And the Season Begins!

We kick off the spring season statewide this weekend. The excitement of a new season brings everything that we work so hard to provide.

The cool evenings on game day...the application of all the skills we have practiced so hard to develop...And the sweet feeling of a successful game player, win or lose.

A few items of business to get out there for the interested reader:

• Thanks to Tom Jones and his staff for putting together a great opening weekend of games in the Cleveland area.
• Welcome new teams to the competitive season. It is exciting to have so many new teams and players on the pitch!
• Thanks to the National Guard for their generous support this year. We have 27!!!!! teams wearing brand new National Guard kit. Thank a serviceman when you see them and thank the National Guard!
• All the schedules are up on the rugbyohio.com website. Click on Boys or Girls High School to find a game near you.
• Our middle school season is in final planning stages. Contact Chris Hopps for more details, but this will be exciting to give younger brothers and sisters a chance to play the game.
• We still need volunteers! Spread the word and sign up if interested.
• BUY GEAR for your favorite team at rugbyohio.com. Click on the 'Support your Team' link and shop for all your favorite fan gear.

Keep up the good work!

RugbyOhio HS Competitions Committee Meeting

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The following are the minutes from the Competitions committee meeting. Any questions or comments can go to your local league administrators.


Call To Order. Present - Northeast Boys, Northern Girls, Rugby Ohio present – Southern Girls by proxy. Not Present - Southern Boys, Central Boys

2. Eligibility

a. OHSAA:

i. We will use OHSAA standards as a guideline when issues arise. There are real and fundamental differences with the letter of their bylaws so we cannot wholly adapt their laws. The OHSAA standard as a guide will allow a smooth transition and accepted legal precedence for case by case eligibility issues.

b. USA Rugby

i. USA Rugby recently changed standards for the U-19 Club bracket of the National Tournament. Rugby Ohio will only use these standards for the U-19 Multi School Club Qualifier. The change states that players do not have to be enrolled in HS to compete in this tournament. Graduated players are eligible under this change

c. Rugby Ohio

i. Rugby Ohio leagues are high school leagues. We will follow the OHSAA Standard that says a player must be currently enrolled in high school to compete. Individual cases are to be submitted to the Executive Director for review. The Competitions committee will then look to OHSAA standards and make a decision accordingly

d. Age Questioning and Verification:

i. Issue: A person would like age verification of a player competing in a Rugby Ohio event.

1. Person must notify the Executive Director about the player in question

2. Exec. Director contacts the parents and player in question and advises them that they have 48 hours to contact the area league coordinator to arrange a meeting where the player must present a drivers license, state id. Or player may present school id or other picture ID along with a birth certificate.

3. Executive Director then contacts the players coach and the area league coordinator to inform them of the issue.

4. 48 hours may be extended to accommodate any extenuating circumstances

5. If Area League rep is not available an Agent of Rugby Ohio may be used to verify age.

6. Rugby Ohio will then communicate the results to the person who submitted the issue.

ii. Issue: Check in process for State Championships

1. Rugby Ohio will check in players with a driver’s license, state id. Or player may present school id, with age or birthday, or other picture ID along with a birth certificate.

2. Interested parties may observe but are not permitted to take part in the check in process and may not demand access to players personal information.

3. Game Standards

a. Current standards will continue

b. Clarification – 1 roster is to be submitted for State Championships. Players may only be added/subtracted due to injury and once a player is subtracted they may not be added back.

c. Standard Time

i. We are looking to standardizing
times.

1. Suggested for weekday games – 5:30

2. Suggested for weekend games – 1:00

a. Times are subject to change. This is a general standard to help with press release, professional contract services and brand recognition.

b. Adjustments need to be made for multiple games and boys/girls playing at the same venue.

d. IRB guidelines on match time will continue to be adhered to for Rugby Ohio events.

4. State Championships* this item is still open for discussion and full minutes and notes will be released when approved by the Competitions Committee

5. Middle School Rugby

a. League Standards will be distributed

b. Please be aware that this initiative is active and league are scheduled to start in Mid April

c. Note that existing and potential HS coaching pool are not targets for part of this program. We want to run this without diluting the coaching pool.

6. New Team Process

a. Any new player from a school without a team is a starting point for a new team. We as a state must stop adding these players to existing clubs. The only way to be sure we are not going to start a new team is to not try!! Great Job Northeast!

b. Process – Improved communication on this issue. A detailed report will be released. This is a short summary of the beginning of the process

i. Player identified

ii. Interest sheet passed around

iii. School support gauged

iv. New Player meeting run by Rugby Ohio – this will help us identify which teams will pan out – Once all is in place, only then would the info be passed on to the Area Coordinators for scheduling and other league issues. This info needs to be passed on in a timely manner.

v. Rugby Ohio passes information to Area Coordinators for scheduling and other league issues.

7. Adjourn