One perk of being a Red Knight is the variety of clubs and activities to choose from, and this fall, one more is being added to the list: Rugby Club. Started by Spanish teacher Sr. Eric Luna Martin and math teacher Ms. Mary Seppala, the club aims to teach students about rugby and encourage them to play.

As a former rugby player for the second Spanish division, Luna Martin’s passion for both the sport and his students sparked a need for him to give back to the community. “BSM has a beautiful community itself and a way for me to [give] something [back] was by trying to create a team and show rugby to my students,” Luna Martin said.

In addition to teaching students about rugby, the club provides its members with experience in the game. The members of the club get to practice the sport, learn the ins and outs of the game, and learn about what it can offer them beyond the field. Although rugby is considered an aggressive sport, Luna Martin thinks that it actually has much more to offer than simply entertainment. “Contact sports are always seen as violent sports, but in rugby at the end of the day, it’s more about the values that you are transmitting through the game—values like respect,” Luna Martin said.

According to Luna Martin, rugby is an inclusive sport defined by its roots in discipline and respect more than anything else. “There’s this old statement that was said in the 20th century. It says that ‘rugby is a sport of hooligans played by gentlemen,’” Luna Martin said.

The rugby club is currently looking for more people to join and learn the discipline of the sport. Practices are being held Tuesday and Thursday mornings on the football turf, and everyone is invited to attend whether it be to join the game or simply to observe. “Rugby is a sport, but it’s an inclusive sport. It’s a lot about discipline not about you having to be in a specific shape or [anything] like that. Rugby is inclusive so doesn’t matter your height, doesn’t matter your weight, you are always going to have a place on the team,” Luna Martin said.