To get more people playing, the emphasis of our current development efforts at the youth level is to focus on growing participation through non-contact rugby.  This is a model that has proven widely successful in Australia, where the majority of the their rugby participation is through non-contact leagues and led to unprecedented growth in under-represented areas.  With our lack of suitably trained coaches and referee volunteers, we will be driving growth through T3Rugby (two-tag touch, see rule book below) youth leagues.  T3 is a simple game to coach, officiate, and play but drives the development of basic techniques our players need to excel. Through participation in T3 touch rugby, players develop the skills and will transition to full-contact leagues at the high school level.  The rules for T3Rugby are attached as well as some information on how your organization can run a T3 league.

 

T3 touch rugby is an excellent alternative for schools/teams that are hesitant starting a tackle team. In addition to removing parental/coach/school fears by introducing the game through T3Rugby, this approach also helps us capitalize on our smaller schools - the bulk of our state.  We cannot ignore our rural communities as they are the backbone of our state - if you didn't know, the average HS in Iowa has only 214 students.  T3Rugby is a great way for rural booster clubs to earn money, a great way for kids to be introduced to our sport, and a great way for volunteers to engage in a meaningful way quickly and safely.  All you need to coach your own T3Rugby team is less than 6 hours per week during season!