Fort Hunt U-19/High School RugbySpring 2012

Agenda

• Overview• Purpose/Philosophy• Leaders/Personnel• Fort Hunt Rugby Organization• Fort Hunt Rugby History• Fort Hunt Rugby Future• Schedule• Expectations/Ground Rules• Health and Safety• Injuries• Fees/Registration• Fundraising/Sponsorship• Equipment• Locations• Times• Communications• Opportunities to Volunteer• Beyond Rugby: Mentoring and Development• Q & A

Overview

In Spring 2012 (February-June), Fort Hunt Rugby will compete in the Rugby Virginia high school competition with boys and girls teams.

Teams are not tied to any school, and are open to any player age 14-19 who is an active student in high school.

Registration opens in January 2012, practice starts in February, and matches begin in March, with matches ending in early June.

Purpose/Philosophy

• Teach competitive, high-level rugby to high school-age youth• Compete in the Rugby Virginia league• Emphasize player – Development– Teamwork– Discipline– Sportsmanship– Respect for teammates, opponents, coaches and officials

• Foster a love for the lifetime sport of rugby, and its unique culture and traditions

Purpose/Philosophy• Teamwork is critical, in rugby and in life

– Team unity, on and off the field• There is no place for ego; values/principles override personalities• There is never a reason to cheat• Player of the Match is the player who is the best overall team member, not necessarily the

best player• The rewards of making yourself part of something bigger• Do nothing to bring discredit or shame upon yourself, your family, or your team• Respect for teammates, opponents and officials• Winning=giving 100% and learning

– All else comes as a consequence of these two• Accept defeat with dignity, take victory with humility• Respect for those players, coaches and supporters who have gone before you• Rugby is a way of life, and makes lifelong friends• Love of the game: a passion that inspires all player, coach, ref, administrator and

supporter/spectator actions

Full-Contact

• Rugby is a full-contact sport, not a collision sport– Constant, close-in contact with teammates and

opponents• Players must have physical maturity– Engage in proper, safe contact– Remember to avoid illegal, unsafe contact

• Players must have emotional maturity– No ego, no gloating– No anger over hard play from an opponent

• Players who cannot adjust will not play

Goals

• Club goals– Maintain competitive boys and girls HS-level teams that compete

fully in the Rugby Virginia Spring 2012 season– Establish HS coaches and leaders for future years– Create a cadre of dedicated players and parents

• Team Goals– Fully trained and integrated teams, ready to take the field and play– Winning seasons

• Individual Goals– Players fully conversant will all basics of rugby play– Players fully aware of basics of their position– Players fully aware of basic Laws of the Game

Fort Hunt Rugby Organization

CommissionerAndy Vonada

Social

Registrar/ Compliance

Head Coach/DirectorJohn Dacey

9-U Coed Touch Coaches

Hughes/Golding

13-U Boys Tackle CoachJohn Dacey

Boys U-19 Coach

Dale Roach

11-U Coed Touch Coaches

Hughes/Golding

Girls U-19 Coach

Andy Vonada

15-U Boys Tackle CoachDale Roach

17-U Boys Tackle CoachDale Roach

Grounds/ Equipment

Fundraising/Sponsorship

Girls Tackle Coach

Andy Vonada

Fort Hunt Rugby GoalsFort Hunt Rugby Goals- Have funHave fun- Teach the game and develop player Teach the game and develop player skills skills - Promote and maintain a rugby familyPromote and maintain a rugby family- Develop coachesDevelop coachesSummer Tackle

Summer Touch U-19/High School

Match Secretary

Leaders/Personnel

• Andy Vonada, FHYAA Rugby Commissioner• John Dacey, Head Coach• Dale Roach, HS Boys Coach

– Bill Galway, Assistant Coach– Chris Murray, Assistant Coach– Joseph Caridi, Assistant Coach

• Andy Vonada, HS Girls Coach– Allie Bowman, Assistant Coach– Katrina Romain, Assistant Coach– Vivian Cocca, Assistant Coach

Fort Hunt Rugby History

• Fort Hunt Rugby, a sport supported by FHYAA since 2006– 11 players in 2006– 18 in 2007– 53 in 2008– 74 in 2009– 93 in 2010– 128 in 2011

• July 2010, first-ever club tour to Canada• In 2011, fielded teams in boys/girls high school, U-9

touch, U-11 touch, U-13 boys tackle, U-15/U-17 boys tackle, U-17 girls tackle

Fort Hunt Rugby Future

• Planned high school tours (destination TBD) for Summer 2012– Future tours in 2014, 2016, 2018…

• Boys middle school (7/8th grade) boys tackle program, Spring 2012– Possible boys U-15 tour to France/Scotland in August 2012

• Possible addition of U-13 tackle for Spring 2012

2012 High School Rugby Schedule

• February 2012, practices begin• Early April, scheduled matches begin– Scrimmages begin in mid-March

• Possible weekend trips for tournaments• Early June, matches conclude

Expectations/Ground Rules• Rugby is a spring sport

• Players are expected to dedicate themselves to their team and teammates• This is not an after-school or recreational program, but a varsity-level program

emphasizing dedication and competition– The best, most dedicated players will start, and will play more– Players who do not attend training will not start, or play as much

