Loyola High School Rugby Team


Ramon Samaniego from Loyola High School commented on the success of the recently launched Loyola High School team, which participated in the Southern California “single” school league season. “Thanks to the USA Rugby Foundation Grant, we were able to legitimize and launch the new program at Loyola.” Despite low numbers due to injuries, the team qualified for postseason play in its first year. A new rivalry with Bellarmine College Preparatory in Santa Clara has been created and plans to reciprocate hosting for next season are in the works.
This success was made possible by the support and trust of the Loyola community. A vision-plan was developed, approval from Loyola was secured, a qualified coach was hired, and the team admin/manager executed a recruitment and marketing plan. The fundraising campaign exceeded expectations, leaving them with a substantial balance for next season. A popular social media presence has been established and they have now registered nearly 45 student-athletes, mostly freshmen and sophomores. This achievement has inspired other high school alumni groups to consider adding rugby to their campuses. “Loyola and I extend our heartfelt thanks to the USA Rugby Foundation for their support and look forward to helping spread the story of our success.”