Prince William Youth Rugby: Age Breakdown

Note 1: Players may play UP one level with parental permission and written notification of the Prince William Youth Rugby Head Coach/Commissioner.

Youth rugby is divided into age groups, like any other youth sport.  Rugby Virginia and the Potomac Rugby Union Youth League (PRUYL) has designated 9-and-Under, 11-and-under, 13-and-under, 15-and-under, and 17-and-under as the age groups. The age rule is simple: the age of the player anytime during 2012 determines at which level they play; a player who turns 16 on 2 January will play 17-and-under. A player who turns 13 on 1 July will play 13-and-under.

A player who changes ages between age groups will have the choice of which group he/she wishes to play with.  Example: A boy who is 10 on 1 January turns 11 on 15 June.  Well, he began the season with the 11-and-under touch team, but now he can play with the 13-and-under tackle team.  The player chooses where he/she wants to play; they can remain where they were, or they can move up.

Touch rugby is for the 9, 11 and 15 year-old age groups. These groups play coed.  Younger touch players may be combined into a single 11-and-under team.

Tackle begins in the 13 age group, for players 11 and 12 years old. Players who are 10 may play up to 13-level tackle rugby, with explicit permission of a parent/guardian, and with the approval of the coaches as to the player's physical ability and emotional maturity, and having demonstrated the requisite rugby skills first to play up one age group, and more importantly to play tackle rugby.

For tackle, players may play one age group up (13s to 15, 15s to 17), but only with explicit parent/guardian permission. When this is done, both coaches will be made aware, and the referee also will be informed, to better control play and monitor all players’ behavior and play. No player ever will be "forced" or otherwise pressured to play up.

Older players may never play down to a younger age group. This is hard and fast league policy.

This method of grouping by age is different than most youth full-contact sports programs, where weight classes are the determining factor. This may be a cause for some parents’ concern, with regards to differently sized kids of the same age engaging in fast-paced full contact.  This is completely understandable.

     --  What is critical to understand is that the nature of contact in rugby is fundamentally different than in other sports.

     --  In rugby, there is no blocking; no contact like blocking is allowed under any circumstances, and the only player who may be contacted is the ball carrier.  Because there is no padding or other protective equipment, the nature of contact is very different, and the kids are smart enough to realize this, AND it is instructed, practiced, repeated and coached continually through the season.

     --  The differences in size tend to even out with corresponding differences in quickness and the ability to mitigate contact.  Additionally, coaches will ensure that all players are fully versed on all aspects of tackle rugby contact, and that players are prepared physically and mentally to play tackle, before they are permitted (tackle play is earned, not an automatic right, regardless of age level of experience) to play in a match. 

Players who do not demonstrate the restraint, maturity and correct aspects of safe rugby contact will not be permitted to play in tackle matches; this is for their own safety, their teammates’ safety, and that of opponents.

The PRUYL has some clubs that are not very big (in numbers), particularly some of the newer clubs, and dividing their players into these five age groups is difficult if not impossible.  In that case, the PRUYL traditionally encourages its coaches and managers to work together to create a fun and educational environment for the players.  If necessary, combining touch players into one team, and sometimes U-13 and U-15 players into one team, is encouraged. Doing this is easy for touch rugby, and somewhat more difficult for tackle.

     --  When teams are combined, the coaches and the referees will make requisite changes to the Laws of the Game and the nature of the match itself so that all players can be involved and enjoy the sport, rather than just a handful literally running away with it all. 

     --  This guideline applies only to the summer season league games. Age groups are more strictly enforced for the end-of-season tournament.

At all times, coaches will find ways to balance the ability of the less capable (or younger) players to have fun and contribute athletically to the team with that of older players. Helping players succeed is a sure way to have fun, and to encourage returning players year after year.