Dayton Area Rugby Club
Encyclopedia
Dayton Area Rugby Club is a rugby union
football club based in Dayton
, Ohio
, United States. The club currently fields Men's, Women's and Under-19 (High School) squads and play their home games at Eastwood Metropark, (which is located in Riverside, Ohio
, and part of the Dayton area's Five Rivers Metroparks
).
As well as running three squads, the club also provides support of other area High School
/U-19 sides and volunteers for various local events. As well as a number of players also coaching at various levels, there are also a few club members who have gone on to continue their involvement in the sport by becoming referees.
students, led by Bob Borgerding, played their first rugby match. The University of Dayton continues to play rugby to this day, fielding both a Men's and a Women's squad.
Club rugby came onto the scene in 1973 with the founding of the Dayton Triangles RFC, named for the first champion of the National Football League
, the Dayton Triangles
. This name was soon changed to the Miami Valley
Rugby Football Club (RFC), later changing its name to Dayton RFC. At the same time, Wright State University
RFC spun off the Gem City RFC. Unfortunately, Wright State’s squad folded soon after the split, while Wittenberg
RFC and Wright-Patt.
Jets RFC were growing out of Dayton RFC.
In the early 1980s, the Dayton RFC and Gem City RFC merged to form the Dayton Argylls RFC. This arrangement lasted until the early 1990s, when the Dayton Argylls RFC and the Wright-Patt. Jets RFC merged.
The current squad logo, which gives the squad its nickname of Flying Pigs, is a winged wild boar, which was chosen as a merger of the Argylls’ boar logo and the Wright Patt. Jets' jet aircraft
logo.
Over the years, rugby squads in the Dayton area have been very successful. In fifteens competition, the Wright Patt. Jets were Military National Champions. The Argylls, in their final season, placed third in the Midwest Division II Championship. The Flying Pigs qualified for the Midwest
Division II Championships in both 1994 and 1995, placing second in 1994. Dayton has had success in rugby sevens
as well, qualifying for the National Championship in 1984 and 1985.
rugby in Dayton began in the early 1980s with two teams: Centerville
, (coached by John Guhde and Joe Mitolo), and Fairmont
, (coached by Ron Flohre), which soon combined. There was a re-start of high school rugby in 1993 with the advent of a Chaminade-Julienne
team, (coached by Kevin Kavanaugh). In the late 1990s, a combined Dayton High School team, (coached by Chris Schreel), had two second-place finishes in the Ohio High School Championships.
The current squad incarnation was started in the mid-2000s and has already seen some of players selected to the Ohio U19 squad and the Ohio South Select squad. In the 2009 season, the squad took the SW Ohio Cup, advancing to Ohio finals.
area. Before the team secured their current home pitch at Eastwood, venues they have used have included Dayton's Carillon Park
and Centerville's
Leonard E. Stubbs Memorial Park.
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...
football club based in Dayton
Dayton
Dayton is a city in Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, Ohio, United States.Dayton may also refer to:-United States:*Dayton, Alabama*Dayton, California, in Butte County*Dayton, Lassen County, California*Dayton, Idaho*Dayton, Indiana...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States. The club currently fields Men's, Women's and Under-19 (High School) squads and play their home games at Eastwood Metropark, (which is located in Riverside, Ohio
Riverside, Ohio
Riverside is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. The population was 23,201 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Riverside is located at ....
, and part of the Dayton area's Five Rivers Metroparks
Five Rivers Metroparks
Five Rivers MetroParks is a regional public park system consisting of conservatories and outdoor recreation and education facilities that serve the Dayton metropolitan area. The name Five Rivers MetroParks comes from five major waterways that converge in Dayton. These waterways are the Great Miami...
).
As well as running three squads, the club also provides support of other area High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
/U-19 sides and volunteers for various local events. As well as a number of players also coaching at various levels, there are also a few club members who have gone on to continue their involvement in the sport by becoming referees.
Men's Squad
Rugby first came to Dayton, Ohio in the fall of 1969 when a group of University of DaytonUniversity of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
students, led by Bob Borgerding, played their first rugby match. The University of Dayton continues to play rugby to this day, fielding both a Men's and a Women's squad.
Club rugby came onto the scene in 1973 with the founding of the Dayton Triangles RFC, named for the first champion of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, the Dayton Triangles
Dayton Triangles
The Dayton Triangles were an original franchise of the American Professional Football Association in 1920. The Triangles were based in Dayton, Ohio, and took their nickname from their home field, Triangle Park, which was located at the confluence of the Great Miami and Stillwater Rivers in north...
