Led by Their Busy Coach, The Barons Wear the Crown

Only once has Dana Creager's rugby career interfered with her job as the gymnastics coach at Bethesda-Chevy Chase. It was last season, when she received an unusual phone call.

"They needed me to go to Hong Kong," Creager said.

She hopped on the first plane available, but only after rescheduling a meet that weekend. Creager was needed by the U.S. national team, on which she has played since 2003. Aside from Hong Kong, her rugby career has brought her to five continents, including the Netherlands, Brazil and New Zealand.

Creager's busy life outside of B-CC has hardly affected her work with the gymnastics team. Last week, the Barons won their second Maryland gymnastics championship. Creager, 33, helped start the program in 2001, and it has flourished since.

"It started as just a couple girls," B-CC Activities Director Tim Gilmore said. "Now it's expected that the team does well."

Creager, an athlete for much of her life, started playing rugby when she was at North Carolina State. She was drawn to the physical challenges it presented. "The competitiveness and the pace of the game really attracted me," she said. "And the contact -- I liked that, too."

Rugby occupies Creager year-round. When she's not playing with the national team, she's training. Her regimen includes running, agility training and weight lifting. She also swims and bikes regularly.

It's a wonder she has time left for her coaching duties, which include gymnastics, volleyball and indoor track at B-CC. She also teaches calculus and algebra. "I would say I lead a pretty active life," Creager said.

She developed a love of sports while growing up in Downers Grove, Ill., and Clemmons, N.C. Her first athletic idol was Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton -- Creager named her Great Dane-black Labrador mix Payton. And she cultivated her ability by battling with her two siblings in sports including basketball and football.

Initially, she started coaching gymnastics when she moved to the area and needed to find part-time work. With interest high at B-CC, but no team to speak of, Creager spearheaded a campaign to bring gymnastics to the school. She helped sell cookie dough and pizza, and presided over carwashes to raise money for the team.

In 2004, the Barons won their first state title. This year's championship came with only two seniors. B-CC was led by freshman Ebony Walters -- who placed fifth in the all-around at states -- and junior Katie Pelton.

"We've had a lot of success with getting the girls to come out and keep it fun and competitive," Creager said. "I think with the small number of juniors and seniors we have that we should able to keep the program going strong."

Creager continues to challenge herself athletically. She recently started competing in Adventure Races, arduous events that combine trail running, biking and sometimes swimming. With a physically intense schedule outside of gymnastics, its not unusual for Creager to come to practice sporting plenty of bumps and bruises.

"I'm always looking for new challenges," she said. "It's definitely been exciting."