Arkansas Youth Rugby Association

Parents are an important part of each High School rugby team. We hope you will support your daughter or son by attending matches, and by cheering for the team.

Many parents are brand new to rugby. Most parents have questions about our sport, and about how our teams are operated. We have prepared a special "FAQ" section in an effort to provide answers to most such questions.

QUESTIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED BY PARENTS ABOUT RUGBY

1. What can my son or daughter expect from rugby?

Fun. First and foremost, rugby is a lot of fun. It is a simple game that requires aerobic fitness, and provides an outlet for youthful energy and athletic expression. Rugby is considered the ultimate "team" game, with camaraderie its centerpiece. Rugby is played in every nation on earth, and is now the most popular club sport on the American college campus, especially among college women.

Joining the local rugby team also brings membership in an international athletic fraternity...a chance to tour and travel, -even represent the USA on a National Team, and to establish lifelong friendships with teammates and opponents alike.

2. What is the "Arkansas Youth Rugby Association", how is it organized, and why isn't it affiliated with the school district?

Our rugby teams were granted "Club Sport" status by the administration. However, we have opted to remain unaffiliated with the school district so that we may offer rugby to student athletes from all local schools.

ABOUT THE CLUB

All of our coaches are required to be trained and accredited by USA Rugby, our national governing body.  The club is also a member in good standing of the Mid South Rugby Union. 

3. Who is in charge?

AYRA is staffed by volunteers from the local rugby community.  At least one adult who is trained and fully accredited by USA Rugby is assigned to coach and administer the team.

4. What can parents do to help the rugby program?

Each team needs parents to take turns supplying items like oranges and drinks for matches, and helping to launder the team's jerseys. We need parents to take turns videotaping our home and away matches. We need parents as chaperones when the teams travel, and to drive vans to rugby events. We need parents' ideas and suggestions. We are also in need of parents with medical training (EMT, RN, MD, DC, etc.) to attend matches.

But most of all, we would be thrilled to have as many parents as possible on the sidelines at matches, cheering for the teams and providing fan support.

5. When does the season begin and end?

The competitive rugby season begins in March, and ends in May. There are also optional summer "Sevens" tournaments during the summer.

Informal, optional practices are offered in the fall. These sessions are designed to be fun, and focus mostly on two-hand touch rugby, camaraderie, fitness and development of basic skills.

Practice starts officially in late November/early December if field and weather conditions permit. Our team generally practices 2 afternoons or evenings per week. Start times are generally 5PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We begin tune up scrimmages in late February and Matches start in early March. Matches are usually held on Saturdays or Sundays in the late mornings.

The High School rugby season concludes in May with local and regional Tournaments involving boys and girls High School rugby teams. If our team does well, we have a chance to move on to territorial and national championship events in May. Rugby is the only High School sport that crowns a National Champion.

6. Can my son or daughter play other sports and also play rugby?

Yes, of course! Our rugby coaches do not support the idea of "single sport, year-round athletes" at the High School level. We believe that student athletes should experience as many sports as possible while they are young and able to do so.

We always encourage our rugby athletes to play fall sports at school, and also a winter sport such as basketball, wrestling or winter track. Athletes engaged in a winter sport may simply join the rugby team upon conclusion of the winter sport program, with absolutely no penalty for having missed our early season practice sessions.

There have been numerous instances in the past where High School rugby athletes have also played a spring sport at school (baseball, lacrosse, track) in addition to rugby. We leave this up to the individual player and parents, who are best able to determine whether the athlete has enough time and resources to play two sports at the same time.

7. What kind of equipment is needed to play rugby, and what is the cost?

One of the great things about rugby is that there is very little equipment needed. All you really need is a patch of grass, five or six players, and a ball...and you can play rugby.

Athletes may wish to buy rugby cleats ($45-$90). Football or soccer shoes will suffice if the player does not wish to buy rugby cleats, but the front cleat must be removed. It is also recommended that each player by his or her own rugby ball to practice with ($20), but this is not required.

The club supplies jerseys, the player must supply shorts, socks and a mouth guard.

