Over the years, I’ve learned that the journey is often more important than the destination. The journey to the National semifinals for myself and the Tulane Women’s Rugby team is no different. There have been numerous articles written about our performance on the field, but our connection off of the field is what’s truly amazing. It’s very rare that a group of girls can come together like we have in such a short time, but for us, it came naturally. I would definitely attribute most of our success to our tight-knit relationship off the field.
The first women’s team at Tulane was founded more than a decade ago, but dismantled briefly after Hurricane Katrina. With the help of a few dedicated players and coaches, the program was resurrected about 3 years ago. This is the first year that we have actually entered a matrix season with a legitimate conference. To say that we have shocked everyone would be a huge understatement. In our first season in a conference, we ended up winning or matrix, coming in second in our conference, and making it to the National semifinals, all in the span of a month and a half. During our season, it was hard to ignore the talent we had as a team, and as we progressed through our season, it was clear that our team was destined for more.
On our road to nationals, we created a team bond that is impenetrable. As I mentioned earlier, our friendship off the field has propelled us to greatness on the field. We are teammates, best friends, and sisters. In some club sports you may find cliques or drama, but on our team you will find 25 girls who genuinely love to be together. From obscenely long drives, to Shed stops, to watching Warriors games together, the feeling of family has been constant and tangible. It’s an incredible feeling to step onto the field and trust every single one of your teammates to always have your back. We play for each other, and the championships and finals are secondary. We play because we love our team, coaches, and school. We play because we love the game.
Ultimately, we have a once in a lifetime thing going here, and whether we win or lose this weekend, that bond will never be broken. It’s true that there’s a spot for everyone on a rugby team, and because of that, we happen to be the most random assortment of girls in the world. We come all different places, clubs, and soroities, and yet, when we play we cease to be individuals, we are truly a team. Despite our differences, it couldn’t be more perfect. I love my team. ROLL WAVE!