community The San Diego Armada
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB THAT IS ALL INCLUSIVE GAY, STRAIGHT, NO ONE CARES AS LONG AS YOU COME TO PLAY BALL by cameron stevens
Two large men in tight jerseys and short shorts, crash into each other without protective padding and go to the ground violently. Teammates rush in to begin a pushing contest against the other team while the runner and tackler quickly crawl out of the way of incoming cleats. After several seconds of battling for possession, the ball reappears amid the dust and bodies, to be passed from player to player as the process repeats for the next eighty minutes. After the game, the two teams join at a bar for oversized beers and a dozen hilariously raunchy songs. The San Diego Armada have been using the
rough and chaotic game of rugby to build strong community ties throughout Southern California and beyond for ten years. “We want to build an environment where people can come to feel safe, accepted and become part of the Armada family,” says team president Sunny Joat. “Everything we do drives towards that goal. I also love that I can play on a team with my husband.” The Armada has an identity of inclusiveness and a very strong social atmosphere... it doesn’t take long to realize that these guys love what they do and love to be with their teammates. The Armada welcome players of all skill and experience levels. “We
to a higher level of competition. “Guys leave and play for other teams but they will always be part of the Armada family,” notes Joat. If you have been to The Hole in the Wall on a Sunday you have likely
AND SPREADING THE GAME WE LOVE.”
WE HAVE GUYS WITH 15 YEARS OF EXPERI- ENCE NEXT TO GUYS PLAYING THEIR FIRST GAME. WE ARE ALL ABOUT LEARNING
seen members of the team selling Jell-O shots in their uniforms. This is just one of many ongoing fundraisers the 501(c) 3 non-profit operates. The Ar- mada have spent the last year raising funds to travel as a team to Nashville in 2016 for the Bingham Cup, a global tournament that promotes rugby as a non-discriminatory sport. The biannual tournament is named for Mark Bingham, one of the many heroes of United Flight 93. He was part of a group of passengers that attacked the hijackers and saved countless lives on September 11th. Bingham also helped found two of the first
gay inclusive rugby clubs in the United States, the Gotham Knights and San Francisco Fog. “Teams come from all over the world to play at the Bingham Cup. The last one was in Australia and this is the first in the U.S. since 2010. We might not
have one in our back yard again soon, so we want to seize the opportunity,” said Chris Briggs, coach of the Armada.
have guys with 15 years of experience next to guys playing their first game. We are all about learning and spreading the game we love,” says Markson Farnal. Many players spend time with the Armada and move up
To support the San Diego Armada, you can reach the team directly via
gofundme.com/ armada. For information on joining the team or attending social events, please visit them at
facebook.com/sdarmadarfc, or go to
sdarmada.com.
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RAGE monthly | JANUARY 2016
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