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DARIEN, Conn. Oscar Parsons has watched the Darien High School rugby team grow up. As the senior enters his final season, he is pleased with the progress the team has made since he joined four years ago.
I had no idea thered be any interest in the team, said Parsons, who played for a year in Australia before moving to Darien. It has been fun to see it get started. Being one of those people who helped pave the way for a good program has been a great experience.
Parsons joined the team as it was beginning its second competitive year. Now, the program has more boys than ever, is coming off its most successful season and will become a varsity sport next spring. The team begins its final season as a club sport Wednesday with an away game at Fairfield Prep.
It has been great to improve and see more kids get interested, Parsons said. The parents have been behind it; theres more support from the school; theres more people coming to every game.
Darien is coming off its best season, winning its divisions in the New York Metropolitan League and the Connecticut State Championship. It begins the new season in a new league, the Connecticut Rugby Union League. It will play league powers such as Fairfield Prep and Greenwich and heads into a rebuilding season after some key graduation losses. Were looking for big things from our younger players, Parsons said.
Parsons serves as the team captain and wrestled for the Blue Wave in the winter. Skills from wrestling are transferrable to rugby, he said. Wrestling is an individual sport, but if you win points either by decision or pin youre helping your team, he said. There is a team aspect to it. Its a physically tough sport, and the skills you acquire in wrestling help in things like tackling. We encourage rugby players to wrestle, and we love to have wrestlers play rugby.
Darien plays its first home match Sunday, April 1, when it hosts Simsbury at Royle School. It also has home matches against Staples, Greenwich and Cheshire. The top four teams advance to the playoffs beginning May 18.
The Blue Wave are facing a new league and a demanding schedule, but coach John McCarthy built a championship team in just five years. For Parsons, the team's growth is something he will remember for the rest of his life.
It will be interesting, Parsons said. The most important thing is to play to the best of our ability. The great thing about rugby is the whole team atmosphere. Its been fantastic watching players come into their own each and every year. The whole program builds and everyone helps each other get better.
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