IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Falls Rush rugby team will host a full, fun day of rugby and more Saturday. Though there will be a number of teams from eastern Idaho, the Boise area and Utah, this will not be a tournament, according to Rush coach Kayce Wegener, but rather a “full day of rugby.” “In the rugby culture, Saturday’s are for rugby. Everybody comes to a pitch, and they watch all day,” she said explaining the purpose for this weekend’s event. Because it is Easter weekend, the Rush players will also put on a free “Come Try Rugby” camp and Easter Egg Hunt — beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Idaho Falls High School’s Ravsten Stadium. According to Wegener, no prior experience is needed for the all-age camp. “It’s really for younger kids to be exposed to rugby, and then to have some of the kids that they, kind of, look up to, or older siblings out there showing them how to (play),” she said. Following the camp, those in attendance will be treated to six rugby matches, which will include some of the state’s top teams as well as the JV squad from Layton Christian Academy (LCA), one of the top-ranked programs in the country. Matches will include divisional play — with the regular season coming to a close — as well as friendlies and a “motley” — when a team is cobbled together using players from multiple teams. The first match, with kickoff scheduled for 11 a.m., will feature the Rush girls playing against Eagle High School. That will be followed by the Portneuf Rugby Club in a divisional matchup with Boise High School. LCA’s JV squad will then take on Rigby’s JV squad — the state’s top-ranked JV team. The LCA girls will then face off with the Rigby girls. A motley girls match will follow, for girls looking to get some extra time on the pitch. Finally, in a showdown of top-ranked opponents, the Rush boys (No. 4 in the state) will face Rigby (No. 1). Throughout the day, Wegener said, there will be food trucks offering an assortment of concessions. “It should just be a good time,” she said. Courtesy Kayce Wegener While this event was organized to bring a day of rugby to eastern Idaho, it will also serve as an opportunity for visibility. A growing sport, rugby is always looking for new players. Interest in the sport has grown, since the U.S. women won a bronze medal in Sevens at the Paris Olympics, but that growth has been primarily at the lower levels with high school interest remaining “steady,” according to Wegener, especially within the girls game. “We’re getting a lot more youth (girls) than high school girls,” she said. “I think, the Olympics just gave more exposure to younger kids and families that, this is something that’s not so dangerous. … We’re definitely getting more interest in those younger girls.” Wegener, who has played and coached numerous sports, is pushing this sport because she has “never seen anything like this sport, never been a part of something this cool.” For athletes who never caught on in other sports, or never felt “at home” on other teams, she has seen rugby become their sport, because “everyone has a position” and “everyone belongs.” “It’s a really easy game to pick up,” she said, noting that players have stepped into a match and contributed after just one or two practices. And once players have joined, they remain a part of the Rush and rugby community. Former players, Wegener said, continue to show up at matches and practices well after their time with the team has concluded. “There’s something about our culture — I get girls that join our team and never want to walk away, never want to leave,” she said. And for parents looking for a sport their child can love, and will promote their growth, Wegener said, rugby is for them. “There’s a different attitude (in rugby), and so far, I’ve never found anybody that dislikes that,” she said. “You want your kid to learn sportsmanship, you want your kid to learn respect — and that’s respect for themselves and others. You want your kid to learn how to be a team player and bond, and be able to work through things. Rugby does all of that.”