The Powell Rugby Club was founded in 2003 by bob Hampstead who'sson was a senior at Powell High School that year. The Powell Rugy Club was started in SMAC (Smoky Mountain Athletic Club) Rugby's second year due to Bob working out of state the first year. The Powell Rugby Club quickly made a name for itself by being wiling to play any team any where, allowing girls to practice with the club and hosting a social after every game. In that year, Powell travelled to Charlotte to play a North Carolina High School team, and played a Middle Tennessee team in Knoxville.
The word of girls playing rugby in Powell spread through out the Knoxville area resulting in 4 High School girl's teams the following year. These girls team were the first in Tennessee and the South. Powell continues to host a hot dog cookout after every game. This is the basis for many friendships between players, coaches and parents among the area's High Schools.
2004 saw Powell Rugby Club hosts Milfield School (Street, Sommerset, England) with cookouts, joint practices, UT tours (with a visit on the field during football spring drills) before the game. 31 boys made the trip from England and were housed in the homes of Powell players. Our major fundraising event, running the concessions stands at John Tarleton Park, started in 2004 and has played a big role in hte Club success. This was also the first year of the U-19 Nash bash. The Bash is a 2-day Rugby Festival in Nashville, TN that attracts 26 High School Rugby teams from the eastern USA. powell Rugby club played in the innaugural event and every year until 2009.
In 2005, Powell hosted Johnston Heights School girls' team from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. farragut & Karns hosted Senator O'connor School a girls' team from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. local parents were amazed about how the Canadian parents would send their girls (13-18 years old) to stay at people's homes in Tennessee with no questions asked. But that is the Worldwide Rugby Culture, most teams have open practices (just think Powell players are welcome at Karns' practices) and one rugby player will house another rugby player at any time.
2006 saw Powell players attending Coaching Conventions and Players Camps in Nashvill, TN. Also, the women's national Head Coach and staff made a stop in Knoxville for a player camp during the fall. Karns hosted St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School, a girl's team from Brampton, ontario, Canada.
The buses came to Powell in 2007. Due the some players having transportation problems, the Powell Rugby Club rented school buses for all scrimmages and games in 2007. While this put a strain on the Club's budget in 2007, (some team gear was not purchased) the club made the commitment to get all players to the games. The powell Rugby Club was the only area high school team to travel by bus at he time.
