By Devyn Howard
The UCSB Rugby teams got off to a roaring start this past weekend as both the men’s and women’s team played in their season openers.
The men's team competed at home against UC Irvine in an intense game that was dominated by our Gauchos. The Gaucho men pushed hard against the challenging Anteaters, and went on to soundly win the game, 50-10.
The women's team also kicked off the season with fireworks as they played a tough match against the UCLA Bruins. The Lady Gauchos worked hard but ultimately lost in a close 18-14 game that kept Gaucho fans on the edge of their seats. Undaunted, Barbara will come back to fight even harder at their next game.
The success and spirit of these Gaucho ruggers should come as no surprise as they are both made up of athletes, who are expertly coached by the Director of Rugby, Kevin Battle. Expressing his perspective on what is to come this season, Coach Battle explained that conditioning and practice in the preseason has led to a group of confident players who aren't afraid to work hard.
"They're working their butts off,” he said. “They're an extremely, extremely talented group."
Setting the bar high is another powerful motivator for the teams. "We've set our goal as the National Championships,” Battle said, noting that this goal is different than in previous seasons. "We've realized that if we want to be National Champs, we have to do things a little bit differently. That's why we get started earlier each day." Previously, the teams had their eyes set on League Champs, but it seems that aiming for the Nationals will push the teams to work even harder to triumph in this year’s seasons.
The disciplined Gaucho teams train 5-6 days a week starting before the sun comes up. It’s not an easy schedule for busy students, but one that Coach Battle feels is important to the success of the teams. "We try to control the things we can control: the effort we put into it,” Battle said. “If we’re willing to get up early and put in the work, then results will come. You do what you can do. We’re done training before most people have woken up. It helps the team get their day started off right.” This strategy is one that Coach Battle believes strongly in.
While he admits that all teams would love to win every game, he recognizes that the occasional loss can help the teams learn.
"Losing offers you an opportunity to look at what are your weaknesses,” he said. “I think you learn far more from your losses than you do your wins."
The fast paced sport of rugby has attracted a pretty enthusiastic following in past seasons, and Coach Battle acknowledges that team support is a valuable asset. "The more people we can get to support the teams, the better,” he said. “We’d love to see the crowds grow and I think they’ll enjoy the pace of the game. It’s a very physical game. It’s a lot of fun."
Both the men's and women's teams also get positive energy from each other, according to the Coach. "I think they feed off of each others energy,” he said. “They kind of push each other, too. If we can maintain our focus and effort and the work that we put in, I don’t think too many teams will be able to stand in the way." We agree!
With all of the hard working players and the dedication of Coach Battle and his assistants, the Gaucho ruggers are faced with a powerful and exciting season for the Gaucho Rugby teams. Catch their upcoming games as the men's team plays LMU at Rob Field this Friday, and stay tuned to the results of the women’s team as they travel down to San Diego to play UCSB this Saturday.
