Gay Rugby players and their fans descended on Wolfs this past Friday for the San Diego Armada Rugby Club’s first major fundraiser since the team formed six months ago. In just a few short months, the team has elected a president, applied for a provisional membership in the Southern California Rugby Football Union and has brought on a coach to get the team in shape for games in 2005.

“I think we’re far ahead of most teams six months from their inception,” said Billy Nordmeier, the team’s president. “We’re going to be incorporated soon, then we are going to file for nonprofit status and in 2005, we’ll be on the schedule to start playing games.”

The team’s fundraising efforts kicked off last Friday with a bachelor auction at Wolfs. Fans of the team, and others who were just curious, packed the bar. Backup help had to be called in to keep the drinks flowing during the two-hour beer bust that preceded the auction.

“I thought it was amazing,” Nordmeier said. “It was far beyond anything we expected. We put a lot of energy and work into marketing for it. We went out every night and passed out flyers and it was a huge success.”

The top bachelor for the night was auctioned off for $500, and the fundraiser brought in over $3,000 that will be used to buy uniforms for the team and cover their field fees.

“It’s a hoot; they’re a fun group,” said Mary Swanstrom, who is coaching the team along with Koma Gamby, following the auction. “We’ve played women’s rugby for a very long time so the politics are nothing new. The new thing is trying to teach entirely new rugby players brand new skills from the bottom up.”

Both Swanstrom and Gamby play with the San Diego Surfers Women’s Rugby team and have attended coaching clinics. This is also their first venture into the coaching arena with Rugby.

“I think they’re doing great,” Gamby said. “A lot of them have backgrounds in other sport, so some of that athleticism translates over. But there’s a lot of people for whom this is their first team sports experience and it’s really great to watch them learn and the enthusiasm is absolutely outstanding. It’s a really great experience.”

She added, “Honestly, I don’t think about this as a gay rugby team when I’m coaching them. These are a bunch of guys that want to learn about rugby, and they’re stoked and I’m stoked and that’s what makes it all so wonderful.”

So far, the Armada has been well received by the local rugby teams in San Diego, including the San Diego State Aztec’s Rugby Club and the Surfers.

“Rugby in general is a sport that attracts a certain type of person; they’re very down to earth, very welcoming,” Nordmeier said. “On the pitch, which is the field, it doesn’t matter what happens. I could punch you in the eye, give you a black eye, but off of it, we’re all brothers.”

The San Diego Armada Rugby Football Club is still recruiting new players. They hold open practices every Sunday in Balboa Park from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the corner of Upas Street and Park Boulevard. The team also holds social practices on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in Balboa Park along Sixth Avenue between Quince and Laurel streets.