Today we’d like to introduce you to David Yeoman.
David, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started playing rugby in college at West Point and played while stationed in Germany, Missouri, Colorado, and Kansas. Then I moved to Houston when I got out of the Army and played for two different clubs, Houston Athletic and Bay Area Rugby Clubs.
Rugby was immensely important to me as an introvert for finding friends and an accepting social group. The culture of “he who sheds his blood with me today shall be my brother” is world-wide. Everywhere I’ve traveled domestically or abroad, I’ve reached out to local clubs and been instantly adopted into the group.
Now, I want to foster that culture and make it grow. I’ve taken on roles such as club president, high school coach, league representative, youth non-profit board member, etc. to try and unify the Houston rugby community and turn it into a thriving and popular sub-culture.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have been many challenges along the way. My current challenges include sustaining growth in inner Houston where many people are transient or are likely to move to the suburbs.
On a macro-level, the “retirement” of players to the suburbs has created an explosion of youth rugby as their families mature, which is amazing. On a micro-level, I lose players in the near-term and many great coaching candidates get sucked up until the youth programs instead of finding homes with adult or college programs.
Another obstacle is the shortage of lit, affordable rectangular fields inside the Loop. Most are filled with soccer, privately owned, or are poorly maintained. We’re actively looking to build a sports complex to solve our own problem, but it’s an expensive undertaking.
Please tell us about Houston Athletic Rugby Club.
The Houston Athletic Rugby Club (HARC) strives to be the most competitive amateur men’s and women’s rugby club in the city. We have a competitive women’s side and men’s side, as well as a developmental men’s side for a total approaching ~100 active members.
We also have many members active outside the club as coaches in 8 or more high school programs and the Texas A&M and University of Houston programs.
We play 15-on-15 rugby from Oct-May, then 7-on-7 Jun-Aug. It’s a long season, which is great for those who want to commit to a competitive program, but we also have the development side for those who want to play less frequently, more socially. We’re hoping to grow a women’s developmental side within the next year or two. The club is inclusive and hopes that everyone can find a home with us.
I’m proud that HARC is so inclusive, the combination of both genders and multiple clubs as a precursor to the vision I have that the Houston rugby community can have a shared vision and work together to make this THE hub for rugby in the US, or even the entire hemisphere!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
There are some minor lessons learned, but I’m not discouraged on the path I’ve taken. There are many irons in the fire with great people and great ideas that can make our club and all clubs in the region great. I have tried to shed off the minor setbacks, weekend losses, and small mistakes because I won’t give up on the vision of rugby as a sports everyone has tried and comes to watch periodically.
Here’s to the next obstacle, cheers!
Pricing:
- $310 thru Aug 18 for a full practicing member
- $60-100 for social members who receive some swag and access to the VIP tent at home games
Contact Info:
- Address: 7330 Westview Dr, Houston, TX 77055 (Training @ The Regis School)
12131 Kirby Dr, Houston, TX 77045 (Games @ The Houston Sports Park) - Website: Houstonrugby.org
- Phone: 832-225-2045
- Email: president@houstonrugby.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houstonrugby/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HoustonRugby/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/HoustonRugby/
Image Credit:
DM Jakob Photography
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