The Penticton Harlequins Rugby Club is busy preparing for its season opener in three weeks and also trying to promote new programs to get more adults and children in and around Penticton interested in the game.
The senior men’s team will play its opener on April 21 at its home field at McNicoll Park in Penticton against the Vernon Jackals.
“The guys have been outside training for about three weeks now to get ready for the season,” said club president Ken Simpson.
Many longtime players trained over the winter months at the Adidas Sportsplex in Penticton.
The team practices at the McNicoll Park rugby oval every Tuesday and Thursday evening starting at 5:30 p.m. Practices usually last between an 75 and 90 minutes, he said.
The team has a core of 20 players, many who have been with the Harlequins for many years, but they’re always looking for new talent, said Simpson.
“We could always use more numbers,” he said. “To run a good team, we’re going to need about 25 guys as you have to have players in place once guys get injured. We’ve had a core of about 20 guys for the past few years, but we would always like to add more.”
The Harlequins have a couple of players from South Africa and one from Australia, where rugby is hugely popular and on par with what the game of ice hockey is here in Canada, said Simpson.
The Central Okanagan Rugby Union will once again feature only three teams with the Salmon Arm Manthers joining Vernon and the Harlequins.
A fourth team made up of players from the Merritt area and other parts of the Okanagan are scheduled to play a couple of exhibition games this spring, he said.
The Harlequins will host Salmon Arm in their second game of the season on May 5 at McNicoll Park. They visit Salmon Arm on May 26 for their first road game of the season and then visit Vernon on June 2.
The league semi-final will take place on June 26 at the home field of the second-place team, who will take on the team that finishes third.
The winner of that game will face the team that finishes in first place in the league championship game on June 23.
The Harlequins will also be hosting their annual Sun Fest tournament the weekend of June 9-10 at McNicoll Park.
“We usually get six to eight teams for our tournament … it’s a really good time,” he said.
To expand the sport locally and hopefully provide players for the men’s team for years to come, the Harlequins started a touch rugby league for youngsters between the ages of five and 15 last spring, said Simpson.
That league will return once again this spring with players invited to practice every Monday and Wednesday evening, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at McNicoll Park.
An adult touch league will begin this spring for anyone over age 18, also on Monday and Wednesday evenings with practices to start around 6:30 p.m.
“No previous rugby experience is needed,” said Simpson. “It’s all about introducing them to the game and having some fun.”
The junior touch rugby program focuses on skills, fitness, knowledge and enjoyment of rugby in a fun atmosphere, said Simpson.
Participants in the junior and adult touch rugby program will only require running shoes or cleated soccer/rugby boots.
If there’s enough response, the Harlequins would also like to develop a youth Under-18 program starting this spring, said Simpson.
Any young players between the ages of 16 and 18 is asked to attend a regular men’s practice Tuesday and Thursday evenings, he said.
For more information contact Simpton at 250-770-3142 or visit the Harlequins website at www.pentictonharlequins.ca.
