Boca Raton Rugby Football Club
Encyclopedia
Boca Raton Rugby Football Club is a rugby union
side located in Boca Raton, Florida
, USA. The club was founded in the fall of 1974 by Alan Seader, a veteran rugger from Portland
, Maine
. The club currently competes in USA Rugby
's Division One and Division Three classifications and is also part of the Florida Rugby Football Union
and USA Rugby South
territory.
Initially the Club was composed primarily of FAU students and played its first game against the state champions, the University of Miami
. Boca lost the game, despite scoring a try in the first two minutes and leading at the half.
The club joined the Florida Rugby Union in the fall of 1976 and posted the best record for any first year club. The Club went on to post a 7-17 record during its first full season. The Club's colors were originally kelly green and white. Other clubs in competition at the time were the Miami Smugglers, Miami Tridents, Iron Horse, Orlando
, Tallahassee, Jacksonville and the best Fort Lauderdale Knights.
Through the next few seasons the club struggled to establish an organization, grow its membership, and develop a competitive side.
In the fall of 1978, Tim Jones, an original Club member, assumed leadership as president and coach. The club's colors were changed to red, white, and blue. Recruitment of a few experienced players from Colorado and New York helped in coaching and the finer points of the game.
During its fourth season (1979-80), the Club came into its own, posting a 23-6-1 season and winning the Division Two Championship of the Florida Rugby Union and advancing to Division One. Games during these years were played at the polo fields in Boca Raton. During its first year of competition in Division One, Boca finished second in the Union.
In 1981, Bing Towne took over as president of the club. Membership continued to grow, and the overall general organization continued to develop. Boca won the state championship in 1982.
Steve Sanger was elected Captain in 1984 and Towne took over as Coach. The team were state runners-up in 1984 and 1985.
Working together, the team completed a very successful 1985-1986 season. The team had a record of 23 wins and 2 losses while scoring a record 861 points and having only 148 points against them. The team also won the Fort Lauderdale Tournament, Citrus Bowl
Tournament, the George Rodgers' Tournament, and finished the season first in the Florida Rugby Union.
Boca were Division Two champions again in 1990,199 and 1999, and state runners up in 87, 88, and 89 and finished third in 1991. Boca won the state championship again in 1993 and 1996.
In 2001, Boca Raton Rugby Club achieved what no Florida rugby club had ever done. By defeating Nashville
(39-21) and the Bay Area Pelicans
(20-11) in Cocoa Beach, May 5-6, Boca became the first team in Florida to win the USA Rugby South Division II championship. The win advanced Boca to USA Rugby's Sweet 16 in Fort Worth, Texas, where it represented the South. Boca lost two close games against Brandywine (Penn.) 18-15 and New Haven, Conn., and was eliminated.
In 2003, Boca Raton Rugby Club exceeded its past achievements by defeating Cape Fear (41-25) in Greenville, South Carolina
to proceed to the Sweet 16 in Newport, R.I. In Newport, Boca beat the No. 1 seed from the North East division, Connecticut
Yankees, 19-14, and become the first Florida club to get through to the Elite Eight. Then, the following day, Boca beat Buffalo
11-6 to qualify for the Final Four.
In the Final Four competition in Pittsburgh, Boca played a hard first game against the Southern California number one seed -- Riverside, who were the eventual winners of the competition. Boca lost a hard fought battle by just 5 points, 20-15.
Most people agreed that this game should have been the final as it was very closely contested and could have gone either way. The actual final against Tempe was won by Riverside 41-15 but Tempe did not test Riverside as Boca had done the previous day.
The third-place play-off was against the Mid-West top seed, Chicago
Westside Condors. Boca lost by just eight points, 20-12. Once again, Boca had its chances to win the game. So, the final result was that Boca has achieved what no Florida club had done before, finishing fourth in USA Division Two.
In 2004, Boca once again qualified for the Final Four and faced Nashville
in the first game. Nashville
got out to a 13-0 lead and, although Boca fought back, time was against them and the final score was 13-7. After the game, Nashville
said that all their preparations had been focused on beating Boca.
