Narrative Essay On Becoming An Outsider

Their jovial voices overshadowed the chest thumping of the boys. Some of their faces tensed at the sight of my pencil and notebook. They asked if I was with the Daily Tar Heel, the campus newspaper. Dressed in my Adidas exercise pants and shirt, I confused them. My face was unfamiliar to the rest of the women, but I looked as if I could have been joining them. I was an outsider who could become an insider. However, as long as there were no cleats on my feet, there was a certain dialogue I could not touch.
The president of the club, Teagan, was the only person who knew I was coming. With a short haircut and highlighter shirt, she stood out from the more timid faces. Only a few personalities “ran” the group. Hers was one of them. She welcomed me to “do whatever I needed.”
Malia, a returning player, was one of the first players to ask about my study. Again, I had to answer-I was not there to play, only to watch. Slight bouts of concern crossed her face. The team was a family. You did not cross a family.
After the water break, the team gathered in a huddle. The coach outlined the objectives for the night, ending with a “1, 2, 3, Pride.” that shook the trees. Part of
Rugby, or the “Rugby Union” came to the United States around the 1850s with the first recorded game occurring in 1874 at Harvard University.[i] By 1880, American universities were beginning to deviate towards what would become modern-day American football. From 1880 to 2001, rugby’s popularity in the United States has fluctuated. However, since the 2000s, Rugby has featured a surge of participation, especially on college campuses. Forbes Magazine has named it as the fastest growing sport, citing that more schools are offering the program instead of football because of its “...low cost and high participation rates...”