The hunt for MLR glory continues in Tukwila. Our favorite two-time MLR champs, the Seattle Seawolves, are bringing the action and making 2023 one of the most exciting seasons yet! Don’t miss your chance to be a part of one the fastest growing sports in the country.
Next up: Dallas Jackals. Catch the game at Starfire this Friday.
Whether a diehard fan or a rugby newbie, there’s still plenty of time to catch an exciting Seawolves matchup right here in Tukwila.
Next up: San Diego Legion. Catch the game at Starfire this Saturday.
The Seawolves are off to a thrilling start for 2023. They look strong and in charge. So don’t miss your chance to join the hunt and be a part of another exciting chase for the MLR championship.
Next up: Houston SaberCats. Catch the game at Starfire this Saturday.
We’re just one game into the 2023 Major League Rugby season and the fans are already going wild. If you haven’t joined in on the action yet, now’s your chance. The Seawolves take on Rugby ATL on Friday, February 24 at Starfire Sports. Explosive action, passionate fans, and an experience you’ll never forget. Join us right here in Tukwila as the Seawolves continue the hunt for MLR glory.
If you couldn’t tell from the bazillion posts about The Seawolves, we’re kind of obsessed. So much so that we took to the field with our friends over at Explore Seattle Southside to get an up close and personal look at this incredible sport. Read up on the experience and get amped for the start of the 2023 season.
“You’re not afraid of heights are you?”
Not exactly the type of reassurance I was looking for after just volunteering myself to be vaulted fifteen feet in the air by two giant strangers who tackle other giant strangers for a living. That didn’t matter though. Before I could think it through, they grabbed my legs, lifted me up, and signaled for another giant stranger to throw a rugby ball towards my face. Reacting more on reflex than skill, I instinctively reached out and caught the ball just before impact. Overjoyed that I avoided catastrophe.
“Nice catch, ” the coach congratulated me as I landed back on my own two feet.
“But you forgot to pass it to the nine.”
Communication is everything in rugby. Kees Lensing, lead performance analyst for the Seattle Seawolves, will be the first to tell you that. He takes no restraint in reminding everyone of this essential aspect of the game he loves. Originally from Namibia, Kees has traveled the world as a professional rugby player and coach. He appeared in two world cup events and was captain of the Namibia national team for a number of seasons. Nowadays, Kees is helping lead the Seawolves to Major League Rugby championships while also helping educate the general American public on this exciting game.
As part of their initiative to grow attendance and local interest in the game, Kees, along with Seawolves head coach Allen Clarke, invited folks from Explore Seattle Southside and Experience Tukwila to come learn the ins and outs of rugby and share it with our audiences. A chance to play rugby with professional rugby players? It was a no-brainer.
On an unusually sunny and warm morning, we met out on the Starfire pitch, most of us without a clue of what to expect next. After introductions and a brief overview of rugby basics, the whistle blew and we set off back and forth across the grass going through a variety of warm-up drills. Talking about rugby is one thing, but to truly understand what the game is about, you need to dive in head first.
The coach tossed us a few rugby balls and told us to partner up.
I linked up with one of the Seawolves players and got a crash course in spin passing. What looks like a pretty simple motion from afar is actually much more technical than I expected. When you pass in rugby you have to essentially lob the ball to your teammates, but it has to be either a diagonal pass or a backward pass; forward passes are not allowed. After struggling to get a proper spin on the ball while tossing to my right, we switched sides and that’s when it all started to click. Tossing a rugby ball feels very foreign, especially for someone who grew up in a state where football reigns supreme. It’s almost twice the size of a football and less angular, almost like tossing some kind of hollow gourd. Once you get the hang of it and nail that perfect spiral it’s surprisingly fun, and I would have been totally satisfied just tossing the ball back and forth for the remainder of the morning. But that wasn’t the plan.
The whistle blew again and now came our ultimate test—a real rugby match. Well, not exactly a real rugby match, more like a truncated version of rugby without the tackling and organized play structure. But it was the perfect way to get a feel for the flow of the game. In rugby, it’s all about constant movement. Playing this simplified version of rugby is meant to encourage new players to always be on the move, to feel the rhythm of tossing, catching, and running. As we scrambled back and forth across the pitch, I quickly gained an appreciation for the no-overhand throwing rule. Lobbing the ball to teammates requires you to be much more creative with your passing. You have to find clever ways to thread the needle between the sea of players.
