Non-contact rugby featured in a Denver-area summer camp of 1,200, a scale significantly larger than most rugby-specific clinics.
The three-day program for kids aged 6 to 12 was jointly conducted by a local YMCA and the city of Glendale, which provided program staffing, according to the Mark Bullock, the city's rugby director. Rugby's inclusion owes to Glendale's helping the Y win a fundraising grant for after-school and summer programs, Bullock said.
Like schools, summer camps introduce broad sections of youth to sports activities. Each year some 11 million children attend camps of all stripes, according to the American Camp Association.
In recent years, three-quarters of the ACA's members have added new activities, including 'adventure sports' such as climbing or mountain biking, while swimming features at nearly 9 of 10 member facilities. The Y camp's enrollment of 1,200 is nearly equivalent to one-quarter of USA Rugby's registered youth players.
Elsewhere, non-profit organizations have been providing municipalities with programming and introductory materials. In New York, Play Rugby provides curricula for various schools. The US Rugby Football Foundation, a leading charitable donor to school-age teams, has made equipment grants to more than a dozen municipal bodies, including Los Angeles and Philadelphia as well as a Kansas City Boys and Girls Club.
USRFF grants are generally the same size as those for individual teams, however, because the San Diego organization is perpetually swamped with requests for startup aid, according to executive director Brian Vizard.
Now familiar with the Glendale program, Metro Denver Y athletic directors have begun to express interest in adding the sport to their programs, Bullock said.
Also in Glendale, North American 4 teams have mustered for the tournament resumption Tuesday night. USA Rugby again has not released roster changes and biographies for the self-styled 'premier player and coach development tool in North America'.
1,200. holy crap thats awesome!
Posted by: me | 25 July 2008 at 13:30
1200 kids a day?
at one field?
Posted by: d s edwards | 26 July 2008 at 06:43
1200 kids a day?
at one field?
Posted by: d s edwards | 26 July 2008 at 06:46
Mark Bullock is THE man. Should still be coaching the U-20s. Instead he has created the Glendale phenom. Another creator that USA Rugby dropped the ball with! Well done Mark!
Posted by: Jim Murray | 26 July 2008 at 14:35
Here in NJ, Morris Rugby's youth program had 300 at a tournament yesterday that resulted in some nice coverage by the Newark Star ledger with a story on the front page ( that continued to half the back page, of the sports section : http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-3/121713342849970.xml&coll=1
It is also currently the headline article (with picture) on their website (nj.com) this morning.
Posted by: rags | 27 July 2008 at 06:27
The man who deserves the most credit is Mike Dunafon, the deputy mayor of Glendale.
He masterfully positioned the City of Glendale by restructuring their bond rating and rallying the Glendale voters to push through the referendum that resulted in millions of dollars in funds available to create this amazing rugby stadium and rec center.
Without Dunafon's vision and execution, this stadium and program would not exist.
Glendale as a municipality is unique. It is a half square mile of commercial properties and condo buildings and towers providing the city with a solid tax base. As a result, the city council is very geared towards supporting business, capitaliam and the free market - definitely unique compared to other city leadership and attitude.
I think it would be very difficult for another "Glendale" to occur.
Kudos to Dunafon, and to Bullock and the other coaches and council members that made this a reality.
Posted by: Skinner | 27 July 2008 at 08:40
Having witnessed the development of the stadium, playing at Infinity Park (Glendale rugby stadium) and seeing how the pregame is conducted...running out of the tunnel, national anthem, general professional approach to the game, etc. I am ready to elect the Glendale folks as our new leaders of USA Rugby.
Posted by: Fred | 28 July 2008 at 08:51
"The Y camp's enrollment of 1,200 is nearly equivalent to one-quarter of USA Rugby's registered youth players. "
I wonder if they CIPP/register 1,200 kids for a 3 day camp? Or if not, when does registration become a requirement? 5 days? a month? first game?
Why is there a Youth CIPP for non contact in the first place? I'm confident the Y has insurance of their own that far exceeds USAR.
Posted by: Mike | 28 July 2008 at 10:08
Leaders of USA Rugby, eh?
http://www.westword.com/2003-04-10/news/from-locusts-to-limos-by-alan-prendergast/
Posted by: not in my bed... | 28 July 2008 at 11:15
these characters are up to no good. they had similar questionable histories while in denver. they must've sniffed out some opportunties in glendale and are using rugby as an avenue to promote themselves.
sooner or later their devious plans will come unravled, just wait and see...
