USA Rugby Holds Open Youth and High School Review Session

USA Rugby Holds Open Youth and High School Review Session

BOULDER, Colo. - USA Rugby is holding an official review session on the advancements in Youth and High School rugby for 2009.

A year-to-date presentation is available for all to download and review at www.usarugby.org/goto/youth and USA Rugby’s Youth and High School development staff, Mark Griffin and Katie Wurst, will present this information by conference call on Tuesday, June 30, at 3 p.m. MST.
The first 125 members to dial in to the Conference line at:
(888)-721-8686 (code # 5780333) can listen in on this conference at no charge.

A recording of the call will then be made available via the USA Rugby website for people to download. Dramatic strides have already occurred in the Youth and High School game in 2009 and a major goal of USA Rugby is to better communicate areas of progress to the wider membership.

A range of achievements from administrative and organizational advancements to improving the profile of rugby within youth sport settings across the USA are currently taking place, including: Leadership: Mark Griffin was hired in January as the National Youth and High School Director with a primary role of managing the growth and direction of State-Based Rugby Organizations and the overall path for youth and high school rugby in America. Katie Wurst serves as Youth Manager with dedication to pre-high school advancements. Additional part-time assistance has been available for special tasks as needed.

Governance: USA Rugby’s Youth and High School committee amended its terms of reference to create greater functionality by means of assigning specific roles to committee members. All changes will become effective on January 1, 2010 to allow time for proper assessment of certain positions. Separately, USA Rugby’s Board approved the recognition of State Based Rugby Organizations in the By Laws to promote state-based growth of the youth and high school game. Rugby for All: USA Rugby created an all-inclusive developmental pathway for all those interested in participating in rugby. This national continuum includes everything from a basic introduction to the game (Rookie Rugby) to international representation as a US Eagle or continued participation as a coach, referee or administrator. This roadmap was created to instill the idea that rugby truly holds a place for all in the USA. Rookie Rugby: This new, non-contact game makes up the first segment of ‘Rugby for All’ and has welcomed a groundswell of interest on a national level. Over 10,000 new participants are currently picking up the game across the country. An online social-networking site has been created known as the ‘Rookie Rugby Club’ where players, parents, teachers and coaches can create a profile; connect with participants, view videos and much more. ‘Rookie Rugby’ is now a part of park and recreation leagues, teacher in-service trainings and physical education conferences. One specific incidence was the implementation of demonstration sessions at the national AAPHERD conference which plays host to the top physical education and youth sport professionals in the country. This conference is one of many youth rugby coaches have attended in Florida and as a result of excellent follow up by the Florida Rugby Union and Florida Flag Rugby the game has officially been introduced to nearly 100 schools with many more adding flag rugby to their curriculum for fall 2009. Promotions with Setanta and Play Rugby USA continue to increase participation statistics. In addition, a partnership with the non-profit youth charity, Schoolchildren for Children, is promoting the use of a combination rugby/physical fitness activity known as the ‘Rookie Rugby Million Miles Challenge’ to approximately 170,000 schools and youth organizations through the President’s Council for Physical Fitness and Sport. Rookie Rugby has everyone picking up a ball and running with it! For more information on Rookie Rugby visit http://www.rookierugby.com and join the club! State Based Rugby Organizations (SBROs): There are currently 16 organizations approved as SBROs at various stages of development. Each SBRO is assigned a developmental stage as defined by the SBRO pathway outlining organizational components such as non-profit incorporation, professional staffing and high performance programming. USA Rugby provides SBROs with support in establishing their organization, strategic planning and managing various programs. SBRO performance is then measured through a semi-annual scorecard review process. An additional ten states have expressed interest in applying for status as an SBRO. Fifteen state championships took place this year and it is estimated that there will be at least six professional executive directors in place by 2010. Monthly “SBRO Connect” calls are the primary vehicle through which USA Rugby and SBROs interact to align actions with the goals outlined in the Youth and High School Strategic Plan. Youth & High School 5 Year Strategic Plan: USA Rugby has established a 5 year plan for the growth of youth and high school rugby throughout the country. Setting some stretch targets, the plan proposes 5 main areas for game development and sets specific goals for the USA Rugby community to achieve together over the next 5 years including: 1) Participation and Development Program; 2) Sustainable Funding Model; 3) Professional State Based Governance; 4) Cohesive Competitive Structures and 5) Coordinated Coach and Referee Development. The vision of the plan is to “inspire young Americans to fall in love with rugby”. USA Rugby members may download and review the 5 year strategic plan document at www.usarugby.org/goto/youth_rugby. Coach & Referee Development: USA Rugby’s Coach Development Program has focused on providing as many educational opportunities as possible in various areas of the USA by doubling the number of workshops and clinics in 2009. Rookie Rugby is currently incorporated into the Introducing Rugby certification course to help drive down the age of introduction to the sport. Curriculum for a high school-specific certification workshop is undergoing development and is geared towards providing coaches with everything from administrative tools to practical sessions. Technical line-out and scrum seminars are continuing to take place in line with the CDP’s focus of creating more continuing education opportunities. Attending these sessions allows coaches to lengthen the credibility of their current certification. CDP is also partnering with various SBROs to create a decentralized model that will make workshops more attainable. Referee Development has experienced a similar growth in the number of Level 1 officiating courses being delivered across the US. Grants for specific projects have been issued to LAU and SBROs that are targeting a younger generation of referees. Providing funding for training at specific tournaments has created an educational and practical environment geared towards youth and high school focused officials. Officials have also contributed to the development of Rookie Rugby materials and online educational tools. Partner Organizations: A number of dedicated groups have contributed to USA Rugby’s youth and high school programs. Through the USA Rugby Direct online store, hosted by World Rugby Shop, anyone can purchase Rookie Rugby branded balls, t-shirts, education kits and other valuable items. USA Rugby also offers the ‘World Rugby Shop Challenge’ at international matches offering young people the opportunity to learn basic rugby skills. The National Guard supported each approved state championship event with donations of equipment, on-site promotion and financial resources, while also serving as the title sponsor for the High School and U-19 National Championships. The Positive Coaching Alliance continues to work with USA Rugby to provide quality coach education and administrative tools. Play Rugby USA continues to perform and has recently been awarded a significant New York City Department of Education contract to deliver Rookie Rugby programs in up to thirty public schools in addition to the many programs already in place. USA Rugby regularly works with each of these organizations to improve and grow the game at the youth and high school level. International Events: USA Rugby has dramatically increased the number of international events that are taking place on American soil in 2009. At each venue, youth and high school rugby is active and visible. Santa Clara’s USA versus Ireland match featured a halftime full-contact rugby contest featuring middle school athletes. Toyota Park was once again host to a pre-game showcase of U-19 and U-17 all-star programs. Colorado’s own Churchill Cup featured a week long series of Rookie Rugby activity sessions and educational trainings in several different cities. More events are planned for the near future as test matches against Canada and Fiji will be taking place. For more information on each focus area, don’t forget to tune in to the scheduled year-to-date review conference call with USA Rugby’s professional Youth and High School department staff set for Tuesday, June 30 at 3PM MST. Call in to conference line number (888)-721-8686 and gain access through code # 5780333. Download and follow along with presentation materials at www.usarugby.org/goto/youth_rugby. Questions can be directed to Katie Wurst at kwurst@usarugby.org.