Blacksburg Rugby

Rugby players representing two American schools of osteopathic medicine will square off against each other for the first time ever when a Blacksburg side featuring a large contingent of students from the Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) Virginia Campus travel to challenge students from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) in the inaugural A. T. Still Osteopathic Cup. The match, which will be held on April 3 at 1 p.m. at PCOM's home match ground in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will benefit the Center for Autism.

"This charity game between the two schools provides just another avenue in which physicians, students and their friends are trying to make a difference,” said Cris Mathew, a VCOM student and Blacksburg Rugby member who helped to organize the match. "Doctors are known for saving lives, but they are definitely not known for playing Rugby!"

The charity rugby match is named after Andrew Taylor (A.T.) Still, who lived from 1828 to 1927 and is recognized as the father of osteopathic medicine. Players are raising money by selling t-shirts and securing donations to benefit the Center for Autism, which is the United States' oldest specialized autism treatment center and is located in Philadelphia.

The PCOM club, founded in 1973, competes in the Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union at the Senior Men’s Division III level and welcomes students and other affiliates of the PCOM school as well as others from the Philadelphia area. The VCOM campus rugby organization was founded in 2009 and is made up of students, staff and friends of the VCOM school in Blacksburg, Virginia, but VCOM players do not compete for a school-specific rugby club. Instead, VCOM's players are members of the Blacksburg Rugby Club, which is based in Blacksburg and competes in the Virginia Rugby Union at the Senior Men’s Division III level. Although both the PCOM and Blacksburg clubs both have members from outside of the osteopathic community, the teams playing in the charity match will be comprised primarily of players affiliated with the two schools.

Osteopathic medicine and rugby may not seem to have much in common, but Mathew sees clear connections between the profession and the sport. “Having such a strong emphasis on musculoskeletal medicine, rugby has also helped us hone our manipulation skills," said Mathew. "We had so many players coming to us asking if we could help them out, we started bringing our treatment tables to games and practices.”

Donations to benefit the Center of Autism can be sent by check to VCOM (2265 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060, made out to VCOM Rugby with “Center for Autism” in the subject/memo line) or given to either club’s representatives at the event, which will be located at 4162 Monument Road in Philadelphia between the Target and Pathmart supermarkets. There will be no charge to attend.