The Jasper Jr./Sr. High School hasn’t had a rugby team in many years, but this spring the school’s field is once again packed with teenage boys learning how to play the sport. 

This time around, the focus will be on the culture of the sport, and coach Marshall Corbett said it’s important for the boys to understand the gentlemen’s nature behind rugby. 

“It’s got a very distinct culture,” he said. “It’s very much a gentlemen’s sport.”

Corbett, a teacher at the school with several seasons of experience coaching rugby in Kelowna and the Okanagan, said Jasper has had rugby in the community for years. 

“The community has a history of rugby,” he said. 

While the sport has a heavy contact element, Corbett said it teaches great camaraderie between the team. 

When the group of about 30 or more students first arrived on the field, most of them had never even touched a rugby ball before. The group is made up of Grades 9 to 12. With only a few practices under their belts, the team is beginning to get familiar with the ball and is working on passing drills. 

“I think we’ll have a fairly athletic team,” Corbett said.

The boys are also beginning to learn how to tackle, but Corbett said it’s something they don’t rush. 

“We start very, very slow with the tackling so it’s safe,” he said.

Safety is key to the sport to make sure everyone enjoys their time on the pitch. Corbett said they are a ways from full-on tackling at this point, but the skills will develop. The high school has no other full-contact sport. 

“This is the full contact sport,” Corbett said. 

At the moment, the group is meeting twice a week to practise. Corbett said they have a game tentatively scheduled for May 12, and negotiations on a home game are in the works. The second practice was held April 21. 

Rugby is a popular high school sport in the area, and plenty of teams are available for the Jasper Cougars to play, including Edson, which could be the Cougars’ first opponent. The teams have practised a few more times than the Jasper group, but Corbett is optimistic about his team. The coach said the season will include a couple tournaments.

On April 30, the Jasper 7’s Rugby Tournament will be held at Centennial Field. Corbett said the tournament will be a great way for the community to get out and see what the game is all about. He urges anyone in the community willing to help out at practice to contact him at the high school.