Posted by: shady | 28 July 2008 at 11:34
"Councilman Dunafon, usually among the most vocal and colorful of the Tea Party stalwarts, hasn't played an active role in the Cedar Pointe dispute; he has more pressing matters on his plate. In February federal agents searched a house in Castle Rock owned by Dunafon's domestic/business/political partner, Deborah Matthews, the owner of Shotgun Willie's. The search was in connection with a multi-state drug task force investigation of Rodney and Ruben Mirabal, two Aurora brothers who've been indicted in Virginia for their alleged role in distributing more than $35 million in cocaine and marijuana in cities across the country.
The Castle Rock house is the business address for Mr. Limos, a limousine service. Dunafon owns 50 percent of the business; Rodney Mirabal owns 40 percent. Drug Enforcement Administration agents suspect that Mirabal used the company as a money-laundering enterprise.
Tipsters in the industry told investigators that Mr. Limos used cash to purchase its custom stretch limos -- among them a Range Rover, a Navigator and a Mercedes, worth between $70,000 and $130,000 each. DEA surveillance of the Mr. Limos garage on various days, including nights and weekends, indicated that "rarely, if ever, were any limousines observed leaving the business." Another source in the limo business says the company was trying to cultivate trade among pro athletes, including Denver Broncos and Avalanche players, by offering them trips for rates that were well below industry standards. "
Wow, Interesting article! So what happens if the the Feds open up the city books and see how the tax money is being spent? Does anyone know?
What would that mean for USA Rugby's "Golden Program"?
Does one not see any potential problems with committing to this kind of relationship?
What happens if young players going to Glendale get caught up in this "element" What would that do for the PERCEPTION of rugby players in the USA?
Where are our heads at???
Posted by: the dude | 28 July 2008 at 13:26
What's with the hand-wringing and old stories about Dunafon?
Boy, what a sinveling group you are. Go stick your neck out for once in your life and get something accomplished like Infinity Park.
You really are pathetic - if you are 3 different people.
Posted by: Skinner | 28 July 2008 at 15:09
skinner,
"get something accomplished like Infinity park."
that would be great if it was done w/out fleecing the local tax payers.
the guys is a con. once again rugby will take a hit as the signature program will eventually fall w/ the rest of these shady characters.
seem usa rugby cant get a break.
Posted by: shady | 28 July 2008 at 17:35
Wow, is right. Where to start with this?
We should keep in mind that according to the article Dunafon has had no charges filed against him yet. It would be hard to be a 50% owner in a business the feds are charging was a drug money laundering business and not know, but we are all innocent until proven guilty in the USA.
Dunafon was the US Under 19 manager with Bullock, which as a strip club owner was pushing the envelope. But onces again, the strip club is a legitimate business even if it did make for a somewhat different family business for the manager of the boys U19 team.
Add to this mess IRANZ's who's web site lists USA Rugby chairman Kevin Roberts as being on their board. Now Iranz, USA Rugby and Glendale are all in some type of business arrangement. Still, nothing wrong yet.
But you'd have to ask, is this Glendale stadium that good to put all these reputations at risk?
Posted by: smoke and fire | 29 July 2008 at 06:56
"...fleecing the tax payers to pay for Infinity Park..."
I'm fine with that, at least they did something with the $$$!!!
Visit the Infinity Park website, it is much more than a rugby stadium. They are trying to do what all good urban planners should try to do and that is create a destination point and sense of place. The fact is the stadium has created some buzz that I have heard from my non-rugby friends which is what this sport needs. People that don't know a rugby ball from a jockstrap are talking about the stadium in their backyard. I believe this stadium will be a true manifestation of the "build it and they will come" adage. And if the characters connected to its existence are completely shady, then I believe they will end up gone and down the road as they deserve to be, but the stadium will remain. I do not believe people will not embrace the sport because of a couple of bad apples on the municipal level. Our culture as unprofessional beer swilling sophmoric neanderthals hurts us more on a daily basis than shady characters WHO BUILT SOMETHING ever will. It is a nice stadium (but what do I know) and I believe clubs will want to play there for years to come.
Posted by: Fred | 29 July 2008 at 08:12
I hope that's what happens. Kudos for the effort, but let's have a little bit of caution with this.
Common Sense always wins.
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Posted by: Adam Reads | 17 October 2008 at 01:18