Youth Rugby in Vermont started with the boys team at Essex High School in 1997 under the leadership of Tom Bouchanski. Kevin O’Brien served as an assistant coach at Essex. Since then Kevin has moved over to become the Head Coach at CVU. Kevin was also the coach of the USA women’s team in 1991 and led the Women’s Eagles squad to a World Cup victory. The Essex men won the 2006 and the 2007 Vermont State Championship.

In 2007, Essex Women's Rugby celebrated their 10th year as a club sport affiliated with Essex High School. The women's team started with a few girls joining the men's club team for practices under Coach Tom Bochanski. UVM student teaching intern Amanda Eldridge volunteered to help at practices and soon discovered a flyer posted at Essex High School announcing that she had a new role as coach of the new women's rugby team. Traveling to Canada, Maine, and Massachusetts for the opportunity to play GOOD RUGBY has been instrumental in our development into a top team in the New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU).