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Since he was a boy, Phil Camm has found a calling as both a player and coach through the sport of rugby.
Camm, 31, lives on the Lewisville/Flower Mound border and has been in and around the Dallas-area since October 2003. Before that, the Englishman was taking and delivering hits on rugby pitches across the United Kingdom.
He is currently an enrollment counselor with the University of Phoenix and takes Tuesday and Thursday nights as an opportunity to spread the game that has been a part of his life for more than 20 years to new and old players from across the metroplex.
“Teaching new players, or teaching new skills to old players is what got me into coaching, but seeing these groups develop into close friends is something special,” Camm said.
Though the sport of rugby still is foreign to athletes and sports fans from around the area, the game has grown in popularity with dozens of programs from Midland all the way to McAllen.
Clubs such as Camm’s team, the North Texas Griffins based in Frisco, have found a way to blend an aggressive contact sport into a respectable local nonprofit organization.
“Rugby has the almost unique ability to provide a physical outlet to the competitive, amateur athlete with the added benefit of enabling somebody to become a member of a close-knit community,” Camm said. “The difference this can make in some guys’ lives is remarkable.”
As of now, the Griffins have achieved 501-c3 status and are working to becoming closer with the Frisco community as a whole.
“We’re partnering with Frisco Family Services for our first season but hope to build even stronger ties with good local causes,” Camm said.
The first match of the season for Camm and his team that is a blend of teachers, accountants, business men, investors and family men will take place at 2 p.m. Oct. 3 at Frisco ISD Memorial Stadium.
MORE INFO:
To learn more about Camm and his rugby team, visit northtexasgriffins.com or e-mail info@griffinsrugby.com.
Marcus Murphree is the Garland Wylie Sachse neighborsgo editor. He can be reached at 469-330-5638.
