Black Sheep Rugby Club

04/28/2026

We are excited to have Goings Orthodontics looking out for our kids’ teeth!

04/28/2026

The team store is OPEN!!

https://genesisteamgear.com/black-sheep-rugby

Orders due before 5/11

Black SHEEP RUgbY STORE CLOSES 04/11/26 Limited Time Sale 〰️ Limited Time Sale 〰️ NOTE: All individual team apparel and merchandise orders are aggregated into one team order and shipped to a designated team representative.Production begins after the above closing date. Shipping within 3 week...

04/13/2026

BSRC spring 2026 practices start TOMORROW!!! Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:30-7:15 @ Grandview Elementary.

If you are unable to attend, that's ok! We still want your athletes! Message/email/text with any questions. We can't wait to see you!!

03/03/2026

ARE YOU READY?!? THE TIME IS NOW!!!!

We are so excited to officially open registration for the Spring 2026 season of Black Sheep Rugby Club! We can’t wait to see our returners back on the pitch and welcome some new faces, too— the more Sheep, the better 🐑

Registration is a TWO-step process this year:

Step 1:
Register your player at:
https://xplorer.rugby

Step 2:
Order your kit at:
https://genesisteamgear.com/black-sheep-rugby

This year’s kit is NEW, and we strongly encourage all players to have the updated kit. However, it is not mandatory for this season. Please order your kit as soon as possible to ensure it arrives before our first jamboree.

You can also purchase team swag using the same Genesis Team Gear link!

Season Details:
• Practices (tentative): Tuesdays & Thursdays
• Time: 5:30–7:15 PM
• Location: Windsor
• Practice Start Date: April 14
• First Jamboree: May 16

We are truly excited to get everyone together and kick off another amazing season. Let’s make Spring 2026 our best yet!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out!

See you soon,
BSRC

02/21/2026

We are excited to continue to Introduce our team! Coach Garrett Lanham! 👏 👏 🐑 🏉 🩷 🤍 👏 👏

Garrett Lanham is a former college and semi-professional football player with a lifelong commitment to athletics and mentorship. He played college football at Western State and spent eight years competing at the semi-pro level, while also club wrestling during his college years. As a father of three sons who compete in football, wrestling, and rugby at high levels, Garrett brings both experience and heart to coaching. His greatest passion lies in developing young athletes—teaching discipline, resilience, and confidence while helping them reach their full potential.

02/12/2026

Coach Sol Mascarenas!! 🎉 🐑 🏉 🖤 🩷

Welcome to Black Sheep Rugby Club, and thank you for taking the time to learn more about our program. I bring more than 25 years of playing and coaching experience to the pitch, including a background as an NCAA wrestler and rugby player, international playing experience, and competition at the national level alongside many USA Eagles. For over 30 years, I’ve coached athletes from kindergarten through high school, helping young players grow both in skill and confidence. Highlights include coaching a 12U team representing the USA to a 3rd place finish among 23 nations internationally, and currently serving as a coach with both Black Sheep Rugby Club and the USA West Rugby Academy. Our focus is on developing strong fundamentals, teamwork, and a lifelong love for the game in a safe, supportive environment.

I coach because I believe rugby is one of the greatest sports in the world—it demands grit, determination, dedication, speed, and finesse in equal measure. More importantly, the lessons learned on the pitch extend far beyond it: respect, resilience, accountability, and community. Rugby has given me so much, and with its rapid growth in the U.S. and Olympic exposure, there has never been a better time for kids to get involved. Players never stop smiling—their enthusiasm is contagious—and the culture of rugby is truly unique: welcoming, inclusive, and supportive of all ages and abilities. We are excited to welcome new families into the Black Sheep Rugby Club community and look forward to growing together on and off the field!

01/29/2026

Rugby season runs late spring through early summer, which means kids don’t have to choose — they can play their spring sports and rugby! 🏉🌸

At Black Sheep Rugby 🐑💗🖤, we love multi-sport athletes and believe trying new things makes stronger, more confident players. Whether your child has years of experience or is just pumped to try something new, we welcome boys and girls ages 8–14 with open arms!

