A Look Inside

As we step into a new year, Johnson City Rugby is proud to announce our updated Board and Team Officers. With returning leaders and fresh faces stepping into new roles, we’re excited to build on the progress of the past year and keep pushing forward into 2024. Board of Directors • President – Adam Jasenak Adam continues as President, bringing four years of dedicated service to Johnson City Rugby—two as Vice President and now entering his second year as President. • Vice President – Amanda Blackwelder Amanda returns as Vice President after a strong first year of leadership and a commitment to growing our club on and off the field. Team Leadership • Men’s Director – Collin Waldron Stepping into this new position, Collin brings two years of experience with Johnson City Rugby and a passion for building the men’s program. • Men’s Recruiting & Retention – Andy Slagle Andy joins the leadership team for the first time, ready to take charge of recruiting and retention to help our men’s program thrive. • Women’s Director – Ashley Joyner After a successful year with Johnson City Rugby, Ashley steps into the Women’s Director role, focused on driving growth and success for the women’s program. • Women’s Communications – Cristen “Buckets” Cox Cristen joins leadership for the first time, bringing her energy and voice to help strengthen communication and engagement for our women’s side. Looking Ahead Along with electing our new leadership team, we’re proud to announce updates to our Constitution as we position Johnson City Rugby for continued success in the new year. These changes reflect our goals of growth, organization, and a commitment to serving our players and community. With strong leadership and clear direction, 2024 is already shaping up to be an exciting year. We’re ready to work, grow, and welcome new players into the Johnson City Rugby family. This is your year to join us—let’s build it together.

This past weekend, we gathered at Johnson City Brewing Company – Boones Creek to celebrate an incredible fall season and enjoy some well-deserved time together off the field. The Winter Banquet was a perfect mix of recognition, laughter, and community—a fitting close to a memorable season. The Gingerbread Awards One of the highlights of the night was our Gingerbread Awards—fun, lighthearted paper plate awards that celebrated the unique personalities, hard work, and quirks of our team. From standout moments on the pitch to the stories we’ll tell for years to come, everyone walked away with a smile (and maybe a little good-natured teasing). These superlatives reminded us what makes Johnson City Rugby more than just a team—it’s the bond we share, the support we show, and the memories we create together. Celebrating the Fall Season This fall brought growth, challenges, and unforgettable moments, and the banquet gave us time to reflect on everything we accomplished. From hard-fought games to the camaraderie that carries us through, we’re proud of how far we’ve come and excited for what’s ahead. As we celebrated our fall season, it wasn’t just about the wins or the tries—it was about the team we’ve become and the foundation we’re building for the future. Looking Ahead With the winter break underway, we’re already looking forward to what’s next. Practices resume in February, and we’re ready to hit the ground running. This is just the beginning. Stay tuned—your time to join is coming.

On December 7th, Johnson City Rugby headed to Knoxville for the Santa 7’s tournament, where rugby met holiday spirit in the best way possible. It was a day full of competition, costumes, and plenty of laughs—proving once again why this team is something special. We played three games on the day, securing one win and leaving the field with smiles, stories, and a stronger bond as a team. Both our women’s and men’s sides hit the pitch, decked out in festive ugly sweaters that turned heads and kept the holiday vibes strong. Penalties even came with a twist—players received “coal cards” and had to spin a wheel for fun punishments, like decorating and eating cookies mid-tournament. Standout Moments • Ashley Joyner scored her first-ever try—a massive milestone and one to remember. • Cristen “Buckets” Cox stepped onto the field for her first game with Johnson City Rugby and brought energy and excitement to the squad. • Adam Jasenak led the way with 2 tries and 2 conversions, showing skill and consistency throughout the day. • In his debut, Zach Thompson made his mark with a try of his own. • Jason Beverung added to the tally, crossing the line to finish a strong team effort. More Than Just Rugby Santa 7’s wasn’t just about the scoreline—it was about having fun, celebrating the sport, and building connections as a team. Between the costumes, the penalties, and the post-game laughs, this tournament gave us exactly what we needed: time together in a lighthearted, competitive environment. Looking Ahead As we wrap up 2024, we’re excited to keep this momentum rolling into the new year. While the offseason continues, we’ll be back on the field in February to build on what we’ve learned, grow stronger, and welcome new teammates into the fold. Your time to join is coming—stay tuned.

Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts As many of you know, Hurricane Helene has devastated parts of East Tennessee, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Among those affected is one of our own rugby players who has suffered significant losses. We are raising funds to provide urgent support, including housing, food, and essential supplies, to help them recover and return to the sport they love. Here's how you can support. How You Can Helene Your contributions, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference in their recovery journey. Please donate or share the fundraiser with friends and family to help us reach our goal quickly. We’ve also compiled a dynamic list of resources and volunteer opportunities to help those impacted by the hurricane. This document will be regularly updated as more information becomes available. If you know of any additional resources, please reach out to us at info@johnsoncityrugby.com so we can include them.

