Local youth coach David Livitt and his family moved to the Triangle in July 2021. Why? Raleigh has rugby.

With flexible remote work schedules, David (who grew up in Hertfordshire, England) and his wife Sarah could have chosen to live anywhere, but they were drawn to Raleigh’s friendly people, restaurant scene + schools — and the various rugby teams in the area. Once the family settled, David’s son William joined a youth rugby team — the Raleigh Redhawks.

Where did Rugby come from?

Rugby lore says the sport was invented in the 1820s when a schoolboy at Rugby School in England picked up the ball during a football (err, soccer) game and just… started running with it. Ball in arms, he scored points and the game of rugby was allegedly born.

The game quickly caught on in Britain and grew into a popular international sport. Raleigh Rugby Football Club — the first rugby club in Raleigh — was founded in April 1981.

Youth rugby in Raleigh

In 2009, Dave Krosner, Andy Thomas, and John Adams had 9- and 10-year-old sons who played together on a Carolina Junior Hurricanes hockey team. After taking the boys to play two-hand touch rugby a few times in Chapel Hill, they decided to start their own club closer to home. Together, they founded the Raleigh Redhawks, the organization focused on youth rugby where David now coaches the middle school team.

The club has players in pre-kindergarten through high school + encourages both boys and girls to participate. Most new players come to the club with no rugby experience. “Anyone can play — any shape, size, skill level, athletic ability,” David said. Plus, all teams, regardless of gender, play the same game with the same size ball + uniforms. The club participates in regional and national-level competition.

The Raleigh RedHawks | Photo by RALtoday

The Redhawks also have players from around the world, including England, Ireland, Argentina, South Africa, Venezuela, Australia + Colombia. “It's a global game with a real community spirit,” David said. “Where people of different nationalities can find a common ground.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the club had ~140 players. Now, it has ~80. “We would like to have more like 200 players in our program,” Dave told RALtoday. He estimates that 15-20% of the club’s players are girls, and they’re actively trying to increase this number.

The Redhawks practice at Mac, a sports and entertainment venue just north of RDU, on Tuesdays, Thursdays + Saturdays. Their main season runs January through May, with weekend scrimmages throughout the year.

“It's a proper war on the pitch,” David said about his time playing rugby. “But afterwards, you have a beer, you sing a few songs, and then you're best friends. That has always stuck out to me.”

The kids swap out beer for Gatorade, but the camaraderie in youth rugby is just the same. The Redhawks are currently recruiting players. Learn more here.