Am behind the curve, but want to note last weekend's launch of northern Virginia's youth league, the starting point for what is intended to become a statewide high school championship.
The eight-team competition mainly features U19 teams from the northern reaches of the Old Dominion, the commonwealth's traditional stronghold. The league comprises Fairfax Police, Langley, NOVA, TC Williams, West End, Western Loudoun, Western Suburbs, and Winchester.
With TC Williams in the fold, Rugby Virginia's state championship is a mixture of so-called 'single school' and regional teams, making it unlike a new league in nearby Washington DC that solely includes high school teams.
But like DC's Maverick League (more on these guys in a separate post), Virginia has largely opted out of USA Rugby's national championship. The Virginian title match is set for June 7, the same weekend as after Boulder's finals.
Backed in part by the Virginia National Guard, which is providing gear, the youth competition's governing body, Rugby Virginia, hopes to expand into Charlottesville, Richmond, and other regions.
Chuck Norris says - Johnston was confirmed yesterday as the Eagles head coach - on a 4 year contract.
C'm on Kurt, get with the program. Chuck's happy to help you.
Melville has a two year contract.
Why did Kevin Roberts agree to a 4 year coach?
Chuck wishes Scott the very best, and thanks him for signing on.
Chuck is glad to see a 4 year contract.
Posted by: Chuck Norris | 01 April 2008 at 06:59
I think this is good overall for US rugby. The average HS cannot handle the logistics of going all over god's creation to play playoff matches no one follows.
I think it might be a better use of resources (read: my CIPP $) to use the fund to develop an age-grade (be it college or HS age) NA4 competition.
Have the age grade sides shadow the Senior NA4 by playing the curtain raisers. Give them their own coaches and a few opportunities to mix with / learn from the Sr players.
Showing high potential HS athletes the intl flavor of rugby -- and meeting guys who have made a professional life from rugby (McDonald, Hercus, Gross, etc.) might actually attract higher level players.
Posted by: Cheyanquà | 01 April 2008 at 07:45
HS and U19 Championships are May 30 - June 1, not June 7.
Posted by: AS | 01 April 2008 at 08:14
Like the Mid Atlantic college premier league, now the DC/Maryland and Virginia highs schools are going their own way, away from USA Rugby leadership, or the lack of, towards a plan to grow rugby at the high school and college level.
"we want to create a product that our athletic directors and other AD's can understand" said Jason Maloni on ERugbyNews.
Where is our $2m Boulder payroll you ask? Answer, head up their arse. This is a far more important important story than who the next Eagles coach is. Good hire Mr Johnson is, but its not important in the development of US rugby who our coach is or isn't, at this point in our future.
US rugby needs to have plans to get American athletes and AD's interested in rugby and volunteers like Mr Maloni and crew and doing far more work in this regard than Boulders $2m payroll. The US rugby board of directors and executive don't understand any of this.
Here's an idea. Why not let Roberts, Melville, and staff just concentrate on the Eagles and leave youth, high school and college to a new organization? If the Eagles keep going down in the ranking as they have under this group, someone can hire a new group of foreigners to replace them. Meanwhile the new-org can get on with growing high school and college rugby.
Posted by: Rugby Dad | 01 April 2008 at 09:56
Most HS rugby players are also playing other sports. If they are good enough to get a scholarship to a college for one of those other sports, they will ditch rugby. Just look at the Highland rugby list of NFL players.
So, why have the fantasy that the best athletes are going to want to play rugby at the top level. Just let them compete for a state championship, and then when they realize they aren't going to be an Ohio State QB they can pursue a quality college rugby program that meets their academic goals too.
Posted by: Rugby is Hobby | 01 April 2008 at 09:57
This is an excellent move on their part. HS AD's know and care about State Championships in anything. There isn't another sport that competes for a High School National Title, so why does rugby have to? Feed these guys what they're used to. They know and understand the state based model, let's work with it and get more schools playing rugby.
Posted by: Theo | 01 April 2008 at 10:11
The whole value to the CIPP fee is that USA Rugby has a national championship.
No national championship? No HS kid CIPP revenue.
Posted by: Rugby is Hobby | 01 April 2008 at 10:39
Correct Hobby. Youth, high school and college membership dues subsidize the adult club game and the Eagles. Now if the union did a half way reasonable job of organizing these levels it would be easier to take. Hopefully more states and local organizations will follow this lead and drive the union out of youth, high school and college rugby. The dues money saved is 7 figures, this would go a long way to helping these levels.
Posted by: kr | 02 April 2008 at 09:30