Rugby gear may be purchased on line and in sport stores or through the coaching staff

8. How much are individual member dues for the season, and how are they spent?

Beginning in 2009 Individual dues will vary by team. New Teams will be set at $75 for the first year. This will cover the player’s jersey, shorts & socks which are theirs to keep. In subsequent years returning players will be accessed $45 per player to help cover field paint, field rental, practice lights, and Referee fees during the course of the season.  Donations of money and services by individuals interested in fostering the sport of Rugby in Arkansas also contribute to this.  As as source of funding donations tend to be limited in scope and duration. Team dues and fundraising efforts will be required to carry the team forward. Corporate Sponsorship is being sought and parents are welcome to participate in this effort.

Confidential payment plans are available for players on a tight budget. Dues may be waived on a confidential basis in instances of serious financial hardship, and fundraisers are in place to assist players with paying dues.

9. SAFETY IN THE TACKLE: How can these kids play "football" without wearing pads or helmets?

It is very important to recognize that rugby athletes are not playing football.They are playing rugby, and there is a big difference. The ball is the same general shape as in football, but that is where the similarities end.

Most of the thousands of injuries suffered each year in football result from dangerous techniques that are only encouraged by the wearing of so-called "protective" gear. Since rugby tackling requires a "grapple-and-wrap" tackle (as in wrestling) there is no need for helmets and pads.

Further, there is absolutely no blocking in rugby, and therefore fewer injuries to knees and ankles as a result of poor or illegal blocking tactics.

Rugby tackling is very different than football tackling, and is much more like a "takedown" in wrestling. All rugby athletes are taught to tackle and be tackled safely, by USA Rugby accredited coaches, before they are allowed to participate in contact practices and matches.

Rugby athletes are strictly required to wrap their arms around the ball carrier when making a tackle ...no cross-armed impacts, no purposeful head-on-head collisions, no initiation of contact with the head and neck.You will not see in rugby the "spearing" type of tackle that is encouraged in football. Football athletes are taught to launch their bodies, and to use their helmets and shoulder pads as weapons. In rugby, there is no spearing permitted, and no tackling allowed by grabbing or hitting above the tackled athlete's chest area. Such tactics are strictly illegal in rugby, and will result in an immediate ejection from the match, plus a suspension for up to three future matches.

Rugby is a fast-flowing game of continuous motion. Rugby is based on teamwork, and quick passing ("recycling") of the ball to supporting teammates. Rugby is not focused on individual efforts, or gaining an extra few inches, or crushing a ball carrier. A rugby athlete who is about to be tackled (or who is in the process of being tackled) is primarily interested in passing or rolling the ball back to a supporting athlete. The tackled athlete wants to get rid of the ball, not hold on to it and take additional "hits" in an effort to gain a few more inches. In this way, the rugby ball remains actively in play, and the tackle situation (if one arises at all) is quickly and safely concluded.

Soft "cloth-and-foam" headgear and soft shoulder pads are now available for optional use in rugby. Current data as to the safety and efficacy of these items is inconclusive. The decision on whether to purchase and use these items is up to the athlete and his or her parents.

10. Are there a lot of injuries in rugby?

No, there is a tremendous amount of misinformation on this important issue. Most of this misinformation is given out by folks who know little or nothing about rugby, or who are often personally "invested" in sports that they perceive as competing with rugby for talented athletes.

Coaches and officials involved in "traditional" sports tend to promote their own interests, and protect their own "turf". However, and contrary to popular belief, there are actually very few serious injuries in rugby. As with all contact sports, there are bumps and bruises, and occasional sprains, concussions and fractures.

True, rugby is a contact sport, and a vigorous one. However, the rate of serious injury in rugby is less than that experienced in other contact sports, such as football and ice hockey. The rate of serious injuries in rugby is roughly comparable to that in soccer and lacrosse, and substantially less than in sports like skiing, in-line skating and skateboarding.

11. What happens if my son or daughter is injured during a match or practice?

Injuries do occur in rugby, just as they occur in any contact sport. A fully stocked first aid kit is always on hand to treat minor injuries, (i.e. bumps, bruises and minor cuts and scrapes). Athletes are responsible for reporting minor injuries to their parents. However, injuries that are suspected to be more serious in nature (i.e. fractures, larger cuts, concussions, and serious sprains) are reported immediately to the player's parent or guardian by the coach.

