By BRIAN LOWE
THREE years in and the drive to succeed is still very much part of the fabric of one of the newest clubs to join the USA Rugby League.
The Delaware Black Foxes play in the USARL’s competitive North Conference and while they didn’t make the postseason this year, you get the feeling that they’re not too far off getting to the next level.
If enthusiasm and commitment count for anything, then this team is headed for bigger things.
In establishing the club in 2014, founder and head coach Bjorn Haglid was supported by two former players, Ian Ferguson and Kevin Wiggins, who he had coached at the Wilmington rugby union club. Haglid financed the startup and handled all the paperwork so the Black Foxes could start league play in the summer of 2015.
It wasn’t his first rodeo as he had previously started up the Wilmington Vikings rugby league club back in 1998, and while it lasted for only one season, mainly due to a lack of support from the local rugby union club, he wasn’t deterred and has given it another shot.
“I have always felt that league was a better version of rugby for American footballers to learn, since it mirrors our American Football game so much, whereas union can be difficult with the complex system of rules and set pieces,” said Haglid.
“League is played during the summer months here in the US, when most backs are playing sevens. If I can get a player introduced and playing during the summer, then maybe the local union teams can get a couple of newbies.
“I then can request that come next summer, some of their players help us out. That’s the plan and it is starting to work.”
One of the major hurdles the club faces is recruiting players. It’s a constant challenge to figure out how to successfully get the message out there.
League players from overseas who are in the States for work and so-called ‘crossover’ athletes who haven’t played the game before are among the club’s targets.
“I get about a thousand business cards with team contact info on the front and schedule on the back,” continued Haglid. “Then it is about the team itself. We have social events that bring us together along with wives and girlfriends.
“We try to have a team event every month throughout the year. These events bring out new players.
“We get overseas players mostly by them filling out a request form on the national site www.usarl.com This info is sent out to all of the teams, it is then up to the individual teams to reach out to the player to gauge how serious he is or not.
“As long as the players can get over here and get a holiday visa, we provide free stay with a player or me, meals and some work as they need. We are close to the beaches and centred between New York and Washington DC on the east coast.”
Haglid has been coaching for 20 years, mostly union, and believes his rugby background is a plus for the Black Foxes because it has given him the ability to identify strengths and weaknesses of rugby players.
“My profession is that of an engineer, so I like to think that I look at players and games a bit different.”
He’s currently the head coach of West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Prior to that, he coached the University of Delaware and transformed that team in to a premier Division One club in the collegiate competition. He was at that program for more than 12 years.
By American standards, the Black Foxes are doing pretty well in terms of facilities. They are provided with a football park in Wilmington.
The park has facilities for visiting players, along with stands for the fans. It also has lights so they can stage night matches. Not every team in America can boast such amenities, things that rugby league playing countries take for granted.
So, what of the future? What are the goals and expectations?
“Our expectations are based solely on the team,” added Haglid.
“We want to win every week. If we host, we want to provide the best after event for the visiting club. But mostly, have fun playing rugby at the physical expense of the other team.”
