Marauders Rugby Team Helps Put Rugby on the Map in Carroll County

Tucked away on practice fields in the Agriculture Center, in the heart of Westminster, lies one of Carroll County’s most hidden gems: The West Carroll Marauders Rugby team.

The Marauders’ girls Under 19 squad has gone undefeated the past two regular seasons, and it ranks 9th  in the nation in a preseason poll in Rugby Magazine.

“We finished sixth in the nation last year, and only graduated four of our seniors,” said Assistant Coach Talley Johnstone. “We are really trying to rank higher this year, and trying to break into the top four of the nation.”

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the team’s consistency year after year is the fact that the coaches barely recruit.

“We count on the kids to get their friends out here and playing. The players do all the recruiting,” explained Brad Rockwood, a fellow assistant coach for both the boys and girls teams.

Senior player for the men’s team Tommy Myers says the hardest part is getting them out there. “If you know somebody that looks athletic, like they would be good to play, you try to get them out here and give it a shot. Once they come out, they see it’s too much fun to go back and not come again.”

Rugby  “is a sport that mixes the conditioning of soccer, the power of football, and the flow of a basketball game,” Rockwood explained. “It’s the fastest growing sport in the world. It will be an Olympic event in the 2016 games, and it’s going to take off from there (in popularity).”

With growing popularity, how long will it be until the sport is common place in county high schools, and be alongside football, baseball and basketball?

“Eventually,” said Myers, “a lot sooner than people think.”

Public awareness about the safety of Rugby will help move the sport to the limelight.

“It is on the same injury level as wrestling, and there are fewer injuries in Rugby than there are in cheerleading,” Johnstone said.

Senior player for the Lady Marauders Nicole Shifflett added, “The biggest misconception is that everyone thinks it’s a dirty sport, but it’s really no different than most sports.”

Shifflett, a Francis Scott Key graduate, is expected to be a major contributor for the lady Marauders this season. One of five girls returning this year coming off of the Under 20 Mid-Atlantic team that won the National tournament, Shiffletttried out for the National team in Florida this past weekend in hopes of playing for a World title this summer.

She thinks her Marauders team can make it to the national tournament again, but the players need to come together now in order to do so: “We need to focus on conditioning and getting to know each other as players… try to figure out each girl’s unique style,” Shifflet said.

Myers and the boy’s team have similar goals and challenges.

“We’ve only had practices but what I can see, we look pretty good,” said Myers.

Rockwood believes that the team has the ability, but needs to put it together into a functioning unit in order to succeed.

“We are athletic,” says Rockwood, “we just need to see how we all come together and shape into a team.”            

With the potential for another great season for both teams on the horizon, it is only a matter of time before this secret gem of Marauders Rugby is exposed.