. This name was soon changed to the Miami Valley
Miami Valley
The Miami Valley, broadly, refers to the land area surrounding the Great Miami River in southwest Ohio, USA, and also includes the Little Miami, Mad, and Stillwater rivers as well...
Rugby Football Club (RFC), later changing its name to Dayton RFC. At the same time, Wright State University
Wright State University
Wright State University is a comprehensive public university with strong doctoral, research, and undergraduate programs, rated among the 260 Best National Universities listed in the annual "America's Best Colleges" rankings by U.S. News and World Report. Wright State is located in Fairborn, Ohio,...
RFC spun off the Gem City RFC. Unfortunately, Wright State’s squad folded soon after the split, while Wittenberg
Wittenberg University
Wittenberg University is a private four-year liberal arts college in Springfield, Ohio serving 2,000 full-time students representing 37 states and approximately 30 foreign countries...
RFC and Wright-Patt.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Greene and Montgomery counties in the state of Ohio. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur Wright Field and Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot. Patterson Field is located approximately...
Jets RFC were growing out of Dayton RFC.
In the early 1980s, the Dayton RFC and Gem City RFC merged to form the Dayton Argylls RFC. This arrangement lasted until the early 1990s, when the Dayton Argylls RFC and the Wright-Patt. Jets RFC merged.
The current squad logo, which gives the squad its nickname of Flying Pigs, is a winged wild boar, which was chosen as a merger of the Argylls’ boar logo and the Wright Patt. Jets' jet aircraft
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
logo.
Over the years, rugby squads in the Dayton area have been very successful. In fifteens competition, the Wright Patt. Jets were Military National Champions. The Argylls, in their final season, placed third in the Midwest Division II Championship. The Flying Pigs qualified for the Midwest
Midwest Rugby Football Union
The Midwest Rugby Football Union is the Territorial Union for rugby union teams playing in the Midwestern United States. It is one of seven TUs that govern specific regions of USA Rugby...
Division II Championships in both 1994 and 1995, placing second in 1994. Dayton has had success in rugby sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
as well, qualifying for the National Championship in 1984 and 1985.
Women's Squad
The first women's squad was started in 1979 and lasted into the next decade. The Women's squad was reformed in 1999 by Lola Akinmade. The squad has been very successful, winning the Midwest Division II Women’s Championship and finishing third in the nation in 2002. During part of its existence, the squad was merged with the women's squad of the Cincinnati Kelts; after a few years as the joint Cincinnati-Dayton Women's squad the team split in 2006 to rejoin their respective city clubs.Under-19s (High School) Squad
High schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
rugby in Dayton began in the early 1980s with two teams: Centerville
Centerville High School (Centerville, Ohio)
Centerville High School is a public school of secondary education for grades 9–12 located in Centerville, Ohio, situated ten miles south of Dayton...
, (coached by John Guhde and Joe Mitolo), and Fairmont
Fairmont High School (Ohio)
Kettering Fairmont High School is located in Kettering, Ohio, United States. It is the only public high school in the Kettering City School District and is home to approximately 2,500 students, making it the 9th largest high school in Ohio.-History:...
, (coached by Ron Flohre), which soon combined. There was a re-start of high school rugby in 1993 with the advent of a Chaminade-Julienne
Chaminade-Julienne High School
Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School is a private, co-educational, center-city, Catholic high school located in downtown Dayton, Ohio, operated by the Society of Mary and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. It is named after Blessed William Joseph Chaminade and St...
team, (coached by Kevin Kavanaugh). In the late 1990s, a combined Dayton High School team, (coached by Chris Schreel), had two second-place finishes in the Ohio High School Championships.
The current squad incarnation was started in the mid-2000s and has already seen some of players selected to the Ohio U19 squad and the Ohio South Select squad. In the 2009 season, the squad took the SW Ohio Cup, advancing to Ohio finals.
Venues
The club has lived up to its current name over the years, using many different venues around the Greater DaytonGreater Dayton
The Dayton metropolitan area is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Ohio, behind the largest, Greater Cincinnati, Greater Cleveland, and Greater Columbus.-Definitions:...
area. Before the team secured their current home pitch at Eastwood, venues they have used have included Dayton's Carillon Park
Carillon Historical Park
Carillon Historical Park is a 65-acre park and museum in Dayton, Ohio, which contains historic buildings and exhibits concerning the history of technology and the history of Dayton and its residents from 1796 to the present. The historical elements of the park were the brainchild of Colonel...
and Centerville's
Centerville, Montgomery County, Ohio
* Centerville City School District, Montgomery County, Ohio* Mad River Road* State Route 48* State Route 725-External links:* *...
Leonard E. Stubbs Memorial Park.