No matter the role – player, coach, or referee – Renee McLane is passionate about cultivating the game of rugby. She welcomes and encourages new players to experience all that she loves about the game: physicality, camaraderie, respect, and discipline.
Renee McLane poses for a quick shot before the thunderstorm of all thunderstorms arrives in Old Town Bluffton and rains out the rugby team’s weekly Wednesday night practice at MC Riley Park.
As a fresh(wo)man at West Virginia University, McLane was introduced to rugby by a friend. Quickly, she joined the women’s club team and described her first practice as being so much fun that she “immediately fell in love!” The non-stop action of lifting, passing, agility, and scrumming hooked her instantly. She loved that it was a sport for all shapes and sizes and that “an amazing friend group came along” with being a teammate.
Her first season as a Mountaineer was an impactful team building experience that ended in the Final Four. At 19 years old, she had no idea she’d be a competitive player for the next 17 years and develop a lifelong passion as a coach and referee.
Front Row: Dontae Lawrence, Alex McDonald, Floyd Hargrove, Kris Geiger, Renee McLane, Thomas Hutto, Matthew Olson, Wiley O’Brien, Brian Tonry Back Row: Mystery Man who showed up to practice, Daniel Peck, Zachariah Cushman, Parkin Burgess, Quinn McClure, Hunter Anderson, Hart Cushman, JaColeman Hutto
Fast forward two decades and McLane is now the head coach of the Hilton Head Island men’s and women’s rugby teams. The Hilton Head Rugby Football Club (HHIRFC) started in 1974 with many decades of successful seasons. However, several years ago, player numbers dwindled and the team was put on a pause. Thankfully, in 2023, fresh energy and new leadership re-formed the team with a handful of experienced players who welcomed rookies.
It was during this rebuilding period that her husband, Matthew Olson, joined the team as a player and McLane was invited to watch a practice that fall. She saw an opportunity to share “some advice and coached some of the basics.” Eventually, she got more involved by creating and leading the weekly practice plans.
McLane earned the official title of head coach when she was hired by the team the following spring. Coaching a men’s team was something McLane had never done, but she’s “really proud of our Hilton Head guys. We’ve put in a lot of hard work. We started as a hodgepodge, but really have improved.”
This past year, the men’s team achieved their goal by reaching the playoffs for the first time after joining the Georgia Rugby Union (GRU) Matrix competitive league. McLane describes this as “quite an accomplishment for a team that hasn’t been around that long.”
HHIRFC is composed of players from all over the Lowcountry, including Hilton Head, Beaufort, Bluffton, Ridgeland, and Savannah. New players are constantly being added and welcomed to the team roster. The team values practice time to connect them as athletes along with social time to connect them as friends, both on and off the pitch.
A men’s rugby team with a female coach is very rare in the sport. “It’s not common at any level,” McLane said. “Rugby is usually a predominantly male coaching field.” Even though it’s unique, she said, “Women can approach coaching with different insights that benefit the team.” She enjoys bringing a fresh perspective through problem-solving and culture.
One primary goal of the re-formed team in 2023 was to create a women’s team, as one had yet to be established. Two years later, they have several committed women and are slowly building their numbers. Players from the HHIRFC women’s team have combined with other smaller teams in the Southeast to compete together. Last November, HHIRFC hosted its first women’s round robin tournament at Barker Field with teams representing Savannah and Augusta.
Required rugby skills are the same for both men’s and women’s teams, so both HHIRFC teams practice together except for tackling drills. McLane notes that the intentions brought to the pitch can be different between the two teams. “Guys want to use brute force and women are more technical,” she said, but it is fun to coach both.
As a coach, her goal is to keep practice engaging but not overly heavy. She recognizes that many rugby players play the game because it’s a source of fun in their lives. “You can’t be too serious and yelling all the time,” she said.
Throughout high school, McLane said, her softball coach, Mr. Homa, had an impactful influence on her coaching future with his lightheartedness. She describes him as “just a fun guy” because practices were full of jokes and funny nicknames. Her team could tell they were cared for, but he also pushed them to be better.
According to McLane, building a supportive team culture is imperative for HHIRFC’s long-term success. As a player at a previous club, she experienced a negative team environment that tarnished her rugby experience. Striving for an encouraging climate at Hilton Head is a foundational goal for the team, and she says that the camaraderie has been amazing so far. As a player, it’s important to have a strong connection to your teammates. “It makes you want to play for the guy next to you and not the number on your back,” McLane said.
Mutual respect among competing teams brings her a lot of pride. Yes, they brutally tackle one another (without protective pads) during the games, but afterwards, everyone meets up for a beer, a handshake, and some laughs. Exceptional players of the game are announced and celebrated by both teams. McLane said the bond is strong among players because “we all play the same weird sport.”
Before she became a coach, McLane garnered rugby experience from a different perspective. About eight years ago, she began the transition from player to referee, which allowed her “to still get to go out there, have the best view of the field, and be involved in a direct way.” Being a referee during a constantly moving and changing sport created new challenges, but the outcome helped McLane find a new type of confidence in the game. She understands that the way she speaks to players on the field is important to facilitate mutual respect. She believes her refereeing experience has made her a better coach, and vice versa.
An important goal of HHIRFC is to impact the community and be part of the community, McLane said. This past spring, the Hilton Head Island Recreation Center partnered with HHIRFC to offer youth flag rugby for the first time. HHIRFC players volunteered to coach the biweekly sessions at Chaplin Park. About 20 kids experienced the game of rugby for the first time and trained together. It was such a great success that future seasons are in the works.
McLane also shares her coaching skills with the USA South women’s rugby team as an assistant coach. Composed of carefully selected talent from across the Southeast, the team brings players together to compete internationally. In the past, the USA team has played against Trinidad and Tobego, Jamaica, Mexico, and the Cayman Islands. Armed with a simple goal of growing the women’s game internationally, McLane coaches the back line by encouraging new attacking styles and providing valuable post-game feedback.
“Coaching South pushes me to coach outside my comfort zone and develop skills in a new way and at a higher level,” McLane said. “I always leave a tour with more knowledge of the game.” She said the experience has been incredibly rewarding for her and an added bonus is that the team wins frequently!
Rugby has had a huge impact on McLane’s life and she is grateful to stay involved as a coach and referee. Happily, she said, “The game just grows constantly.” Her hope is to see more rugby programs form, new players on pitches, greater community support, and individual growth as a result.
For more information about HHIRFC, visit hhirfc.com
