Richmond Lions Youth Rugby Club: My Site News

Tuesday, June 15
High Schoolers Blaze Trail On Rugby Pitch

Sunday, August 2
Lions take 3rd at Commenwealth Games!!
This past Saturday your young Lions  (da utes) traveled to Springfield to play in the Coventry Commonwealth Games where they posted a tournament record of 2-1 and brought home the 3rd place hardware. The only loss was against Springfield by 4 points (two conversions). This tournament was an important yardstick for us, showing how we measure up against the much larger D.C. area teams. Answer? Pretty darn well. Lotsi Balint, Neil Burdick and Lewis Grant all posted multiple trys. Lewis hit a couple of conversions on the day too. Great performances were turned in by Collin, Emily, Layne, Coleman and Connor. Where we came up short was that we scored the equaling trys outside making for tough conversions. Oh well. Other teams there included Washington, Springfield, PAC, Hanover and various other local names that I can't remember. It was a job well done on a hot day when we only had 1 sub! Thursday they celebrate their own banquet at Glory Days on Hull St. at 7:00. Pop on by, pat 'em on the back and grab yourself a frosty one!


Sunday, September 6
Rookie Rugby Gains Footing in Florida Schools

Rookie Rugby will far surpass its goal of getting the ball in the hands of more than 100,000 kids throughout the U.S. in 2009, thanks to the Florida Rugby Union and nearly 70 Florida middle and high schools.

The third largest school district in the state of Florida – Hillsborough County Public Schools – has announced Flag Rookie Rugby as the focus team sport in its 2009-2010 Middle School and High School Physical Education curriculum. The Rookie Rugby program will be rolled out to 54,000 middle school students and an additional 46,000 high school students in the coming school year.

Out of a field of seven traditional team sports under review for inclusion as a focus sport for 2009-2010, Flag Rookie Rugby stood out from the rest due to its low implementation cost, inclusivity for participants, the variations of the game and its high degree of cardiovascular benefit for students.

Florida Rugby Union and Florida Flag Rugby have been working with the Hillsborough County Public Schools since fall 2008, providing after school programs and demos to pilot schools. The program has steadily gained prominence and support with Florida educators. Flag Rugby is viewed as an ideal sport and physical activity to implement when addressing National Standards and Best Practices in Physical Education. “We received great feedback from the teachers we’ve worked with. The inclusivity of the game especially appealed to teachers and students because every student got a chance to play, touch the ball and have a chance to score – even if they weren’t necessarily the best athletes or regular participants in other traditional team sports,” said Mark Van Trees, Florida Flag Rugby.

In August, Florida Flag Rugby will conduct three, two–hour teacher in-service training sessions to Florida educators that showcase various small group games and the game rules of Rookie Rugby. Teachers will be required to attend the training before implementing the program at their schools. “USA Rugby is delighted to bring Rookie Rugby into Florida schools; a very safe, non-contact, easy-to-play game for both boys and girls. Rookie Rugby is designed to give young players a fun, safe and enjoyable sporting experience,” USA Rugby’s CEO and President of Operations Nigel Melville said.

 “The rules are simple, the game is easy to learn and minimal equipment is required. All you have to do is pick up the ball and run with it.” To download the guidebook, take the on-line course or for more information on how to get started with Rookie Rugby today, visit www.usarugby.org/goto/rookie_rugby or contact USA Rugby Youth Manager Katie Wurst kwurst@usarugby.org.



Tuesday, July 28
Lions vs. Hanover
The Richmond Lions Youth Rugby squad notched yet another impressive victory against the Hanover Rhinos this past saturday too. Score was approxinmately 45-25 or so. This Saturday the young'uns travel to Springfield to participate in the Rugby Virginia Championships against teams like PAC, Springfield, Exiles etc. Some of these larger squads have 50 + kids. We have a mere dozen or so, but a very GOOD dozen. In the past 3 seasons the kids have only lost one fixture. They don't get to play as often as they'd like, but still manage to play 3-4 fixtures per summer season. I hope to have word on venue and times for this Saturday out to all of you soon so that some of you can travel up there to support the kids--they are after all, our cubs and our club's next wave of superstars. Just think, someday we'll be attending banquets and fixtures as grandfathers and these kids and their kids will be tearing up the pitch. We'll have to try and convince them that we were once pretty good ourselves. Oh well. Think of Pete, Scott, Basil, Cary, Sam etc. etc. etc. I digress--come on out and support the kids.


Wednesday, May 20
Summer 2009--And we begin!!!!
 We are a GO for using Manchester YMCA's field!! On Thursday, May 28, we will have an intro/fun sessions to get everyone up to speed--kids & adults alike. Practices will be Tues/Thurs 6:30-8p
I am working on the schedule as we speak. The season will begin on June 20 & we will still have a home/away with Hanover, as well as some other matches--preferably 5-6 total & the State Youth Rugby Tourney, which is now part of the Commonwealth Games on August 1-2 http://www.rugbyvirginia.com/youth_summer_rugby_tournament.aspx

 

On Saturday, June 13, Rugby Virginia's All-Star Coaches will hold a FREE youth clinic for about an hour @ Seven Pines--ALL ARE WELCOME!!

 

Register online at www.rugbyvirginia.com (if you go to the homepage, you will see the registration button ).  By doing this  they cipp with USA Rugby and register w/ us.  You get team roster list, emergency contact, league waiver (covers all the teams in the League), permission to treat for minors, code of conduct for parents and players. 

  • Registration is $50 w/out jersey at the website...if a kid needs a jersey we will get the $25 from him--If Parents would like a jersey, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!
  • I'm attaching a flyer for everyone to PLEASE put up at work, school, WAWA's, library's, give to your kids to take to school--BASICALLY ANYWHERE