Student athletes are among the hardest working people on campus. Athletes with leadership positions work even harder than that. Joe Romo, senior business administration major, learned this when he became captain of Sacramento State’s men’s rugby team.

Joe grew up an athlete. When he was in sixth grade, he started playing flag football. He continued playing football all through high school.

During his junior year, Joe decided to play rugby in the football offseason to stay in shape and keep active. Romo took a great liking to the sport and found it benefited him in every aspect of football.

“It helped to hone my tackling skills and become a better athlete overall,” Joe said.

Joe planned to go to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New Haven, Conn., after he graduated. He began the rigorous application process approximately a year in advance and was on his way to becoming a member of the Coast Guard.

The application process included many physical exams and, as it turned out, Joe was disqualified from the program. He received the bad news while he was in Spain.

“I got the phone call on my senior trip,” Joe said. His parents had called to inform him that because of his high blood pressure, he could not be accepted into the academy.

The Coast Guard has very strict physical health expectations and any condition that is controlled with prescription medication cannot be allowed.

Joe returned home that July and quickly applied to Sac State.

“I was just happy to get into Sac State considering the circumstances,” Joe said. His acceptance into the school was also very well received by Sac State’s rugby coach Chris Miller.

Miller had had his eye on Joe since his senior year of high school. In addition to coaching Sac State, Miller coached the high school all-star team and desperately wanted to recruit Romo. The high school all-star team is a summer league made up of the area’s best rugby players.

“We scout and recruit all year long during the high school season. We hold a two day try-out camp with different skill tests and then they are selected from that,” Miller said.

After watching Joe play, Miller wanted him to be a part of the team. After Romo’s senior year, Miller was hopeful that he would choose to stay in town and go to Sac State.

However, Joe had informed Miller prior to going on his senior trip that he was planning to go to the Coast Guard Academy. When Romo came home from Spain with the change of plans, Miller was pleased.

“We felt very lucky and fortunate that he changed his mind,” Miller said. “Joe has been a great asset to the program.”

Joe has no regrets: “I wouldn’t have the support and friendships that I have made.”

He said he feels proud to be a part of such a wonderful team.

Shortly after entering college, Joe broke his leg during a team practice.

“His freshman year was kind of wiped out,” Miller said.

Joe persevered and came back stronger than ever his sophomore year; he started as an inside center.

“Joe is a rare bird,” Miller said.

He quickly learned that Joe needed a different position on the team. The stationary position of inside center did not satisfy Romo’s need for intensity.

“He just always had to be in the mix. I think that is what was killing Joe so much. We were suffocating him as a player by putting him in this isolated position,” Miller said.

Joe was moved to playing the flanker position, responsible for maintaining and getting possession of the ball.

“We made that switch last year and he has been remarkable ever since,” Miller said.

As flanker, Joe is able to be on the field and in the action for the majority of the game.

Joe is grateful for the responsibility of being the captain.

“It has taught me to (be) more accountable (to) myself and it has taught me to be more patient with other people,” Joe said.

He is the leader for more than 35 student athletes.

Miller has also seen Joe’s growth from his freshman year until now.

“He has grown a lot since he came on board; with his leadership, his maturity, and his discipline,” he said.

One person who has seen a great positive change in Joe is his mother, Barbara Romo. His mother calls the team “the fraternity of mud.”

“It’s like a brotherhood out there. They support each other and back each other up,” Barbara said.

Craig Manno, junior communication studies major and vice captain of the team, said Joe has been an inspiration for everyone.

“Joe is a great leader; not only with words of inspiration but physically. He is always going 110 percent,” Manno said.

Manno said he is happy to have someone as motivated as Joe leading the team.

“Off the field he is always doing whatever he can for the team whether it is helping bringing in the gear or getting the jerseys together. Whatever it takes, he does,” Manno said.

Joe’s father, Richard Romo, is very proud of him and the path he has chosen to pursue in college.

Richard admits that is was difficult for his son to accept that he would not be going to the Coast Guard Academy.

“This happened to be something that turned into something even better than we expected. I am very proud of him. The team has been very successful with him and Craig,” Richard said.

Now the team is in mid-season and Joe is hard at work. “I’m just trying to keep the guys focused and making sure they are taking care of their bodies,” he said.

“He is our leader. He is our voice. He is a high intens(ity) competitor,” Miller said.

Cozette Roberts can be reached at [email protected]