Kid Tested, Parent (& Coach) approved!
Parent Testimonials about Rugby in the Lives of Their Children
"I said, What is Rugby?"
Being part of the Rugby team has given my son a community of boys who together are learning self respect and self discipline. My son has been exposed a coach who truly cares about the boys, loves the game, and consistently coaches with love and respect for the boys! My son loves the game so much, that when selecting colleges to attend, a Rugby club was a huge part of his decision.
Angela Rosheim, Rugby Mom
Angela Rosheim, Rugby Mom
Rugby has brought a sense of self worth and a higher sense of self confidence to my stepson. It was great to see the change in him after just one season. He has experienced people in general in a different light. During the match you’re rivals, after the match you're brothers again.
Walter Wilson, Rugby Dad
Walter Wilson, Rugby Dad
My daughter Alanis played soccer, volleyball, and softball growing up, but she didn't enjoy them much. When she discovered Rugby, she discovered her passion for sport and competition. Alanis was one of a group of girls that helped start the Liberty United Girls club her Freshman year in High School.
As I recall they didn't score a point in a Match the first year, halfway through the second year they won their first Match. My daughter learned an important lesson that sometimes it takes a while for your hard work to pay off. Liberty United won the Missouri Rugby State Title their Junior and Senior years.
My daughter experienced a few bumps and bruises during her Rugby career, but I would let her do it all over again. As part of the Rugby team she developed the aggressiveness necessary to achieve goals that she wants in life and to be accountable as a leader.
Capt Teddy Bear's Dad
Tony Butler Rugby Dad
As I recall they didn't score a point in a Match the first year, halfway through the second year they won their first Match. My daughter learned an important lesson that sometimes it takes a while for your hard work to pay off. Liberty United won the Missouri Rugby State Title their Junior and Senior years.
My daughter experienced a few bumps and bruises during her Rugby career, but I would let her do it all over again. As part of the Rugby team she developed the aggressiveness necessary to achieve goals that she wants in life and to be accountable as a leader.
Capt Teddy Bear's Dad
Tony Butler Rugby Dad
A good rugby player isn't always the fastest, strongest, youngest or oldest, athletic super-star. A good rugby player has ambition, discipline, teamwork, respect, problem solving and the ability to achieve under stress. We develop life skills and train good character traits on the rugby field. This is why I choose rugby, and why I continue to coach for Liberty.
Joe Gaughran, Coach
Joe Gaughran, Coach
My son has grown a lot since starting Rugby 4 years ago. He has become more confident, and outgoing. He has stepped up and tried to be a leader. His personal health has improved as well. Works out constantly, and maintains a healthy diet as well. All this has also prepped him for going to Marine Corps boot camp in July.
Walter Wilson, Rugby Dad
Walter Wilson, Rugby Dad
This year our 4th son to play rugby for Liberty will begin his rugby career, and we will have the opportunity to cheer on 2 sons! While our kids may have been involved in other sports that we have understood better, there is none that has created a brotherhood more than rugby. Our sons have come away from this team having learned discipline, respect, camaraderie, and a level of sportsmanship that is truly unheard of in other sports. So much of that comes from the coaching staff who gives it their all, each and every game and practice, and the team knows they are expected to do the same. We are so grateful for this club and for how much it has influenced the lives of our children and helped shape them into great young men.
Jodi Gale, Rugby Mom
Jodi Gale, Rugby Mom
Rugby means a strong team unity, a lot of dedication, and a lot of fun!
Courtney Sweet, Rugby Mom
Courtney Sweet, Rugby Mom
Lady Jay Rugby has been an amazing experience for our daughter, Hannah. Hannah moved here from Minnesota as a junior, she had not been involved in organized sports as a teenager and moving to a new community at this age can be very traumatic. The Lady Jay Rugby Team welcomed and embraced her wholeheartedly! The love, guidance and desire for "GIRL POWER" was exactly what Hannah needed to feel welcomed and fuel her self esteem. Tracey inspires the ladies to be ambassadors of their school, their team and their community on and off the field. We need more of this. We truly support the Lady Jay's Rugby program!
Devin and Kimberly Reid, Rugby Parents
Devin and Kimberly Reid, Rugby Parents
As parents of three children, two boys and a girl, we were involved in just about every sport. Soccer, baseball, football, softball, wrestling, basketball, you name it, our kids played it. We wanted our kids to learn life lessons that can almost only be learned by playing team sports. These are things like good sportsmanship, fair play, following the rules, how to be a gracious winner and, in times, how to be a gracious loser. We also really wanted our kids to find a sport they were truly passionate about. Imagine our surprise when our kids all gravitated towards rugby.
Our oldest son was looking for something different than football but with the same team dynamic. He didn’t really feel like any of the other sports he tried made him feel like he fit in that sport. When rugby came to Liberty, it was different for him. He was part of the original Liberty Blue Jays rugby team. At first, we were nervous because of rugby’s reputation and the thought of injuries. However, the more we were involved with rugby, we found that the outside reputation has nothing to do with how rugby is actually experienced by players and fans. It is a sport that is the definition of good sportsmanship, fair play and following the rules. (Because there are so many of them!) The players go out and play hard. They try their level best to knock their opponent down, but then after the match, they are brothers and sisters in arms. The shared experiences on the pitch build unbreakable bonds of friendship and understanding.
