Start of the matrix season

Tomorrow marks the start of the rugby season for our D2 side, and I'm really looking forward to my first match!

With a good showing at Pumpkinfest and vs. Washington last week (from what I heard since I did not attend/participate in either due to previous commitments), we have some momentum on our side as we square of versus Norfolk. We're lucky to have such great coaches as well as the ability to work with other coaches. Thursday, our forwards had the opportunity to work with Lance Connolly who is the forwards coach of the U-19 Women's National Team and former forwards coach of the New York women's team. Just hearing him talk about technique for scrums got me fired up. We only had 40 minutes to work with him, but hopefully everyone learned something and will apply this weekend and every practice to follow.

The season lasts about two months, but it's an intense timeframe. We only practice as a team 2x a week, but everyone sprints and works out on their own time outside of practice. Saturday is all about rugby with travel to the pitch, warm up, 80 minutes of rucking, scumming and tackling; sometimes a 30-40 minute friendly followed by a social and sometimes alcohol and some singing, and sometimes too much more alcohol and somehow getting home safely. Waking up the next morning and trying to remember exactly how may 18 wheelers ran you over is always fun until you try to get out of bed to get the ibuprofen. The work attire changes as I start to wear shirts with long sleeves to cover up the bruising on my arms so I don't have to explain how I got them. The occasional fat lip you just deal with.

This is going to be a fun season.