What sets rugby apart from other sports? What are the core elements that contribute to its unique identity and captivate players and fans? In this blog post, we'll explore the distinctive features of rugby that set it apart. We'll be guided by an excerpt from the World Rugby Charter, which highlights these key elements: "The laws ensure that rugby’s distinctive features are maintained through scrums, lineouts, mauls, rucks, kick-offs and re-starts. Also the key features relating to contest and continuity - the backward pass, the offensive tackle." Let's unpack these features and discover what makes rugby unique: Scrums: The Battle Up Front Imagine two packs of eight players locked arm-in-arm, facing each other in a struggle for possession. This is the scrum, a defining feature of rugby that showcases strength, teamwork, and strategic prowess. When the ball is knocked forward or a penalty occurs, the scrum is formed, and the two packs engage in a powerful push, vying to hook the ball back to their side. It's a spectacle of raw power and coordinated effort, a true test of a team's strength. Lineouts: Launching the Attack During a lineout, players from both teams leap to claim the ball thrown in by a teammate. This requires height, timing, and precise throws, adding a vertical dimension to the game. The lineout is a strategic platform for launching attacks, as teams use formations and throws to gain possession and advance down the field. Mauls: The Rolling Fortress A maul forms when a player carrying the ball is held up by opponents and their teammates bind onto them, creating a rolling mass of bodies. This dynamic and powerful formation is a key attacking tool, allowing teams to advance towards the try line. The maul requires coordination and teamwork, as players must maintain momentum and protect the ball carrier. Rucks: The Contest for Possession When a player is tackled and goes to ground, a ruck is formed. Players from both teams bind over the ball, attempting to drive the opposing team backward and gain possession. This phase is a hallmark of rugby, showcasing strength, technique, and determination. The ruck is a battle for possession, reflecting the struggle for dominance on the field. Kick-offs and Restarts: Setting the Stage Kick-offs and restarts are crucial in rugby, marking the start of each half and resuming play after events like tries or penalties. They offer opportunities for teams to gain territory, launch attacks, or regain possession. The accuracy and placement of kicks can influence the game’s flow and momentum. The Backward Pass and Offensive Tackle: Continuity and Contest Unlike other sports, rugby allows backward passes. This rule encourages a fluid and dynamic style of play, allowing teams to move the ball laterally and create attacking opportunities from unexpected angles. The offensive tackle adds complexity and excitement to the game, emphasizing the importance of continuous possession contest, where the tackler can contest for the ball after making a tackle. Conclusion: The Essence of Rugby Scrums, lineouts, mauls, rucks, kick-offs, restarts, backward passes, and offensive tackles make rugby unique and captivating. They contribute to its dynamic nature, emphasis on teamwork and strategy, and spirit of contest and continuity. Keep these features in mind as you explore rugby. They are the building blocks of the game, the elements that make it compelling and unique. Embrace the scrum, marvel at the lineout, and experience the thrill of the ruck! The world of rugby awaits, with its unique identity and captivating gameplay. This is the beginning of your journey into the heart of this sport! Stay tuned for more blog posts that will delve deeper into the laws and intricacies of rugby, helping you unlock the secrets of this unique and exciting game.

"A Sport For All" is not just a tagline, it's a fundamental principle woven into rugby. This excerpt from the World Rugby Charter emphasizes the sport's inclusive nature: "The laws provide players of different physiques, skills, genders and ages with the opportunity to participate at their levels of ability in a controlled, competitive and enjoyable environment." This statement highlights rugby's welcoming and adaptable nature. It acknowledges individual differences in size, skill, gender, and age. Rugby provides a place for everyone through laws that accommodate diversity, allowing players of all abilities to participate. Inclusivity is emphasized by creating a "controlled, competitive, and enjoyable environment." This balance between competition, safety, fair play, and enjoyment ensures rugby's accessibility to all. The charter underscores every player's responsibility to understand and abide by the rules, fostering respect and ensuring the game's integrity. The commitment to "A Sport For All" extends beyond the charter to initiatives and programs that promote inclusivity in the rugby community. Let's explore some examples: Development Programs: World Rugby invests heavily in development programs globally. These programs introduce rugby to new communities, often focusing on underprivileged or less exposed areas. By providing equipment, coaching, and playing opportunities, these initiatives make rugby accessible to a wider range of individuals. Adaptive Rugby: The growth of adaptive rugby programs showcases the sport's commitment to inclusivity for people with disabilities. Wheelchair rugby is a fast-paced sport played in wheelchairs, has gained international recognition and provides a competitive outlet for athletes with mobility impairments. Touch rugby, a non-contact version, allows individuals with varying physical abilities to enjoy the social and fitness benefits of rugby. Women's Rugby: The rise of women's rugby is a testament to the sport's dedication to gender equality. Women's rugby has experienced a surge in popularity and participation over the past few decades, with more women and girls embracing the sport. This growth is supported by increased investment in women's rugby programs, leading to greater opportunities for female athletes. These examples show how rugby lives up to its "A Sport For All" motto. Rugby embraces diversity and provides opportunities for everyone to participate, fostering a sense of community, and promoting respect, sportsmanship, and teamwork.

