1975 Sexist OSU Newsletter
The Old Man, the newsletter of the Ohio State University Men’s Rugby club announced the formation of the Ohio State women’s team. Note the graphic illustration of a female player.
1977 The Pitch
The Tube and the Pitch, two different Ohio State Women’s team newsletters from 1977 show the grassroots organizing, bawdy nature of women’s rugby at the time.
Support us today!
When you contribute to the U.S. Women’s Rugby Foundation you become part of a movement to support girls and women involved in rugby.
We are a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.
All donations made are tax deductible.
Support us today!
When you contribute to the U.S. Women’s Rugby Foundation you become part of a movement to support girls and women involved in rugby.
We are a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.
All donations made are tax deductible.
Ceara Lafferty
Age: 29
From: Oakland, CA
Job that pays the bills: Senior Data Specialist, Employment Services at the SF LGBT Center
Rugby life:
Playing
2013-2017: Cal Women's Rugby (collegiate)
2015: NOVA Women's Rugby (summer 7s)
2016: All Blues Rugby (summer 7s)
2018-2019: All Blues Rugby (D2)
2019-Present: All Blues Rugby (WPL), WPL National Champion in 2022
2019, 2022: WPL All Star Team
Leading like a Boss
2015-2017: President, Cal Women’s Rugby
2017-2018: Impact Beyond Program Coordinator, USA Rugby
2018: Regional Development Officer, USA Rugby
2018-2019: Co-Captain, All Blues Rugby (D2)
2018-2020: Forwards Coach, Cal Women’s Rugby
2018-2022: Community Outreach Director, All Blues Rugby
2022-Present: Rookie Coordinator, All Blues Rugby
2024: Lineout Coach, All Blues Rugby (WPL)
2024: WPL Semifinals and Nationals Travel and Player Support Manager, All Blues Rugby
Why We Love Ceara:
Before the 2018 Rugby World Cup in San Francisco, they introduced flag rugby curriculum to kids and teachers/coaches at 25 different schools and Parks and Recreation departments in the Bay Area.
Inducted into the Cal Women’s Rugby Hall of Fame in 2022.
With other All Blues, co-developed grant compensating trans, gender non-conforming, and non-binary rugby players for submitting personal testimonials to USA Rugby to discourage the organization from implementing World Rugby's transphobic and inhumane recommendation to ban trans women from rugby competition in 2020.
After a major injury kept them from participating in the 2024 WPL season, Ceara was presented with a special opportunity to stay involved with the All Blues by supporting the team as a Lineout Coach. Coaches Hannah Stolba and Mary Swanstrom, as well as leaders in the forward pack, provided indispensable guidance, turning the season spent off-pitch into an exceptional learning experience.
Through their work in various committee and subcommittee positions, Ceara has encouraged the All Blues to have difficult but necessary conversations around an athletic organization’s role in advocating for equity, inclusion, and justice both on and off the pitch.
An avid (overly enthusiastic) supporter of the WNBA and STOKED for the Golden State Valkyries’ first season!
"The women's rugby team at UC Berkeley was my first queer community and chosen family. This introduction to a new sport in an affirming space grew into a lifelong love of rugby and the people who play it, especially my All Blues teammates. There's something special about rugby in the Bay Area! I love that athletes here understand that sports don't exist in a vacuum and use their platforms to speak on issues of social justice. Being in community with them has helped me develop into the community-minded athlete and coach I am today. It's also inspired me to (hopefully!) attend grad school to study how educational institutions can better support the holistic welfare of trans and queer athletes."
More about Ceara:
All photos provided by the award recipient