New USA Age-Grade High performance Plan Includes Virtual Academy

10.09.2024

USA Rugby's pathways teams are looking for talent and now is the time to nominate players.

The National High School Pathway is a program that will be looking to put players 15-18 into their virtual HP Academy. But they will also have a USA U18 camp in the winter, as usual. The idea, however, is to use the virtual academy to develop and improve the skills of a larger pool of young players and thus get them a higher launching pad.

The virtual academy was developed by 6 Degree, which had already introduced a coaching program for Youth & HS teams.

So now USA Rugby High Performance USA Youth & High School have opened the application window for the 2024-2025 pathway program for American high school-aged players.

The National High School Pathway is designed to identify, select, and help develop a large pool of aspiring U15-U18 players nationwide. Through 2025 the program will ramp-up, selecting and annually enrolling 375+ boys and girls ages 15-18.

Made possible by a collaboration with USA Youth and High School Rugby, the program includes coordinated player identification programs, regional and national development assemblies and a virtual academy.

The virtual academy has been developed by 6 Degree founders, Mick Byrne, a two-time Rugby World Cup winner with New Zealand, and current Fiji Head Coach, and; Nick Leah whose experience includes Super Rugby & Super Rugby Academy, the Japan’s Kubota Spears and the Australia men’s 7s. This program offers a digital Web-based 'train-in-place' curriculum tailored to enhance players' physical preparation, game understanding and essential skills, towards higher national standards. Application to the USA Rugby HPs National High School Pathway and virtual academy is free to players selected.

"We are committed to increase our visibility into the emerging talent across American high school rugby," said Tamara Sheppard, USA Rugby General Manager of High Performance, "This initiative will improve player access to USA Rugby High Performance on a wider and ongoing basis, and drive sustained, skill-based development into younger age groups in every pocket of the country.”

Completing the initial application form will engage interested boys and girls players in a community of aspiring rugby athletes. Over a period of time, a series of talent identification processes, including: player profiles, 3rd party recommendations, fitness and skill assessments, film reviews and talent identification assemblies will narrow the applicant pool into the virtual academy for U15, U16, U17 and U18 cohorts.

The application process is the first step. Players who apply are not automatically ‘selected’ for the HS Pathway, but instead are enrolled to begin the process of progressive evaluation over several months. Here is what that might look like:

Stage 1 (Oct): Application