Loyola High School of Los Angeles has announced that it will start a boys school-supported rugby team and the school has announced that former Lindenwood University All American Cristian Rodriguez has been hired as the team's Head Coach.
Loyola Rugby will operate as a single-school team in SoCal Youth Rugby's school season, which kicks off in January, 2023.
The Loyola Rugby team came to fruition thanks to the urging of several alumni who have rugby ties, including longtime coach Ramon Samaniego. In addition, several Loyola students already play rugby, suiting up for the Santa Monica Rugby Club U19 team in SoCal's club season. There are other connections too, with one parent being involved in youth rugby and a coach on another, influential sport having at least one kid in youth rugby.
The timing, then, seemed right and the pieces started to fall into place. With a combination of alumni, student, parent, and coach support, the team will be up and running this winter.
Rodriguez, for his part, is an exciting addition to the program. Still young, he has a chance to build something long-term. The 2019 Prusmack Award-winner as the top collegiate 7s player, Rodriguez has played with the LA Giltinis in Major League Rugby. He is a native of the Los Angeles area, having played his high school rugby with Hawaiian Gardens, and has been coaching under Harry Bennett at UCLA. There Rodriguez ran the 7s team and credits Bennett with giving him that opportunity.
"He gave me a lot of freedom and I work with Harry every day," said Rodriguez.
On-Campus Buzz
“Coach Rodriguez is an experienced player and coach with an impressive athletic background and commitment to the Los Angeles community, making him an ideal fit for Loyola High School’s newest club team on campus,” said Loyola HS Activities Director Chris Walter ’93. “The experience and success he has had on and off the field speak for themselves. We are very fortunate to have him lead Loyola rugby.”
As a pre-teen, Rodriguez discovered rugby through a neighborhood gang intervention program in his hometown of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif. His unique talents were immediately identified and Rodriguez was eventually offered the opportunity to attend and compete collegiately at Lindenwood. After starting for the Lions and winning three national championships, the six-time All-American returned home to play professionally for the Giltinis.
Culture First
“I’d like to thank Loyola High School for selecting me to start a new sport at such a venerable and successful high school,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “Growing up in Los Angeles, everyone knew that Loyola stood for excellence. I’m excited to now be a part of this storied institution as head coach of the Loyola Rugby Club. I intend to focus on the culture first, ensuring we develop excellent sportsmen, quality teammates and respectful opposition. It is my belief that if we get that right, competitive success will follow.”