So once again, Boca were beaten in the semifinals and had to regroup for the third-place play-off the following day against Indianapolis
. This time, Boca were determined to get something from the game and Boca took the score to 15-0 before Indianapolis replied. The final score ended 18-10. So in 2004, Boca went one better by coming in third.
2005 brought with it a few administration changes. Nigel Trueman was elected president and Roger Combes from Wales
was brought in as coach. Bing Towne had contributed many years hard service to the club in a multitude of administrative, coaching and playing roles.
Boca then sealed its third Final Four placing by beating Buffalo 31-13 and the Santa Barbara Grunions 25-18 after a converted try in the dying seconds of the game. Boca Raton lost to Haggis 26-12 in the semis but then won the third-place play-off game against Lancaster, 24-22.
2006 saw Boca Raton move up to USA Rugby's Division One under new coach Stuart Low, where they would face off against Fort Lauderdale, Miami Tridents, Nashville
, Atlanta Renegades and Life College. Boca lost twice to Miami and were defeated at the Fort Lauderdale Tournament by Life. The match against Nashville was forfeited due to too many injured players, and a depleted 14-man side lost to the Renegades in Jacksonville on the final day of the season.
Trueman resigned from the club at the end of the season after a number of years as player/administrator/webmaster and was replaced by Mark Nelson, the current president.
In 2007, Boca again competed in Division One, with player-coach Joe Perez starting the season in charge. With Perez heading off to attend Life University
, new coach Andy Tolson took control midseason. After defeating Division One newcomers, Daytona Beach, in the first game of the season, things looked up for Boca. However, the Coconuts won the return fixture a week later and Boca would finish the year at 1-5 after also losing both games to Fort Lauderdale and Miami Tridents.
Over the last few seasons, Boca has remained very competitive at the Division One level, reaching the Round of 32 in both 2009 and 2010.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
side located in Boca Raton, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA. The club was founded in the fall of 1974 by Alan Seader, a veteran rugger from Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. The club currently competes in USA Rugby
USA Rugby
USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. It is divided into seven territorial Unions: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Coast, Southern California, South, and West...
's Division One and Division Three classifications and is also part of the Florida Rugby Football Union
Florida Rugby Football Union
The Florida Rugby Union is the Local Area Union for rugby union teams in the U.S. state of Florida. The FRU is part of the USA Rugby South, one of the seven Territorial Area Unions that comprise USA Rugby...
and USA Rugby South
USA Rugby South
The USA Rugby South is the Territorial Union for rugby union teams playing in the Southern United States. It is one of seven TU's that govern specific regions of USA Rugby.-LAU's:...
territory.
History
In 1974, Seader, who wished to share the many joys of the sport with others in the area, recruited a few friends to join him in practice sessions at the St. Andrews playing fields in Boca Raton.Initially the Club was composed primarily of FAU students and played its first game against the state champions, the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
. Boca lost the game, despite scoring a try in the first two minutes and leading at the half.
The club joined the Florida Rugby Union in the fall of 1976 and posted the best record for any first year club. The Club went on to post a 7-17 record during its first full season. The Club's colors were originally kelly green and white. Other clubs in competition at the time were the Miami Smugglers, Miami Tridents, Iron Horse, Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Tallahassee, Jacksonville and the best Fort Lauderdale Knights.
Through the next few seasons the club struggled to establish an organization, grow its membership, and develop a competitive side.
In the fall of 1978, Tim Jones, an original Club member, assumed leadership as president and coach. The club's colors were changed to red, white, and blue. Recruitment of a few experienced players from Colorado and New York helped in coaching and the finer points of the game.
During its fourth season (1979-80), the Club came into its own, posting a 23-6-1 season and winning the Division Two Championship of the Florida Rugby Union and advancing to Division One. Games during these years were played at the polo fields in Boca Raton. During its first year of competition in Division One, Boca finished second in the Union.
In 1981, Bing Towne took over as president of the club. Membership continued to grow, and the overall general organization continued to develop. Boca won the state championship in 1982.
Steve Sanger was elected Captain in 1984 and Towne took over as Coach. The team were state runners-up in 1984 and 1985.
Working together, the team completed a very successful 1985-1986 season. The team had a record of 23 wins and 2 losses while scoring a record 861 points and having only 148 points against them. The team also won the Fort Lauderdale Tournament, Citrus Bowl
Citrus Bowl
The Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, built for football, which currently seats around 70,000 people....
