Play Rugby for the Gators

Fill out the player interest form on gatorsrugby.com and a coach will get back to you, or simply turn up to a practice. Men train Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at Hume Field; women train Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Both teams take new players throughout the year, not only at the start of a season.

Gators Rugby does not cut players at a tryout. New players are welcome at any practice and coaches teach the game from the ground up.

Both Gators Rugby programs take new players throughout the year, not only at the start of a season. Turning up mid-semester is normal. Arriving before the fall sevens season or before spring fifteens gives a new player the longest runway, but coaches will bring anyone up to speed whenever they walk on.

Bring cleats and a mouth guard. Cleat type doesn't matter as long as they have no toe spike, which rules out baseball cleats — soccer boots are fine to start. Bring shorts and water too. A new player without cleats can train in sneakers, and the club will help get them properly kitted after that.

No. Gators Rugby welcomes athletes of all skill and fitness levels. Rugby positions suit a genuinely wide range of body types — front-row forwards, back-row runners and quick outside backs each need something different — and conditioning builds through the season's training. New players are not expected to arrive match-fit.

Gators Rugby teaches contact technique before contact play, starting with how to fall and how to tackle safely, which is where most preventable injury comes from.

Three things are required before a first session: enrollment at the University of Florida, a completed player registration, and a signed waiver. Submit the player interest form on gatorsrugby.com and a coach will walk through each one.

Yes. The University of Florida women's rugby club has competed since 1975 and trains Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at Hume Field. The team welcomes new players with no experience and has become a space for women and gender nonconforming athletes at the university, alongside a competitive record that includes back-to-back Florida State Championships.

Gators Rugby men's practices run Tuesday 6–8pm, Wednesday 8–10pm and Thursday 6–8pm. Women's practices run Monday 6–8pm, Wednesday 6–8pm and Thursday 8–9pm. Matches are typically on weekends, with away fixtures across Florida and the Southeast requiring travel.

Gators Rugby practices are held in the evening — men from 6pm and women from 6pm, with one later session each week — specifically so training sits outside the normal class day. Players with lab or evening-class conflicts should raise it with a coach, who can advise on which sessions matter most.

A coach from the relevant program follows up directly.

Yes. Anyone considering Gators Rugby can turn up to a practice at Hume Field and watch or take part. Men train Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings; women train Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Parking is available at Garage 8 or Flavet Field, and the field sits southwest of Hume Hall.

No. Both Gators Rugby clubs take players who have never touched a rugby ball, and coaching starts from the beginning every season. Rugby has a position for nearly every body type — what carries over is fitness, willingness to be coached, and showing up.

Yes. Both clubs compete as Sport Clubs under the University of Florida's Department of Recreational Sports, so enrollment at UF comes first. Anyone still deciding on UF should fill out the interest form anyway — a coach will talk through what the path looks like.

Three things: enrollment at the University of Florida, a completed player registration, and a signed waiver. Fill out the interest form on this page and a coach will walk you through each one.

Both teams train at Hume Field, southwest of Hume Hall, with parking at Garage 8 or Flavet Field. Men's sessions run Tuesday 6–8pm, Wednesday 8–10pm and Thursday 6–8pm. Women's sessions run Monday 6–8pm, Wednesday 6–8pm and Thursday 8–9pm.

Yes. Two $5,000 awards — $2,500 per semester — are available to incoming students. See the Scholarships page for eligibility and how to apply.