by Mark Smiley | Nov 20, 2017 | Glendale City News
by John Arthur
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
GLENDALE, CO – OCTOBER 7: Glendale Merlins Women vs Berkley All Blues at Infinity Park on October 7, 2017 in Glendale, Colorado. (Photo by Seth McConnell)
As Glendale prepares for the 2018 launch of Major League Rugby, the town also honors its storied history of attracting talented players. Two veteran Glendale ruggers, Hannah Stolba and Carmen Farmer, announced at the final home match at Infinity Park in October that they would hang up their cleats at season’s end. Even in retirement, however, both of these exceptional players intend to remain involved with the sport and with Glendale.
Stolba was born in Montana, and grew up playing basketball, eventually being awarded a basketball scholarship to Minnesota State University, Mankato. She picked up rugby during the offseason on the advice of a friend, and took to the sport quickly, “I loved it. I fell in love with the game and the challenge and mostly the people. Rugby was much more free form and I enjoyed that.” Before finishing college, Stolba began playing for the Minnesota Valkyries, even touring with the club’s Under-23 team in New Zealand.
After finishing college Stolba moved to Minneapolis and continued playing with the Valkyries for another six years, moving to Colorado in 2011. Among her many accolades, Stolba played with the USA Women’s Rugby Team from 2012 through the 2014 World Cup. Following the 2014 season, she casually mentions that she “thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail” (the longest footpath in the world, the nearly 2,200 mile trail stretches from Maine to Georgia), before spending six months playing and coaching in New Zealand in 2016.
Stolba says she chose Colorado not just for the outdoor lifestyle the state is famous for, but also because of the programming and facilities at Infinity Park. She notes that she still intends to be involved with the game — playing touch rugby and coaching — but that retirement from club play is meant to allow more time for hobbies and hiking. Asked what message she had for Glendale, Stolba was quick to thank the city and its people for their support: “It’s very uncommon in the U.S. to get picked out of a crowd for playing rugby, but we live in this unique pocket . . . thank you, for supporting us the way that you do. It is greatly appreciated from our whole program.”
GLENDALE, CO – OCTOBER 21: Glendale Merlins Women vs San Diego Surfers at Infinity Park on October 21, 2017 in Glendale, Colorado. (Photo by Seth McConnell)
Carmen Farmer was born in Richmond, Virginia. She grew up in the state, attending college at Virginia Tech, where she played collegiate softball. After college she earned a law degree from the University of Maryland and practiced on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, not discovering rugby until some five years later. In an interesting twist of fate, the future Olympic rugby player discovered the sport after a conversation with an Australian while hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Upon her return from Tanzania, Farmer found the Severn River Women’s Rugby Club in Annapolis, Maryland, and walked onto a practice a week later. 2012, her first year playing rugby, the team took second in the National Championships. Two years later Farmer played in the World Cup in France. She notes that during this time she played her first match at Infinity Park, facing a South African team in 2013.
Farmer played at Severn River for three years at the Division 2 level before moving to San Diego, where she trained with the Seven’s National Team. Following the Rio Olympics, she took a job with a Land Trust in Colorado and began playing for Glendale. Asked about what drew her to Glendale, she notes the program’s “rich history and high level of play,” and, with a smile, “the facilities aren’t too bad either.”
Farmer doesn’t have firm plans for retirement, but intends to focus more time on work. Even if she’s not on the pitch, however, she will remain a fan of the sport. Asked for final reflection on her time in Glendale, she extends a sincere thank you to the community for welcoming her during her short tenure with the team: “It has been an absolute pleasure getting to play here, and the support from the staff and the people of Glendale has been second to none.”
Though Farmer and Stolba both spoke fondly of their time in Glendale, the city, and rugby fans everywhere owe acknowledgment to these accomplished players as well. Through their tireless efforts on the pitch, their character, and their passion for sport, they have helped maintain Glendale’s position at the epicenter of rugby in the United States. Past is prologue in RugbyTown USA, and it’s just as bright as the city’s future.
by Mark Smiley | Oct 23, 2017 | Glendale City News
by John Arthur
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
GLENDALE, CO – OCTOBER 7: Glendale Merlins Men vs New York Old Blue at Infinity Park on October 7, 2017 in Glendale, Colorado. (Photo by Seth McConnell)
Sponsor partnerships are an important and mutually beneficial aspect of regional sports teams, organizations, and venues. Glendale’s Infinity Park, the first rugby-specific venue in the nation, offers a unique and vibrant platform from which sponsors can create their own brand awareness, engage in community outreach, and target an enthusiastic and growing rugby fan base. Infinity Park and the Glendale Rugby Club have recently welcomed a sponsor partnership with SCL Health — a relationship that begins as Infinity Park celebrates its 10th anniversary in Glendale, and as the Raptors prepare to enter the next chapter of the organization’s rich history.
