A game for gentlemen with hooligan rules

In 2019, Theodore Tarasovich Poshyvak became a My First Scholarship recipient of the Karpinski Foundation, after successfully completing his creative project, Rugby 5. His goal was to introduce an interesting and engaging sport to his peers that would help them become stronger, more agile, and braver while diversifying their physical education classes. Recognizing that children prefer active sports games and relay races that determine the strongest teams and players, Theodore combined exercises that catered to their capabilities.

To instill a love for rugby among young people and get them interested in playing rugby, Theodore used elements of Rugby 5, also known as “rugby on tapes.” It is most often used as a learning experience for beginners and to popularize rugby among children and teenagers, based on the simplest and most basic rules of classic rugby.

Often called a sport for gentlemen with hooligan rules, rugby was once used by English aristocrats to keep themselves in shape. The tradition continues today, as the British royal family promotes this sport, and Prince Harry is the patron saint of the English rugby team. Rugby requires well-coordinated play and discipline, making it popular among the military. The game also emphasizes teamwork and understanding the tasks of teammates, similar to chess pieces.

However, during the project’s implementation, a problem arose with the lack of professional Rugby-5 equipment in Ukraine. With his resourcefulness, Theodore focused his efforts on finding the necessary equipment abroad without requiring an increase in the budget. His search was successful, as he found professional equipment in England, the country of origin of the sport. Short negotiations between Theodore Poshyvak and representatives of sports product distributors in London allowed him to purchase all the necessary equipment from an official distributor and transport it to Stryi within three days.

On November 14, 2019, at 2 p.m., in the gym of secondary school No. 5, young people aged 13-16 participated in the Rugby 5 sports game for the first time in Stryi, thanks to Theodore’s hard work and dedication to the project. The game was a success, as it introduced the sport to the participants and emphasized the importance of teamwork and discipline. The Karpinski Foundation is proud to have supported Theodore’s project and encouraged his efforts to promote physical activity and social engagement among his peers.