Scott athletes compete on 'Rowdies' rugby team Published April 17, 2013 By Airman Megan Friedl 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- For anyone interested in playing a full-contact sport where players wear little or no protective gear, try joining the Belleville Rowdies Rugby Team because now is their recruiting season. The Belleville Rowdies started about 20 years ago and is still going strong with 32 military and civilian members such as Evan Albeck, a staff sergeant with the 375th Civil Engineer Squadron. "We have a legit coach who has been the coach for two years, but playing for more than 20 years. He will work with new players to help them improve," he said. Throughout the year the Rowdies play three seasons: the summer is a recreational team; the fall is a highly competitive season also known as the inter-league when all the cut matches are played; and spring is considered the recruiting season. The team invites anyone to come to their practices, which are every Tuesday and Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at Jaycees Park in Belleville. During the practices the players work on game play scenarios and conditioning. Sydney Kneubuhl, a technical sergeant with the 435th Supply Chain Operation Squadron, said, "Don't let your skills, or lack thereof, keep you from trying out for rugby or coming to a few practices. It's not expected for new players to know everything. In rugby, people will build and develop skills progressively." In each game there are 22 players suited up, and 15 of those are playing on the field. Those 15 players usually play the entire game nonstop unless there's an injury. Individual rugby positions in a team fall into two major groups: the "forwards" and the "backs." The "forwards," who wear numbers 1 through 8 on their jerseys, tend to be the bigger, stronger and heavier players in the team. These are the players who use size and strength to get the ball and move it toward the opponent's goal-line. They are known collectively as "the pack." The "backs" wear numbers 9 through 15 on their jerseys. These team members provide more of the speed, agility and evasiveness required in many cases to score. They tend to be smaller, faster and are more elusive. Andrew Machin, an Australian Air Force member with the 618th Air and Space Operations Center, said, "We have a lot of camaraderie and brotherhood among the players. Once you get on the field the rank comes off, and we're all rugby players."