Chicago Stockyarders
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Stockyarders are a semi-professional
rugby league football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are currently planned to join the American National Rugby League
(AMNRL) in the future. The team was established in 2010, and played two exhibition rugby league sevens
games while preparing for a fuller exhibition schedule for the 2011 AMNRL season
.
. The Saints would be the front-runner to a planned Chicago based AMNRL team that would eventually be named the Chicago Stockyarders. In 2009 an organization named Midwest Rugby League was formed to promote rugby league
in the Midwestern United States
, and to operate the Stockyarders team from 2010 onwards..
The Stockyarders made their first on-field appearance on July 31, 2010 at the American National Rugby League
(AMNRL)'s annual War at the Shore tournament. They played an exhibition rugby league sevens
game against the Northern Raiders
, which ended with a 18-10 loss for the Stockyarders. Dan Hoskin scored their first ever points with a debut try in a Man of the Match (MVP) performance. They played a second exhibition sevens game as a curtain raiser to the AMNRL Grand Final at A. A. Garthwaite Stadium in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
. Visiting Australian Kangaroo player Daniel Wagon
guested for the Stockyarders in a game against the Philadelphia Fight
. The Fight won the game 24-16.
In October 2010 the Stockyarders signed their first sponsor, and announced their intention to play a full exhibition schedule in the 2011 season.
on creating a Rugby League specific field at Winnemac Park, Chicago for the 2011 season. It is hoped that upon entry to the AMNRL competition proper, the Stockyarders will use Jorndt Field Stadium which is also housed within Winnemac Park. The Stockyarders will play in the proposed AMNRL midwest development conference in 2012 alongside new teams Iowa City Crash and Western Storm to further the expansion of Rugby League in the region.
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
rugby league football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are currently planned to join the American National Rugby League
American National Rugby League
The American National Rugby League is a rugby league football competition for semi-professional clubs in the United States. It is the country's first domestic rugby league competition...
(AMNRL) in the future. The team was established in 2010, and played two exhibition rugby league sevens
Rugby league sevens
Rugby league sevens is a seven-a-side derivative of rugby league football, which is usually a thirteen-a-side sport. The game is substantially the same as full rugby league, with some rule changes and shorter games...
games while preparing for a fuller exhibition schedule for the 2011 AMNRL season
2011 AMNRL season
The 2011 AMNRL season was be the fourteenth season of the American National Rugby League. The Jacksonville Axemen are the reigning champions. Prior to the season seven AMNRL teams withdrew from the league to form the new USA Rugby League....
.
History
In May 2006, a successful beach Rugby League 9's exhibition game was held at North Avenue Beach, Chicago between the Chicago Saints and the touring UK team Ormskirk HeelersOrmskirk Heelers
Ormskirk Heelers are an amateur rugby league club from Ormskirk in Lancashire. They play at Green Road , which is also the home of Ormskirk rugby union side. In 2006, Southport Storm merged with the Heelers, but there were no name changes on Ormskirks part...
. The Saints would be the front-runner to a planned Chicago based AMNRL team that would eventually be named the Chicago Stockyarders. In 2009 an organization named Midwest Rugby League was formed to promote rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
in the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
, and to operate the Stockyarders team from 2010 onwards..
The Stockyarders made their first on-field appearance on July 31, 2010 at the American National Rugby League
American National Rugby League
The American National Rugby League is a rugby league football competition for semi-professional clubs in the United States. It is the country's first domestic rugby league competition...
(AMNRL)'s annual War at the Shore tournament. They played an exhibition rugby league sevens
Rugby league sevens
Rugby league sevens is a seven-a-side derivative of rugby league football, which is usually a thirteen-a-side sport. The game is substantially the same as full rugby league, with some rule changes and shorter games...
game against the Northern Raiders
Northern Raiders
The New York Raiders are an American semi-professional rugby league football team based in Congers, New York. The team currently plays in the American National Rugby League competition...
, which ended with a 18-10 loss for the Stockyarders. Dan Hoskin scored their first ever points with a debut try in a Man of the Match (MVP) performance. They played a second exhibition sevens game as a curtain raiser to the AMNRL Grand Final at A. A. Garthwaite Stadium in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
Conshohocken is a borough on the Schuylkill River in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in suburban Philadelphia. Historically a large mill town and industrial and manufacturing center, after the decline of industry in recent years Conshohocken has developed into a center of riverfront commercial and...
. Visiting Australian Kangaroo player Daniel Wagon
Daniel Wagon
Daniel Wagon is an Australian professional rugby league player and coach, who currently coaches Limoux Grizzlies in the Elite One Championship and plays for the Aston DSC Bulls in the AMNRL...
guested for the Stockyarders in a game against the Philadelphia Fight
Philadelphia Fight
The Philadelphia Fight are a semi-professional rugby league team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. They are the current champions of the USA Rugby League. They play their home games at A. A...
. The Fight won the game 24-16.
In October 2010 the Stockyarders signed their first sponsor, and announced their intention to play a full exhibition schedule in the 2011 season.
Current roster
- James Anderson
- Mike Featherstone
- Dan Grace
- Neil Gibson
- Dan Hoskin
- Jean Jourdain
- Drew Koennecke
- David Kim
- Chris MacColl
- Jack Chambers
- Nick Letitza
- TJ Loger
- Ryan Nelson
- Gregg Swinburn
- Ian Rose
- Arkad Yousif
2011
A 2011 exhibition season of events involving the Stockyarders will be announced before the June start to the 2011 AMNRL season. This program is expected to include the AMNRL's War at the Shore event and both home and away fixtures. The Stockyarders are working with the Chicago Park DistrictChicago Park District
The Chicago Park District is the oldest and largest park district in the U.S.A, with a $385 million annual budget. It has the distinction of spending the most per capita on its parks, even more than Boston in terms of park expenses per capita...
on creating a Rugby League specific field at Winnemac Park, Chicago for the 2011 season. It is hoped that upon entry to the AMNRL competition proper, the Stockyarders will use Jorndt Field Stadium which is also housed within Winnemac Park. The Stockyarders will play in the proposed AMNRL midwest development conference in 2012 alongside new teams Iowa City Crash and Western Storm to further the expansion of Rugby League in the region.