Mack Lewis

A Sept. 7 article was written about the Lady Maverick rugby team, stating that a “proverbial ‘Sophomore Slump’” was a probable happening for the 2010 season. What was missing from this piece was nothing more than the stats and facts surrounding the team. After getting to know the team, it was easy to see that the opinions piece was nothing more than that, an opinion.
What are the ingredients to making an undefeated rugby team? Your record has to be undefeated for one. Having legit returning players helps. The team will have 16 returners. A USA U-20 National team player couldn’t hurt. The Mavs are captained by Mack Lewis, just such a player. A territorial side player representing the best rugby players Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico has to offer is a great bonus. Sam Miller played this summer with the U23 West side team. Your Mavs team has five individuals representing Eastern Rockies Rugby Football Union (ERRFU), the all-Colorado team and we have former talented high school players. Mesa has three of Colorado’s high school state champions playing for their team. The above helped make the 2009 Mesa Maverick rugby team undefeated, but apparently also gives way for people to dub the team a “fluke of 2009.”
Whether you like rugby, know what rugby is, or have never seen a game, one cannot judge a team without knowing it. Moms everywhere teach their kids, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” It’s easy to talk about something but entirely different to know what you are talking about. The Lady Mavs, for one, did not go 8-0. They went 7-0-1, after giving an aged and talented Boulder Babes team a tie in the Mavericks’ inaugural match. They did not play any team from Aspen. They did not compete in a shortened schedule. In reality, they played one more game last year than they are scheduled to play this year. Since last year was the first year with a new coach, should not the “slump” have occurred then?
The Mavericks did not play Colorado State or University of Colorado. True point, however, they did play University of Northern Colorado, and better yet, won. Could our football team play and beat CSU or CU? To judge a teams skill based off of the number of D-I verses D-II schools played is ridiculous. Mesa has skilled players, who will in time take on Division I schools but to make the playoffs, Mesa has to beat Division II schools, not Division I.
The team only goes up from here. Last season, the ladies were lucky to get 18 players to make each game. Injuries were an issue and subs were almost impossible to come by. This year the team averages 25 women at any given practice. The roster tops 30. Injuries can always hurt a team but with the right amount of numbers it should not break them.
With everything said and done, the team may face a defeat this year. Like the movie “A Beautiful Mind” states, “in competitive behavior someone always loses.” Coming into a season undefeated is impossible to top and even more impressive if repeated. However, win or lose, Mesa State should back their “on-campus organization.” Don’t judge ‘em ‘till you know ‘em. Come watch the ladies play. They have five home games starting Sunday, Sept. 26 at 11 a.m. They take on Northern Colorado, a team with a “proven reputation” who have already suffered one defeat to the Mavericks. Get to know the team, then form opinions about them.

mlewis@mesastate.edu