EAGLE, Idaho — What started as a small rugby club inside Revel Eagle has grown into weekly gatherings, cross-country trips, and a close relationship with Boise United Rugby.
For the past three years, neighbors at the independent living community have gathered every Thursday to watch rugby matches and learn more about the sport. The club began after Revel Eagle Executive Director Silk Higer introduced seniors to a game she grew up around in New Zealand.
“I grew up in New Zealand, and rugby's a huge part of the culture, so I started a rugby club to see if I could get some residents maybe interested in that, and it's just really taken off and grown from there,” Higer said.
Revel Eagle resident Bill Wells said the group quickly embraced the sport.
“We began a rugby club about, I'd say about, 3 years ago, and we, we, every Thursday, we get together at 11:30, and we watch the latest All Blacks games,” Wells said.
That interest has expanded far beyond weekly watch parties.
“We last year went to Chicago to watch the All Blacks play the Irish national team, and this year we went to DC and watched them play there... and now we're going to have a time next year where we go to the 2027 World Cup of rugby, and watch them play there. So it's very exciting,” Wells said.
This year's Active Aging Week gave neighbors a chance to experience the sport in a different way when Boise United Rugby players visited Revel Eagle.
Players demonstrated skills, answered questions, and spent time with seniors who have become some of their most dedicated supporters.
“They're probably our biggest supporters of anybody in the whole community,” Boise United Rugby captain Skyler Larsen said.
Larsen said the relationship between the team and residents began after Revel Eagle residents started attending matches.
“They first came to our match; they sought us out first,” Larsen said. “And just the community and their kindness has been, like... that made the world of difference.”
Over time, those connections grew beyond rugby.
“It's like having 40 sets of grandparents come to your, to your game, and it's really been a great opportunity,” Larsen said.
Higer said the partnership demonstrates what Active Aging Week is all about.
“You don't have to be a certain age to get out there and try new things and to participate and be part of the community, you know, get your hands on it, get out there, give it a whirl,” Higer said.
She believes staying engaged and continuing to explore new interests is an important part of life at any age.
“I think it's really important for everybody to know out there that you don't have to be a certain age to get out there and try new things and to participate and be part of the community,” Higer said.
For Wells, the benefits go beyond rugby itself.
“One of the things we found at Revel is having activities such as athletic activities such as exercises and exercise classes and balance classes and on and on, but also the socialization, and that is a huge part of keeping people young, though they're older,” he said.
As neighbors and players gathered on the field in Eagle, Tuesday evening served as a reminder that a shared interest can bring together people from different generations.
“It's just been very, very good for us, and... it keeps us young because it's something new to study, something new to learn and experience. So it's, it's just a good thing,” Wells said.
For those interested in supporting Boise United Rugby, you can click here.
