Rugby, a combination of football and soccer, is physically demanding; during the game, players must carry, pass, kick and ground the ball, all while working to score as many points as possible. Although some people have stereotypes about what women can do, the KU women’s rugby club team is setting out to prove them wrong.

Founded in 1993, the club plays other teams from area schools, including Mizzou and K-State. The 15 players and three alternates on the team find nothing more exhilarating than the time they spend on the field. “It’s cool to say you play rugby,” says Kristen Odell., Lindsborg freshman. Ingrid Perez, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, graduate student, adds, “It makes you feel like a badass.”

There are three ways to score in a game of rugby. First, a player can score a “try,” similar to a touchdown in football. To do this, a player must touch the ball down in the opponents’ goal area, scoring five points. The next way to score is by kicking a field goal, earning the team three points. Finally, if you score a goal after a try, the team receives two points.

In rugby, teams are divided into two sections, forwards and backs. The forwards generally have a bigger build and are in charge of running and tackling. The backs are smaller and quicker and are responsible for getting the ball out and trying to score.

One of the best parts of the game for the players is building the team right after recruitment. The team hosts an annual wine and cheese party where new members can begin to form friendships with players already on the team. The initiation is a great way to start building friendships and communication among the players.

Because the majority of the players have never played rugby before they join the team, it takes some time before they acquire the skills necessary to “kick butt.” Being successful in the game requires enough stamina to get through the two non-stop 40-minute halves. Fortunately, veteran teammates are always patient with new team members. “If you make a mistake, it’s OK,” says Tristan Neth, Wichita junior. “People don’t point out your flaws.”

To build stamina, team members don’t rely solely on their practices to stay in shape. Many rugby players jog, lift weights and participate in endurance training. Although they work hard outside of practice, Julie Skolnik, Chesterfield, Mo., junior, says the games themselves are a workout. “I lost 30 pounds in the first 15 months just from practice alone,” she says.

Joining the team can be intimidating for someone just starting out. Perez says she didn’t initially want to play at all. “When the recruiter was describing the game to me, I thought, ‘Do you want me to get killed?’” After some convincing, Perez went to her first practice in February 2005 and has gone ever since.

Neth also had some apprehensions about joining the team, mostly because of her fear of the opposition. “After the first game, your fears kind of go away,” she says. “Whereas earlier you were intimidated by the opposing team, by the end you realize you can take them.”

Even though the team certainly lives up to this, the intensity of the sport — which is often as violent as football but played without padding — can lead to injuries. According to Louis Disney, the team’s assistant coach and a former rugby player, the girls on the team play differently from their male counterparts. “They play at a slower pace,” he says, “but it’s faster, too, because unlike guys, they fight for the ball.”

Perez alone has endured a sprained ankle, broken pinky, dislocated shoulder and a torn MCL in her right knee. Although the risk is high, new team members are trained within the first few practices on how to avoid an injury. While serious injuries are rare, bruises are common. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. “I love my bruises,” Skolnik says. “Usually if I’m really bruised after a game, I wear skirts the next day to show them off.”

In the end, it’s more about having fun than winning the game. “It doesn’t matter if you’re strong enough or fast enough,” Neth says. “You just need to have a good time.”

Regardless of losses or the inevitable injuries, the important thing is the sisterhood that comes from being part of a team. “You meet a lot of new people,” Odell says. “You become more than just good friends. You become a family.”