Come run, tackle, learn, and have a blast with the pink & black family 🖤💗🔥

01/27/2026

🐏 MEET OUR HEAD COACH: SAM NIETO 🐏

Black Sheep Rugby is fired up to officially introduce the leader of our pack — Head Coach Sam Nieto!💥

After 4 years in the United States Marine Corps, Sam found his way back to brotherhood on the pitch, playing inside center for the Fort Collins Flamingos. Rugby gave him what he missed most after leaving the Corps: connection, purpose, and family — and that passion still drives everything he does today.

🏉 Coaching résumé that runs deep:

🖤 Coaching since 2013, with 10 years in football (flag & tackle)

🩷 Part of 4 state championship teams

🖤 6 years coaching rugby, developing athletes on and off the pitch

🩷 Began his rugby coaching journey with Larimer Knights & Hammers Rugby Club

🖤 Founded Black Sheep Rugby Club in 2024

🩷 Currently coaching with the USA Rugby West Academy

🔥 Coaching philosophy:
Sam is all about inspiring a true love of the game. His style is old-school, hard-nosed, and relentless, pushing athletes to give their best while never losing sight of what matters most:

🩷 Fundamentals and safety first

🖤 Work hard / play hard culture

🩷 Practices are for grinding, game days are for FUN! Letting the kids showcase their talents with fun and a little flair.

❤️ And rugby isn’t just what Sam coaches — it’s how he lives. He’s raising four ruggers of his own, all of whom compete in tournaments across the country and share the same passion for the sport.
This is leadership built on brotherhood, discipline, heart, and joy for the game.
We couldn’t be more excited to have Coach Nieto leading Black Sheep Rugby into the future.

Welcome to the flock. 🐑💪

01/06/2026

Hi! I’m Adel Nieto, the head coach’s wife—and a proud mom of four rugby-obsessed kids—so loving this sport was pretty much guaranteed! 🏉🐑💗

During the off-season, you’ll find me all over the place helping recruit new athletes to rugby (with Black Sheep Rugby Club and beyond), organizing registrations, answering questions, and making sure everything runs as smoothly as possible behind the scenes. When jamborees roll around, I’m on the sidelines cheering my heart out for your kids and mine! 📣

If you’re new to rugby, curious about the culture, can’t find your pitch, or just need a friendly face to point you in the right direction—I’m your girl. I’ve also got you covered with pink and black swag so you can proudly support your favorite Black Sheep! 🖤💗🐑

Please don’t ever hesitate to reach out—I’m always happy to help and love being part of this amazing rugby family!

12/08/2025

Welcome to Black Sheep Rugby Club!

Black Sheep Rugby Club was founded by two families brought together—quite literally—by the sport we love. Sol and Kacie Mascarenas first met through the Flamingos Men’s Rugby Club in Fort Collins, and Sol’s sister, Adel, met her husband, Sam Nieto, the very same way while playing alongside her brother. After many years of coaching with Hammers Rugby Club and recruiting young athletes in the Fort Collins community, both families came together in the spring of 2024 to establish Black Sheep Rugby Club.

Our name nods proudly to the CSU Rams, and our vibrant pink honors our roots with the Flamingos. In just our first two TRY seasons, we’ve grown to more than 40 players ranging from ages 6–14—and we’re only getting started!

At Black Sheep, we coach with a safety-first philosophy, emphasizing proper heads-up tackling and progressive skill development to help each athlete grow with confidence and a lifelong love for rugby. Beyond the TRY level, Coach Sam and Coach Sol have also had the privilege of coaching with the USA West Rugby Academy in elite international youth tournaments across the globe.

Rugby truly runs in our families. Together we have six ruggers—four currently with Black Sheep and two playing high-school 15s with Hammers Rugby Club. Every one of our athletes has competed on the international circuit. With over two decades immersed in rugby culture, Kacie and Adel proudly bring a wealth of knowledge, passion, and community spirit to our club.

At Black Sheep Rugby Club, our mission is simple: to build family, community, and lifelong connections through the greatest sport in the world. We’re excited to welcome you to our flock!