Playing with another school

Senior Gabe Rendon is a state runner-up, but the team he represents may come as a surprise. Rendon plays for the New Trier club rugby team, and he helped his team go undefeated before losing in the state championship game last spring.

“It was pretty awkward with the New Trier kids at first,” said Rendon. “Generally, I was pretty quiet. They all called me Gabriel, which was weird because nobody has called me that since I was a kid. But, by the end of the season, we were all friends.”

Rendon final
Senior Gabe Rendon practices rugby at the Athletico Center on Jan. 20. Rendon has played for the New Trier club rugby team since he was a junior. Rendon helped the team finish second in the state last year, losing to Morton in the championship. Photo by Syndey Stumme-Berg.

According to Rugby Head Coach Andre Blom, Rendon can play for the New Trier team because it is a club sport, similar to the Glenbrook North hockey team.

“When I told my friends [I joined a rugby team] they just asked me what rugby is,” said Rendon. “I had to explain it and show them videos because rugby is a really young sport here in the United States.”

Although Rendon went into his first season on the New Trier team solo, he was able to recruit juniors Griffin Mattson, Joey Jancaus and J.D. Casey to join this year.

New Trier senior Charlie Stimson said the team is welcoming of players from different high schools.

“I don’t think they feel left out,” said Stimson. “Although we’re called New Trier Rugby Club, we pretty much put aside where we go to school.”

According to Rendon, his dad, who played rugby for the Venezuelan National Team, was looking for a way to help his son get better at football. Many of Rendon’s teammates participate in New Trier football, and his rugby experience also helped him prepare for his own senior football season.

“Rugby is very similar to football but also very different,” said Rendon. “It’s similar that you’re hitting people and there’s [a] mental aspect to it, but it’s different because it’s a lot safer. Even though you’re not wearing pads, you need better form to tackle people. … In every rugby game I’ve played, there [have been] no concussions.”

In fact, rugby and football are so similar that the GBN football team played touch rugby at some practices this season.

“[My teammates were] super confused because they just didn’t know how to play,” Rendon said.

Blom encourages these types of explorations of the sport. He said he thinks high schools should try to get some athletes to start playing 7 vs. 7 rugby, then they can move on to creating a larger club.

According to Rendon, rugby is currently a small sport in the U.S., but within the next few years everyone will know about it.

“The football guys mock me a lot with Irish accents and stuff,” said Rendon. “I don’t know why, but they think it’s funny just because it’s such a foreign sport.”

Blom said he is optimistic that the sport will gain more popularity after it is featured in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Rendon said his favorite part of rugby is being able to carry the ball, something he does not get the opportunity to do in football.

“[Before] my first game, … I was nervous because I somehow landed a starting spot on the varsity team,” said Rendon. “Within the first 30 minutes of the game I took the ball from the other team and had like a break away trie, which is like the same as a touchdown, for like 60 yards, and that was really, really, really exciting.”

Stimson said Rendon made big plays to help them win games last year, even though it was his first season.

During a typical winter practice, they tackle each other to the ground, wrestle on the floor and run sprints while carrying their teammates as if they were the ball. Rendon endures this twice a week to fight for a spot in the starting lineup.

“My nose kind of broke one time,” said Rendon. “I was going down to grab the ball. I’m almost 100 percent sure it was intentional. The kid just kneed me in the face. Because, in rugby, if you’re kind of offside or in the wrong position in the wrong time, the other team [unofficially] has free range to hit you or cleat you or whatever they want.”

Despite the injuries, Rendon is still thankful for the opportunities rugby has provided for him.

“We’re going to Ireland this March,” said Rendon. “I think the team traveled a couple of years back. We’re going for a week, and we’re going to play three of their best U19 teams. It will be a really good experience because it’s right before the regular season, so we will be in full contact and game mode by the time season comes.”

The only problem is that the trip is during New Trier’s spring break, which does not line up with GBN’s. Rendon plans to miss school and go anyway.

“My friends make fun of me all the time for wearing New Trier logos and stuff, but it’s okay because it’s rugby,” Rendon said.