The benefits of rugby for our family have been immeasurable. Our oldest son has played in foreign countries and played through grad school. Our daughter played for 5 years from eighth grade through high school. She now helps coach the Liberty boys and girl’s teams. Our youngest is starting his fourth year and he has traveled all over the U.S. playing. We can’t tell you that they have never been hurt, because injury happens in any sport, but they have never been hurt in a major way, so our fears were mostly unjustified. Kids have to be more controlled in rugby, whereas in football, they feel invincible with pads and go at full speeds into tackles.
This is all made possible by the coaching staff. Tracey has worked very hard to make sure the players appreciate the culture of rugby. She instills a shared sense of responsibility, accountability and passion for the sport among the players. They aren’t individuals, they are team mates that are playing for each other, not themselves. If it was boiled down to just one thing, Tracey teaches life’s most important lesson, RESPECT; respect for the game, respect for your team mates and coaches, respect for your opponents and most of all respect for yourself. Which is the most valuable life lesson of all.
Chris and Machelle Timmermans, Rugby Parents
Our oldest son was looking for something different than football but with the same team dynamic. He didn’t really feel like any of the other sports he tried made him feel like he fit in that sport. When rugby came to Liberty, it was different for him. He was part of the original Liberty Blue Jays rugby team. At first, we were nervous because of rugby’s reputation and the thought of injuries. However, the more we were involved with rugby, we found that the outside reputation has nothing to do with how rugby is actually experienced by players and fans. It is a sport that is the definition of good sportsmanship, fair play and following the rules. (Because there are so many of them!) The players go out and play hard. They try their level best to knock their opponent down, but then after the match, they are brothers and sisters in arms. The shared experiences on the pitch build unbreakable bonds of friendship and understanding.
The benefits of rugby for our family have been immeasurable. Our oldest son has played in foreign countries and played through grad school. Our daughter played for 5 years from eighth grade through high school. She now helps coach the Liberty boys and girl’s teams. Our youngest is starting his fourth year and he has traveled all over the U.S. playing. We can’t tell you that they have never been hurt, because injury happens in any sport, but they have never been hurt in a major way, so our fears were mostly unjustified. Kids have to be more controlled in rugby, whereas in football, they feel invincible with pads and go at full speeds into tackles.
This is all made possible by the coaching staff. Tracey has worked very hard to make sure the players appreciate the culture of rugby. She instills a shared sense of responsibility, accountability and passion for the sport among the players. They aren’t individuals, they are team mates that are playing for each other, not themselves. If it was boiled down to just one thing, Tracey teaches life’s most important lesson, RESPECT; respect for the game, respect for your team mates and coaches, respect for your opponents and most of all respect for yourself. Which is the most valuable life lesson of all.
Chris and Machelle Timmermans, Rugby Parents
Coaching in the Liberty Public School District has been such an unbelievable opportunity for me. Having school administration who know the importance of having their students involved in school activities is something beyond measure. Students who feel their school appreciates their interests seem to be, in turn, be more interested in doing well in their school. I have known all long that Liberty is something special by their pursuit of activities for their students but something that showed the depth of the community's commitment to their students happened in 2010.
It was in 2010, my second year as head coach of the boys' team, that demonstrated to the coaching staff and me even more of the intensity with which this community backs it's students. We traveled to an away game, more than two hours away. I looked at the opposition's sidelines and our sidelines and realized we had more fans on our side of the field than the home team had on theirs. That is when I knew that coaching in this community was a true gift and I am proud to be a part of rugby in Liberty. That gift got even better when I took over girls' program in 2012 and led them to three State Championships in a row.
As a former National Team player, I was taught the importance of being an ambassador of the sport of rugby. The coaching staff and I have high expectations for our players and they rise to meet those expectations with pride. We hope to continue to build a tradition of community support for our students and our rugby club. We continue to encourage our young men and women to play the game with the honor, sportsmanship, respect and camaraderie that rugby offers.
Tracey Davies, Coach
It was in 2010, my second year as head coach of the boys' team, that demonstrated to the coaching staff and me even more of the intensity with which this community backs it's students. We traveled to an away game, more than two hours away. I looked at the opposition's sidelines and our sidelines and realized we had more fans on our side of the field than the home team had on theirs. That is when I knew that coaching in this community was a true gift and I am proud to be a part of rugby in Liberty. That gift got even better when I took over girls' program in 2012 and led them to three State Championships in a row.
As a former National Team player, I was taught the importance of being an ambassador of the sport of rugby. The coaching staff and I have high expectations for our players and they rise to meet those expectations with pride. We hope to continue to build a tradition of community support for our students and our rugby club. We continue to encourage our young men and women to play the game with the honor, sportsmanship, respect and camaraderie that rugby offers.
Tracey Davies, Coach