Tournament, the George Rodgers' Tournament, and finished the season first in the Florida Rugby Union.
Boca were Division Two champions again in 1990,199 and 1999, and state runners up in 87, 88, and 89 and finished third in 1991. Boca won the state championship again in 1993 and 1996.
In 2001, Boca Raton Rugby Club achieved what no Florida rugby club had ever done. By defeating Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
(39-21) and the Bay Area Pelicans
Bay Area Pelicans
The Bay Area Pelicans Rugby Football Club is a men's rugby club in the Tampa Bay Area. The team was founded in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1977....
(20-11) in Cocoa Beach, May 5-6, Boca became the first team in Florida to win the USA Rugby South Division II championship. The win advanced Boca to USA Rugby's Sweet 16 in Fort Worth, Texas, where it represented the South. Boca lost two close games against Brandywine (Penn.) 18-15 and New Haven, Conn., and was eliminated.
In 2003, Boca Raton Rugby Club exceeded its past achievements by defeating Cape Fear (41-25) in Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
to proceed to the Sweet 16 in Newport, R.I. In Newport, Boca beat the No. 1 seed from the North East division, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
Yankees, 19-14, and become the first Florida club to get through to the Elite Eight. Then, the following day, Boca beat Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
11-6 to qualify for the Final Four.
In the Final Four competition in Pittsburgh, Boca played a hard first game against the Southern California number one seed -- Riverside, who were the eventual winners of the competition. Boca lost a hard fought battle by just 5 points, 20-15.
Most people agreed that this game should have been the final as it was very closely contested and could have gone either way. The actual final against Tempe was won by Riverside 41-15 but Tempe did not test Riverside as Boca had done the previous day.
The third-place play-off was against the Mid-West top seed, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
Westside Condors. Boca lost by just eight points, 20-12. Once again, Boca had its chances to win the game. So, the final result was that Boca has achieved what no Florida club had done before, finishing fourth in USA Division Two.
In 2004, Boca once again qualified for the Final Four and faced Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in the first game. Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
got out to a 13-0 lead and, although Boca fought back, time was against them and the final score was 13-7. After the game, Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
said that all their preparations had been focused on beating Boca.
So once again, Boca were beaten in the semifinals and had to regroup for the third-place play-off the following day against Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. This time, Boca were determined to get something from the game and Boca took the score to 15-0 before Indianapolis replied. The final score ended 18-10. So in 2004, Boca went one better by coming in third.
2005 brought with it a few administration changes. Nigel Trueman was elected president and Roger Combes from Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
was brought in as coach. Bing Towne had contributed many years hard service to the club in a multitude of administrative, coaching and playing roles.
Boca then sealed its third Final Four placing by beating Buffalo 31-13 and the Santa Barbara Grunions 25-18 after a converted try in the dying seconds of the game. Boca Raton lost to Haggis 26-12 in the semis but then won the third-place play-off game against Lancaster, 24-22.
2006 saw Boca Raton move up to USA Rugby's Division One under new coach Stuart Low, where they would face off against Fort Lauderdale, Miami Tridents, Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Atlanta Renegades and Life College. Boca lost twice to Miami and were defeated at the Fort Lauderdale Tournament by Life. The match against Nashville was forfeited due to too many injured players, and a depleted 14-man side lost to the Renegades in Jacksonville on the final day of the season.
Trueman resigned from the club at the end of the season after a number of years as player/administrator/webmaster and was replaced by Mark Nelson, the current president.
In 2007, Boca again competed in Division One, with player-coach Joe Perez starting the season in charge. With Perez heading off to attend Life University
Life University
Life University is located in Marietta, Georgia. It is best known for its doctorate degree program in chiropractic, but it also offers a number of undergraduate programs.- History :...
, new coach Andy Tolson took control midseason. After defeating Division One newcomers, Daytona Beach, in the first game of the season, things looked up for Boca. However, the Coconuts won the return fixture a week later and Boca would finish the year at 1-5 after also losing both games to Fort Lauderdale and Miami Tridents.
Over the last few seasons, Boca has remained very competitive at the Division One level, reaching the Round of 32 in both 2009 and 2010.