SCL Health is a faith-based, non-profit health organization headquartered in Broomfield, Colo. SCL Health traces its history – and its name – to the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth, a Catholic religious institution that follows in the tradition of 17th century French leaders, Saints Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac. Dedicated to improving the health of the people and communities they serve, SCL’s $2.5 billion dollar healthcare network aspires to provide comprehensive, coordinated care in Colorado and Montana. In Colorado, SCL Health operates Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge, Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette, Platte Valley Medical Center in Brighton, and St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction. With 11 total hospitals, more than 115 physician clinics, and over 18,000 employees, the organization focuses on excellent patient care quality, and is especially dedicated to improving the health of the poor and vulnerable.
Tim Shonsey, the Regional Director of Marketing and Communications for SCL Health’s Front Range hospitals, says he’s had his eye on sponsorship at Infinity Park for some time: “We decided to sponsor Infinity Park because it’s a great venue to connect with the Glendale community. Having a growing sports audience that has a direct connection to one of our providers made it an easy decision.” Shonsey re-marked that sponsorship is an important part of SCL Health’s general community outreach as well, noting that the organization also supports Colorado Public Radio and partners with other media outlets to provide health information to the communities it serves. “The most important part of any partnership opportunity is our ability to promote health and wellness to people who may one day become our patients,” said Shonsey.
Uniquely, SCL Health’s partnership with Infinity Park extends beyond the recent sponsorship. Dr. Michael DaRosa, a Sports Medicine Physician at SCL Health Medical Group – Denver Sports Medicine, is also the team physician for the Glendale Raptors and Merlins. Specializing in musculoskeletal injuries, pain treatment, and a sports-related concussion specialist, DaRosa has been treating Glendale’s rugby players since 2016: “I love caring for these extremely tough, strong, and skilled athletes on the sidelines and in my office. My goal for all my patients is get them back in action as safely and quickly as possible. It is an absolute pleasure caring for these hardworking athletes at beautiful Infinity Park.” Asked about why SCL Health would endeavor to become a sponsor partner of Infinity Park, DaRosa remarked that the organization appreciates seeing active, motivated individuals — exact
ly the kind of patrons that Infinity Park and the Glendale Rugby Clubs attract. Just as Coloradans are passionate about rugby, SCL Health is passionate about caring for the communities it serves.
Since its founding in 2007, Infinity Park has become a hub not just for entertainment, community, and, of course, rugby, but has also served as a nexus of Colorado’s healthy, active character. Celebrating 10 years of impassioned growth, and standing on the brink of a new chapter of explosive rugby expansion, Glendale is also proud to be embarking on a new sponsor partnership with SCL Health. No doubt the new sponsor is also looking forward to a fruitful relationship — alongside Glendale’s loyal fan base, the Raptors’ role as a founding team in the forthcoming Major League Rugby organization means that SCL is poised to see a significant return on investment.
by Mark Smiley | Sep 25, 2017 | Glendale City News
by John Arthur
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
Glendale’s Infinity Park, home to the city’s Raptors and Merlins rugby teams, has a longstanding history of positively engaging local communities. In the late-August days leading to Infinity Park’s annual RugbyTown Sevens tournament, that tradition of outreach was further strengthened. With organizational help from Infinity Park hosts, Armed Forces teams participating in the tournament paid visits to Children’s Hospital Colorado, putting smiles on faces young and old, and demonstrating the alignment of outreach and inclusion indicative of rugby’s values and those of military service.
Founded in 1908, Children’s Hospital Colorado has been providing outstanding pediatric care for over a century. The private, not-for-profit provider is affiliated with the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and is ranked as a best national children’s hospital by U.S. News & World Report. With both national and international Armed Forces teams visiting in the week leading up to the RugbyTown Sevens tournament, patients and their families experienced firsthand the compassion and character definitive of rugby athletes.
Dacoda Worth, a rookie playing for the Army Rugby 7s team, reflected on his first appearance at the tournament, and in participating in community outreach: “Through rugby, and the military in general, the best feeling is giving back. That’s what we’re doing every day through our service, and giving back here, visiting these kids, as a rugby player and a serviceman is really rewarding.”
RugbyTown Sevens, an annual Glendale tournament attracting teams from across the globe and producing competition at the highest level, served as backdrop for the visits to Children’s Hospital. Representatives from the U.S. Marines, Army, Navy, and Coast Guard teams, as well as from the British Royal Air Force participated in the visits.