A cell phone is present at all practices and matches in the event of an emergency. A community ambulance is sometimes present at matches (when volunteer coverage is available), or is at least available nearby.

Our teams can not presently afford to hire and pay a professional athletic trainer, an EMT, or a team physician on a regular basis. Certified trainers are present at some matches, and some tournaments, but not at all events. Appropriate action will of course be taken in the event that an injury requires emergency attention, and a parent cannot be located.

At the beginning of the season, all parents are required to fill out a form, so as to provide emergency contact information. Parents are also requested to sign a Medical Authorization form in the event that emergency treatment is needed and a parent can not be located on an immediate basis to authorize such treatment.

12. Does the club provide medical or disability insurance?

No, AYRA does not provide medical or disability insurance of any kind to any of its athletes or coaches. No rugby club in the entire USA provides such insurance to its athletes or coaches, at any age level. No medical or disability insurance is provided for our rugby athletes by any school, school district, or by the Archdiocese. Each rugby athlete must arrange for his or her own coverage through his or her family, and this applies to all RFC teams.

13. How much travel is involved?

Most of our High School team matches are within a 2 hour drive. If a team wins its entire local and regional matches, that team will be invited to the USA National Championship, which is held at alternating locations in the USA each May. Participation in rugby travel and "Tour" events is 100% optional. The club will often operate various fundraising events to help defray travel expenses.

13. Who is in charge when the team goes on overnight trips?

The ultimate responsibility for supervision of the athletes rests upon the accredited head coach of the team with regard to all rugby activities, including team travel. This is a responsibility that is taken very seriously.

In addition to the head coach, parent chaperones and at least one assistant coach travel with the team on overnight trips. Parents must sign a permission slip, and are provided with a comprehensive Trip Itinerary and telephone contact information in the event of an emergency.

All athletes and their parents are required to review and sign a comprehensive "Code of Conduct" in connection with each travel event. Horseplay, and the possession, transport or use of drugs and/or alcohol are strictly forbidden and will not be tolerated. Players who misbehave or violate the Code of Conduct are removed from the travel event and either segregated from the team (under supervision) or sent home, at the option of the coaching staff, and at the parent's expense.

The club reserves the right to permanently revoke or suspend all membership privileges in the event of serious misconduct, including especially the possession, transport or use of drugs or alcohol.

14. Does the club provide transportation to and from "away" matches?

Sometimes, but not always. The club can not always afford to rent buses or vans on a regular basis. Ordinarily, team travel to "away" matches is by carpool. Carpool vehicles are operated by coaches, parents and (in some instances) by the athletes themselves. Every effort is made to avoid situations where athletes are operating carpool vehicles, but this is not always possible. Much depends on the level of parental support being offered to the team. AYRA is not responsible for the actions of persons operating carpool vehicles.

For trips involving long distance travel, the club may arrange for a rented buses or vans. Buses are operated by professional drivers. Vans are operated by adult club members, coaches and parent chaperones. Athletes are sometimes asked to "chip in" so as to help pay for the vans or buses.

15. Do the teams have drug and alcohol policies in place?

Yes, Absolutely. See answer 13, above. Drug and alcohol use will not be tolerated, and is strictly forbidden in connection with all rugby practices, matches, tours and events. Athletes who are suspected of possessing, transporting or using drugs or alcohol are suspended from the team on an immediate basis, pending parental consultation. The club reserves the right to permanently terminate the membership privilege of any athlete suspected of possessing, transporting or using drugs or alcohol in connection with any rugby practice, match or other event.

Further, if a coach suspects that an athlete may be involved in drug or alcohol use outside of rugby events, the situation will be brought to the attention of the athlete's parent or guardian, immediately, and on a confidential basis.

16. How much time is spent on rugby on a weekly basis?

Our teams generally engage in 2 afternoon or evening practices per week, usually lasting about two hours per session. Matches are held on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Thus, the average time investment per week is about seven hours on rugby, not including travel. No player is penalized in any way if he or she needs to skip rugby practices or matches in order to study, or to attend family, school or church events.  However we do ask that the coaching staff be notified if possible and as early as possible in order to adjust plans.

In addition to the seven or so hours of "team time" mentioned above, athletes are strongly encouraged to engage in a personal fitness program on their own, outside of practice. Rugby is much more fun when the participant is fit.