SCARBOROUGH, Maine - The Portland Rugby Club is poised to establish its first permanent home field in Scarborough, ending years of relying on rented and often inconvenient locations. Construction is underway on a new pitch that will include a complex irrigation system fed by a well on a nearby hill, featuring 60 sprinkler heads installed by club volunteers.
The project, currently in the trenching phase, aims to provide a dedicated space for the club’s growing membership and foster a stronger sense of community. Field construction coordinator Dominic Tracey described the initial earthmoving, noting how easily a backhoe scooped up the clay-like soil to create a 2- to 3-foot deep trench for irrigation pipes.
for players like Aaron Walden, who moved to Maine a few years ago, the club has been instrumental in building a social network. ”We were just like, ‘all right, let’s find the local rugby club,’ and then we both immediately had 30 friends,” Walden said. The club traditionally gathers for post-match socializing, often at Munjoy Hill Tavern, with sponsors providing food and beer.
The new field will include a clubhouse intended to become the central hub for these gatherings, according to club member Shiminski, who stated, “It will be our home.”
Currently, logistical challenges have hampered player participation. Kierstin Stritch, an eight-year veteran of the sport, sometimes had to miss practices held in Freeport or Brunswick due to travel distance, particularly while on call as an interventional radiology technologist at Maine Medical Center. She also cited issues with field availability and lighting at rented locations. “I think a lot of people are stoked to have a home base and to know that there is a field available,” Stritch said.
Looking ahead,the club envisions hosting matches,tournaments,and youth programs at the new facility. Tracey, who leads a touch rugby club at lyseth Elementary School, hopes to facilitate competitions between youth teams across the Greater Portland area. Walden expressed aspirations for the Scarborough pitches to potentially serve as training grounds for the U.S. national rugby teams, which will host the men’s Rugby World Cup in 2031 and the women’s in 2033.For now, the club’s focus remains on completing the field and awaiting the growth of the grass.
