High School Rugby in the USA

[HKING]

As I was laying watching the news early this morning I tried to imagine the nation I live in rising up to the next world cup in 5th place and showing the world that we are a top level RUGBY NATION.

What a dream ! Anyway after I woke up I realised that the majority of our issues revolve around development of a strong tracking program for our youth to make sure our side is the top level that we enter into the world cup and other competitions.

Stepping out with nothing to lose! I got started in this great game called RUGBY late in life and realised that as a Physical Education teacher I should go for it and develop a boy's side and compete in the high school division in our state.

Now a teacher salary in the south region of the USA is not the greatest, so we carried on in spite of the burden on my small family. When I started teaching I got to meet our kids and realised the environment I lived in was economically challenged. So a big dues was out of the question with the first two years and as a struggling teacher I shouldered the majority of our costs.

We had 11 boy's playing in 2 sevens tournaments the summer of 2005 and brought home some hardware. We then tried to form a 15's team and get into our states rugby competition. This was a challenge with our high school football coaches and scared parents.

Let me make a couple of things clear at our middle school I coach that American Footballgame (fall), wrestling (winter) and soccer (spring). On top of that I coach a Boy's U19, U15 and Girl's U19 teams in rugby, BECAUSE I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!!

Not being a lawyer or doctor or outstanding business type I knew nothing of 501c3's or non-profit structure of a club and how to generate funding. I just have been winging it like most coaches who are just getting started. I now have got plans to become educated on the ways of establishing this club and I still am clueless . The saddest thing is when I approached this great rugby world for small donations I got no hit for support http://hurricanesyouthrfc.org/PHP-Nuke/. I thought if I brought it to the people of this great game the support would pile in. Heck we were just looking for 5 dollars by way of pay pal, credit card or debit card. I know, not the greatest tax right off, but if the numbers came through the development we could have.

Since that posting we got 70 acres of land donated (with no money to develop the land so it sits there) and here we are again trying to get this season off the ground with a budget of 5,000 dollars and no suuport. There has got to be 1000 rugby fanatics in the world to donate 5 dollars or some Rugby Nuts that might want to take on a venture here in the USA.

For the love and development of the game I will press on and now we support more then 60 kids girls and boys ranging from 11 to 19. I even got the help of a second coach Dave Dickson who was capped USA Eagle scrumhalf back in the 1987 world cup on borad. All are kids are at various skill levels and we are looking to get tag U7 going this July 2008, again with no money :bravo: .

Call to any RUGBY NUTS that would like to see more youth playing this great game.


As incentive for donation of 10 dollars I will send a Support T-Shirt to anyone that donates and if you’re over seas I will send by UPS.



Coach King
Any Questions email me at:
[email protected]

 

[revengeguy]

Can i just say its great that support for Rugby is steadily growing on the other side of the Atlantic. i wish you luck on your attempt to get intrest for the game

 

[HKING]

Thanks,

We are trying, it's to bad some of our own country men don't even know their sports history of rugby in America. They think American Football was here first .

Buy the way, I spent my $149 dollars for Setanta Broadband so I could see the World Cup 2007 and all the rugby action over there. It has been great inviting my players over for pizza and watching a good game on Sunday afternoon instead of the NFL :bleh!: . They get to see professionals and that is what encourages them to continue with this great game.

Sorry our website seems to be down hope to have it up soon.



thanks



Coach King

 

[Prestwick]

No problem. Try to spread the word as far and wide as you can across the Rugby world online. Have you asked USA Rugby for any advice on fundraising, etc? Also if you know of any established clubs in your state or whatever, try to contact them for ideas. You already seem to have established a good relationship with parents so you might want to start getting them together and brainstorming some ideas. If you find a parent who is a lawyer or an accountant and is willing to sacrifice some hours to the cause, grab the bugger and tie him to a chair until he gets the ball rolling in terms of non-profit/charitable status or whatever!

Keep us updated, photos of the teams in action eventually would be superb and a great insight into how rugby is doing outside of the established top ten nations.

