Dr. Laura,
I have many hobbies, my greatest passion being physical sports. In college, I went to an informational meeting about the women's rugby club and I haven't looked back.
Rugby brings a great deal to my life. For 80 minutes on the field I feel fierce and strong. It takes practice and determination to meet our team goals. During practice and games I can play hard and at least for that time, the stressors in my life don't matter. I have to rely on my teammates and I have to work hard because my teammates are relying on me. My mates are my family. They bring me Gatorade when I am sick, take me to surgery, and help me celebrate my milestones. I truly treasure this group of women that I have chosen to be a part of.
I'm not sure how many years I have left of competitive play and that thought scares me. But I know I will always belong with this team after I am retired from playing, because we share a love for the sport. We all come from different backgrounds, professions, orientations, and general walks of life, but down deep we are very similar. “Ruggers” are a different breed, and maybe we are the only ones who understand each other.
During the day I am a professional, working full time and going to graduate school full time. I dress the role and my colleagues are none the wiser. However, under my dress pants, my legs still look like they did when I was 8. At 34, I am still the tomboy with scraped up knees and bruised legs. And I wouldn't have it any other way!
Karla