After the final score, or as they call it in rugby, the final “try,” it was time to gather round and learn a little more about what actual rugby gameplay involves. So let’s walk through some of the highlights and learn a little rugby 101 terminology:
Scrum
First up was the “scrum.” Kees called on a few Seawolves players and within moments they were locked together arm in arm in a mass of muscle. You’ve probably seen the sight before, two walls of players pushing against each other with incredible force. A scrum is one of the defining characteristics of rugby. Similar to a faceoff, once the two groups are pressed against each other, another player rolls the ball underneath the web of bodies. A player called a “hooker” then uses his feet to grab the ball like a hook and kick it back toward the rest of his team. According to Kees, at any one time during a scrum, the hooker is experiencing upwards of 2,000 lbs of force per square inch on their upper body. With all that force focused on one person, it’s imperative that the other players are there to support. That’s what the majority of the players in the scrum are there for. It takes a horde of people just to protect the hooker as they fight for possession. For obvious reasons, we were not asked to participate.
Breakdown
Next up was the “breakdown.” A breakdown occurs immediately after a player is tackled and requires rapid-fire reflexes from both teams. The player who is tackled must remain on the ground with the ball and the player who tackled must roll to the side out of the way. Then it’s up to other players from both teams not involved in the initial tackle to rush toward the down player and attempt to get the ball. The down player attempts to contort their body in such a way that protects the ball from the defensive players while providing an opening for their teammates to grab it. But the offensive players can’t simply run to the downed player from any direction, they must enter through a tiny invisible area called the “gate” which is defined by the position of the downed player’s body. Offensive players enter through this small area and quickly set up a wall on the downed player, protecting the ball from the opposition and allowing for another player to snatch it up and return to play. If the defensive players get to the downed player first, then they can grab the ball, resulting in a turnover. Confused yet? It’s honestly much more intuitive than it sounds. But apparently, there are even more rules/details about the breakdown that Kees wouldn’t get into because of the complexity. All in all, though, it’s a really impressive display of strategy and muscle.
Lineout
Lastly was the “lineout.” The lineout is a way of returning the ball into play after it has gone into touch, or what we usually understand as “out of bounds.” This involves a player simply passing the ball into play. One of the most popular methods to receive the ball is to lift a player high into the air out of reach from the defending team. Once again, Kees wrangled a group of Seawolves players to show us how it was done. After running through the routine a few times, Kees asked for volunteers. Realizing that I might not ever get this opportunity again, I raised my hand and took the chance. The Seawolves players lifted me up and tossed the ball. It sounds stupidly simple, but it was actually a pretty disorienting experience. It wasn’t so much a lift into the air as it was a push into the air, almost like a cheerleader jumping up and being held by their feet. Add in a rugby ball spiraling towards your face, plus a group of strangers watching you from below, and it quickly becomes a high-stress moment. What you’re supposed to do after catching the ball is toss it out to an open player. But I simply held onto the ball and celebrated the fact that I both caught the pass and didn’t topple over in the process. After explaining the expectations again, Kees let me go for a second attempt, this time completing a proper pass to the outside player. Go me!
After finishing up the demonstrations, Kees and the rest of the staff took a moment to explain the many benefits of rugby for communities. “No matter what happens out on this field, I have never left it feeling sad,” Kees explained. Beyond the many fitness benefits of playing the high-intensity sport, rugby also provides a strong sense of connection and camaraderie for players—a key characteristic which Kees sees as necessary personal armor against mental health issues. He, along with the rest of the staff, hope to see the sport grow in not just Seattle, but the entire country, to help provide kids with a hobby that can lead to lifetime friendships as well as provide endless high-action entertainment for sports fans.
The 2023 MLR season is just around the corner and the Seawolves are poised for another dominant year out on the pitch. Don’t miss out on viewing this exciting game before it inevitably blows up across the country. That way you can say you liked rugby before it was cool.
All images courtesy of Explore Seattle Southside.
Kick off the MLR regular season with a redemption match.
On February 18 at 6:30pm, the Seattle Seawolves take on the 2022 MLR champions, Rugby New York Ironworkers in a much anticipated finals rematch. It’s a season home opener for the ages and one you definitely don’t want to miss.
