A youth rugby team from France visited the area from April 7 to April 14 to experience American culture and bond with local players over their love for the sport.

Stade Dijonnais, the French U14 team, had over 60 people in their touring party fly from Dijon, France to Newark, New Jersey. The team was hosted by families of Blackthorn Rugby Club, based in Horsham.

Mark Croker, a Chestnut Hill resident and U12 coach for Blackthorn, hosted 14 people at his family home. Croker said the experience was “amazing” and Blackthorn is already planning its own tour to France.

“This tour was such a success, we’re going to be going to Dijon in two years,” Croker told the Local.

Coordinating the trip

The idea for the trip started from a personal connection. According to Stéphane Lombardi, a trip coordinator and parent representative for Stade Dijonnais, his wife Carol was raised in Blue Bell. Carol’s brother, Ken Madden, was a former rugby player for Blackthorn.

Lombardi said the selection of the U14 team was intended to provide a bonding experience at a pivotal age in their development.

“From a sporting perspective, the U14 level is a key stage in rugby development in France,” Lombardi wrote in an email to the Local. “As a former high-level player myself, I know how important this phase is — it’s when team cohesion really starts to take shape and becomes essential for their future in the sport.”

For many of the players, this trip marked their first time traveling outside of Europe or even their first time on a plane.

The itinerary

The traveling tour began with a day in New York City, exploring sites such as Times Square and Rockefeller Center. The group then made their way to the Philadelphia region, first arriving at College Settlement, the camp in Horsham where Blackthorn plays rugby.

After a joint training session, members of Stade Dijonnais were assigned to various homes of Blackthorn host families, many of which were in Chestnut Hill. The following day, the group headed to La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor, where they had a joint practice with La Salle’s rugby team.

The group also saw a Phillies’ win against the Arizona Diamondbacks, complete with home runs from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. According to Croker, the Stade Dijonnais players were “amused by the spectacle” of the baseball game. That night, Croker and wife hosted the teams for a party.

“We had about 100 people on Seminole Avenue” on April 11, Croker said. “A charming cultural difference: the French love singing. They love singing their national anthem. They just love singing in general. So I think our neighbors on Saturday night were regaled by some interesting singing.”

On April 12, the teams headed back to College Settlement for a day full of rugby. After competing in tournaments from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the group finished off the day at a local pub.

Stade Dijonnais capped off its tour with some classic Philadelphia landmarks, including the “Rocky” steps and the Museum of the American Revolution. They also, of course, ate some cheesesteaks.

Valuable lessons

According to Croker, the experience was not without its difficulties. The language barrier between the players prevented full conversations. However, they quickly learned to adapt.

“Most of the conversations were literally pigeon French, pigeon English, and Google Translate,” Croker said. “We just made it work.”

In addition to playing rugby, Croker suspects the highlights of the trip for the players involved learning about American culture and spending time in an American household.

“They wanted to soak up as much American culture as possible,” Croker said. “They wanted to eat a hamburger. They wanted baseball. They wanted to understand more about America.”

Despite some cultural differences — the French group was surprised at how the Americans left their lights on in an empty room — Croker believes this trip taught the players that they are more alike than they think.

The Lombardis agree that this trip had valuable lessons on and off the field.

“From a rugby perspective, facing a different style of play and training in a new environment [helped] them adapt, think differently, and grow as athletes,” the Lombardis wrote. “But even more importantly, this trip [helped] them grow as individuals. …Ultimately, this trip is about helping them become not just better rugby players, but more well-rounded young people.”

Blackthorn Youth Rugby Club offers tackle rugby in the Spring for boys and girls - U12 through high school and flag rugby in the summer for ages 4 through 14. If you are interested in further information please contact blackthornyouthrugby@gmail.com.

Maggie Dougherty can be reached at Margaret@chestnuthilllocal.com.