Rookie Rugby in USA the future of the game
Earlier this year USA Rugby Chief Executive Nigel Melville announced his initial aim to introduce 100,000 new children to rugby, and Rookie Rugby looks set to achieve that bold ambition by introducing the sport into USA junior school curriculums for the first time. Rookie Rugby is designed to give young players between six and 12 years old a fun, safe and enjoyable sporting experience, and introduce a whole new raft of fans and athletes to the sport through programmes administered through schools, community-based and state-based rugby organizations and USA Rugby national events.
Rugby took a giant step forward in the USA when the countrys governing body, USA Rugby, helped introduce Rookie Rugby to physical education programmes across the state of Florida. The basic, non-contact version of the game has already been taught to 500 educators in Hillsborough, the third largest school district in the state of Florida, and the hope is that many more districts and states will follow in time.
USA Rugby National Youth and High School Director, Mark Griffin said (quote) Expanding the rugby community through engaging schools and other educational organizations is a vital initiative in growing the game and putting youth rugby on the map. In just one day we were able to introduce nearly 500 new coaches to the game thats 100 coaches per one USA Rugby staff member in attendance! With professional oversight from the Florida Rugby Union, this program could produce thousands of young, aspiring rugby players. (end quote)
Watch this space, this could be the big step change that rugby needs to take off across the USA.
Follow @trwc
Rugby News 24/7