Rob Bell, making his second appearance at
the RugbyTown tournament with the Royal Air Force team, quipped that the hospital visit was an important aspect of the experience, and that there was more to the tournament, and rugby, than just the competition: “If you look at rugby in America, it’s grown and grown. With the military teams all coming to the hospital and interacting with the kids, it sends a really positive message. We’re here to engage with the local community — not just to play. It’s very important.” Bell went on to note the similarities between the values inherent in rugby as a sport and those of military service: “Rugby aligns with military values: respect, integrity, service, friendship, ethics, and camaraderie. There’s a massive crossover with the values of rugby. Outreach like this helps us demonstrate that to the public in a way that’s meaningful.”
Rugby’s character-driven ethos, explained by Bell, assures there is more to the sport than competition. But in addition to the military team visits, the weekend did see a great deal of high-level Sevens play. Newcomers to the tournament, Fiji SAVU Water, also known as the Viti Barbarians, walked away overall tournament champions, winners of the RT7s Cup, and with the $10,000 tournament purse that title guaranteed. Members of the visiting Fijian team had previously participated on the gold-medal-winning Fiji national team at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Another fan favorite, the U.S. Army team won the military championship in decisive form, earning that distinction for the fifth year running. Competing for the first time under the new Merlins moniker, the hometown team struggled. Moving forward from the tournament, team focus shifted to the then upcoming 15s season, which kicked off the first weekend of September. Notably, the home opener underscored celebrations of Infinity Park’s 10th anniversary as a Glendale focal point.
The excitement of world-class competition didn’t take away from the importance of the team visits to Children’s Hospital, however. Eric Geckas, playing for the U.S. Coast Guard team in his fourth appearance at the tournament, likened the feelings of military service and community outreach to rugby play: “Coast Guard boat crews and flight crews operate in a lot of the same ways the rugby team does on the field. We joined out of pride. To serve. Combining those feelings with sport, and then with our ability to improve the lives of people in a difficult situation — that’s what it’s all about.” Sentiments like Geckas’ were shared by all of the participating team members and coaches.
Head coach of the All-Navy 7s team, Koma Gandy Fischbein described the hospital visit as an emissary of the sport: “We recognize and embrace that we are both ambassadors of the U.S. Navy and the sport of rugby. We welcomed the opportuni
ty to inspire, and be inspired by, these brave children and their families. Outreach is an essential part of being a whole athlete; within the rugby community and especially the Armed Forces, giving back and making an impact is part of who we are. It’s a part of why we serve and why we play this sport.” As the compassion and character embodied by both rugby players and military service members was shown in August, it seems likely the sport has at least a few new young fans.
by Mark Smiley | Aug 30, 2017 | Glendale City News
by Kurt Woock
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
On July 17, dozens of young rugby players arrived at Infinity Park. They came from as far as California, Iowa, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Idaho. They came to play, learn, and grow in the seventh annual Girls High School Rugby Camp. “This camp gives these girls the opportunity to play more rugby with different levels of players and to get coaching from really strong women and coaches,” said Jenna Anderson, youth rugby programs manager at Infinity Park.
Great coaching is the cornerstone for all youth programming at Infinity Park. Luckily, there’s a deep pool of talent from which to draw. Glendale Rugby coaches, Raptors players, and players from the USA national team were on hand to share what they know with players whom they just might call teammates in a few years. “I think that my favorite part of this camp is the variety of coaches we bring in,” Anderson said. Young players, who might have only ever learned from one or two coaches are suddenly learning from more than a dozen coaches, each of whom has different coaching methods, skills, and experiences. This was a big deal, Anderson said, for young rugby fans
, some of whom had seen or read about these top rugby players before coming to camp. “A lot of times, the girls are starstruck,” she said.
The effect of camp reverberates beyond the four days the girls were there, and the camp in some ways reaches an audience larger than those who participated. Young players bring back home with them the various skills and approach to playing they were exposed to. While growing quickly, the rugby resources available in any given area in the country probably can’t match the coaching and experience levels found in more established sports. Even a very good coach can only offer a single perspective. Learning from many coaches, as the campers were able to do, is beneficial in itself. Camps like these can have a pollinating effect; a visitor can take her experiences back home, and those with whom she plays then have the opportunity to learn something new, raising the rugby IQ of the entire group. Anderson said that the involvement of women who are currently playing the game at the highest level makes this phenomenon that much stronger.
