Morton Pound preps for season

It is the new game in town ... or at least the T-shirts say so.

On the other hand, it is not all that new. Now in its fifth year, the Morton Pound rugby team has mushed through the muddy fields at McClallen Park playing a game that enjoys the majority of popularity in Europe. Rugby is not the conventional U.S. sport.

It may be hard to understand at first, but once a spectator learns the concept, it is incredibly fun to watch, said Morton Pound coach Charlie Parod.

It is for “kids that really don’t want to be involved with (typical) varsity sports,” Parod said.

“I think it’s primarily the fact that any size kid can play,” he added.

Parod has been involved in the sport for 30 years. He, along with assistant coaches Greg Schwartzentraub and Chad Zimmerman, work with a team of more than 25 players every Tuesday and Thursday at McClallen Park. The team practices drills like the “scrum” or “line out,” where formations range from entire-field spreads to players packed shoulder-to-shoulder in what looks like a standing dogpile.

“It takes a lot of different types of skills,” Parod said, “ball handling, kicking and running.

“It’s constantly changing from offense to defense,” he added.

Parod admits, it is not a game for everybody. But, he said he believes it is a social sport that attracts players from a variety of athletic backgrounds.

To 17-year-old Dan Johnston, who has been playing the sport for three years now, Rugby is a solid mix of two sports.

“It’s a little bit like football and it’s somewhat like soccer,” Johnston said.

He said the sport is very intense and can be “more gritty” than soccer.

“If you play it right, you won’t walk away with too many (injuries),” he added.

Johnston learned the hard way. During his first year playing, he broke his collar bone in half, ending his season. But, it never drew him away from the game. He continued to show up at practices and matches to support his team, Parod said.

That is why the Morton Pound coach instituted the Dan Johnston Commitment Award, which is handed to the player who, expectedly, demonstrates the most commitment to the team and the sport.

One would think a broken collar bone might make a player a bit more cautious, however. Not Johnston.

“Hitting is especially my favorite,” he said.

Parod, who is rigorous with the players during practice, still offers an entertaining atmosphere for the players, Johnston said.

“Because (I am) dealing with 15 to 20 kids at practice, I have no choice but to keep it strict,” Parod said.

“It’s a good game to teach discipline,” he said. At the same time, “I try to make it fun.”

Four years ago, the Morton Pound rugby team, along with another in Peoria, were the first rugby clubs in Central Illinois. One year later, Metamora joined the mix. And then, Chillicothe developed a team. Now Morton competes with seven other clubs, including ones from Bloomington, the Quad Cities and Muscatine, Iowa.

“We’ve got an eight-team league, and it’s growing,” Parod said.

He said he does not doubt the potential for the sport to become more popular in the states. And, with it becoming a potential Olympic sport in 2016, he expects rugby will become even more widely accepted.

Morton Park District lends the fields to the Morton Pound for practices. Parod said park district director Gary Watson has been very helpful for the team. Additionally, he said Watson has credited the team for how well the players work.

Morton’s first match of the season begins at 2 p.m. Saturday at McClallen Park. Additional matches will take place beginning at noon. To donate to the Morton Pound rugby team, contact Parod via e-mail at cdparod@comcast.net.