Rookies

Beantown welcomes new people of all ages and abilities, at any time. To join, simply show up at a practice. Feel free to email president@beantownrugby.com for more information. If you are completely new to the sport, you might want to check out our Resources page for tons of helpful information.

How does it feel to be a rookie? Joining a new club can sometimes feel a bit uncomfortable as it can be filled with unpleasant surprises. We hope this section addresses most of your initial questions, but feel free to ask our Rookie Liaison, or really anybody at anytime for help.

Leave your fears behind, as Beantown does not haze their new members. We will, however, allow you to make a fool out of yourself. Every February rookies from the previous year get together to create a last minute skit for the Beantown Banquet. Laughs are shared all around by all members alike.

So, what does it take to play on a club side? The biggest concern with new players is the time commitment and money it takes to play rugby.

During the season, practices are held every Tuesday and Thursday with games every Saturday. You can expect on average three away games to cities such as NYC, Newport, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Burlington, and Saranac. On many of these trips players carpool and are oftentimes hosted by the home team. However, some trips will require airplane travel and hotel lodging. All travel and lodging expenses are paid by the individual.

Note: Please do not feel overwhelmed with the amount of time and money you can spend in a season. We understand if you cannot make it to all the practices or games - we have all been there. Just keep in mind that you get out of rugby what you put in to it.

In addition to travel expenses, there are Beantown membership fees and CIPP dues.
Beantown RFC has a $100 membership fee per fall and spring season for returning players, and a $50 membership fee for rookies. This money allows the club to pay for parties, referee fees, tournament fees, union dues, equipment, gifts and travel expenses for the coaches to Nationals. If you cannot come up with the money right away, please contact our Treasurer, as we do have a payment plan to ease the money crunch.

CIPP dues are paid by all players and clubs every calender year. Compliance is required in order to play rugby in the United States. The amount varies with age and military status.

What other things will you need to play rugby? A rugger's kit consists of cleats, socks, rugby shorts, rugby jersey and mouthguard. Although a team uniform is worn during all games, practice attire can pretty much be anything sturdy. Rugby gear can be purchased online at Rugby Imports. You also must have health insurance to play, and be CIPP registered. CIPP registration is now available online under the Members section of the USA Rugby website. It costs $35 and is renewable in August of each year.

So now that we have taken you for all your time and money, it is time to expain what rugby is all about. Whether you are a veteran, rookie, or a first timer, you will get a laugh at Lisa Gartner's narration of a Rookie Primer (click here to download a PDF version).

Well, there you have it. I hope that some of your initial questions have been answered but always remember that in the future you can contact anyone of us for help.

Oh, and one last thing - Welcome to the Beantown Rugby Family!