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Steamboat Springs — Mark Hermacinski fell in love with rugby in 1977.

While attending high school in London, Hermacinski picked up one of the world's most popular sports.

He continued playing in college and medical school and helped keep together the local Steamboat rugby club through tough times in the late 1990s.

Now Hermacinski is introducing the game to youths.

For the past two weeks, and until July 12, Hermacinski will be running youth rugby clinics from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Whistler Field.

The cost for the clinic is $50 and includes a rugby ball and two shirts. Hermacinski said children can try it for a week for no cost.

"We saw what happened to lacrosse the last five or 10 years in Steamboat, and we're hoping to do that with rugby," he said. "There are a bunch of youth rugby teams on the Front Range."

The clinics go over the basics of rugby. Passing, catching, offensive and defensive tactics are taught. The clinics are noncontact, and Hermacinski encourages boys and girls to come.

"We want to get the kids passing, throwing around and running," he said. "Then when they get older, they can learn to tackle safely. Then they develop into the full deal. Anywhere in the world, people can hook up with a rugby team. They are a very social team and will take you on."

That philosophy wasn't lost on 11-year-old Sam McClure. The sixth-grader who wrestles and plans to play football never envisioned playing rugby. But along with eight others Tuesday, McClure was enjoying learning the game.

"I think I like making friends and meeting new people the best," McClure said. "I wanted to try a new sport, and I like the activities where we pass and learn to catch long distance."

Hermacinski said he hopes to have 14 children come so he can break the groups up into teams of seven. He hopes to have a mini scrimmage July 12 between games of the Cow Pie Classic Rugby Tournament.

"What most international teams have on us, is they start their kids younger," Hermacinski said. "It's a game of skill. Those skills take years to learn. Start those kids at a young age, those skills develop faster."

Anyone interested in the clinics should show up to Whistler Park by 6 p.m. Tuesday or Thursday.