Today is #GivingTuesday! The day serves as an opportunity for people to give back to causes and organizations they care about, as we move into the holiday season. Each year, #GivingTuesday falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, when gratefulness is fresh in everyone's minds. Keeping that focus, we wanted to know: What does Kenmore Rugby mean to you? We asked our players, parents, coaches, and alumni to contribute, and we will be sharing their responses throughout the day.
Kenmore Rugby took the opportunity to catch up with Avery Vogt, who graduated from the club in 2023. Vogt is the longest tenured player in the history of the club, starting at age 4 with Kenmore Youth Rugby Association, and playing each year until he graduated high school. Vogt began his rugby career in 2011, when his parents signed him and his sisters up for a season of youth rugby. "I'm so glad she did." he told us. Vogt quickly became a favorite of players and coaches alike, due to his eagerness to learn, and his goofy antics. With his patented spin-o-rama move, he spent plenty of time in the try zone.
As he aged through the program, Vogt grew into a leader of his peers. He made sure everyone was listening to the coaches. When a drill needed demonstrating, he was happy to volunteer. After a rep, he was always looking to get feedback from coaches, and help elevate the players around him. Even as a middle schooler, it was evident he was becoming a leader on and off the pitch. His coaches noticed too, rewarding Vogt's efforts with minutes on the high school side while in 8th grade.
Unfortunately, Vogt lost his freshman year of rugby due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The following year, he joined the high school team full-time and quickly established himself as one of the better scrum-halves in the conference. Vogt made his first varsity start as a sophomore, continuing to put his leadership skills to good use. The care for his teammates and the drive to compete and win is what lead to him being named a captain his junior year.
During this time, Vogt also began assisting in the youth program he started in. He joined as an assistant coach in 2021, working alongside his former coaches to help grow the game for the next generation of players. Working as a coach, he elevated his leadership and honed his rugby IQ, leading to more success on the pitch. In his senior year, Vogt made the switch to fly-half, where he lead the High School Boys team to a bronze medal at the RugbyNY State Championships. It was a fitting capstone to his Kenmore Rugby playing career.
In all, Vogt graduated from Kenmore Rugby as one of the most skilled and most respected players to wear the crest. When asked what the club meant to him, Vogt gave this response:
"If you asked me what Kenmore Rugby meant to me about 10 years ago, I would just say a fun summer program learning a new sport and meeting some new friends. I never would have thought about how deeply it would have impacted my life. Now, being in college, after going through the youth, middle school, and high school programs, Kenmore Rugby means so much more than what happens on the field. Although growing on the field was a big part of my time spent, whether it was scoring tries or helping my teammates it was one of the best experiences of my life. Yet off the field was also impacted by this club, shaping me into a person who values things like respect and dedication, all transferable to the real world. Off the field the club was essentially a sanctuary, being understood and truly supported, whether it was the long silence in a moment of defeat or the ever-long cheering of a resounding win. The discipline of every single practice, and resilience needed for every game, and the camaraderie in times of victory and defeat. The coaches as well, all still present in my life, whether it was my first ever coach Fred or someone who I played with growing up, John, or my high school coaches like Mack or Conrad, they all have been mentors for me and still always good to hear from them. So not only do these coaches care about your skills for rugby but they care about you and your future. This makes them stand out from your typical coaches, making them seem more than just coaches but someone you look up to. Even after my time as a player is up with the club, I still spend time coaching youth in the summer, to give back the same experience that I had when I was younger. Even to this day I still wear my Kenmore Rugby jacket that still somehow fits me, just because of the sheer pride I have for playing for this club. The club has always reminded me that sometimes success is not always measured by the score, but the spirit and heart that goes along with it. Sometimes you might feel so small in the world, yet with the club it has given me a place and sense of belonging, and a place where I can be a part of something bigger than myself." - Avery Vogt Kenmore Rugby Player 2011-2023 Youth Coach 2021-Present
Presently, Vogt attends St. John Fischer College, where to no one's surprise he has started a rugby club. He continue to lead by example, impressing coaches and teammates alike, and continuing to elevate the people around him. In the summer, Vogt continues to give back to the club as a Youth Coach.
The Kenmore Rugby Club could not be more proud of the young man Avery Vogt has grown into. We pride ourselves on making not just good rugby players, but good people too. With our new Community Rugby and Leadership Pathway Programs, we aim to grow the game and help make a positive impact across the whole of Western New York. On this #GivingTuesday, you can help us make that goal a reality. Your tax-deductible donation to the club will help us reach a broader audience, and introduce the great game of rugby to more kids in grades K-12 across Western New York.
If you have any questions about Giving Tuesday or Kenmore Rugby, please email info@kenmorerugby.org
Founded in 2004, the Kenmore Rugby Club is WNY's oldest and largest youth & high school rugby club with over 100 active players in grades K-12.
The Kenmore Rugby Club is registered as a not-for-profit corporation with the NYS Department of State and is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
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