Finals may be over, but the hard work will continue through this weekend for student-athletes from 40 colleges from across the country this weekend at Infinity Park in Glendale.
This weekend the home of the Glendale Raptors will be home to the USA College 7s National Championships, with winners being crowned in Women’s Open and Men’s Division I and II divisions.
Dan Payne, CEO of USA Rugby, joined Mile High Sports on Friday to preview the tournament.
“We have more than 30,000 student-athletes registered throughout the United States as part of our college membership database,” Payne said, “and this weekend 40 of the best teams will be competing at Glendale. So, we’re excited to utilize Glendale’s top-notch facility – arguably the best rugby facility in the United States.”
The players and coaches, Payne says, are thrilled at the opportunity to compete for a national championship at Glendale.
“The love the stage. It’s so exciting for us to bring the event to Colorado and to Glendale, because they have a stage with a JumboTron and a stadium that’s so well-positioned for broadcast. You know, the locker rooms, the facilities, the warmup pitch, everything that contributes to the stadium atmosphere at Glendale makes it a first-rate experience, not only for the players first and foremost, but for the coaches and the fans it’s a first-rate experience for everyone that comes, whether you’ve seen 100 games of rugby or it’s your first.”
And while Payne wouldn’t name any favorites heading into this weekend’s competition, he does expect an action-packed weekend and true sportsmanship to be on display, rain or shine.
Fans can get in on the action all weekend long with a three-day pass for just $30 for adults and $10 for kids. Tickets are available at infinityparkatglenale.com or at the Infinity Park box office.
Listen to the full interview with Dan Payne, CEO of USA Rugby, in the podcast below.
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Featured Image Credit: Infinity Park at Glendale
