The Tao of Rugby

Just wanted to blog about a couple of things before I head off to bed tonight. First, I finished my book tonight. I was reading “A Scanner Darkly” before I joined a book club and was never able to finish it, but I did tonight. For those of you who are familiar with the book…I think rugby—these camps, the little worlds we enter—can be like Substance D (without the permanent psychosis). What I mean is that, we loose touch with our lives a little. Our jobs, our families seem as though a dream, a hallucination. Our reality is split into the freakish rugby world—a world of (p)recovery, competition, recovery, meetings, video, nutrition, treatment, etc—and a reverie of home. It is so important, in this environment, to stay in touch with our other life, and when we’ve returned to said life, to embrace the rugby lifestyle. A balance is what I speak of, my dears.

My roomie, Bui, and I both brought copies of the Tao Te Ching to camp, and I was telling her about one of my favorite chapters today (chapter 23, if you want to look it up). I’d like to share with you chapter 9:

Fill your bowl to the brim
and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife
and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security
and your heart will never unclench.
Care about people's approval
and you will be their prisoner.

Do your work, then step back.
The only path to serenity.

On a lighter note, our (a bunch of the Great White gals) lunch today included what was probably the best rugby-mealtime-topical discussion ever. I can’t really say what it was (the Masons are rubbing off on us) we discussed, but it was hilarious. Also, at dinner, the band campers were sporting some very festive and patriotic gear—big Ole Glory polo shirts. Shaina’s conversation with one such camper:

Shaina—Hey, I’ll swap you shirts.

Camper—Well, I don’t really know if I can. You see, we’re supposed to wear these tomorrow for…

Shaina—Look, if it’s a “no,” just tell me, because there are a lot more of you I need to ask if that’s the case.

"Hey Remember That Time We Beat NRU"

What did I say?

I feel like that sums it up, but I will elaborate. We beat NRU today. 14-10. Close. Tough. A battle. An assault. A campaign. They scored in the first. We didn’t. We went up in the second. Scored again. And then they evened the try tally. But we made our kicks. And we won. If you didn’t know, NRU has won the NASCs four years in a row. I don’t even know when MARFU beat them last (that is before 6 hours ago).

This was one of the sweetest victories of which I’ve ever had the unbelievable chance to be a part. I knew we were ready for a grueling physical clash in the humid Pennsylvania heat, and I knew NRU would have to man up to beat us. They wouldn’t be able to mosey on past us, with a casual brushing of the shoulder, on their way to defending their crown—they would have to defend it against us first. However, I didn’t know that we would beat them, although I wanted it, and I knew we were capable of it. It feels amazing to have done it.

A few match-related notes, and then I’m off to bed. This MARFU team is awesome—from our hard-hitting pack to our speedy wings—and we had to put together an amazing game to beat an extremely tough NRU team.

Did anyone notice that we played most of the match in the end closest to the parking lot? I didn’t mind it so much in the second half, but it was a killer defending our end for a majority of the first half. Speaking of killers, what about the effin’ heat, and the fact that we didn’t get any water (after that first, quick try) until about five minutes left in the first half. That sucked.

Also, all of you players, make a mental note that the scoreboard clock is not, in fact, the official game clock. I made the mistake of assuming it was and kicking the ball out at, what I thought was, the end of the first half. Mea culpa. Actually, mea culpa for about three of my kicks for touch, plus the first one.

Lastly, I am offering a reward to anyone who can show me where running out is explicitly prohibited and results in a penalty. Seriously. I haven’t decided the reward yet—maybe an ice cream cone at the little parlor on the corner, or the ten dollars that I will inevitably owe someone for our coaches gifts, or maybe a sweet MARFU visor…no, strike that, not the visor.

Anyway, I’m off to sleep now. Can’t wait for another 5-star continental breakfast…we had danishes, guys.

**Title ©Eli White

Eagle 365 Website

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, the USA Women’s Rugby team had been planning to launch a website, Eagle 365. Well that website is now up (http://www.eagle365.net/). Though you will find that it isn’t complete, it has information on training, development, mental skills and nutrition that any rugby player will find helpful. You can/will be able to access workouts, drill videos, nutrition facts, and information on skill development, mental development and much more.

Right now, if you’re at all serious about getting in shape for the upcoming rugby season, you should pull up the strength and conditioning section. There you will find the workouts that the Women Eagles are doing. Also, check out the nutrition section, because a good nutrition plan is essential for athletic performance and recovery.

In upcoming blogs, I’ll be highlighting some of the workouts, nutrition information, etc from the website. Until then, explore your training options and try the workouts.

Happy training.