41st High Desert Classic Rugby Tournament  Albuquerque 2011: A Side Championship Winner B side Consolation Winner.

Goal: Advance to National Championship with sportsmanship and skills
Coach: Dick Greene 505.263.7812
E-mail: greene_d@nmhu.edu
Club President: Brian Ybarra
Email: Ybarra_brian@yahoo.com
Club Captain: Scotty Sotomailto:ssoottoo2@yahoo.com
Email: ssoottoo2@yahoo.com
Overview:

Everyone is welcome to join the club! You need NOT be a Highlands student.

After a relatively modest 12-8, 2010-11 season and our first national playoff absence in years, we hope to enjoy a better, more committed 2011-12 season.  We, and most others, expect to win our MD3 Division in the Rio Grande Rugby Union and make the national playoffs. Although we won a good tournament and had an overall winning record, we did not meet our historic standard. Let's do better and respect the game with better rugby and great sportsmanship.

We are looking for hard and capable gentlemen.  Rugby, the second most popular game in the world, demands good sportsmanship and both mental and physical fitness. Highlands's rugby is open to everyone, not only Highlands University students. Players must be willing to commit, act maturely and unselfishly, and enjoy the rugby. NO EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY. The time commitment is 4-8 hours/week during both fall and spring - 11-week seasons. The club is self sufficient and independent, thus members share responsibilities and expenses, host visiting teams, travel strong, and do fund raising with community service. Costs are relatively minimal - usually less than $100/season. WE DO NOT RELY ON THE TAXPAYER. We are very proud that our student athletes have a greater than 70% graduation rate, and they become respected and productive alumni. Our alumni, "Vato Viejos," old boy team forms periodically and are very competitive.
COME JOIN US!

Seasons: Sept. - Oct. and Mar. - May (depending on playoffs).

Core Values: unselfishness, lifelong fitness, courage, humor, sportsmanship, helpfulness, integrity, good character.

Training: Tuesdays and Thursdays; starts by the first Tuesday in September and February; 5-7 p.m. in Perkins Stadium complex. Bring shorts, strong jersey, cleats, and warm sweats. A mouth guard is useful. Ask what you can to for the club and game, not what they can do for you! BE A MATURE ADULT.

Games:  Generally Saturdays during seasons; half are away games, generally 10-12 total games/season. Vatos generally travel to one or two major tournaments/season. We pay our way and enjoy the earned independence.

History

Formed 1992
Rio Grande Rugby Union Champions: 12 years  (various divisions)
USA Western Rugby Union Champion: 1 year
USA Western Rugby Union Finalist: 1 year
USA Rugby Highest Ranking: 8th
Overall Winning Percentage: 75%
Western All Stars (Selects) and Super League Players: 16
Alumni: >210 solid rugby men 

Highlands RFC VATOS 2011-12 SCHEDULE

GOALS: OVERALL FITNESS, GOOD RUGBY, SOLID SPORTSMANSHIP, and NATIONAL PLAYOFFS

Captain Jesse Berryhill; jtberryhill@gmail.com
Alumni Coordinator Mando Herrera; vatosrugby@gmail.com
Coach Dick Greene; greene_d@nmhu.edu
Website: Highlands Vato Rugby, 20th anniversary, 1992-2012

Position Roster: click here
Be helpful. Get fit. Learn game. Good citizen. Hard gentleman.