Rugby is challenging soccer as the favored sport for in many areas of the world. Some rugby enthusiasts enjoy watching the game from the stands but if you prefer to get out on the field and play you might prefer to work with your club to start a new rugby team.
Starting a rugby team isn't as easy as playing online slots but there are plenty of organizations and individuals who are ready to help. Your club should take advantage of these resources as it gets a new team ready for the playing field.
Preparation
Starting a new rugby team means that your club needs to organize its strategy. If the team is set up correctly you can look forward to adding members to your club, attending more matches and generating more income. You'll also have the satisfaction of knowing that you have a hand in training the players, coaches, referees and volunteers of the future.
The Club's player recruitment and retention plan should take responsibility for getting the organization of the new team going. The first thing that needs to be decided is what kind of team will be organized. The new team could be a U17 or U18 team which will complete in youth section's age groups. Other options include a U18 girl's team, 4th XV men's team or a veterans team. The Club might want to recruit a group of students from the local university or college who can't find fixtures yet wish to enjoy the Club's social facilities.
Sustainability
The club plans should include safeguards that will ensure that the new team is sustainable. Some of the things to consider are:
- State Rugby Association — State Rugby Organizations (SROs) are the organizations that are responsible for developing rugby across the country. These associations offer great resources that can help your Club get the new team off the ground. Notify them that the Club is interested in starting a new team. The Association can provide the resources and know-how that will assist you in securing referees and coaches. They can also get practice started for the new team.
- Volunteers – volunteers who come through other local teams can be vital to your efforts. Find volunteers through collegiate teams, teachers, parents, local men's and women's teams and other supporters. Your SRO can help you register these individuals and ensure that they are vetted through proper background checks. Make sure that these volunteers, as well as other coaches and refs, have insurance coverage.
- Recruit – You can start recruiting players. Some places to find potential players include local schools' physical education programs and friends and relatives of your club members.
- Advertise — Create and print fliers to raise awareness of the new team and promote your activities. Let people know about the practice times and locations as well as any scheduled matches. Add in your contact information.
Organize
Now it's time to get down to the nitty gritty of organizing your team. You'll need to prepare a parent association, schedule practice sessions and establish a parent/supporter association.
Your budget will depend on the number of players that you project, potential travel expenses, any staffing expenses and incidentals (uniforms, food, etc). Your SRO should be able to provide you with a sample team budget to get you started.
Some of the ways that you might raise money include fundraising and securing team sponsorships. Check with the school Athletic Director (if your program is part of a school) and the local SRO or to make sure that your sponsorship and fundraising efforts fall within their guidelines.
Don't forget your Parent Association. They can build support for the team and run fundraisers along with team social gatherings, carpools, etc. Ask your SRO to help you structure your Parent Association.
Schedule Practice
It's not easy to schedule practice – everyone has a million and one things to do and running off to practice is just one more thing on the day's calendar. However, no practice, no team. So create your schedule and make sure that the team is on board.
You can reserve space at a school or community field through the school or the parks and recreation department. Prepare the practice session before you come so that the players will understand how serious you are taking the effort and will act accordingly.
Considerations
As your team builds you'll need to start considering the next step.
Who will the new team play? Your SRO should be able to give you some guidance as to when your players are ready to compete and who they can play against. The amount of traveling for which you need to plan is dependent on your location. If you're in a well-populated, urban area, chances are that there are other teams nearby with whom you can schedule matches. If you're located in a more remote area, you will probably need to think seriously about travel.
Who will referee the teams' matches? Again, your location is critical – the closer you are to other teams, clubs and personnel, the easier it will be for you to choose your refs. If you're located further out you may need your SRO's help to find refs who will travel to your matches.
What does your team need and how will you acquire it? Some of the items that you'll need include t-shirts, fleeces, rain jackets, balls, training equipment and scrummage machines. There are companies that supply these items specifically for rugby teams.
Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will a rugby team be built quickly. Don't expect the team to start competing too quickly – the most important part of rugby is that everyone, including the players, the club members, the parents and everyone else, enjoys the process of getting the team started and beginning to play.
