On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9 p.m., womens rugby players from Berkeley High School can be seen practicing at Harrison Park or Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex. While these fields are not a part of the BHS campus, they have become a home for the All Blues Womens Rugby team, a team that exists outside of the conventional high school sports system.
Although not directly affiliated with BHS, the All Blues Rugby is only allowed to have players from one school during the fall season, meaning it is made up of BHS players, but it welcomes players from high schools across the Bay Area during the spring season. The team name is a spin-off of the New Zealand national rugby team’s name, “The All Blacks.” Both the mens and womens All Black teams are dominant in the world of international rugby.
“I don’t think there are a lot of other rugby teams in the Bay Area, so having one this close by means a lot to me,” BHS sophomore and rugby player Olivia Smith said, “The team dynamic is very helpful, very supportive, always very kind, and lifting each other up in the best way possible.”
“I started playing this year in the fall,” BHS sophomore Amalia Walsh said. After quitting volleyball, Walsh decided to play rugby and quickly grew to enjoy the sport and the team environment. “We all get along, and I’d say we’re a pretty tight-knit team,” Walsh said.
Because All Blues is the only BHS rugby team, there is a big grade difference among players, unlike traditional JV and varsity teams that typically separate underclassmen and upperclassmen. Even with a wide range of grades, the sense of community and support among players is strong.
Despite the team’s welcoming environment, players acknowledge the challenges that come with its reputation, including low participation. “It’s hard to get numbers out with it being such a male-centered and physical sport,” BHS senior and captain Claire Freytag said, “It’s obviously a very hardcore sport, but then off the field, everyone is super friendly.”
Negative perceptions of the sport, such as the idea that it is male-dominated and overly aggressive, have contributed to the low number of female participants over the years.
“I think that’s the biggest thing to overcome, making it more of a both gendered sport, rather than so male-dominated,” Freytag said. Smith echoed that sentiment and said, “We need all the support we can get. More girls should join rugby, people think it’s scary, but it’s really not.”
Female national stars in rugby, like 2024 USA Olympic bronze medalist Ilona Maher, have brought attention to and greatly changed the perceptions of the sport, along with inspiring a new generation of girls. “When I started playing, no one really knew about womens rugby. But when it was in the Olympics, and Ilona Maher and a lot of her iconicness brought a lot of attention to the world of womens rugby,” Freytag said.
Players like Maher, American and international, have not only showcased the athleticism and skill involved in the sport, but they have also become role models, showing that women can be successful in male-dominated sports on a professional level.
The All Blues rugby team is a supportive community for high school female athletes interested in playing womens rugby. It offers a space open to all skill levels and grade levels, creating an inclusive environment where athletes can learn the sport, support their teammates, and build confidence in themselves.