A Concept that Deserves to be Spread Everywhere
A Concept that Deserves to be Spread Everywhere
This concept deserves a closer look.
The Cavoli Cup is a new recognition of the rivalry between St. Ignatius and St. Edward in Cleveland. This is a massive sports rivalry in any sport, and in rugby it's usually a sold-out game. But the Cavoli Cup is not just a challenge cup between the two varsity teams, but one that incorporates the games at other levels — JV and Freshmen.
The Cavoli Cup is named after Dan Cavoli, who attended Ignatius and taught there for about 10 years before moving to St. Edward where he taught for close to 30 years. Dan Cavoli was not an athlete or a coach, he was a teacher, who taught Latin and was deeply intellectual—he was valedictorian at St. Ignatius and, later, Holy Cross. There's a term in the teaching of especially intellectually gifted people and it is "Rage to Master" and certainly it seemed like Mr. Cavoli had that rage.
He was a teacher and, later, professional mentor for St. Ignatius Rugby Head Coach Dan Arbeznik, and was beloved at both schools.
"I don't think Dan swung a bat or threw a ball in his life," said Arbeznik in total admiration.
There is more to this rivalry and the rivalry match at Rugby Riot, where Zach Bateman has done a nice job talking about it. We Want to Celebrate the Rivalry is in front of the Rugby Riot pay wall.>>
Dan Cavoli contracted a rare brain disease and died last year. It was a cruel end to a man whose brain was so much a part of what he did. Fluent in many languages, fun, a little obsessive (he rarely slept) but easily distracted, and, said Arbeznik, "a Saint among us."
But this is also about the concept. It's a concept that could be replicated throughout the country. One way to celebrate and engage players who are not on the varsity team.
What this Cavoli Cup concept does—each team gets points in the games played over the season—is allow the JVs and Freshmen to be directly engaged in the rivalry and the success of the program.
This could be done in rugby elsewhere not only with schools but with clubs. From Charlotte to the Bay Area, from Houston to Kansas City, Philadelphia to Salt Lake City, we can identify rivalries that would benefit from this approach. And naming the cup after someone with an academic and general connection to the schools, rather than just a rugby connection, is a brilliant and touching move.
This weekend sees St. Edward host St. Ignatius with Freshmen, JV, and Varsity games, and it's the first leg of the Cavoli Cup, and a nice nod to a man who may not have played rugby, but had a massive influence on the people who play and coach it.