At this week’s practice, the team sharpened its focus on one critical goal: dominate the contact area. With every drill and every tackle, we worked on the fundamentals that make all the difference when it’s time to compete—safety and precision. Our focus went toward mastering the art of tackling and setting rucks to maintain possession, driving us closer to victory. Safety and Strength in the Contact Zone Maintaining possession is about more than raw power—it’s about precision, awareness, and control. This week, we drilled deep into safe tackling techniques and the strategy behind setting strong rucks, ensuring we hold onto the ball and the advantage. Every player brought their best, but Andy Slagle set the tone with unmatched intensity. His drive pushed the team to elevate their performance in every contact drill. Kyle Smith also stood out, constantly motivating others to push their limits, showing the strength of leadership and teamwork in action. Goal-Driven Training Our primary goal this week was clear: to bring full effort into the contact area. Every ruck, every tackle mattered. And while our focus was on technique, the real progress came from the relentless commitment to improvement. Why This Matters to You We are not just a team—we are a community built on effort, strength, and growth. Each practice is an opportunity to push yourself, to learn, and to grow alongside teammates who demand the best from one another. If you’ve been thinking about stepping onto the field, now is your time. Our practices are where potential is unlocked and excellence is refined. Join the Movement Curious about what it takes to be part of this journey? It starts with showing up. Whether you’re new to rugby or looking to refine your skills, our practice sessions are designed to challenge and inspire. The energy, the camaraderie, the relentless pursuit of greatness—it’s all here. And we want you to be a part of it. Next Steps: Get on the Field The momentum is building, and it’s all leading to something unstoppable. Join us at our next practice, step up to the challenge, and see what you’re capable of. Your potential is waiting to be unleashed.

At the core of rugby lies a fascinating interplay between contest and continuity, driving its unique rhythm and strategy. Possession contests are a fundamental feature of rugby, occurring in contact situations, open play, and restarts through scrums, lineouts, kick-offs, and restart kicks. These moments present opportunities for teams to gain or retain possession, adding strategy to every phase of the game. Rugby's rules reward superior skill. For instance, if a team kicks for touch due to their inability to maintain play, they forfeit the throw-in at the subsequent lineout. Similarly, a team that knocks the ball on or passes it forward loses the throw at the resulting scrum. This system ensures the advantage always lies with the team displaying better skill and control. It's crucial that these contests remain fair. Even when one team has the advantage of throwing in at a lineout or feeding a scrum, the opposing team still has the opportunity to compete for possession. This balance between advantage and fair contest is a key principle of rugby's design. The team in possession aims to maintain continuity by denying the opposition the ball and advancing to score points. Failure results in surrendering possession, due to their errors or the opposition's defense. This shift - profit and loss, attack and defense - creates the ebb and flow that makes rugby engaging. One team maintains possession while the other contests, creating a balance between continuity and change. This applies to set pieces and open play, keeping the game dynamic. The principles of contest and continuity in rugby shape the game, demanding players to be skilled in attack and defense, maintain possession under pressure, and contest effectively without the ball. This dual focus develops well-rounded athletes and creates a mentally and physically demanding game. The interplay between contest and continuity gives rugby its unique character. It's a sport where every moment can shift momentum, skill and strategy are constantly tested, and the balance between attack and defense creates a compelling spectacle for players and spectators.

At its core, the objective of rugby is straightforward: score more points than the opposing team. However, this goal belies the sport's complexity and depth. In rugby, points are accumulated through various skillful actions. Players can carry the ball across the goal line, pass it to a teammate who does so, kick it through the goalposts, or ground it in the in-goal area. Each method requires different abilities and strategies, making rugby a multifaceted sport that rewards diverse talents. What sets rugby apart is that scoring points is only part of the game. The objective is linked with how those points are achieved. The laws of the game, sporting spirit, and fair play are crucial components of rugby's goal. This means that while players strive to outscore their opponents, they must do so within rules and the spirit of the game. Rugby's objective is to win with integrity, not just to win. The focus on sportsmanship elevates rugby beyond a physical contest. It becomes a test of character as much as skill or strength. Players are expected to respect opponents, officials, and the game, even in competition. The blend of competitive drive and ethical play makes rugby special. The game's objective isn't just the scoreboard numbers, but how they're achieved. It's about striving for victory while upholding the values that make rugby more than a sport – it's a code of conduct, a philosophy of competition. The true objective of Rugby is to create a contest where skill, strategy, and physical prowess meet sportsmanship and respect. It's a game where how you play is as important as how much you score.