Chuckanut Rugby Club

The Goal

Founded in 1973 by former Western Washington University players, Chuckanut Bay Rugby had decades of history and a big opportunity: the deWilde family transferred the club's longtime fields in Ferndale to the club, so it could finally improve them. But the club was run by volunteers, its brand and communications were scattered, and it needed to raise money in phases to build out the fields. It needed a clear brand, a steady way to reach members and supporters, and materials that made the case for the fields.

What We Did

• Brand Guide & 50th Anniversary: Built the Chuckanut brand guide, new logos, a 50th anniversary mark and a Century Club donor logo, and captured photo and video on anniversary day.
• Events: Designed banners, flyers and emails for the Can-Am 7s and Youth Can-Am 7s tournaments and the annual dinner auction.
• Websites: Built chuckanut.rugby and the deWilde Rugby Fields site in Webflow, plus graphics and flyers for the Phase 3 fundraising ask.
• News & Press: Wrote articles and press releases on club milestones, including two players named to the USA Men's 7s Eagles and USA Rugby's national team training at deWilde.
• Recruitment: Designed Try Rugby flyers and recruitment posters for high school and middle school players.
• Strategy & Email: Built the club's strategic plan and vision deck, and moved email from SportsEngine to Mailchimp.

The Impact

Chuckanut Bay Rugby now has a brand and voice that match more than 50 years of history. The club celebrated its 50th anniversary, kept the Can-Am 7s going into its 44th year, and saw USA Rugby's national team train at deWilde, with every milestone shared through news, email and social. Supporters have a clear picture of the deWilde fields project and how to help close each phase. With a strategic plan and steady communications in place, the club can focus on finishing the fields and growing rugby from youth to adults in Whatcom County.