A women’s rugby club in York is seeking new recruits to join their team, where “no one size fits all”.
Players at the York RUFC Women’s Club come from all walks of life, and women of all shapes and sizes are encouraged to take part in the fun.
YorkMix spoke to Abigail Lambert, who told us how much of an impact the club has had on her since she started four years ago.
“When I started I’d never held a rugby ball, I’d never watched a rugby match, and I didn’t know anybody!” Abi said.
She had been looking to take part in more exercise, when she discovered the rugby club online.
The first time Abi went down to training, it didn’t go quite as planned.
Nerves got the better of her and she got back into her car and left, she said, “I thought, I don’t think I can do this, but then I felt so bad that I didn’t see it through.”
Abi triumphed on her second attempt, sticking it out and she hasn’t looked back since.
She’s made lifelong friends and looks forward to training sessions and matches every week.
She believes it’s an essential part of looking after her mental health.
“It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. It means so much to me, if I ever have a bad day, in winter for instance, you go and just leave feeling so energised. You leave feeling good,” Abi told YorkMix.
The club was formed originally in the 1980’s then reformed in 2017 by two York university students, Ellie Seagrave and Ruth whitehead.
The pair were keen to introduce another women’s union team in York.
Abi joined the team four years ago, and one of the most valuable parts of the club for her is the fact that there’s no criteria.
“We’re all there to get something out of it, we play for fun and we want to learn. We want to grow. There’s no cliques or anything like that at all,” she said.
The team ranges from 18 year olds to 40 year olds, varying in fitness levels and abilities, and holds a real sense of inclusivity behind it.
“You don’t have to be this in fit gym goer or muscular person. We’ve got size eights to size eighteens on the pitch, it really doesn’t matter you size.
“We’ve got Beth who’s probably about four foot five and she’s one of the best players on the pitch. She’s tiny, genuinely, and she makes the best lines ever. She’s great.”
Another point Abi is keen to get across is that although people may associate rugby with aggression, it’s not the case for them.
“When most people think of rugby, they think of these hard hitting, terrifying men or women on a pitch. And it’s not like that, it’s competitive, but you’re not gonna get injured, you’re not gonna get battered, it’s not scary.” Abi added.
Anyone interested is encouraged to come down to a training session, free of charge, without any commitment to signing up.
Training runs every Wednesday from 6:45 pm – 8:30 pm, with free pizza on hand for a well deserved treat afterwards.
If you’re interested in getting involved and making new friends, you can head over to their Facebook page, or email the captain Anna Harkin, here.