Kids give mini-rugby a ‘try’

“Good try!” a parent shouts from the sideline. This Saturday morning at McKinley Elementary School in Santa Monica could be any one of a 1,000 soccer mornings in Southern California. Parents line the side of the field. Sunscreen is vigorously applied to squirming children.

But the large white ball isn’t round, and the kids are picking it up with their hands and running, passing to each other, working their way through a line of tenacious defenders to the goal. They’re playing flag rugby, and as if to highlight the teamwork and egalitarian nature of this unlikely kids’ sport, a score is called a “try.”

Most grown-ups have at least heard of rugby, either from the rugged, long-sleeve shirts they see in outdoorsy mail-order catalogs, or “I had a friend in college who played.” In any case, the notoriously rough-and-tumble game remains a mystery to most, taking a backseat to its forbearer, soccer, and its offspring, American football.

Although nearly every college and university has a team, and men’s and women’s rugby clubs are flourishing, until 1999, there was no organized development program to feed the higher levels of play. USA Rugby, the national governing body of the sport, is working to develop non-contact youth rugby the same way the American Youth Soccer Organization revolutionized soccer -- at the grass roots, says Tony Spinella, the organization’s South- ern California youth rugby development officer. Through grants and organizational support, and with the commitment of current and former players, groups are starting to form.

In Fullerton, San Pedro, Westminster, Woodland Hills, Santa Barbara, L.A. and now Santa Monica, teams have sprung up for “mini-rugby.” Sponsored by area rugby clubs or in conjunction with local schools, youth rugby is being promoted as a fun, friendly introduction to the game. The kids range in age from 5 to 12, and teams are coed. During the regular season, the teams will practice and play on their own, then meet once a month at different locations for rugby “festivals” for tournament-style play.

The volunteer coaches this Saturday at McKinley are men and women players from the Santa Monica Rugby Club. They get the kids started with warm-ups and stretches, then drills to emphasize uniquely rugby skills. Instructions are called out -- “When someone grabs your flag, you have to pass the ball.” “Spread out across the field on defense.” And one of the hallmarks of rugby culture, “No talking back to the ref!”

Players who talk back to the referee can be sent to the “sin bin” for five minutes, like a hockey player who is sent to the penalty box.

Despite its tough reputation, rugby is considered a civilized game, closer to cricket in image than soccer. There are no rugby riots or hooliganism, and even archrival teams get together to celebrate after a hard game, win or lose. Spinella hopes that kids playing youth rugby will take with them some of the virtues the game promotes.

When teams are chosen and play begins, it becomes obvious that there’s no room for “hot dogs” in rugby. A player running with the ball almost always get tackled. On defense, slower runners can catch faster kids if they pay attention to the flow of the game. There’s no blocking. The action is continuous, and defense quickly can turn to offense. As a result, just about anyone might score. The trick is to make a good pass to a teammate, who has a chance to run the ball farther up field.

That’s the lesson rugby teaches, says David Edward of West Los Angeles, who brought daughter Rachel, 7, and son Quentin, 5, to give it a go. A native of England, Edwards was introduced to the game at a young age, but hasn’t played in years. “I’m impressed that given the range of ages mixed into each team, every child is actually in the game. At this level, girls are able to compete evenly with boys.”

Kathy Moscot, a self-described “baseball mom” who is originally from New York, watched her son, age 6, run in a try. “Jed is between seasons, so we thought we’d do something different this weekend.”

Santa Monica Youth Rugby organizer Kilian Kerwin says they’re building a base of interested parents and kids this summer, taking advantage of a brief off-season before soccer starts, with the hope of starting up again after the AYSO season ends in the spring. “In the first two weekends we had about 50 kids participate. They’re having fun just trying something new.” He says they’re not trying to compete with soccer or Little League, though for some parents, the more casual approach to the game is appealing.

Eric and Amy Lemoine of Pacific Palisades say their kids are “not soccer people.” John, 9, plays roller hockey in leagues across the Westside. Laura, 7, is a swimmer. Their family likes alternative sports. “We stopped soccer when we saw parents making their children cry as they leave the field,” Amy Lemoine says.

As this mini-rugby team gets started in Santa Monica, there are no sign-ups or tryouts.

“The kids and parents just show up and learn this fun, new game,” Kerwin says. “There’s no pressure at this level. Just another way to spend a sunny Saturday morning in Southern California.”

*

Santa Monica youth rugby

What: Non-contact, coed flag rugby for girls and boys, ages 5-12

Where: McKinley Elementary School, 2401 Santa Monica Blvd. (enter on Chelsea), Santa Monica

When: 9:30-11:30 a.m., Saturdays through Aug. 23.

Contact: www.santamonicarugby.com/youth

More info: www.calendarlive.com/rugby