The event will take place Saturday, February 21 st at Lighthouse Park in Jupiter at 3:30 PM. The JTAA Jupiter Warriors Rugby boy's team will kick-off against their arch rivals Northeast High School from Fort Lauderdale. Northeast currently holds first place in the division and defeated Jupiter in the first match of the season 17-0. Since that match, Jupiter has won four straight, while Northeast has remained undefeated. "This is going to be our toughest game of the season. The boys know that, and they are hungry for the challenge" Coach Simon said.

Mr. Roger Amidon, the Chairman of JTAA Rugby's Parent Committee, commented on the event. "All of the parents and players are very grateful to JTAA for this opportunity to showcase rugby here in Jupiter." Although the second most played sport in the world, rugby is not a mainstream sport in the United States. "It will give Jupiter Rugby a chance to reveal to our community how truly unique rugby is", Amidon said. He went on to explain how after each game the opposing players come together to share food in a combined social hosted by the home team.

Jupiter Rugby started in 2005, when Simon left his coaching job at Clemson University in order to bring the sport to his hometown of Jupiter and his alma mater of Jupiter High School. He spent his first year as a history teacher using his spare time to build the school sponsored club from scratch. The club carried two separate teams, one for boys, and one for girls. Growing pains were hard felt during the first season, as both teams went winless. But the new sport had still won the hearts of the students, and rugby was the new buzz on campus. The following two years both teams went undefeated in their regular seasons and finished as pure high school state champions, and yet none of that success was ever witnessed by hometown crowds.

Now in its fourth year, Jupiter Rugby has been adopted by the Jupiter-Tequesta Athletic Association. With a great new relationship in the works, the Jupiter Rugby players are getting their first opportunity to play on home fields. "I have been with the team since the beginning", said the girl's team captain, senior Brittany Hicks. "I think this is the greatest single step forward for the club in the last three years." The girl's team finished their season with an undefeated 8-0 record, winning the state championship again. During that run they defeated Florida's first ever varsity high school girl's rugby team, the Sebastian River Sharks, who play in their high school football stadium. Graduating from JHS this year, Hicks is taking her four years rugby experience to the University of Florida, where she will be playing for the best Division I collegiate girl's program in the Southeast. "I will miss Jupiter Rugby and all the new developments though", she added.

The JTAA Jupiter Rugby boy's team practices every Tuesday and Thursday at Tequesta Park on County Line Road at 3:45 PM. New recruits are always welcome and no rugby experience is necessary to try-out. For more information on JTAA Rugby visit www.jupiterrugby.org.

Article written by John McAllister, JTAA Rugby Parent Committee, Promoter