Hamilton Family YMCA on Shallowford Road welcomes spring with arms open wide; wide enough for a rugby wrap tackle.
Sign-ups for the high school league and youth flag league are open through the end of February, with seasons from March to May.
"I've just always thought it was a cool sport," said branch sports and wellness director Nathan Daugherty. "The people we've pitched the idea to so far have seemed pretty excited."
Hamilton Family YMCA sports and wellness director Nathan Daugherty invites high schoolers and kids 7-12 to sign up for the Y's new rugby programs. Deadlines are Feb. 25 for high schoolers and March 5 for youth.This is a Rugby World Cup year, which Daugherty said bodes well for the old sport that's new to Chattanooga. The Rugby Cup is held every four years and will take place this fall in New Zealand.
"It's quickly becoming the fastest-growing sport in this country," Daugherty said. "I want to make sure kids growing up in Chattanooga do get the chance."
There's no above-shoulders action, he said, and the wrap technique pulls a player down instead of a collision knocking him down.
"Rugby is definitely not football without pads," Daugherty said. "The rules are set up to protect the player."
Rugby players can advance the ball only by running with it or kicking it, not by throwing it.
The YMCA program needs at least four high school club teams to operate under the Tennessee Rugby Association, which doesn't have a Chattanooga chapter yet. Daugherty said ideally each school would have its own team with players paying dues to the YMCA, which organizes the program.
The youth flag rugby league, modeled after USA Rugby, is open to children 7 to 12 years old.