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Monday, May 10, 2010
For Frederick Area youth rugby players, rougher is better Jordan Maxey of Frederick was watching her older brother play club rugby about five years ago and thought she might give it a
try. Maxey, 15, jumped into the game head-first and has been at it ever since, getting better each year. Originally published May 09, 2010
By Bill Cauley
Frederick News-Post Staff
Of late, Maxey and her West Carroll Marauders Rugby U-19 division team have enjoyed a lot of success.
The squad won its Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union division and finished seventh in its age group at USA Rugby's national tournament.
"When I first started playing rugby, I played tag rugby with him," Maxey said of her brother. "No tackling in that division. It's for people just learning the game."
Maxey caught on quick, soon moving up in the ranks to an actual contact division of the sport. Rugby, which was part of the
inspiration for American football, is more of a wide-open, high-speed game, featuring a lot of tackling -- and none of the helmets and shoulder pads used in football for protection.
For Maxey and her teammates, rougher is better.
"I'm the scrum-half," she said. "It's fun."
The scrum-half puts the ball in play in a scrum on a feed or put-in, which involves throwing the ball in the gap between the two teams to put the ball in play.
Maxey is one of four county athletes on the under-19 team. Val Pizzo, Maggie Myles and Meg Piavis have also gotten in on the rugby fun. The club practices at New Windsor Middle School and plays matches on Peace and Plenty Road near Francis Scott Key High School in Uniontown.
"The number of players coming out for the teams have been pretty steady," said Brad Rockwood, the U-19 coach. "It fluctuates a little bit because of other sports athletes can play."
The running, backward passing, tackling and kicking is something Rockwood is pleased with, and it's a big reason he still coaching. He's been coaching in the Marauders' organization since it began in 1995.
"It's just fun to watch these kids play," he said.
The club is divided into three general areas: youth (non-contact), boys high school and girls high school. For
information, go to http://www.westcarrollrugby.com.
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