More than ability is required to impress a rugby coach, said John Royal, coach of the Long Island Colts, the only high school rugby team in Nassau County. Other necessary ingredients include overwhelming resilience, a devoted group focus, a rounded lifestyle and a passion to improve the team culture. Talent, Coach Royal stated, is not the sole overriding factor.

The coach believes that how a player conducts himself off the field is as important as his on-field presence. When asked what he looked for in rugby players, Royal said, "First and foremost, the critical component is probably toughness, the ability to persevere. That involves character, an ability to offer to the [team] even when their own selfish needs aren't being met."

On Long Island there are many athletes who fit the category, he said, because a dominant trait of Long Island high school athletes over the decades has been their toughness. "You can never write any Long Island high school team off, and if you do, it is at your peril," Royal said. "I hope that trait remains, and we add a bit to it. There's a lot of talent out there, and there might be more than we realize. I'm pretty keen we stand for something in youth sports on Long Island," he added. "It is more than just a win-loss sheet. Off the field is as important as on the field. It's not just about our time here and now, but serving the game of rugby and the community as well.

"You gravitate toward the lowest denominator whether it's on or off the field," he continued. "If your standards are high off but low on, you tend to gravitate [up]. And if your standards are high on, but low off, you tend to sink to the lower of the two. That's been my experience. It's a brief window these players get, and the holistic approach to life is important. A player who just lives to play [generally is less productive] than the player who has some balance in his life. He tends to cope better with the fluctuations. It's like the old saying, if you want a job done, give it to a busy man."

John Royal, who hails from New Zealand, knows what busy means. He juggles coaching, working two jobs, being a PE student at Queens College, family duties and a 14-year marriage to lawyer Cara Morsello.

The Long Island Colts play in the New York Metropolitan High School Rugby Championship starting in March. The team has open practices for new players, with no experience necessary. All high school students in Nassau County are welcome to try the sport of rugby. For more information call 395-6977, email jmroyal@msn.com or visit www.facebook.com and do a rugby video search for John Royal.