In addition to spending time working on specific rugby skills on Infinity Park’s main field, campers learn a holistic approach to developing a healthy lifestyle, including time spent learning about nutrition and exercise. Anderson said that coaches introduce girls to a new kind of workout every year. One year this meant working with kettlebells. Another year campers headed out to Red Rocks to battle the stairs. This year, the girls took part in a yoga class. That was in line with this year’s focus on the mental aspect of rugby.
“It’s important to understand that rugby isn’t just a physical sport; you nee
d to take care of your body and your mind,” Anderson said. “We talked all week about how to be your best athlete, and that does not necessarily mean you want to make Team USA.” She said the coaches and players frequently talked about the importance of simply having and sticking to a plan, whether that was a plan for a practice or game, or a plan to get into college. Mealtimes at camp became a time during which coaches coached players on topics that were larger than a single on-field skill. “Each day at lunch, we talked about how to go into the field with confidence. We talked about coachability, and what coaches are looking for: Are you positive? Do you better your teammates? Do you push yourself? We talked about figuring out what your highest level is.”
During the week, campers experienced Infinity Park as if it were their home turf. For many, it was their first time playing in a stadium that big. That, plus the chance to work with some of the nation’s best coaches and players, isn’t something you’ll find at most summer sports camps. “We have all thes
e cool things in Glendale,” Anderson said. “We want to share them.”
The eighth annual camp will take place in July 2018. Anderson always hopes to welcome new girls to camp, but she also expects to see plenty of returning campers. She said she recently heard the highest compliment about the camp from a young camper: “We had one girl who is really talented who comes back every year. And she wants to come back next year. She asked, ‘How do you guys do it? How do you have camp every year and not teach the same thing?’” That was good news for Anderson, who sets out to do just that each year. “We’re always expanding, bringing in different drills. When you do come back year after year, you’re getting a new experience. The only thing that’s the same are the facilities.”
by Mark Smiley | Jul 24, 2017 | Glendale City News
by Andrew McKenna
Saturday, August 26, Glendale’s Infinity Park will once again host the popular Bruises +Brews Beerfest. Coinciding with the always exciting RugbyTown 7s rugby tournament, the festival is in its fourth year of providing fans and spectators with enticing local suds and a few spirits. The Saturday event will feature more than 20 local breweries, as well as cider brewers and distilleries.
The United States has a long history with beer. Due in large part to English and Dutch colonists, beer, rather than wine, established itself as a national beverage in the colonial period. Following the repeal of the 18th Amendment (Prohibition) in 1933, brewing, sale, and distribution of beer made a strong return to the American way of life. Today, beer makes up more than 85 percent of alcoholic beverages consumed in the country annually.
In recent decades, craft brewing has seen a meteoric rise in the country, becoming a $22 billion industry as of 2016, with continued growth projected. Colorado has been and remains at the foreground of that growth — the state has one of the highest numbers of breweries per million inhabitants in the country and is among the top five states in craft beer output. New Belgium Brewing in Ft. Collins is among the top five largest craft brewers in the country. The Mountain West is considered a hot spot for beer making because the region supports the growth of many of the hop varietals used in brewing. Local beer makers will display the fruits of their labors with those hops at Infinity Park’s August festival.
Craft beer making in Colorado and elsewhere is about more than fruitful agriculture, however. Employee and/or family ownership, local ingredients, and themed beers indicate the strong sense of community within the realm of craft brewing. That sort of local, community-based ethos makes craft brewing and Glendale rugby especially well-suited bedfellows.
Annette Gilman is the owner of Scrum Enterprises, the concessionaire that holds Infinity Park’s liquor license. Gilman, who manages the annual beer festival, is in command of securing all of the participating breweries and distilleries. Beginning in August 2014, she has worked tirelessly to combine beer and spirits with the RugbyTown 7s tournament. According to G
ilman, the festival has grown in size and popularity every year, successfully introducing thousands of beer lovers to the game of rugby. A joint effort between Infinity Park and Scrum Enterprises, Bruises+Brews also utilizes local rugby players as barbacks for the festival. In return, the non-profit, Glendale Youth Rugby Foundation, which supports rugby development for young players, receives a portion of the festival proceeds as a donation.
Barret O’Brien, merchandiser for Infinity Park and Executive Director for Glendale’s Youth Rugby Foundation, says the exponential growth the festival has experienced over the years has been thrilling. “Anybody who’s a beer lover knows that beer festivals are a dime a dozen in Denver. This brings to the table an entirely new experience for most beer enthusiasts — rugby and beer just go together naturally.”
