s Hospital two years ago and unfortunately did not survive. We attended his funeral. The parents came to practice the day after they buried their child to say thank you to these guys. You name it, these guys have always stepped up to the plate. So those kinds of things you can’t buy. I’m very happy that that’s sort of the hallmark of the character of the club.”
Members also contribute to other local charities, including one for injured players elsewhere in the Southern California Rugby Football Union. The Pasadena club also participates in Ronald McDonald House’s annual float-building effort for the Tournament of Roses Parade.
“One of the things we want to do is increase the visibility of the game,” says Bryant. “We want people to understand that this isn’t a game played by a bunch of hooligans who drink beer. This is a game played by gentlemen who enjoy competition, who respect our opponents, and all those things are embodied in our mission. We would love for Americans to become more familiar with the game.”
Whether such a physical sport as rugby will find a larger following in Pasadena remains unclear, but the dedication and fearlessness of its players is what keeps it alive.
As 19th-century Cuban poet Jose Marti put it, “Man has to suffer. When he has no real afflictions, he invents them.”
Just take a look at Keegan Hornbeck’s neck.
The Pasadena Rugby Football Club hosts its Pasadena RFC 15’s Tournament at 8 a.m. Saturday at Azusa High School. PRFC’s first regular season match is against Kern County on Jan. 10 at Azusa High School. For more information, visit pasadenarfc.com
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I don't know much about rugby, but based on the cover photo alone I had to read this article. I really like the use of all the quotes - it gives you a great sense of these guys and why they play so hard, and through the pain. Plus, "Life is Suffering" ... that's pretty awesome.
Great article.