News

You know the routine -

Wake up early, get to work. 

Your day is a mixture of PT, busting your ass, and dealing with issues that pop up all day long.

Your days are extended into the night, where there is more PT, organized sports, and still dealing with issues.

Rinse, repeat, rinse.  This isn’t your typical 9 to 5 gig; you do this 24/7.  It’s not a job to you, it is who you are.

But you aren’t Army, Navy, Marines, or Air Force. 

You are a professional.

You are an entrepreneur.

You are a Rugger.

You are American Sin Bin.

American Sin Bin began as an idea from the bright minds at Ranger Up.  With the mission of elevating the game of Rugby in America and delivering a World Cup Championship to the United States, it seems pretty clear that….WAIT A MINUTE!!!! (Cue screeching tires and blaring horn.)

Okay, let me try that one again…

With the mission of elevating the game of Rugby in American and delivering a World Cup Championship to the United States?!?

Okay, now, let’s hold our respective horses.  There are lists of things that we, as individuals, strive for.  Attainable goals like losing weight, gaining a degree, starting for the Varsity squad.  For firms it may be an increase in profit share or inroads into a particular market.  But the United States winning a World Cup in Rugby?  Get outa’ heah!

Which of the following things does not quite fit with the others?

New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, England, United States.

If you answered the United States, you get the grand prize – A three night stay at the NoDuh Spa.  All four other countries have displayed a definitive prowess in the game; all are renowned for their accomplishments on the pitch.  The U.S.?  Eh…not so much.  So to make the claim that the U.S. will capture a World Cup in Rugby takes some significant brass balls.  But if there is one thing the Ranger Up turned American Sin Bin crew has in abundance, it’s brass balls. 

This past February, Las Vegas hosted the Las Vegas Rugby Sevens 2013, and the American Sin Bin crew was there to meet, mingle, and support the teams in attendance.  Ruggers from all over the world were there, each striving to bring out his/her best, to party like Rock Stars, and to support each other.  Fortunately for them, American Sin Bin had the party part covered.  Saturday night at the tourney belonged to the ASB crew, who put on a blowout with over 2000 Rugger guests.  Included in this group were 200 VIPs who drank and partied free all night long, thanks to T Rex and her ASB compatriots.  But for T Rex, and all the folks at American Sin Bin, this wasn’t just an opportunity to party, or to get the ASB name out there.  This was an opportunity to give back, to support the Rugger community and lifestyle.  And really, this is the crux of who American Sin Bin really is.

American Sin Bin is committed to elevating the game of rugby in the United States, and ultimately, winning the World Cup.  They are accomplishing this through investing in youth programs, grass roots adult programs, sponsorship initiatives and event support.  I asked T Rex why.  What is it about Rugby that makes her so passionate in her support? 

It isn’t just a sport, she replied, this is a way of life. 

It’s the camaraderie, the amazing people who will be in your life forever.

Even at events, this seems to be T's favorite part.  For her, the most rewarding part of the matches ASB attends is talking to fellow Ruggers face to face, and being able to dialogue on an even pitch, speaking the language that they do. 

American Sin Bin’s plan is built on two principles: Pushing younger players into the sport, and sustaining the current crop of Ruggers.

It is this investment into the education of the next generation, the encouragement of current players, and the active efforts to support that close knit Rugger community, which vaults ASB to the top of the support network.  And, it is this dedication and commitment that has led to the do-or-die mantra of pulling off the difficult, though not impossible, task of bringing that World Cup Championship to the United States.

I think they’ll do it.

By Grin and Barrett

Want to meet the people working behind the scenes of ASB? We hear about the shenanigans that take place in the warehouse, but who are the lucky souls that bear the brunt of the chaos? Who is it that actually answers the phones and makes everything right when something goes wrong?

As part of an ongoing series, we are going to introduce the team to you. Each has their own story and brings something to the table (be it beer or booze). To start things out, we are going to introduce you to Fletcher, Operations Manger.

You may have seen or heard her referred to as “T” or “T-Rex” over the years but she actually prefers to be called “Fletcher.” Her first name has been classified since the fall of the Berlin Wall and though many have tried to pry it from her by using Nazi interrogation techniques, she, nor anyone else, will not come off the information.

Don’t be fooled by the pretty face, Fletcher was the starting place kicker in high school back in Chicago where she would practice off the field by kicking guys in the nuts for getting a little too frisky. While you may think that she sat on the sidelines during every practice just kicking, she actually participated in all aspects of football practice including hitting drills. Not only was she a football player, she also was a high school All-American in soccer and All-State in college.

A true athlete, Fletcher went to college at Appalachian State where she excelled in soccer and rugby. She was even contacted by the Athletic Director to gauge interest in her kicking for the Appalachian State Football Team. Face it guys, you may drool over her, but she will kick your ass (or nuts if facing the wrong direction) then run circles around you just for the hell of it. The only thing Fletcher fears are flying bottles of Mad Dog 20-20.

Fletcher’s current love is all things Rugby. A semi-pro player in Raleigh for the RRFC Venom, Fletcher also plays on numerous, invitation only, All-Star teams. Her natural leadership abilities are very apparent on the pitch which carries into her personal life as operations manager for RU. Fletcher is one of the driving forces behind the American Sin Bin rugby brand recently introduced by Ranger Up.

Like most of the crew at RU, Fletcher started as a t-shirt folder, not really that exciting but a job none the less. Her solid work ethic was noticed and she has been climbing the ladder ever since. According to Fletcher “I love working at American Sin Bin. We're such a close knit group of people that it’s like we’re family. And not a dysfunctional, incestuous one, but a really hard working, hard playing, drunken, bruised-up one." 

Fletcher is driven by the fact that she wants American Sin Bin to be the synonymous with American Rugby; not in the terms of sales but by what the company, and she in particular, can do for the sport as a whole. This is her personal motivation for everything she does with the American Sin Bin brand. And, there is no one better at designing rugby apparel than a rugger!