The Barbarians are a high school, U-19, rugby team based out of Beaverton, Oregon. The Barbarians were formed by Beaverton high school students John Telyea and Chris Delaney in 2004 and the team won the Oregon Youth Rugby Division 2 championship that year.
Barbarian team members now hail from Beaverton, Southridge and Aloha high schools and the team plays in Division 1 of the U-19 Rugby Oregon (formerly known as Oregon Youth Rugby) high school league. In Division 1, the Barbarians finished third in the state in both in 2006 and 2007.
For the Barbarians, however, the game of rugby goes well beyond game minutes on the pitch. The Barbarians strive, as well, for camaraderie and friendships with fellow Barbarians and with other players and teams. To that end, the Barbarians hosted a touring side from Perth, Australia in 2006 and aim to begin and end their seasons with tours outside the state. In 2007, the Barbarians toured to Chuckanut and Liberty in Bellingham and Sea-Tac, Washington respectively and concluded their season at the Pacific Coast Invitational at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California
The Barbarians endeavor to model teamwork, discipline and sportsmanship both on and off the pitch. The team coordinates fundraisers for Barbarians who need assistance in meeting the financial commitments to participate, hosts weekly pre-game dinners during the season at Barbarians' homes or local restaurants and are expected to socialize -- in the best sense of the word - with their adversaries after each game... often breaking out into an off key chorus of "Why can't we be friends..." at post game photo-ops.
While there is a coaching staff, the Barbarians' players work together and commit to making themselves better as a team, as rugby players and people on their own. To earn -- and keep -- a spot on the First XV (the starters) it is much more important to earn the respect of the team, than it is the coaching staff because it is the Barbarian team captains who name the First XV each week
The Barbarians are expected to be positive members of the rugby community, to sing, learn not only the game of rugby but rugby trivia and also to laugh. The season concludes with The Barbarians' Challenge where three teams: Seniors, Underclassmen and Friends and Family compete in three events: singing, impressions/skits and rugby trivia.
And while the singing is usually questionable at best and the trivia answers sometimes correct, it is during the impression/skits competition where we usually laugh longest and loudest at ourselves - than we do anything else.
The Barbarian rugby team is how many young men are introduced to the game of rugby. Yet, it is just as important that the Barbarians not be where their rugby memories begin - but also end. Barbarians are encouraged to continue to participate in the rugby community and nearly every member of the 2007 team will continue playing in college. In addition, the Barbarians "Old Boys" was formed to keep players who have graduated from high school in touch with their team and rugby heritage.
Whether you are a Barbarian player, "Old Boy", coach, parent, friend, family, foe or just visiting - welcome to the Beaverton Barbarians .. here's to answering Barbarians Call!
Basasrrbasas!
Come the day
Come the hour
For the glory
For the power
We will answer Barbarians' Call!
