Women Playing Rugby!
Another reason that the 1974 team enjoyed so much success was because that was the first year the rugby club received funding from the school. In previous years, all expenses for uniforms, travel, and equipment were paid out of pocket by players and coaches of the rugby team. With less energy and focus spent on logistics, and more time to actually play and learn the game, the team flourished. It is no surprise that only two years later in 1976, when funding for rugby was cut, the team’s presence disappeared once again. But, the sporadic nature of Trinity University rugby continued in 1977 when not men, but women began to organize a club rugby team at Trinity. Ellen Caldwell, the publicity director for the San Antonio Roses (which was the campus team that was created) commented about finding a sponsor to pay for beer in the school newspaper, “It (a sponsor) helps out with beer. They're always having beer at the tournaments. They could give us the money or we could do some advertising in return for money and beer” (Olmsted, 1977). The ladies not only played rugby, but they participated in the traditions of the game, which included the excessive beer drinking!