Attention all Men's and Women's Rugby Clubs : High School Rugby Incentives announced at the F.R.U. AGM

At the AGM meeting of the F.R.U. held in Daytona last week much emphasis was placed and discussed about the future of youth rugby and how to help it grow in the state of Florida. Both Moe Lévesque youth coorindinator and Steve Young High School Director were present to give a presentation on where the sport is at in our state. The message was simple, we are at critical growth stage. We currently have nine teams ( boys ) and four girls teams in the state. This coming season which starts in late January it appears there will be a minimum of 11 to 14 teams with one new addition of a girls team. There have been three State Championship game for the state all of which were coveted by Naples Bears Rugby club made up of several high schools. They successfully defended their title against three different teams each year. The league has been completely independent and gets assistance from the F.R.U. with using the ref's and the web site for reporting score and standings. Recently Moe Lévesque, John Davenport and Steve Young have submitted a proposal to USA Rugby to become a " model " for the development of youth rugby. It would help tie the USA Rugby to the State level assisting the development of youth rugby at the grassroots level aided by support from USA Rugby. The proposal was accepted and the particulars will soon be unveiled to the participants. The following are the existing teams and their coaches and were recognized with a plaque and a polo shirt donning the new league logo for all the coaches of the league. Young stressed the success of the first three years of the leagues existence and gratitude to each of the coaches that helped make it possible. Future goals are to expand the league into regions and districts and compete to get the game to be accepted by high schools as a varsity sport and or have that option. " With the game having so many fine attributes , the fitness , the discipline , the camaraderie , the social aspects and the brotherhood and the game itself, there is NO WAY that lacrosse should be dwarfing rugby as a new alternative sport for schools, " Young said. The existing teams are made up of strictly students of individual high schools while others are made up of a combination of schools to support the necessary numbers. Several of the existing teams that started out three years ago have grown to have two full sides.

The following teams were recognized for their contribution:
Lincoln Park Academy........Coach Pip Trew , from Port St. Lucie
North Broward Prep.............Coach Chris Roehm and Coach Rocco Kryns, from Broward County
North East High School........Coach Bill Shelly and Coach Kuzzo from Ft. Lauderdale
Winter Park Warriors...............Coach Jeremy Humphries and Coach Andy Riley, from Winter Park
Tampa Bay Pelicans..............Coach Dave McFadden, from Tampa Bay
Jupiter High School.................Coach Sean Simon , from Jupiter
Brevard Red Eyes.....................Coach Ray Campion , from Cocoa Beach
Trojan Rugby Club...................Coach Bill Marts , Coach Don Stramanak , Coach Jeff Oxenreider, Coach Tom Gray , from Coral Springs
Naples Bears..............................Coach Steve Young , Coach Larry Fox, Coach Claudio Ferrer , Coach Jeff Lovelace, Coach Lisa O'Donnell , from Naples

As you can note, the teams are spread out all over South Florida. With the men's and women's clubs being centered around major populated areas the high school clubs want to make an appeal to the men's and women's clubs for help with expansion. It was noted that Coaching goes way beyond instructing the fundamentals of the sport and that it truly is a sport that makes a difference in young people lives from many aspects. " It is a game where a kid that would not normally be accepted on a football field or other sport can come out and be accepted on the pitch, regardless of their experience, furthermore, it is an opportunity for an well rounded athlete to flourish as all aspects of athleticism are used and displayed rather than one specific function." Young stated. The mentoring aspect is very real for our kids....several of our kids never had the chance before and with rugby they all get in the game.......Our goals are simple...to become a dominant sport in the state of Florida and the only way we can bring it to the next level is with the help of all those that love the game and believe in kids as the future !! We would like to see the high school league grow to 40 + teams in the next three years. As was noted by a presentation of an F.A.U. student - player there are many opportunities with high schools that have in excess of 2,000 student population base within regions that could get developed. Young has stated that anyone with interest should contact him for advise on how to start a team in your area. Lévesque stressed that each existing team should appoint a youth coordinator to help facilitate the process.

Also noted at the meeting was that in the three short years Florida has developed four young athletes that have gone on and have been selected and played for the USA Junior Eagles U-17 and U-18 teams. This past season we had Brendon Gray , Brian Hussey and Cameron Dolan play in England for the U-17 USA squad with Dolan and Gray being leading scorers for the team. And Shane Young traveled to England to play with the U- 18 Squad. All have been invited back to the camps this summer July 12 - 17 th.

There are plenty of aging players that sooner or later, or have already hung up their boots. Well , here is an opportunity for you all to give back to the game you have learned to LOVE....... There will be upcoming coaching clinics and Young and the other coaches have and will help with the initial start up of any team............The HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE has already seeded the local college teams. This year F.A.U. , F.S.U., U.F., U.S.F., U.C.F., and more , have all seen the quality of play improve and the game benefit from our high school league. Also some teams are picking up players that graduate and do not go on to college and choose a trade and stay local. Nationally, it is the youth levels that are growing and we need to help facilitate that growth here in Florida. So as an incentive the High School League PRESENTS !!!!!

Vacation Incentive for any New Team founded by a club !!

The rules are simple.......any coach that starts up and is responsible for a new a team before October 15, 2007 will win a trip for two to Turks and Caicos Island for a 3 night four day stay at a brand new hotel with a free dive trip included. ( Transportation is on your own.) This must be verified with Steve Young and acknowledgement from the school's Athletic Director and a school sponsor ( which normally is a sitting teacher for club status ) is necessary. The magic phrase to the Athletic Directors ears are " It will NOT COST you anything , and it DOES NOT interfere with football !! Our season starts late January , being the first game and generally have the State Title game in mid April. Do not miss out on a wonderful opportunity while doing something great !!!! It is a beautiful Island with some of the worlds best diving....... This trip is generously sponsored by Greg Wasik the owner of the hotel and Naples Hammerhead player. We are most grateful for his generosity to help foster the game. Greg has also given his time in helping developing some of the players by scrimmaging with the high school players as a developmental game. Let's DO IT !!!

FOR CONTACT INFORMATION : write to Steve Young Florida High School Rugby Director @ syoung4@comcast.net .