Free Jacks finding a stronghold of support in Quincy

“We’re just very proud to be part of the New England sports fabric.”

The Free Jacks are now back-to-back Major League Rugby champions after a recent 20-11 victory over the Seattle Seawolves in San Diego on Aug. 4. The team celebrated the win with a parade in Kilroy Square this past Sunday.

“We were all very proud of the achievement,” said Free Jacks general manager Tom Kindley. “We just had to fight through so much adversity to get there this season.”

With several season-ending injuries taking out some of the top players early on in the year, the team had to quickly adapt their play, making the championship win that much more satisfying.

Despite this being the Free Jacks’ second championship win in a row, the team and sport get less recognition than some of their local counterparts. However, they have found a growing base of support in the city of Quincy, which seems to have “adopted” the team, according to Kindley.

“It felt amazing,” said Kindley, who enjoyed seeing the fans, the Quincy mayor Thomas Koch, and those who invested time and effort into the team smiling at the celebratory rally.

“It was very cool to have such a big turnout.”

The Free Jacks’ home base, Veterans Memorial Stadium, is located in Quincy, along with their headquarters, offices and other facilities.

“I think people find that when they come to their first Free Jacks game, they’re typically blown away by the level of professionalism, the level of play,” said Kindley.

Rugby matches look quite different from what fans are used to seeing at other major sporting events in the area. With live music before and after the game, a kid zone and more accessible players, rugby matches can prove to be a full day out for the family.

The sport is growing, with the Free Jacks garnering over 12,000 spectators — the highest attendance in league history — to San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium for the final match. And in early June, the Free Jacks played in front of a record 4,821 spectators when they defeated the Dallas Jackals.

“Winning a championship, it helps to shift the needle and convince more people to pay attention and potentially come along to their first game next season,” said Kindley.

The championship win coincided with the U.S. women’s rugby sevens team earning bronze at the Paris Olympics, and Kindley said that he hopes the Free Jacks can capitalize off the eyeballs they attracted to the sport.

In the meantime, the MLR champions would like to continue building out more infrastructure at the stadium and provide more opportunities for the community to access the game.

They were celebrated at the Patriots’ preseason face-off against the Carolina Panthers last Thursday at Gillette Stadium, where they rang the lighthouse bell as honorary “Keepers of the Light.” The team was also honored at the Taste of Quincy Food Festival on Aug. 7.

“We sort of have understood since the beginning that you can only really get noticed and properly appreciated when you’re winning,” said Kindley. “We’re just very proud to be part of the New England sports fabric.”