When Alex Stigas moved to Portland she didn’t know many people, so she decided to find an activity that would get her out of the house and into the company of new friends.
Now she spends every Tuesday and Thursday doing just that. Except, instead of joining a book club or social network, she spends two nights a week banging heads with fellow Portlanders in the often misunderstood sport of rugby.
“There’s only so much time you can spend in the house with your boyfriend,” Stigas says. “I needed to get out and do something.”
Stigas is a member of the Portland Women’s Rugby Club along with 30 fellow Mainers whose thirst for the physical has led them to what many consider the roughest and toughest game in the world.
But she’s no pro.
In fact, she’s just getting to know the basics, but that doesn’t deter her interest one bit.
When I met with her, she was toting a spiral notebook with notes about the sport so that she’d be able to answer my questions. The notebook reminded her how many people were on the field at once, how long the halves were and other basics of the game.
“It’s a little overwhelming at first,” she explains. “There’s just a lot going on. It’s organized, but it’s organized chaos.”
The Portland Rugby club is no novice organization, though. They’ve been around off and on since the 1970’s. Right now they’re back at full strength.
With practices every Tuesday and Thursday during their two main seasons, the spring and fall, the team also plays a game a week.
But Stigas is quick to point out the major difference in the two seasons.
“Spring is the fun season. It’s a lot of fundamentals, and that’s good for players like me. But the Fall season is really competitive.”
So far Stigas is just attending practices when she can make them. She’s trying to graduate in the Media Studies department and maintain a part-time job. But this quasi-commitment is fine with the Club, she says. They understand that people have outside lives.
But how did a 25 year old just decide to pick up this heavily nuanced and extremely physical game?
Aside from boredom and a Craig’s List posting, Stigas says it was a combination of two things: exercise and camaraderie.
“I really wanted to meet people and be active. I figured this was a good way,” she says.
Stigas, who played soccer for 10 years in her youth, said that there are some similarities between the two sports.
“They’re the same in that you’re always running around and doing something,” she said.
But what about the first time she took a hit?
“Yeah. It was scary,” she says. “You’re in formations and you’re really tight together and you’re basically banging heads with one another. I’ve still got bruises from the first practice.”
Nevertheless, Stigas says that it’s rewarding to come home with a few signs of physical battle.
“It showed that I was tough,” she says with a laugh.
And as for the camaraderie end of things, there is plenty to be had. As you might expect, players are “encouraged” to partake in after-game socials at local bars that sponsor the team (Ruski’s, the Flask Lounge, Amigo’s and the Loyal Order of the Moose).
“It’s not like we’re a bunch of drunks. We just like to celebrate after games, win or lose.” Stigas says. “It’s an important part of the club.”
But, what you might not expect, are the physical appearances of the team’s players.
“I was really surprised and I’ve even told some of the girls on the team ‘I really thought everyone here was going to be huge and strong’ but they’re not all like that. Some of the girls are big and strong, but there are some smaller girls who are just quick,” Stigas explains, making a zig-zagging motion with her hands.
The team is also a mixed bunch in terms of age. Ranging from high school girls to their mothers, and everything in between, the team is truly a hodgepodge of different demographics, who come together three times a week to take out a little aggression.
The team is led by a cohort of experienced players who used to play elsewhere. When they landed in Portland there was no rugby team. So they started one.
“There’s a good mix. There are quite a few girls who are really experienced and then there are some people like me,” Stigas says.
Asked if she’ll keep playing for a while, Stigas didn’t miss a beat.
“Yeah. Definitely. I can’t stress enough how receptive and helpful everyone has been. And they’re still recruiting people of all experience levels.”
If you’re interested in joining to ranks of Portland’s toughest set of women, check out their web page at www.portlandrugby.webs.com. Or, if you want to see the team in action April 25 against Charles River. The game starts at 11 a.m. at Dougherty Field on Douglass Street in Portland.