If you can’t make it to the game, it will also be broadcasted nationally on Fox Sports.
It’s time to get back to the hunt. Show up to support your Seawolves, bring out the home turf SEAWALL, and help make this the most exciting season yet. Together we hunt!
Riding a wave of excitement from another banger of a year, the Seattle Seawolves are primed to take it one step further in 2023 and hopefully bring home their third MLR shield. Kicking things off is a series of exciting preseason matches at Starfire Stadium.
First up are the American Raptors on Sunday, February 5th, fast followed by a special hometown heroes matchup with the Seattle Rugby Club on Wednesday, February 8th. Joining them for the opening curtain raiser will be the Seattle Rugby Club’s Women’s Program. This is a match you won’t want to miss, showcasing all the amazing local talent that’s helping grow this beloved game.
Tickets for preseason matches and February 4 Pack Deals are available HERE.
This month marked the 50th anniversary of the Education Amendment Act. The law’s landmark Title IX was instrumental in advancing gender equity in schools and removing barriers for girls and women in sports. To celebrate, we’re spotlighting a handful of the incredible athletes who have passed through the Tukwila community.
Kat Roche, Major League Rugby Referee
Kat is a former college rugby player and self-proclaimed fitness junkie, most notable for breaking new ground in Major League Rugby by becoming the first female lead referee. Her first MLR match as lead referee was right here in Tukwila last year when the Seawolves defeated the Houston SaberCats. Her career with MLR continues to have an impact on the world of sports, inspiring other women to pursue similar positions.
Carly MacKinnon, Seawolves Marketing and Communications Director
Carly is the Marketing and Communications Director for the Seawolves as well as a 15s player in the Seattle Rugby Club, where she was part of the team’s 2015 and 2016 USA Rugby Women’s Cup National Championship team. She is also a certified USA Rugby Coach and has spent years coaching high school girls in the sport.
Lauren Barber, Seawolves Director of Youth and Community Development
Lauren is the director of Youth and Community Development for the Seawolves, where she helps cultivate the next generation of rugby players in our community. A four-time national college rugby champion, Lauren has achieved a variety of leadership roles in the world of rugby, including assistant coach for the professional women’s Premier Rugby Sevens Headliners and vice chair of the youth state-based governing body, Rugby Washington.
S
ierra Shugarts, WWU Alumni and 2016 National Player of the Year
Sierra was team captain at WWU, leading her team to the school’s first national title in 2016 and earning her Player of the Year honors. From there she traveled overseas, playing soccer in both Sweden and the Czech Republic, before returning to the PNW for new opportunities. But her long and decorated career first began right here in Tukwila at Starfire Sports. Now, Sierra has her sights set on giving back to the game which gave so much to her by putting on the jersey once again, only this time as “coach.”
Guest blogger, David Drown details the experience attending the Seawolves’ Western Conference Semifinal—his first ever rugby match.
My first time going to a Seattle Seawolves match was a lot like my first time going to a Seattle Sounders match: both were playoff matches and both were unforgettable. But what set the Seawolves apart was its intimacy. The ability for a stadium a fraction of the size of most pro arenas to produce such a vibrant atmosphere left me questioning the value we place on our big box entertainment venues.
Don’t get me wrong, watching a professional sport alongside 30,000+ screaming fans in an architectural superstructure is an incomparable experience. But as stadiums grow in size and amenities, the actual sport itself often becomes lost amidst the fanfare. All kinds of distractions seep in, forcing your attention toward everything but the game. What I experienced this past Sunday in Tukwila felt like the antithesis to that. Watching the Seawolves in the Western Conference Semifinal at Starfire Stadium felt like a return to the purity of sport, a practice in athletic mindfulness that reoriented the fan-athlete relationship and reminded me of why we even show up in the first place.
The threat of rain loomed overhead as my partner and I made our way to the front gate of Starfire, a common backdrop for many Seattle sporting events. Teenagers tossed a rugby ball back and forth in the parking lot, weaving their way in and out of the sea of couples, families, and groups of friends funneling toward the stadium. I studied their movements in detail, hoping to get a crash course in the general flow of rugby before watching my first ever match.
