One Philadelphia LGBT sports team has reached a milestone in its existence — and will party accordingly. The Philadelphia Gryphons Rugby Football Club, a member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union, will celebrate 10 years on the pitch from 8-11 p.m. April 27 at SquarePeg, 929 Walnut St. Tickets are $50 each. Ten years ago, there was neither mention nor presence of a rugby team in Philadelphia. However, after members from both the Washington Renegades and Gotham Knights Rugby Football Clubs came to the City of Brotherly Love, that situation was rectified. Both groups came to Philadelphia to generate interest in having a rugby team; apparently their mission was successful. Founded in 2003, the Gryphons club prides itself on its representation and diversity: It’s the first Philadelphia-based men’s rugby team to include gay men and men of color on the roster. But the team’s accomplishments also include victories, said longtime Gryphons member and president Phil Cochetti. In 2004, the team won the first-ever Bingham Bowl, named for Mark Bingham, a professional rugby player who was killed Sept. 11, 2001, onboard United Flight 93, which crashed in Shanksville. “Some of our players attended the Bingham Plate last year and, in conjunction with Atlanta Bucks, four of our players contributed to the Plate in 2012,” Cochetti said, noting his team has won more than just bowls. The team does struggle with player retention due to work and other challenges, said Cochetti; however, he remains positive that the club will endure. “I think that right now, we are on a huge upswing, especially with our anniversary coming up, and we are happy to welcome back our alumni.” Cochetti said the squad hopes to attend the next Bingham Cup in August 2014, which will be held in Sydney, Australia. “Right now, our biggest goal is to attend the next Bingham Cup in Sydney, Australia. We are currently moving into a big fundraising cycle. We have seen a lot of support from the community, the city and from the region. We hope to take a full-sized team with coaches down there,” he said. The team, which started out with some seven players, now has more than 25 in its lineup. However, the Gryphons are looking to add more members to their group of strong and fun individuals. On Aug. 10, they will conduct a boot camp for individuals who are interested in learning more about the team. Donations for the Gryphons’ 10-year anniversary celebration are being accepted in forms of gift baskets, apparel and memorabilia. Monetary donations will also be accepted to help members with the cost of both the celebration and the projected trip to Sydney next summer. For more information on the celebration, email Cochetti at [email protected]. For more information on the Gryphons, visit www.philadelphiagryphons.org.
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