Palo Verde trying something new with creation of rugby club

This year Palo Verde is the first school in the valley to have a rugby club.

Rugby is a game that combines the plays of soccer and football and is between two teams of 15 players each.

The club has 36 members, four of them being girls, and they have scrimmages against each other.

There is a wide range of players, from petite girls to some of the biggest guys at the school.

Kianna "Kikie" Alcaraz, a junior, is the smallest girl at 4 foot 7 inches and 86 pounds.

"It is really fun being the smallest one," Alcaraz says. "I play the equivalent of a quarterback and most people don't expect me to be as tough as I am."

The rugby club got started from an idea that came to Tyler Hunt one day while he was on break at summer school when he learned how to play.

Hunt says the movie "Forever Strong" also gave him inspiration. He is now president of the club.

At a typical meeting, everyone gathers on public grounds near the school to drill and learn how to play the game. Most players have never played before.

But rugby players don't just do drills. They watch a lot of movies and eat a lot of food. This helps them bond, which helps everyone's overall game.

"I like that this is new to Nevada," sophomore Chaz Clawson says. "I like doing things that are unique, and hope to be part of something that grows really quick."

Because Palo Verde is the only school that has a rugby club it is hard to believe the sport is popular.

"Most people don't realize that rugby is a big sport, the U.S. has a team and it's really big in other countries," Alcaraz says.

Rugby is such a violent game that the Clark County School District will not let it be a sport, which is why it only can be a club.

But the whole club agrees that they hope it will grow to be considered a sport in years to come.