Mount Holyoke Rugby navigates safety issues and trans inclusion

BY EMILY TARINELLI ’25 STAFF WRITER

As one of six club sports at Mount Holyoke College, Mount Holyoke Rugby has received less support from the institution in comparison to varsity sports, in terms of access to athletic facilities, athletic trainers or medical treatment, according to representatives from the team. This year, the support became more restricted after the removal of concussion baseline testing for club sports, which is used to assess for concussions in the event that symptoms are present. While the Office of Student Involvement confirmed in an email to the Mount Holyoke News that concussion baseline testing will be reinstituted in the fall of 2023, the rugby team has spent the past year navigating this change along with other ongoing challenges, including the need to take extra steps to keep rugby a gender-inclusive sport.

Concussion Baseline Testing

Removal

Unlike varsity teams, club sports do not have access to athletic trainers in case of injury. However, just like varsity athletes, club sport athletes were afforded concussion baseline testing — until this year.

“They took that away from us. We’re a full contact sport, and there’s a lot of risk of concussion,” forwards captain Skye Gorman ’24 said. “It wasn’t just a rugby thing. Club sports as a whole were very upset that they got rid of concussion baseline testing. They also no longer require us or even let us require medical clearance.”

According to Gorman, the reason for this year’s removal of concussion baseline testing that was provided to the rugby team was that “they didn’t use it” and that “club sports were never supposed to have it in the first place.” Varsity athletes always begin their seasons with concussion baseline testing.

For the rugby team, the fall was especially fraught with concussions, given an unusually quick start to play. “We usually get at least a few concussions every season, and this time we saw more than a few,” Gorman said. “We were already pushing for things, but that was definitely [something that had us saying], ‘No, this is really serious.’”

Members of the rugby team met with the Office of Student Involvement in Fall 2022, where the news broke that they would no longer be provided concussion baseline testing. Unlike varsity teams, club sports are not governed by the Department of Physical Education and Athletics and instead, fall under the wing of OSI. This, forwards captain Bella Besag ’25 described, creates problems in and of itself.

“[It’s] difficult for us because when we have sport-specific issues, they’re not the best equipped to handle them,” Besag said. “If you work in Athletics, you understand athletic problems just inherently.”

To make up for the removal of concussion baseline testing and lack of medical support provided by the College, OSI implemented a guideline that requires two players to serve as safety officers for their team. Backs captain Shanen Arellano ’24, one of the team’s safety officers, attended a four-hour training session to become certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid. As a safety officer, they are also tasked with creating and leading back-to-play procedures should a concussion occur.

“I sat in the fire station and watched videos of how to do CPR and how to wrap an open wound, but I really don’t think that’s the equivalent of having an AT who can treat sport-related injuries,” Arellano said. “And even in the training, they didn’t tell us how to treat or how to recognize a concussion. They kind of just said, ‘If you’re concussed, then go to the hospital.’ [Except] a lot of people don’t know if they’re concussed.” Arellano stated that she possesses some knowledge of concussion symptoms and care, but that this knowledge was solely based on personal experiences with concussions, not something they learned from the College, the College’s resources or the first aid training.

“[It’s] as if a bunch of kids who get a four-hour training [are supposed to be able to] do the same thing as a medical professional,” Arellano said.

In an email to the Mount Holyoke News, the Office of Student Involvement provided a statement that confirmed the return of concussion baseline testing next year and reaffirmed the College’s commitment to keeping students safe.

“Student safety is one of the College’s highest priorities,” the statement read. “The College does have trained medical professionals to oversee club matches — we hire EMTs for each match. Referees know that if there is no EMT present at a match, the match will not be held. We ask that each club team designate a safety officer who will be at practices. This safety officer position is meant to serve in consultation with a coach and can allow students to practice, within limits, if a coach could not be present. Additionally,

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