Cal Poly rugby had its annual alumni game at the Lower Sports Complex to celebrate 58 years of play for the men’s side and nine for the women on Saturday, Oct. 26.
The men’s team has been dominant for decades, consistently making deep runs in national tournaments and competing toe to toe with national powerhouses such as UC Berkeley and Saint Mary’s.
The men’s 15 v 15 team is currently ranked in the top 25 nationally, according to RugbyHawk. Last year, in their eighth year as an official team, the women’s team won the 15s Division II national championship.
A supportive alumni network and a team culture built on the pillars of culture and community are vital to helping drive the success of each team.
Senior inside center and men’s club president Coby Baker is entering his fourth year on the team and has a big role in maintaining the team’s camaraderie.
“We practice Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, six to eight p.m., so you get here early, you stay late, and that just creates a really natural bond,” Baker said.
In a physical sport like rugby, Baker notes that the connection between teammates goes beyond just an emotional one. Baker explains that the bond goes beyond a typical friendship when you put your health and body on the line for your teammates.
This sense of community has been passed on year by year, generation by generation. No matter who you speak to about Cal Poly rugby, community and culture are always the first talking points regarding the club’s success.
Rugby alumni staying involved for years after graduation is a testament to each team’s strong coalition every year.
For the teams today, an active alumni network has a potent impact.
“I think it’s just super necessary for like success, you gotta keep in touch with the alumni,” Baker said. “[The alumni] have a big, big pull.”
One of these aforementioned alumni is 2017 graduate Zach Markow.
Markow is involved with Cal Poly rugby in multiple capacities. In addition to staying involved with the men’s side, he is now in his sixth year as the head coach for the women’s side.
Markow has seen tremendous growth from both clubs. He coached his team to a national title last season and kept himself connected with the men’s side.
During this year’s alumni game, Markow participated in the match, impressed by the pure athleticism being displayed.
“The speed at which they’re playing, the pace, the aggression, it was impressive and incredible,” Markow said. “They definitely have gone far beyond the teams that I played on in terms of skill.”
Markow also mentioned how the women’s club vastly improves year after year.
Yet again, when asked about what makes the clubs so successful, culture was the keyword. Markow knows better than anyone how this sense of community translates to success, especially with recruiting.
“We’re a small little school here on the central coast, but we attract people because of the culture that we have and the commitment that we put out,” Markow said.
Although the women’s club has existed for less than a decade, it has embraced the same culture that has propelled the men’s team into the national spotlight.
The person to thank for the existence of the women’s club is 2018 graduate Jessica May.
May started the women’s club in the fall of 2016 after serving as a team manager for the men’s club. After playing with some friends on the SLO Women’s Rugby team, May finally received approval from the university to establish an official club.
Seeing the club she started win a national championship was a surreal feeling for May, a true full-circle moment as she describes it.
Many of the club’s inaugural members had served as team managers for the men’s team, so the culture and mentality needed for success were there from the jump. This culture once again revolves around alumni relations.
“[Us alumni] try and support the people, whether men’s or women’s, as much as we can,” May said. “Everyone keeps coming back and showing up for the people that showed up for them.”
With the university not recognizing rugby as an official sport, alumni support is even more essential as the club does not receive funding from the university.
“[Alumni are important] for funding reasons, we don’t get any support from the school,” Baker said. “We have a bunch of different events, it’s all just fundraising so we can go out and compete and have fun.”
Being a part of such a close-knit group pays dividends before and after graduation. Markow’s decision to join Cal Poly rugby has changed his life forever, with connections and lifelong friends as an outcome.
“My best man at my wedding was [from] Cal Poly rugby,” Markow said. “The guy who officiated my wedding was [from] Cal Poly rugby. Playing rugby has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done because the rugby community is different than any other sport.”
For Cal Poly rugby, what happens on the field on game day is a direct result of countless hours of hard work every week. While it may seem surface-level to some, the clubs’ success goes far deeper than simply practicing and playing.
A sense of community that has lasted generations carries on to the teams today, giving each and every player a sense of pride when they step on the pitch.
Alumni who help keep the club afloat do not return to support because they have to but because they want to continue seeing their beloved club thrive. Cal Poly rugby has built a lasting legacy, with a support system to keep it thriving.