Who are The Highlanders in Airdrie?

The Highlanders in Airdrie are the Rugby group in the area. Rugby is an ancient sport that resembles North American football but doesn’t have helmets, pads or face guards. Instead, you’ll see a new level of toughness among the players in this physically brutal sport.

You’ll see men with their bare faces hitting the ground, men tackling with their flesh exposed and men buried under other players during tackles like a dog pile. Here is a look at the Highlanders in Airdrie and the game of Rugby.

More about Rugby

Rugby is the game similar to football in which teams compete for the highest score. They have competitive huddles called “scrums” and they use lingo such as “tries” for scoring and “hooker” for mid position. The sport dates back to the middle 1800s. It has a warfare type of element to it that helps build a bond and dedication for one another unlike any other sport.

Highlanders

The Airdrie Highlanders Youth Athletic Association president, Tim Van Vilet, is a player and coach of the team. He compared the sport to having a Spartan, ancient Greek warfare type of element. He’s played 32 seasons in 3 different countries including competing with the Calgary Rugby Union.

Van Vilet believes in a team-based philosophical approach in order to build the small team of men that don’t mind getting bloody, sweaty and grass-stained on the battlefield. You’ll see your teammate on the ground which in turn will cause a different social interaction off the field. The game forces teammates to learn respect for your teammates and opposition.

At one point the city of Airdrie didn’t have a rugby program, but Van Vilet met with the CRU technical director to help steer the Highlanders in the right direction. He met with the club vice-president, John Young, who worked to reach out to local players and increase the interest in the sport. From there the Highlanders formed a board of directors which gained sponsorship, raised funds and attracted 24 people during the first indoor training session.

The team has since hosted youth training, rugby camps, flag-rugby events and more. In addition, there is now a ladies squad.