Events
If you follow the smell of pancakes and the sound of a rugby match, you’ll likely end up at SeaTac Park this Saturday.
Liberty Rugby Club is marking its 40th anniversary on May 2 with a full day of games, a pancake breakfast, and a celebration for its graduating seniors. The event, “Pancakes on the Pitch,” takes place at Pat Ryan Field within SeaTac Park and brings together players, families, alumni, and supporters for a day that feels equal parts reunion and community gathering.
The morning starts at 10 a.m. with breakfast served right at the field. At noon, alumni and the 2026 senior class will be recognized. The varsity team takes on Eastside at 12:30 p.m., followed by a JV match at 2 p.m.
It’s the kind of day Liberty Rugby has built its identity around.
“This is more than just a field. It’s home,” said Allen Dodd, Liberty Rugby Club vice president and director of the Lady Liberty program.
For many families, that is not just a line. Pat Ryan Field has been the center of the club for decades. With its hillside seating and open views, it has a natural, welcoming feel that turns game days into something bigger than a match.
Rugby brings its own traditions too. After games, teams gather for a shared meal, often prepared by parents and volunteers. Players who were just competing line up to shake hands, talk, and eat together. It’s a small thing that leaves a lasting impression.
Liberty has hosted teams from across the region and beyond, including international visitors, all welcomed onto the same field. It is one of the few dedicated rugby spaces in King County, and for many, it has become a second home.
LibertyRugbyFC
More information about our club can be found at libertyrugby.org
That history is part of what makes this year’s celebration stand out.
Pat Ryan Field sits within SeaTac Park, where future use of portions of the park remains under discussion between the Port of Seattle and the City of SeaTac. Those conversations are still unfolding, but for the rugby community, the field already holds decades of meaning.
Saturday’s event is a chance to see that firsthand.
It’s pancakes on the griddle, a rugby ball in the air, and a crowd gathered along the hillside. Forty years in, Liberty Rugby is still doing what it has always done best: bringing people together.
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