🔦 New Program Spotlight: CAPS Rugby Builds Momentum in Paterson

We love hearing about new rugby programs, and every so often we highlight one that’s just getting started.

Coach Nic Denyer reached out to tell us about the team he’s building in Paterson, New Jersey—and we thought it was worth sharing.

Here’s a writeup from Coach Denyer about his team: CAPS Rugby. 👇

By Coach Nic Denyer

One of the newest high school rugby teams in the U.S. comes from one of the unlikeliest places. Rising from the streets of Paterson, New Jersey, the Phoenix that is CAPS Rugby was formed in the spring of 2024.

In our first season, we took nine student-athletes from College Achieve Public Schools to the Urban Rugby Championship in Washington, D.C.—an annual tournament featuring inner-city high school rugby teams from across the country. The event was an incredible success, and those nine student-athletes quickly became rugby players.

Keeping momentum wasn’t easy. Between the rigorous academic demands at CAPS and limited access to practice facilities, we had to constantly pivot our approach to recruitment and training. Fortunately, College Achieve was behind us from the start. Ms. Torres (Principal) and Ms. Dobson (Athletic Director) offered both school and moral support in the early stages, which made a huge difference.

That first-year team, captained by senior Marcelo Salguardo, also traveled to a 7s tournament in North Philly, held joint practices with Bergen Catholic and Hudson Catholic, and played a full scrimmage with The Dwight School. By the end of the season, we had grown from 9 to over 15 players.

Now in our second season, the momentum is building. We’ve got over 18 boys on the roster, and our first game was a solid 30–0 win over Mount St. Michael’s B side. We’ve got a scrimmage against Dwight coming up, another trip to Mount, and a match versus Hudson Catholic in April. We’re also hosting the first of three 7s tournaments, featuring teams from North Philly and D.C.

This year’s co-captains, Ameer Schuler and Luis Castillo, are both juniors and starters on the CAPS varsity basketball team. They bring an energy that’s hard to match. They’ve picked up the game quickly and have grown from raw recruits into strong players and respected leaders. With seven freshmen joining the team this year, the future of CAPS Rugby is looking bright.

Looking ahead, we have big goals. We're working toward international travel in 2026, with possible destinations including Canada, Australia, England, and Spain. We believe these experiences can be life-changing—not just for rugby development, but for cultural learning and personal growth.

If you'd like to support the team, we are currently raising funds to help make this vision a reality. You can donate here:
👉 https://givebutter.com/doPgSX

Lastly, I want to acknowledge the unwavering support of College Achieve CEO Michael Piscal, Executive Director Dr. Gemar Mills, and our new principal, Dr. Zatiti Moody. Their leadership and belief in this program have helped make all of this possible.

— Coach Nic Denyer

Starting a program from scratch is never easy—especially in an inner-city setting, where the challenges can be even greater.

We’re rooting for you, Coach Denyer. Can’t wait to see how CAPS Rugby continues to grow.

Cheers!

-Rugby Riot Team