This summer, Simpson began looking into a rugby team, and on Oct. 7, the newly formed team will hold its first non-contact practice.

Rugby was recently introduced at the Iowa high school level said Jim Thorius, vice president of planning and student development. Thorius hopes the sport can add to the overall quality and quantity of campus life. He also hopes that it will help with recruitment.

Jacob Norlin, a teacher and coach at Clarke Community School in Osceola, Iowa has agreed to coach the team. He has coached rugby at the high school level, and the first year he coached, his team made it to the championship game.

Rugby season is in the spring, so there is still plenty of time for anyone wanting to play to sign up.

“Any student can play if they want to, but I would prefer if they have some athletic experience,” Norlin said.

For those who are interested, or just want to see what the start will look like, there will be a non-contact practice on Sunday, Oct. 7. The practice will run from 3 to 5 p.m. on the soccer practice field.

As the program progresses, the team will begin their training and gain potential players to further develop the team’s abilities when the competition comes around in the spring.

Practices will be used for teaching the basics of the game. New players will learn how to pass the ball, score points and how to defend.

The team sport is played with an oval ball that may be kicked, carried or passed from hand to hand. Points are scored by grounding the ball behind the opponents’ goal line or by kicking it between the two posts and over the crossbar of the opponents’ goal.