St. Edwards Continues to Overcome Obstacles

Zach Chodaniecky faces a tackler.

by Dan Holzhauer

St. Edward’s University came into the season with a very clear goal in mind. The tiny school from Austin, Texas had won consecutive conference titles in division III and division II and their sights were set on division I. The team came up just one game short, but their season took on a whole new perspective when Zach Chodaniecky suffered a severe injury to his hip and femur.

“We are in the process right now of trying to organize a charity tournament to try and raise money for him and do everything we can to support him,” said Brannen Ellyson, who coaches St Edward's along with Lachlan Ferguson and Steve Corcoran of the Austin Blacks.  “[It was] one of the most horrific injuries I've ever seen, in my 15 years of being in rugby… The kid is as tough as nails, he actually stood up and walked off the field, if you can believe that.” 

Chodaniecky plays inside center and wing for the club and also serves as their vice president. Coach Ellyson, who has watched rugby around the world, thinks that his skills are unrivaled.

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“He is an absolute beast,” said Ellyson. “He is one of the best players I’ve ever seen and this includes my time playing in Scotland and over in Argentina. I fully feel that, if this had not happened, if he had a couple years to truly dedicate himself to physically becoming at that level, he really would have a chance of being an eagle, and I believe that with full conviction. There is not a doubt in my mind… And even now he is dead committed to playing rugby again. He loves it and it changed his life, for the better, as this sport does with so many young people.”

Even a devastating injury cannot dampen the team’s spirits after another amazingly successful year. After two straight undefeated seasons, St. Edward’s went 5-1 in the regular season and finished second in the Southwest Collegiate Rugby Conference behind Rice University. 

The ability to jump up to the division I level is even more impressive when you consider the school’s small enrollment, less than 4,000 full-time undergrads, and heavy female population, more than 60% female.

Now the team’s focus will shift out of a playoff mindset, which they admit is a ‘shot in the dark’ at this point, and move on with building a sustainable program. 

Ellyson said, “We are not ready to be done here in February. We want to have some more games. We have a lot of kids on the team, especially the freshmen and some sophomores, who have traveled with us all year long and they’ve shown great heart and determination. They simply just have not been able to get very much game time.  So we feel like, as a club, we owe it to some of the younger kids to get some games, to get them some experience and get them on the field.”

But no matter how the rest of the spring season goes, it’s clear that St. Edward’s players will remember the life lessons as taught through rugby.

“We tell the guys all the time, this sport, like anything else, is about the journey not so much the destination. We had some wonderful memories and did some great things along the way,” said Ellyson.