From CenCal to Fresno State: How Rugby Found Its Place in Our Family

Back in 2021, I sat down with Coach Nate of CenCal Youth Sports for an interview on FresYes. What struck me then was how deeply he believed rugby could change lives. CenCal wasn’t just about the game, it was about building character through Hard work, Integrity, and Trust (HIT!), and creating a culture where kids could feel part of something bigger than themselves. 🌟

That story became personal for my family not long after. My son’s very first taste of rugby was with Coach Nate and CenCal. We loved it. It wasn’t only about learning to pass or tackle. It was about the spirit of the sport, the camaraderie, and yes, even the “social after the game” that rugby is famous for. Those values, introduced at such a young age, planted a seed that I believe will stick with him forever.

Fast forward to last week, when we shared the story of Fresno State Rugby. Their journey from a scrappy club program to winning the Pacific Western Conference and even capturing a national title in DI-AA 15s—feels like the natural extension of what programs like CenCal have been doing all along. They’re proof that the rugby culture in our community has real staying power, and it starts with grassroots programs that get kids hooked early.

For me, it’s exciting to see this throughline: from a youth program on local fields, to Bulldogs making a name for themselves on the national stage. As a parent, I can’t help but wonder how many of those kids running around with CenCal jerseys today will one day wear Fresno State colors.

For me, it’s extraordinary to see that throughline: from youth programs on local fields to Bulldogs stepping up on the national stage. AJ’s path has since led him to Arkansas State, where he’s learning and growing at an even higher level of the game. Still, the lessons he picked up in those early days are the kind that stick for life. And that, to me, is worth celebrating just as much as any championship. 🙌

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Jason Farris

Head YES man at FresYes.com

I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES

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