• All players must attend a minimum of 4 full-contact practices before being permitted to play

• Players must demonstrate proper physical and emotional maturity before being permitted to play

• All players are required to have a personally fitted mouthguard for all training and play• All training will involve full contact• Players, coaches and parents/spectators must abide by all respective applicable codes

of conduct• Players and coaches will sign codes of conduct

Health and Safety• Safety is paramount, for players and spectators

• Weather considerations: heat, cold, lightning/thunder• Field and equipment considerations• Accustoming players to a non-pad, full-contact sport and its unique

aspects• Coaches are the final say in whether a player trains/plays

• Fitness, field, equipment, weather, player readiness, injury• Health

• Codes of conduct prohibit use of alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs• This goes for fans/spectators at events (no beer, no smoking)

• Players should be fit• Fitness greatly lessens the chance of injury• Fit players are more effective• Fit players have more fun on the field

Injuries• Players and parents must communicate to coaches all relevant player’s past injuries, and proclivities to injury• Injuries, in training and in play

• Post-practice/match: muscle soreness• Most common: bruises, scrapes, scratches• Less common: stretches/pulls (elbows and knees), deep bruises, gashes, sprains• Rare: broken bone, dislocation, hyperextension• Dental injuries (very rare): chipped/broken teeth, loose/missing teeth

• Head Injury/Concussion• Coaches are trained in recognition• Coaches will defer on diagnosis to trained/licensed medical professionals• For a concussion diagnosis:

• Automatic, non-negotiable 3-week ban on full-contact training and play for any player with medically diagnosed concussion or loss of consciousness (even without medical diagnosis of concussion)

• This is USA and IRB policy, cannot and will not be appealed or circumvented• Return to play (after 21 days) with formal, written, specific doctor clearance

• Returning to play• Coaches are the final say in whether a player trains/plays• With parent and doctor input• Players will not be rushed back into training/play

Fees/Registration

• Registration via FHYAA, at www.fhyaa.org/rugby– Registration opens in 15 January

• Registration fee is $140– USA Rugby registration of $30 is separate, and

mandatory (and is valid through summer season)

• Scholarships are available; see a coach for details

Fundraising/Sponsorship

• We expect to conduct some fundraising– Adopt-a-Rugger program– Carwash, etc.– All FHR gear sales make $ for the club– All donations are tax-deductible

• We need sponsorship– Any amount, any source– $500 gets a name/logo on our jerseys– PR/sponsorship materials available on request,

and on the website

Equipment• Team-provided equipment

– All training gear: balls, cones, poles, pads, etc.– Water (at matches)– Medical supplies (training and matches)– Game jerseys (team property)

• Player equipment– Black over-the-calf socks (for matches)– Rugby shorts

– Black required for matches– Any color okay for training

– Black compression shorts (for matches)– Personally fitted mouthguard (mandatory for training and matches)– Water (training)

• Boots– Molded-sole or screw-in studs are okay (football screw-in toe stud must be removed)

• Optional Equipment– Gloves (fingerless rugby gloves, not football/baseball or other gloves)– Scrum cap– Padded shirt– Shin guards

• See the “Equipment” area of the website for more info and links to vendors• Prohibited items

– No form of eyeglasses permitted, even sports goggles; contact lenses are permitted– No jewelry: necklaces, bracelets, watches– No visible piercings: earrings, nose rings/studs, lip rings, etc.

• They must be removed; taping over them is not permissible– Any equipment with metal or hard plastic, such as casts or braces, even if wrapped or padded

Locations• Training:

• Primary: Bucknell Manor Park• Secondary: Quander Road School

• Matches– Will take place usually on Saturdays

– Possible during the week or Sundays, but unlikely– Home field: GW Rec Center– Away games

• Springfield• Chantilly• Alexandria• Fairfax• Warrenton• Winchester• Purcellville• Manassas• Richmond area• Hampton/Norfolk area

Times

• Training• 4:00-6:30pm, Tuesday/Thursday• Saturday morning training until matches begin

• Matches– Schedule TBD– Matches usually on Saturdays, kickoff variable,

depending on schedule– Weekday kickoff usually 6:00pm

• Training and matches will take place rain or shine, depending on field availability

Communications• Coach and player-leader (captain) contact information

provided to all registered players and parents• Main POCs’ info always available on website• Bulk of team comms—official—will be via email• All important email comms and schedule items will be

posted to website: www.fhyaa.org/rugby• All email comms also posted to Fort Hunt Rugby

Facebook page– “Fort Hunt Boys High School Rugby”– “Fort Hunt Girls High School Rugby”

Opportunities to Volunteer

• We need volunteers!• No experience necessary• Positions– Assistant coaches– Registrar/Compliance Officer– Match secretary– Equipment/Field Manager– Social Chairman– Photographer/Videographer– Historian/Statistician

Beyond Rugby: Mentoring and Development

• Mentoring with University of Mary Washington• Opportunities for players to discuss college life, learn

about college rugby

• Summer internship program• Cuisine Solutions, international food service

corporation• Geared to juniors and seniors• 2-4 players, boys or girls• See a coach for details

Q & A