A new rugby field is being built on the site of the former Vance Middle School in Memphis’s Southside. Mayor Lee Harris, Interim Superintendent Rod Richmond, and Memphis Inner City Rugby broke ground on the project on Friday. The $1.1 million grant from the Shelby County Board of Commissioners will fund a sports facility with family-friendly amenities, according to the Office of the Mayor.
The Mayor Harris’s Office of Innovation is leading a project to convert an underused property into a rugby field through a partnership between Memphis Inner City Rugby and Memphis-Shelby County Schools. Memphis Inner City Rugby, founded in 2012, has trained nearly 4,000 students and helped 100 percent of its 2023 senior athletes enter post-secondary programs. Mayor Lee Harris said, "We are turning one of the most blighted spots in our community into something kids and families can use and enjoy," as reported by the Office of the Mayor. Chairman Michael Whaley noted that the program teaches students skills such as teamwork and resilience.
Interim Superintendent Rod Richmond said, "Memphis Inner City Rugby is doing something our community has waited years to see- transforming the site of Vance Middle School." The project will create a new sports field for students and families and may attract outside teams to the city. Andrea Wensits, Executive Director of MICR, said the field will provide youth with safe spaces and opportunities to build confidence. Groundbreaking for the project has begun, as stated by the Office of the Mayor.
