A Real Kick

When I wrote about Glendale going from titty city to rugby town last year, plans for the 5,000-seat rugby stadium and adjacent rec center were still in the design phase. After adopting rugby as the city’s official sport, Glendale was going to spend $20 million to build the first municipally-owned...

By Patricia Calhoun

September 7, 2007

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When I wrote about Glendale going from titty city to rugby town last year, plans for the 5,000-seat rugby stadium and adjacent rec center were still in the design phase. After adopting rugby as the city’s official sport, Glendale was going to spend $20 million to build the first municipally-owned rugby stadium in the country.

Now that historic stadium has a name, Infinity Park, and on Saturday will host its first games. The Glendale Olde Girls take on the New York RFC at noon, and the Glendale Raptors men’s team play the Albuquerque Aardvarks at 2:30 p.m. City officials hope rugby will be the key to revitalizing Glendale’s image. Stop by 950 Birch Street to get a peak at how this rough and tumble sport suits the infamous little town. -- Jessica Centers

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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