Growing the game: These high schoolers have teamed up to make Worcester's first varsity rugby squad

WORCESTER — As Bruce Mendelsohn whipped out a mini-whiteboard during practice Wednesday afternoon, the Worcester Public Schools rugby coach found himself explaining the difference between a flanker and a hooker to his fresh crop of players.

Needing a little extra time to clarify the colorful terminology that comes with the sport that’s rising in popularity, Mendelsohn is trying his best to teach rugby to high school kids from Worcester.

“Worcester has a very strong rugby tradition, and a lot of that tradition comes from the pipeline,” Mendelsohn said. “Not only are we trying to expand that pipeline so that we continue to formulate Worcester rugby and keep it strong, but also share with some of these young men and women some of the rugby values that are important.”

After receiving Division 2 varsity status from the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association on Oct. 25, the Worcester Public Schools Wildcats are entering their first season as a varsity team this spring.

From flankers and hookers, to rucks and scrums, the Wildcats are learning all the different facets of rugby.

And they’re doing so on the fly.

“We’re excited,” Mendelsohn said. “We may not have as many resources as other teams but the resources we have are our heart and our competitive zeal, and we have a great coaching staff and we’re really hoping for a positive turnout this season.”

‘Rugby players loves a challenge’

Mendelsohn’s rugby career didn’t begin until he was a freshman at Vassar College.

“I converted to rugby from cross country,” he said.

After Vassar, Mendelsohn joined the U.S. Army. While stationed in Korea in 1991, he tried out for and made a U.S. military rugby team that played other military teams from Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

“We didn’t win a single match, but the experience was incredible,” Mendelsohn, 55, said. “Lining up on the pitch next to my teammates, wearing the colors of our country and hearing our national anthem, was one of my most memorable and meaningful rugby experiences.”

When Mendelsohn returned to the states, he played rugby in Washington, D.C., before moving to Massachusetts in 2007. Following a few years off, Mendelsohn “unretired” and joined the Boston Maccabi Rugby Football Club.

“Just a bunch of (mostly) Jewish guys playing rugby, which was kind of fun,” Mendelsohn said.

In 2018, Mendelsohn hung up his rugby cleats — or “boots” — and put on his coaching cap. By March 2020, the Millbury resident was all set to start a Worcester-area rugby club for high school student athletes.

But then the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

“We had everything ready to go, everything ready to launch and everything shut down,” Mendelsohn said.

With support from the Worcester rugby community, sponsors and the MassHire Central Region Workforce Board (where Mendelsohn works as resource development coordinator), the Worcester Public Schools’ Wildcats rugby team was established in 2021.

Three years later, Mendelsohn is leading the Wildcats in their first spring as a varsity team. He’s excited to offer rugby to high schoolers from Worcester, even if many of them have never played the sport before.

“Rugby players love a challenge,” Mendelsohn said.

Coming together to play rugby

While the Wildcats held practice outside Burncoat High School Wednesday afternoon, they encountered a different type of challenge: a mixture of rain and snow from Mother Nature.

“Anytime you can get out and play and coach rugby is a good day,” Mendelsohn said, “regardless of the weather.”

With 17 high schoolers from varying Worcester schools — like Burncoat, Doherty, North, South and Worcester Tech — practicing together, WPS went through a variety of fitness and skill drills for roughly two hours.

For Braedon McCormick, this is his third season with the Wildcats. The Worcester Tech junior has been playing rugby since he was 5, so he’s become a defacto coach (and recruiter) for the team that’s constantly trying to add new players — no matter their experience, talent or gender.

“I love to hit,” McCormick said. “I like to be able to lead the team and teach new people the game and spread it to everybody.”

For Ben Gniadek, this is his first season with the team. The Doherty High junior grew up playing the sport with his dad, Jamie, who was the president of the Worcester Rugby Club, before toiling around with baseball.

But this spring, Gniadek is back playing rugby — this time to get more athletic for football and meet new people.

“It’s nice to get all the schools to come together,” Gniadek said. “It really builds a special team, and it breeds kindness between different schools. No rivalry and all the guys coming together to play rugby.”

Growing the game

As Mendelsohn wrote down the names of each player who attended Wednesday’s practice, the WPS coach rested his blue journal on the back of Tony Poti.

“We all build stronger on the backs of others,” Mendelsohn said.

Poti, an assistant coach with the Wildcats, helped found the Worcester Rugby Club in 1979. So getting to help teach high schoolers how to play rugby this spring has provided a full-circle moment for the Worcester resident.

“If you really want to build the game, you have to start the kids young,” Poti said. “Most players, like myself, start playing in college but now it’s becoming more popular, the younger we can (start) with kids, the better off they’ll be. They can learn the game and advance it to different levels.”

Despite the constant flow of players coming in and out of the program this spring, the Wildcats are trying their best to keep their collective heads above water. With their first scrimmage scheduled for April 2 (and opening game on April 11), WPS ideally wants to have 25 players on its roster this season.

“Right now, I’m just trying to convince guys to get out there,” McCormick said. “It’s a great opportunity to go out and show who Worcester is, what we can do and win a championship.”

“We’re undeterred and committed to growing the program,” Mendelsohn said.

For Mendelsohn, this spring is all about growing the game of rugby with kids from Worcester Public Schools.

After all, it’s important to know the difference between a flanker and a hooker.

—Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44. 

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: WPS Wildcats excited to start first season as a varsity rugby team