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USA Rugby to Come to Public on Youth Contact Standards

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USA Rugby to Come to Public on Youth Contact Standards

Middle school age rugby is a key focus area for any new contact guidelines. Photo courtesy Charlotte Junior Rugby.

A year after USA Rugby first started looking into guidelines for how young players are introduced to the game, and some action is going to be taken this summer.

USA Rugby Soliciting HS-Youth Eligibility Opinions

Make Your Voice Heard on Youth and HS Issues

Readers and Goff Respond to Youth Survey Discussion

Reader Analysis of USAR Youth Rugby Ideas 

Under USA Rugby Youth & HS Director Kurt Weaver, a plan is being put together in conjunction with a World Rugby effort to formalize an intro to contact plan, and with some input from people involved in youth football, to ease new and young players into the contact area of rugby. Coaches are wary of this plan, even though they likely haven't seen it, because (as many have voiced to GRR) they think Weaver is reluctant to get players into playing full tackle rugby quickly.

But whether coaches are supportive of new age-grade guidelines or not, they will get a new chance to comment. A first draft of proposed guidelines have been submitted to the USA Rugby Youth Committee and that committee has been going over the draft and are due right about now to submit changes and amendments. That feedback will be returned to Weaver to make changes. Then a proposal will be put together looking for national feedback.

The USA Rugby proposal will likely be sent to heads of State-Based Rugby Organizations first. This is important to know for th rank and file, because last time, not every SBO head let the membership know about proposed changes. This time around, the SBOs get a look and provide feedback, and then there will be a national call for feedback and suggested changes.

For many, the major concerns are: 1) What are the guidelines for introducing contact, and how early (in terms of age) can you have players playing full-contact 15s; 2) What are the guidelines for introducing tackling and other elements of contact (full rucking, scrums, mauls) for new players regardless of age. There is reportedly a move to have a set non-contact period for every new player, even a senior in high school. 

After all of the suggestions and changes, the Youth & HS Committee will finalize the new guidelines, and vote on them.

The Youth & HS Committee is chaired by Bill Middleton and includes Mark Carney (Rugby NorCal), Ed Matteo (Simsbury HS, Conn.), Jenn Heinrich (Rugby Oregon), Killian Kerwin (Santa Monica), Brad Kilpatrick (World Rugby Shop, Rugby Alabama), Kurt Weaver (USA Rugby), and Alicia Allen (USA Rugby). 

 

Related: Middle School NIT News