I love this article from the New York Times on one of the boys' rugby teams here in DC: High School Team Breaks Down Barriers. My favorite part is:
All sports can help break down racial and cultural barriers, but certain elements of rugby make it especially suited. With its raw physicality and traditional postgame bonding, rugby forces an intimacy among opponents not found in many other sports.
A little early morning reading before I head off on my road trip to play some U23 rugby in Philly!
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If you could please help get the word out.
Hyde-DC Rugby Players Focus of Special Fox Sports Documentary
Half-Hour Show Airs Nationwide During Black History Month
[Washington, DC, February 8, 2009] – The rugby team at Hyde Leadership Public Charter School of DC is the subject of a special Fox Sports News (FSN) Documentary airing nationwide throughout February, Black History Month.
Entitled Hyde Rugby: A New World, the half-hour documentary is narrated by Oscar-nominated actor, Terrence Howard, and chronicles “the extraordinary efforts and determination of students at a D.C. charter school.”
Fox Sports producers interviewed Hyde-DC student-athletes and alumni, parents, school administrators, teachers and coaches over a two-month period. Camera crews filmed school rugby scrimmages and games, attended classroom sessions, and visited athletes’ homes, churches and other community venues.
FSN is the nation’s leading provider of local sports. Its regional networks and affiliated networks reach more than 80 million homes across the U.S.
“This is fantastic exposure for the entire Hyde community,” said Dr. JoAnn “Doc” Cason, head of school at Hyde-DC. “We’re so proud of our rugby players! Athletics reinforces important Hyde concepts, like Courage, Concern, Curiosity, Integrity and Leadership.”
The Hyde-DC documentary is airing in the Washington, DC area on ComCast SportsNet channels. To find local show times and stations, visit http://comcastsportsnet.tv/pages/main and enter your zip code. If you have Fox Sports packages please check with your service provider.
“Hyde emphasizes character development. Rugby provides our students with the perfect opportunity to develop and test their strength of character,” said Tal Bayer, Hyde-DC’s head rugby coach and director of development.
Fox Sports is the latest national media to give positive attention to the “Pride of Hyde” for its noteworthy accomplishments, on and off the playing field.
· The New York Times featured a story last November about Hyde’s team, entitled The Unlikely Scrum. Reporter Will Bardenwerper described how rugby is “breaking down barriers and opening up new possibilities for this all-African-American high school team.”
· Hyde-DC Alumni P.J. Komongnan, a top-notch rugby player hoping to turn professional, was profiled by the Associated Press during a recent trip to the UK to promote Ultimate Rugby Sevens.
· CBS Evening News filmed interviews with Hyde-DC rugby players and coaches for a segment that is scheduled to air this winter.
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Located in NE Washington, Hyde Leadership Public Charter School of DC (www.hydedc.org) is a college-preparatory school (PreK-12) that combines character education and family renewal with an intense academic program. It opened in 1999 as one of the District’s first charter schools, and today serves more than 700 students from throughout the city. Each year, 100% of Hyde-DC’s graduating seniors are accepted to four-year colleges.
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