The opportunity now exists for girls 14-18 who would like to become a member of the Rainier Plateau Junior Rugby Club.

This spring, Rainier plans to start a girls program that will compete against the seven other Washington teams including the Kent Crusaders, who are ranked fifth in the nation.

Unlike most sports, girls can continue playing competitive rugby after graduating from high school either at local schools like Central and Western Washington University, the University of Washington, Washington State and Seattle University. There are also local women’s clubs in Seattle, Olympia and Tacoma.

No experience or knowledge of rugby is required. Rugby is a no-cut sport with the philosophy of universal participation, personal responsibility, respect and team spirit. Girls and women’s rugby is one of the fastest-growing high school and college sports and will be included for the first time in the 2016 Olympic Games.

Membership fees will be modest and all equipment and uniform other than cleats is provided. The team will practice in the Sumner/Bonney Lake area twice a week in the evenings starting in Janaury, until the season ends in early May.

The club has scheduled four introductory sessions, which are intended to encourage girls and boys to come and meet the coaches and players in an encouraging and low-key environment, plus receive an introduction to the game. There is no fee to attend these sessions which will take place at the Daffodil Baseball Complex, north of Sumner High School. The sessions will start at 2:30 p.m. each Sunday in November.

To find out more about participating in rugby or the club in general visit www.rainierjuniorrugby.com or facebook page, RainierRFC, or contact coach Andy Ramsay at a.s.ramsay@comcast.net or 253-330-6816.