Before I knew it, we were inside the stadium. But something about that distinction didn’t feel right. Unlike most sports venues, there wasn’t a clear boundary between inside and out. The grounds felt open and fluid, almost indistinguishable from the surrounding neighborhood. This feeling extended to the Starfire staff themselves, with ticket sellers, concessions operators, and merch vendors all operating like a tight community—like they knew each other well beyond their occupations. After exploring the merch tents, we grabbed ourselves a couple of drinks and a giant pretzel for pennies on the dollar and headed for our seats.
The thundering roar of fireworks announced the introduction of the Seawolves. Fans stood and cheered wildly, many still pinching themselves, happy to be back in the postseason. John, a season ticket holder from West Seattle and Seawolves fan since day one, explained that “last season was a tough one… [but] it’s good to see all the fans out tonight.” What sets Seawolves games apart for John is the camaraderie, even “the way [opposing] fans are welcomed” here at Starfire. There isn’t the fan aggression you might encounter at some other professional sporting events. “There’s something special here,” John says.
The match began with a flurry of action. Their opponent, the San Diego Legion, took an early lead, making a try just a few minutes into the first half. Even as a new fan my heart sunk, worried that this could spell the beginning of a long and painful night. But the Seawolves answered back and then kept answering back. Soon they were ahead with what felt like a comfortable lead heading into halftime. I hesitated to get too excited though. Superstitious tendencies from my days religiously following my favorite hockey team bubbled to the surface. Just 40 minutes into my time at Starfire and I felt a connection with the sea of green and blue filling the stands, and I hesitated to say anything that might jinx the game.
At the start of the second half, we made our way down behind the endzone to get closer to the action. The Seawolves maintained their momentum, charging back and forth down the pitch with ease. A young fan next to me piped up, “Come on dad!”, as the horde of giant players tumbled toward us. It marked a surreal moment when the lives of the professional athletes transcended the pitch. Not something usually experienced in giant sports stadiums, I suddenly looked around and realized that many of the people near me had direct connections with the players; some even family; some even “dad.”
What just 50 minutes before looked like a mess of players frantically running about knocking into one another quickly crystallized into an organized sway of forces. The flow of the game has a way of revealing itself even if you have no knowledge of strategy. The groups of players move about the pitch like flocks of starlings, their murmurations crafting complex shapes and patterns that ask the viewer to let go of rigid expectation. “Rugby is a continuous play sport,” describes Brent, a Seawolves fan and wheelchair rugby player, “those types of sports [just] take longer to gain traction.” But like most Seawolves fans, Brent is optimistic that the Seattle area is becoming more open to this often underappreciated game.
It became clear well into the second half that this was a night for celebration. As we hit the 80 minute mark the game ended just as it began, with a thunderous display of fireworks. The final score, Seawolves 43 – Legion 19. Standing along the perimeter of the pitch transfixed by the lights and sounds, my partner and I were caught off guard when the gate suddenly opened and fans rushed out onto the grass to congratulate the players. This sort of interaction was so foreign to us. Fans are fans and athletes are athletes, we thought. But Starfire seemed unconcerned with that distinction which pervades so much of pro sports.
After we made our way back through the parking lot, I worked my way through memories from the night. I tried parsing out the moments, segmenting the groups of fans, sectioning off chunks of time in an attempt to more easily understand the night. But this felt counter to what I had just experienced. It quickly became evident to me that what separated watching a Seawolves match from other pro sporting events was its very lack of separateness at all levels. From the openness of the stadium to the interaction between players and fans, there was no clear beginning or end to the Seawolves experience. The Seawolves are a team within a family, within a community; there is no division; there are no distractions. This is sport at its essence.
With this huge first round win, the Seawolves head to Houston to take on the SaberCats in the Western Conference Final on Saturday, June 18th at 4pm. Head over to Billy Baroo’s in Tukwila for the official watch party where the Seawolves community will come out in full force—including Rucky, the beloved team mascot—to cheer on the hometown heroes.
The hunt isn’t over until it’s over. Seawolves Rugby are in the playoffs after a whirlwind of events saved them from an early end to the season. The team also scored home field advantage for the first round of postseason play against the San Diego Legion. Which means the Western Conference Semifinal are happening right here in Tukwila! Be a part of this unforgettable season and catch the game this Sunday at Starfire. Help your Seawolves keep the hunt alive as they look to move to the Western Conference Final.
When: Sunday, June 12th | 7pm
Where: Starfire Sports
Price: Tickets start at $39 and are going quick! Grab yours here.
