The 2024 Rugby Season started last November when the team's leaders decided to get together and create their own Pre-Season Workouts without any of the coaches' knowledge. Their desire to compete and win was evident at our first practice in January. Each of our seniors echoed the mantra of effort and accountability to each other, the coaches, and the team. 

Each Grade solicited new players from their fall and winter sports to come out and try something different. Whether it was a player looking for a spring sport to stay in shape for football or an exchange student who wanted to try something new.  Each player understood what was expected from the team's leadership.   The practices are hard, and fitness for each player is required for the 15 players on the field to succeed.  Getting through the runs at the beginning of practice and the nonstop tackling drills each day, they looked forward to when the practice ended.  Players were then treated to a walking rugby match that closely resembles the game's difficulty.    Most of the players enjoyed it.  Those who enjoy the rigors didn't leave.  Those that remained participated in one of the best seasons I witnessed.  

Whether it was the opening match against the #3 team in the country and putting up 19 points on them or being down 28-0 at halftime and clawing their way back to beat Fordham Prep.  

Or watching them walk off the field after a loss against the number 10 team in the country, knowing they won but also knowing there are things they can't control in life.   

It was amazing to watch them mature as young men.  Because of their hard work they are contenders in the NY State Rugby Championship June 8th and 9th.   Regardless of the outcome the players know what they can control in the game and in their life EFFORT and i know each will give all they have in June.

“Congratulations to the Varsity Rugby Team on a great season.”

Head Coach

Coach Young Graduated from SUNY Maritime in 1994.  He was at sea as a Merchant Marine Officer until 1997.  Presently, he runs the operations department for an oil tanker broker company in Norwalk CT.  Coach Young Started Coaching Rugby in 1999 at Xavier HS.  He left Xavier when he moved to Long Island in 2006.  He then Coached at East Islip and developed a youth rugby program at South Shore Rugby in 2010, and handed over the team to one of our other coaches when he started at St Anthony's in 2019.