SBRO
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Development of USA Rugby sanctioned
State Based Rugby Organizations
December 2008
Executive Summary
Youth and High School Rugby Development
The growth of Rugby in the USA will depend on our ability to create strong Youth (pre-high school) and High School
Programs that feed our Colleges with rugby players who have mastered the basic skills of the game and have competitive playing experience. As a result our College programs will become stronger, competition between Colleges will be come more intense and standards across the game will continue to rise. The challenge for the Men/Women's Senior Club game will be to maintain the standards that will be set by the College game. Retaining this new generation of players in the game will then fall to the Club game. Clubs will require increasingly sophisticated recruitment programs to attract more and better players.
The whole process begins with youth and high school recruitment and program development. Our membership data clearly demonstrates that membership peaks at the age of 20, as players enter College. The figures also show that numbers dramatically decrease at the age of 23 when players graduate from College.
USA Rugby's strategy is to lower the entry level age to pre-high school through the development of new programs and player recruitment initiatives. In addition, the Club game will focus on recruitment programs designed to retain College players in the game as they transition to life beyond College.
This dual track approach will grow participation across the game and assist with the development of increasingly more skillful players and concurrent generations of strong USA Eagles teams.
The challenge we face in delivering this strategy is to create the infrastructure to deliver both recruitment and retention programs across a wide range of demographic groups. Developing Youth and High School programs will require a focus on Elementary Schools, YMCA's and after school activities. It will require in school coaching and promotion, local activation, training sessions, creation of teams, leagues, coaches and referees.
Transitioning players from College to Club Rugby will require local Club recruitment and retention and developing strong relationships between Colleges and Clubs. The Clubs will have to improve their offering in terms of facilities, coaching and player support. Clubs must connect with graduates arriving in their City's for work. A national support network for graduates will be required to connect Clubs with graduates eg. National Directory Delivering this strategy effectively will required a huge team effort and will require each sector of the game to play their part. This proposal has been created to address the requirement at the Youth and High School level. It is clear that this important area of the game's development will require organizations that can deliver programs professionally during working hours, after school and at weekends. It is therefore proposed that USA Rugby develops and sanctions SBROs to develop this area of the game. This will leave the TU and LAU's to focus on the development of the College and Club game.
Proposal
1.0 State Based Rugby Organizations (SBROs) - Governing Structure
a) It is proposed that the SBROs, once sanctioned, become Associate Geographic Members (AG Members) as described in USA Rugby Bylaws, Article III, Section 3.1 (c) (ii). (Attached)
b) There are no immediately apparent conflicts with categorizing the SBROs as AG Members, this may represent a short term solution, in future it may be necessary to include SBROs as a separate membership category under USA Rugby
Bylaws.
c) A key component is to provide a direct relationship between USA Rugby and the SBRO administration. This will provide clear accountability by both parties as to responsibilities and deliverables. However, this structural definition does not preclude the SBROs from continuing to maintain a mutually beneficial and agreed (formal or informal) relationship with the closest associated LAU and/or TU for the provision of services eg. referee assignment etc..
d) According to Bylaw 3.1 (c) (ii), an AG Member application must be approved by both the Board of Directors and Congress. Each SBRO will make an individual application to become an AG Member, USA Rugby will audit each applicant prior to Board/Congress approval.
e) The AG membership does not allow for any voting rights. It is proposed that SBROs will have representation on the USA Rugby Youth Committee (number of places to be agreed).
f) SBROs will be based on single state boundaries, not any smaller or larger geographic region.
2.0 Dues Structures
a) It is proposed that all USA Rugby individual and club dues (as determined by the Board of Directors and Congress from time to time) will apply to SBROs, with the exception that the maximum payment to be required for Club Dues is the equivalent of 20 teams dues (09-10, $3,000USD). The precise detail for capturing registration information and delivery of funds by USAR and each SBRO is to be determined.
b) Any SBRO with less than 20 teams will be required to register all teams and pay all appropriate fees. SBROs with more than 20 teams will register all teams, but payment will be capped at the 20 team rate.
c) All players, coaches, referees and administrators for all SBROs, regardless of number of teams are required to register at the individual dues amount according to category.
d) This structure incentivizes expansion of the SBRO to include new competitive teams, by providing a cap on the team dues. The 'cap' of 20 teams is subject to review by USA Rugby Board of Directors.
e) No sanctioned USA Rugby SBRO will be required to pay TU or LAU dues or fees in order to be a member in good standing with USA Rugby.
f) It is anticipated that SBROs will develop a working relationship with TU and LAU's.
3.0 Youth Sub Committee Terms Of Reference
a) The current USA Rugby Youth Sub Committee, Terms of Reference, will be reviewed to include the changing status of the SBROs. It is anticipated that SBROs have an agreed number of seats on this committee.
b) Number of officers, the election process and terms of office to be agreed with the representatives of the SBROs.
4.0 Youth and High School Director
a) USA Rugby will appoint a Youth and High School Director to coordinate the sanctioning and development of the SBRO program.Process
a) This paper will has been circulated to the Rugby Committee ahead of their meeting on 22nd December.
b) The Rugby Committee will make a recommendation to the USA Rugby Board of Directors.
c) If approved by the Board, this paper will require Congress approval due to proposed changes in dues payment and membership.
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