USA Youth & High School Rugby (USA Y&H), the Sanctioned Governing Body for U.S. players aged 5-18, has launched the Inter-scholastic Initiative, which provides a pathway for rugby to be approved as a school district sport (see graphic below). The Colorado Inter-Scholastic Rugby Association (CIRA) is pursuing this program – which is separate from Rugby Colorado (RC), the State Rugby Organization – and will be an affiliate member of USA Y&H.
The following is CIRA’s formal statement to Rugby Colorado …
Dear Members of Rugby Colorado Staff & Executive Committee:
As many of you may be aware, USA Y&HS has instituted a new interscholastic affiliate membership growth initiative. In as much, the following school-based programs in Colorado have opted to pursue this affiliate model, effective immediately, and will be further organized as the Colorado Interscholastic Rugby Association or “CIRA”:
GIRLS *
Arapahoe High School
Denver East High School
Monarch High School
Regis Jesuit High School
Summit High School
William J. Palmer High School
BOYS *
Arapahoe High School
Monarch High School
Regis Jesuit High School
Summit High School
William J. Palmer High School
* Please note, this list is subject to expansion in advance of spring 2021 and girls’ and boys’ seasons that will be conducted in accordance with CHSAA seasons C and D.*
Membership to CIRA will be open to school-based K-12 rugby programs with a primary emphasis on high school and middle school program development and competition. CIRA member programs will be permitted to play external contests with any full or affiliate USA Rugby / USA Y&HS / RC programs following CIRA guidelines.
On behalf of CIRA members, thank you for your long-time and ongoing commitment to youth and high school-age rugby in Colorado and we look forward to expanding interscholastic rugby alongside Rugby Colorado growth initiatives in our state.Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Kind regards,
Amy Rusert
CIRA Board Member
From Karl Barth, Summit High School educator and girls’ and boys’ rugby coach:
“This an exciting and long discussed opportunity to develop interscholastic rugby in Colorado and Summit High School is looking forward to being a part of it. Having been in discussions over the years with other programs in the state, at the National level, and with CHSAA officials, I am pumped to see this come to fruition in Colorado. Our program has always championed the CHSAA model for our student-athletes and feel that it is essential component to growth and further mainstreaming of the sport in America. The interscholastic model is what schools and parents understand, provides longevity and leveled competition, grows the game, and gives student-athletes the chance to represent and foster spirit and pride in their institutions. We are proud to join CIRA, but cannot look past the club game and the pioneers who are the shoulders we stand on. We look forward to this new chapter in a proud Colorado Rugby history.”
From Anthony Mattacchione, Regis Jesuit High School educator and girls’ and boys’ rugby coach:
“As a Rugby community, Colorado sees the Interscholastic Leagues as the way to best serve our student-athletes and level the playing field with regards to other state-recognized school-based sports programs. Many like-minded coaches and community supporters have been discussing this for a few years now, and the timing seemed to fit into the plans of the USA Rugby Youth and High School interscholastic affiliate membership growth initiative. In recent years, Regis Jesuit Rugby has worked with and invited CHSAA Sports affiliates coaches from our mainstream athletic programs to attend practices and see what Rugby has to offer. There was a lot of mutual respect and support for building a school-based Rugby program that would benefit multisport athletes and allows for social and emotional development in our current situation. Becoming part of the Colorado Interscholastic Rugby Association (CIRA) not only builds a program’s presence on campus; but also fosters growth in other schools that have a student participating with club teams but are not currently representing their schools. Providing the best platform for students to represent and participate in school athletics is something that has been a goal for many club and school affiliated high school Rugby programs, and CIRA and the interscholastic affiliate membership initiative makes that a reality.”