Photo: Rugby Oregon (see more) •
Plenty of talent was on display during the five Regional Cup Tournaments (RCTs) these previous two weekends, unveiling a vast pool of players to USA Rugby selectors and college scouts. But finding tomorrow’s Eagles isn’t, by a long shot, the lone objective of the RCTs. There is a network of coaches, officials, new and veteran players who are supposed to benefit from the regional tournaments. That’s a notion that Kurt Weaver, USA Rugby’s Youth and High School Director, is emphasizing as the RCT feedback rolls in.
For the second year, the RCTs were divided into varsity and JV competitions. Seniors and juniors are meant for the varsity teams, and sophomores and freshmen for the JV teams. Some coaches have questioned the rationale – and sometimes safety – of separating teams by grade, especially when standouts (like 7s Eagle Lilly Durbin**) belie the skill and experience expected of a certain grade.
There were also some inconsistencies in enforcing player eligibility across the teams and individual events. One program that followed protocol and fielded two full teams according to the grade restrictions was disappointed to learn that an RCT opponent was granted waivers for underclassmen on the varsity team. Equitable treatment was the call there.
There’s no doubt that the RCTs are a work in progress, and Weaver takes the opportunity here to acknowledge that. He also lends some background behind RCT regulations, the role of the all-star tournaments, and their intended effect on the future of youth rugby.
BREAKDOWN: As to the grade restrictions – seniors and juniors on varsity, sophomores and freshmen on JV – what is the guiding principle/goal in separating teams by grade?
WEAVER: There are multiple schools of thought around breaking children down into groups for athletic competition. Current guidance around this centers on mental maturity being the biggest indicator of safety in contact sports. That links with grade, not age. Additionally, age is variable within grades,and the best and easiest breakdown for administration, structure and competition is grade.
We separate teams into two grade bands, as this again is the best indicator of success in youth sports. It is also the guideline from World Rugby and widely used in rugby-playing countries around the world.
Although high school sports involve all four grades, our RCTs are a step up and meant to be the best playing the best. In that perspective, two grade age bands are the best structure. I will acknowledge the name of each tier is a bit misleading, and we would be better naming them “freshman/sophomore” and “junior/senior.” I get that “varsity” implies the best of all four grades, etc. The tier names will certainly be evaluated moving forward.
BREAKDOWN: What if a state doesn’t have the numbers to support separate varsity and JV teams, and needs its 9th-12th graders to field a single RCT team? What is that team’s option for the RCTs?
WEAVER: First, it bears mentioning that every state participating in the RCT tournaments has the numbers to put in a JV and a varsity team, both boys and girls. We’ve found that it is very easy to underestimate the ability for a state to field JV sides, especially with girls. This leads to the opportunity never being offered, year after year, and we’re trying to break that cycle.
To address the question, we allowed sophomores to participate up with the varsity tier in certain circumstances when less populous states were suffering with numbers. This helped some states who had not properly prepared and done the work to get JV teams in place. This was a Band-Aid solution for this year and will not be allowed next year.
BREAKDOWN: There were reports that certain teams at different RCTs received varying instruction, like teams at the South RCT weren’t allowed to combine grades onto one team and missed out on the event, but Western New York was allowed underclassmen to play up on varsity.
WEAVER: Eligibility rules were communicated widely and often through teams, tournament directors, online webinars and conference calls. Unfortunately certain states or teams didn’t properly prepare a JV team and were stuck with numbers that affected not only their JV side, but their varsity side and even divisional viability. We created a stop gap, extremely limited in focus, and are looking at methods to proactively address this next year.
The RCT events are a step better and showcasing our best players. It also means the administrators and coaches have to take a step forward as well. We want to help all parts of the game see a pathway and improve. Yes, this means some kids will not participate and must wait for the appropriate time to participate. Those states that properly prepare their teams will have no problem showcasing their best and brightest.
** BREAKDOWN: Someone like Fallbrook’s Lilly Durbin, who became a 7s Eagle and resident as a junior, would have played on the JV team last year. Do players like this, among others, challenge the validity of separating by age?
** The original version of this question indicated that Lilly Durbin is currently a sophomore; she is a junior. The question has been edited.
WEAVER: They do not. There is a misconception that players should be “playing up” when they show promise. There is very little data that supports this position and mountains of it that support keeping players within the appropriate age grouping – especially in contact sports. A younger player who is very good should show selectors and coaches how they can dominate within their age group. They will make the players around them better and help a team to play better rugby. They will also show their ability to perform on the field within their peers. Rushing players up age brackets, or even to our Eagles, is simply a mistake.
Additionally, in smaller states where numbers are a challenge, moving your best players up an age bracket decimates your JV team, and we are stuck without a JV option. This means that 20+ other girls or boys miss out on seeing what it means to take a step forward and do it a bit better. Our concern is not the individual player, but raising the level of the game nationally.
The RCT tournaments fall within the community rugby department’s purview – not high performance. These events are not, and cannot be, about pushing a few amazing players up the ladder as quickly as possible. It is about creating a national structure where lots of kids can see a different rugby opportunity than their home team, a few better players than they are used to playing with, learning what camp is like, and playing against better competition, etc. It is about coaches learning to deal with better players and raise their level of play. It is about referees getting to referee better rugby than their normal Friday night high school match. These events are about systematically making rugby better for our high school-age players.
The truth is we know about Lilly Durbin and players like her early on. She has been part of our national team camps and is in the pool of unique players. Her role at these events – as a sophomore leader – would have been to be a leader among a JV team and to make that opportunity better for those players around her. She would show her talent in those matches while helping to raise the level of the matches. Then when she became a junior, play with the Varsity tier and do the same thing.
And for future Lilly Durbins out there wishing to showcase their skills, show us how you do within your grade bracket. We will identify you and help develop you through our pathway.
BREAKDOWN: Will you be reviewing the varsity/JV guidelines?
WEAVER: We review the events every year and evaluate their successes, challenges, etc. I do not envision changes in the eligibility for the future, but I am only one voice in a process. If I had to guess, the rules and eligibility will get more strict by not allowing sophomores to play up under any circumstance. For states that struggle with numbers, we will work with them individually to make sure they are marketing their programs specifically to freshmen and sophomores, highlighting that players will only be from their age bracket. Currently those states do not have interest from the younger kids as those players see the RCT teams as “for the older kids” or better players. When we market a freshman/sophomore team to them, they get involved.
Adding the JV tier and “forcing” the division has made the JV tier explode. We went from just a few JV girls’ teams two years ago to 14 this year! The boys’ JV tier is thriving, and we are now dealing with massive interest for both boys’ and girls’ middle school tiers of competition. The system is working!
We have also seen this kind of growth due to our changes in our national eligibility for high school rugby. With the change to not allow 8th graders to participate in high school rugby, we have seen an explosion of middle school girls’ and boys’ leagues.
For us to move in the opposite direction would take some extremely compelling data or information that is not currently present.
#KurtWeaver RCT