Rugby is making a resurgence at Belmont secondary school, with 2014 the first in many years the school has been able to offer both boys and girls sevens rugby teams.

This is the second year Belmont has been able to field a team in the South Island Girls Rugby Sevens League, consisting of secondary schools in the area.

Last year about 10 teams took part and this year it looks as though the league will be up to 11.

Coach Darrell Doerkson hopes there will be an opportunity to play North Island and Lower Mainland teams this year, but Belmont will have to qualify for that.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e hoping to eventually build it back up to a 15s league, but right now we had good success last year and weB次元官网网址檙e hoping this year will be a good success as well,B次元官网网址� Doerkson said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very much

fledgling right now.B次元官网网址�

One of last yearB次元官网网址檚 captains, Miranda Llewellyn, Grade 11, scrum-half, said sheB次元官网网址檚 looking forward to seeing what the team can achieve this year after its fairly

impressive start last season.

B次元官网网址淚 just kind of like how you have to be very physical in the game and how you have to use different aspects of sport, so agility and speed and aggression,B次元官网网址� Llewellyn said. B次元官网网址淚 definitely urge other girls to come and try it.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a great workout, itB次元官网网址檚 a different type of sport than maybe what theyB次元官网网址檙e used to,B次元官网网址� Doerkson said. B次元官网网址淭here are definitely some girls that like to rough it up a little bit, get dirty. I think itB次元官网网址檚 serving a need for those girls that want to play a tougher type sport thatB次元官网网址檚 not basketball or soccer.B次元官网网址�

The boys rugby sevens program is coming back from a two-year hiatus, with coach and vice principal Mike Huck reinstating the program.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 one of those games you can play for the rest of your life,B次元官网网址� Huck said. B次元官网网址淚t takes (brings together) all those good things about school: partnership, community, hard work, fitness. And itB次元官网网址檚 a lot of fun.B次元官网网址�

Huck said heB次元官网网址檚 coaching a B次元官网网址渟tackedB次元官网网址� team this year, with many of the Belmont Bulldogs football players playing double duty on the rugby team.

B次元官网网址淚t speaks volumes of the way Belmont has approached athletics and made athletics such an important part of the school. Now weB次元官网网址檙e getting kids who are really fit and good athletes wanting to try new sports.B次元官网网址�

Rugby Canada, located just up the road from Belmont, has been supportive of the program, Doerkson said, with some players running clinics for the teen players and some equipment being donated.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not a formal partnership but the rugby community will come together and give support,B次元官网网址� Huck said.

The boys first game is March 6, at home against Esquimalt high school. The girls first game is March 28.