Teenagers in Jérémie eagerly embrace new rugby training, igniting excitement for the sport this October

CAP-HAITIEN—Rugby Ayiti, a group dedicated to promoting rugby in Haiti, will kick off official training sessions for youths in Jérémie in October, on a date to be announced. As a result, the group is a step closer to its goal of popularizing the sport in the country and establishing national teams for men and women.

“I love running with the ball while others chase me,” said Caleb Thelusma, 15, who eagerly awaits the start of the sessions.

“I also enjoy passing the ball sideways,” Thelusma added. “I’d love to compete in bigger championships like the Olympics. I want rugby to become more popular in Haiti and reach every commune.”

Rugby Ayiti already held youth training sessions in August, which Thelusma attended. The upcoming program will have 20 participants, who will train for eight weeks and then compete in a non-tackle 7v7 tournament in Jérémie — about 182 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince — at the end of December. The sessions will take place once a week at Parc Saint-Louis in downtown Jérémie, the capital city of the Grand’Anse Department.

About 65% of the participants are boys, and all are between the ages of 14 and 18. The program is free, but Rugby Ayiti asks for a $150 donation per session to cover pre-training snacks, hydration, transportation, medical care, and post-training meals, organizers said.

“It feels amazing,” said Eric Wilson, the founder of Rugby Ayiti, about the upcoming sessions. “I think it’s the right time. Haiti is going through a second revolution of sorts, and some good news is needed. I believe rugby can stick here and become sustainable.”

Wilson, based in the United States, will not attend the sessions. Instead, he has spent the past four months training the coaches—Romario Thelusma, Nadege Anna-Elie Jean, and Rhode Jean Michel—via video chat and by sending them instructional videos.

Rugby Ayiti plans to expand to Port-au-Prince and Limbé and hopes to teach tackling techniques by 2025. The coaches will be paid, signaling that Rugby Ayiti is beginning to create jobs in Haiti.

Jean Michel, one of the newly trained coaches, is excited to be part of rugby’s early days in Haiti. He shares the same dream as Thelusma.

“I will give it my all so Haiti can compete in the Olympics,” Jean Michel said. “That’s my dream.”

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