We are the oldest continuous women's rugby team in the state, possibly the United States. Our history starts in 1976, when we were created alongside the Missoula All-Maggots. Our mission is to foster women’s rugby and support and develop amateur athletes, regardless of identity, sexuality, ethnicity, body type, religion, or ability. Missoula is our home, but our players come from around the country with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Importantly, we all share a passion for the sport, a love for having fun, and dedication to growing our community. 

​​​

​

THE VERY START, 1976-1979

​

​

​

During an interview with Matthew Brown on the Missoula Maggot’s “Maggots-Missoula Oral Rugby Series Episode #9”, Barb Beck and Anne Goettenn speak about their time playing rugby with the Betterside. Based on this interview, clippings taken from newspapers, and tales passed down for generations, our history starts a little something like this.

​

Missoula’s Better Side WRFC was formed in 1976 by Annie Goetten, Patti Johnson, Jamie Jisa, Cathy Hogan, Danni Steiner, Mary Thrasher, Valine Cade, Barb Slott, Trish Skelton, and Barb Springer. Originally the ‘Better Side’ was wittingly two separate words, ensuring that no matter who the team played, or how they did, they WERE the better side. At some point, the two words were accidentally written as one (whose fault that is, is up for debate!) The first season of the club, the Betterside played the only other women’s team in the Northwest – themselves. Undeterred, the women traveled to Colorado for their first real tournament, and soon were able to play teams across Idaho, Montana, Washington and Oregon.

​​​

Anne Goettenn recalls that in the spring of 1976 Betterside was officially founded. In unofficial news, Betterside actually predated the Maggots by one season, starting when a group of women would meet up to throw the ball around. Under Goettenn’s guidance, it was the start of a legacy.

​

Goettenn stated, “Well officially in the spring of 1976, the germ got started the fall before the fall at the Jester’s [game], they weren’t called the Jesters, the U of M team’s game. The men were playing and then there were maybe five or six women that were hanging around and playing with the ball and looking interested.”.

​

She goes on, “We started farting around and then on Tuesday’s we’d actually have practice because there was always beer left over from the weekend and the ‘Railroad Bar’ or whatever it was called would let us come up there after practice.” 

​

Our official debut began in Denver of the Spring 1976. It was a tournament in which we played the Denver Blues, a team from Fort Collins, and other teams from the Northwest. With three or four games, few practices under our belt, we lost very badly, but were determined to get better. Our first home match was during the first Maggotfest. The closest team was down in Moscow and there weren't many teams around. 

 

​​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

​

The original orange and black jerseys were old Princeton jerseys that the Betterside were able to get for cheap. In 1987, however, the club was in need of a new set, and found inspiration while at the Edmonton Ruggerfest. The premier match of the weekend was the Palmer men, who were reportedly quite attractive in their rugby skills, and in their jersey colors: purple and black. An uncommon color combo in the area, the Betterside decided to change their colors and put their saying, “look good, play good,” into action.

 

​In the beginning they trained at whatever little park they could find. Although we have now secured our pitch in Fort Missoula, securing field space has historically been difficult. Every Tuesday the original Betterside team would gather for practice. Goetten recalls that the hardest part about teaching rugby to the new girls was tackling.

​

“We couldn’t tackle for shit” she says.

​

Growing up in the 1960’s, the original Bettesiders did not have much access to sports. Taking part in Social Rugby was often these women’s first opportunity to play a sport. 

Barb Beck states, “But I think you know when we first got started some of the women had never really participated in any kind of sports before. We didn’t have the chance. Title Nine came after us. Yeah, so I mean, the fact being on a team with other women, teammates, and having common goals and participating together and that was a huge deal. Huge deal compared to now where they have a lot more opportunity to do that kind of thing.”

​

According to The Women’s Sports Foundation, before Title nine was passed, only 1 in 27 girls played sports. Today, more than 2 in 5 girls are currently enrolled in a sport between their secondary education. Today we have more than 30+ players combined between the Women’s UM team and Betterside, four women's social teams in Montana, and multiple High School girls teams throughout the state. 

​

The founding players of the Betterside played at a time when women were often told sports weren’t for them, when funding, fields, coaching, and respect were limited or nonexistent. Choosing to play rugby then wasn’t just about loving the game, it was an act of courage and confrontation. They created space where none existed and built a program from the ground up, often through sheer determination and limited resources.

​

Because of their efforts, later generations have opportunities they never had. Today, women have far greater access to sports, scholarships, and recognition, and that progress didn’t happen by accident. It came directly from teams like Betterside. Women who didn’t accept the status quo, who decided women belonged on the field. Being part of this team means you’re not just playing rugby, you’re carrying forward the work they started.