Jackson Moulin: Playing rugby at the University of Arkansas

Senior Jackson Moulin, better known around East as “Peanut,” started playing rugby when “it was more like backyard football, with barely any contact” his stepfather Kyle Miesner said. At age nine, Jackson joined Heartland Youth Rugby league, kicking off his rugby career. 

After considering multiple schools and his parents, Jackson has decided he’s going to continue playing rugby at the University of Arkansas for their club team the UREC. 

“Arkansas has one of the best business schools in the nation and I also know a couple of the guys that are already on the club team there which helped my decision a lot,” Jackson said.

Heartland Youth Rugby is co-ed league for first through eighth graders that can choose to either play flag or tackle rugby. With the way the league worked, Jackson had to play a flag game each week before participating in tackle games — a rule he despised.

“Flag football was not for me,” Jackson said. “To be completely honest I hated it, I have always been a dominant person and loved to hit so just pulling a flag wasn’t enough.” 

A big factor in Jackson’s decision to play rugby was because Kyle attended and played rugby at Pittsburg State University then played for the Kansas City Blues professional team for a short time. His participation in the relatively uncommon sport introduced Jackson to the relatively uncommon sport. 

“My stepdad’s stories of him being the big man running the ball and always being someone I looked up to because of how good at sports he was really inspired me to try rugby and see if I loved it as much as he did,” Jackson said.

After four years, Jackson didn’t think he’d be able to continue rugby as he was too old to play in the Heartland League. East doesn’t have a rugby team and there were none close by that he knew of, until his weights partner and East alum Mitchell Stedry told him about his rugby team with St. James high school. 

Jackson quickly fell back in love with the game after a three year break, playing in the hooker position — making him responsible for hooking the ball and getting possession for his team during a scrum. He’s also responsible for throwing the ball in during a line-out. Playing for St. James has grown Jackson’s love for rugby along with his circle of friends.

With rugby being a very physically demanding sport, Jackson worries about injuries, just like any sport. For Jackson and his family, they’re not as worried about it as everyone else.

“I feel like we have an odd on fear in the world because we spend time being stressed over something that hasn’t even happened yet or that we don’t even know will happen,” Kyle said. “There is the same or even a better chance of you getting hurt just driving to and from school as being out on the rugby field.”

This summer, Peanut will be practicing and training for UREC while also enjoying his last high school summer enjoying his break from school. However, it’ll be a short one as once fall comes around, his schedule is packed with practice and training for the season.