Sports
Carlsbad Thunder Rugby Hosts Youth Rugby Tournament
Members of the USA National Rugby Team were also there to help promote and introduce the growing sport of youth rugby in Southern California.
The Carlsbad Thunder Rugby Club presented U10 SoCal Youth Rugby Tournament on Saturday at Aviara Community Park.
A total of 12 teams and about 150 players participated in the tournament.
The USA National Rugby Team came to sign and greet the little players.
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The quarterback of the team, formally known as the fly half, Shalom Suniula said, “It’s awesome to reach out to the youth, coming out here feels great.”
Suniula encouraged learning the sport at a young age.
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“I started playing rugby at a very young age I was about 5 or 6 when I started” Suniula said, “And now I am playing professionally.”
Rugby is not a well-known sport in youth nor is it quite known in the States.
“Many people haven’t heard of rugby” said Veronica Williams, Board of Directors for Carlsbad Thunder Rugby “It is also a fairly new sport for the youth.”
There were several referees who volunteered their time.
“We are going to make sure this is a fair game, by making the right calls” said volunteer Anthony Hernandez.
Williams also has another purpose to promote rugby.
“We are trying to promote it to get it into the high school CIF Sport” Williams said.
To follow the Carlsbad Thunders visit their website at carlsbadthunderrugby.com
