SportsExperience: Rugby team in the prison match
Rugby is popularly known as a hooligans’ game played by gentlemen. Its uniqueness can be found in the values it transmits– respect, teamwork, sacrifice and discipline. Furthermore, it is also an efficient and constructive way of social integration and mental rehabilitation.
The IEU Segovia Rugby team had the exclusive opportunity of contact with all of these values. A team of 17 brave players in the morning of Saturday March 10th, left from Via Roma to the the Penitentiary Center of Estremera. There, as a team, we were going to play against the Madiba Rugby School, the first rugby team in Spain fully composed by convicts. Since its foundation in 2011, the Madiba school has had over 500 players– all with the aim of sharing the values of rugby while fighting against social exclusion.
The IEU Segovia Rugby team, took almost one year to organize the match against Madiba due to numerous problems regarding dates and a difficult accessing process. Nevertheless, all the effort and patience was worth it, considering that the IEU Segovia Rugby Team ventured into what could be considered the most epic match of their history...
The atmosphere, rain, wind and weight of the rivals (which was generally above a hundred kilos) were secondary compared to the high levels of intensity, sacrifice and teamwork from part of both teams. The final result was a draw to 15 points with a last minute try by Charles, an inexperienced player. Both teams were at the same level during the game and none of them got a remarkable advantage in any moment.
On our way to the penitentiary center, we experienced newly found emotions. The adrenaline that all the rugby players have before a match was combined with the uncertainty and curiosity of what this unique game was going to hold. At the end of the match the only feeling we had was the gratitude of experiencing a once in a lifetime match. A match that taught us a very important lesson on not having prejudices.
The most striking part of the entire match was the respect and hospitality we received from the host team throughout the match. From the beginning to the end, we were warmly welcomed and supported with all kind of injuries, lack of players and commodities. In the post-match, we all had a third half in which we interacted and shared how much we enjoyed the match, and to see how grateful they were to receive the mere gift of a few t-shirts from us, really touched us. It also made us question the liberty that we take for granted every day.
Definitely an enriching and a recommendable experience which taught us that generalizing and stereotyping is not the way to go.
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