Rugby community gathers for Morris tournament

PARSIPPANY – Cian Strelec toddled in the shade of a tent, bouncing excitedly between his many “aunts.” One offered a bit of banana, another a lap to climb on. Just 13 months old, Strelec was settling in at the Blazing 7s Tournament at Central Park of Morris County.

His parents, Erin and Scott Strelec, were both playing for Harrisburg Rugby, and Cian seemed to be right at home on the sideline.

The tournament was actually a bit of a homecoming for Scott Strelec, who grew up in Morris Township and used to play for Morris Rugby. At one point on Saturday morning, Scott and Erin Strelec both had simultaneous games, so Erin wheeled Cian’s stroller into Morris Rugby’s merchandise tent and yet more “aunts” kept an eye on the cuddly blond boy who had taken his first steps at a rugby team event.

“Everyone’s been watching him grow up all summer,” said Erin Strelec, who took a year off after Cian was born.

“(Rugby) is such a part of our lives. I couldn’t imagine stopping. The community aspect of our rugby team, it’s a great place to raise him. He’s got 30 or 40 aunts or uncles. Everybody takes a turn.”

The rugby community is one of the fastest growing in American sports. Participation in both sevens and 15s rose 13.3 percent annually from 2009 to 2014, according to a report by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. USA Rugby’s youth and Rookie Rugby programs have introduced five million kids to the sport over the past five years.

USA Rugby counted 700 senior club teams and 900 college teams in 2012, with more than 1.1 million participants overall.

Men’s and women’s rugby sevens has been added to the program for the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.

“Even if you don’t understand the game, you understand the athleticism,” said Morris Lions U-18 prop Jon Abramson of Montville, who got involved with rugby in first grade.

“Friends from school come to watch, and they join the team, because ‘it looks dangerous.’ They’re not big fans of football, and they want to try something new. It’s fun to watch and fun to play.”

Described as “organized chaos” by tournament organizer Omar Rivera, rugby can actually be a simple game.

Action begins with a kickoff to the opponent from midfield, just like American football. The ball can only be passed backward, so Rivera’s instructions were clear: “When you get the ball, run fast.” To score a try, a player must not only take the ball across the goal line, but touch it down to the ground. The two-point conversion after each try is kicked from a spot which lines up with where the ball was touched down, so players try to get as close to the center of the field as possible.

Games are only 14 minutes long, and at the end, each team cheers three times: for the referee, the opponent and themselves.

“I cheer when she grabs the ball and scores a try,” said Chris Cowell of Wantage, who was watching his 26-year-old daughter, Megan, a Morris Knolls and Rutgers alumna, play for the Morris Lions on Saturday.

“It’s how I felt when I played soccer. It’s good camaraderie. ... At first, it’s unnerving, but we’re a pretty competitive family. They all live up to the Cowell name; they have to be good. But it’s still your baby, you know?”

Chet Corney, an 8-year-old from Lake Hopatcong in a neon green T-shirt, took a break from being a ballboy to douse himself with a water-soaked towel. Corey’s older sister, Alba, played for the NJ Blaze high school team and their father was a field marshal.

“You can warm up and get laps done, and get exercise at the rugby game,” Corney said. “I’ll get tired and have a good night’s sleep. ... I make a lot of trys. I run around a lot, like a maniac, when I play.”

With 56 registered teams at the second annual Blazing 7s Tournament, about 1,000 people were expected to crowd the four turf fields at Central Park on Saturday. Winning teams in each division received the Rock Star Cup, named in honor of Chuck Levy, a personal trainer and Morris Rugby player who died following a stroke two years ago at age 50.

Blazing 7s also served as a national qualifier for men’s teams in the northeast region.

“Summer sevens is mostly about just having fun, but we’re serious about winning tournaments,” said Gianna Caulfield, 15, a rising sophomore at Morris Hills who is part of the soccer and track teams.

“I like the social aspect of the sport. We’re a really big family. It leads to us playing better on the field.”

Staff Writer Jane Havsy: 973-428-6682; jhavsy@gannettnj.com; www.dailyrecord.com/writerjane/