 

[HKING]

Thanks Prestwick,

Parents have been ok I wish we could get more out of them in the way of support, it has been a bugger. We are finalizing our organization for the new year and thats why I was making such a hard push this year. The gent who donated the land to us has been great, just trying to get people on board with you with no budget is tough.

In America trying to get businesses, even local ones interested in rugby is a tough one when all they have known or want to know is football and basketball(North Carolina pumpkin pushing state that it is). This year our kids are paying a dues of $20 dollars (USA RUGBY CIPP) then $30(Carolina Youth Rugby League Dues) and now I was going to try and see if these lads could pay $60 to the club which means that 70% of those students the club will have to fund because of economic issues with those other expences. The one main thing I would love to do is develop the land in a way that shows a small poor community what rugby is all about.

I will post more games on video on our home page and send in picks here do you know how to get them on the forum page?

The video playing at the bottom of our page http://hurricanesyouthrfc.org/PHP-Nuke/ is our girls taking on a tough team in black and red from Maryville, Tenn. their program has been going for 4 years now our girls just started.

Anyway we will press on even if support is struggling lol.
That is rugby KEEP THE BALL ALIVE & MOVIN!!

Coach King

 

[ckuxmann]

your lucky to have so many kids out, in our highschool(about 1900 kids) only 15 of us are at practices.


Cody

 

[Project Janus]

Where are you in North Carolina? I am looking for a U-19 team to play on during the summer. I am willing to travel as long as it is within reason. I've got three seasons under my belt as a hooker, one season taking home 3rd in New England and this past season taking home first. Let me know if you are in need of a forward!

 

[Justink]

Alright! Another American Rugby club, and in my own state no less. Good luck on getting your club up and running, and I hope that I may one day play against you guys depending on which league my school's club is in. Again, good luck with this, Rugby needs to get more popular here in America.

 

[Project Janus]

JustinK where are you at in NC? I live in Charlotte but I go to a prep school up north.

 

[USA_Rugby]

Where are you in North Carolina? I am looking for a U-19 team to play on during the summer. I am willing to travel as long as it is within reason. I've got three seasons under my belt as a hooker, one season taking home 3rd in New England and this past season taking home first. Let me know if you are in need of a forward!
[/b]

Hey seriously? What team are you on? I was playing in the New England Championship last week. Were you there?

 

[Justink]

JustinK where are you at in NC? I live in Charlotte but I go to a prep school up north.
[/b]

I live outside of Charlotte in Union County. I'll most likely be playing for my school's Rugby club next year.

 

[Project Janus]

Oh nice man. Are you going to be playing this summer?

 

[Justink]

Well, to start off, I've never played Rugby before, I've never even seen an actual full match. I played American football for 4 years but was never that good. I took a hiatus from football this year, and I've always wanted to play Rugby. And now, to answer your question, yes, if I can find a club close by. I know there is one near by, but I'm not sure when any of these clubs play. I guess I'll start asking around, but I'd like a club where I can play and get a good introduction to Rugby (which is why I'm wary of playing for my own school next year).

 

[Project Janus]

Well welcome to rugby! If I was you I'd start emailing some of the clubs around where you are. Most clubs accept anyone willing to learn and work hard...and trust me, you'll have to work hard. Summer sevens is a really good way to get the skill work and get the conditioning you'll need for the regular season. I'm in contact with a sevens club right now, and I'm going to try and get in contact with HKING to see what he is doing this summer. I can give you the sevens club contact info if you'd like. The guy runs southeastern youth rugby. We could end up playing against eachother...hell maybe even with eachother. haha

 

[Justink]

Thank you! That would be very helpful. I'm looking at one or two clubs right now, but Hking's club is a bit out of the way for me. And then I have to deal with my parents, not that that's a big deal. Although, like all people who know little about Rugby, they're afraid I'll go and get killed.

 

[Project Janus]

PM'd

My parents were worried about me getting hurt, too. The only way to show them otherwise is to have them come watch you play.