It is noteworthy that the one-day beer festival happens amidst the now internationally renowned, weekend-long RugbyTown 7s tournament. Attracting teams from across the globe, including teams from all five branches of the U.S. military and players from the gold medal winning Fijian team, the tournament promises an action-packed background against which to enjoy Colorado craft brews. Sevens rugby, which debuted in Olympic competition at the Rio games in 2016, is a fast-paced, hard-hitting variation on traditional 15-a-side rugby play. Matches consist of two seven-minute halves — the short duration ensures there will be no dull moments for spectators, and allows an entire tournament to happen over the course of the weekend. Twenty teams from six nations will compete in over 60 matches for the winner-take-all $10,000 purse.
As rugby and craft beer continue to surge in national popularity, so too will Glendale’s annual Bruises+Brews Beerfest — rugby and beer: better together.
by Mark Smiley | Jun 23, 2017 | Glendale City News
by Kurt Woock
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
At 1,727 square feet, the new video screen installed at Infinity Park earlier this summer covers an area the size of a three bedroom house. It’s more than twice the size of the previous video board. But the gains can be measured in more ways than sheer size.
“The city planned to replace the old video screen this year,” said Linda Cassaday, Glendale’s deputy city manager. The screen had reached the end of its projected lifetime. Screen technology has not only made significant advancements in the near decade that has elapsed since Infinity Park opened, but also the old technology is truly obsolete: Cassaday said it was becoming difficult, if not impossible, to find replacement parts.
Cassaday said the new screen, and the company that made it, needed to fit a few requirements. First, the screen needed to be versatile enough to accommodate the many needs at Infinity Park, which include showing live video from rugby matches, displaying statistics and advertisements, and broadcasting movies during Monday Movie Madness (the last of which wasn’t even on the city’s radar when the first screen was installed). Second, in order to conserve time and money, the video screen needed to be able to use the old screen’s existing platform. Third, the company providing the screen needed to be able to have a proven track record of being able to respond quickly to problems when they arise. After interviewing a few companies, Cassaday said the top choice was clearly Daktronics.
Daktronics is a South Dakota-based company that has been making electronic scoreboards, programmable display systems, and large screen video displays since 1968. Both the company headquarters and the manufacturing facility are in Brookings, South Dakota, which was an important factor for Cassaday. “When you have an issue, you want to reach out locally, especially when it comes to technica
l problems,” she said. At one point, the video screen had an issue the day before a tournament. Needing a fix as soon as possible, the crew at Infinity Park was at the stadium at 1 a.m. in order to connect with the provider, which is located halfway around the world. With parts only one state away, addressing pressing issues quickly becomes much easier.
Chances are you’ve already seen a Daktronics product. Mile High Stadium, Coors Field, and Pepsi Center all use Daktronics video displays. In fact, nearly every major professional sports team in the country uses a Daktronics video screen in their home stadium, as do many college stadiums. Although this will be the first Daktronics installation at a rugby stadium in the U.S., Daktronics is no stranger to Rugby as Twickenham in London and the Adelaide Oval in Australia both use Daktronics screens.
Each board at Daktronics is custom made for the customer. The new screen at Infinity Park is the largest size that the current support system can handle. It measures 24 feet by 53 feet (the old board was 20 feet by 33 feet) and uses 13HD LED technology, the best currently available. “When you go to any sporting event and look up at the big screen, a lot of fans expect it to be as clear as their screen at home,” said Eric Cain, regional sales rep for Daktronics. “In the past, it was a bit more grainy. In the last seven years, we were able to get that clarity. That’s the goal: To make a live event realm be as good as or better than your living room.” In addition to the main video board, a new ribbon display will stretch 250 feet along the east end of the stadium.
All that new space will enhance the in-game experience for fans and will give advertisers more value for their sponsorship dollars. Instead of a static sign with a company logo printed on it, like the ones that surrounded the old video screen, the new video screen will be able to have moving logos, will be able to incorporate sponsors into in-game video, and can allow more sponsors to be featured in more interesting ways. “We can increase sponsorship opportunities because of it, recouping our cost that much more quickly,” Cassaday said. Companies can, for example, sponsor halftime or each time the home team scores. Cain said other stadiums have used the ribbon board to display statistics, freeing the main scoreboard for larger video and to engage with fans by displaying live social media feeds and conducting in-game fan polls.
The relationship between Daktronics and Infinity Park will not end when the installation is complete. Daktronics also provides software packages that display information on the screen and has in-state, full-time technicians, removing the need for Infinity Park to find contractors who are familiar enough with their video screen. Cain, who grew up in and lives in Colorado, is looking forward to a long tenure at Infinity Park. “I can’t express how pumped Daktronics is to be part of the first rugby stadium in the U.S.”
