For a Description of How to Play Rugby, click A Short Rugby Primer
For more information, Contact us
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Each season significant parental involvement is an important part of creating,
maintaining and growing our club. Equally important is the reward you as a parent will feel contributing to your
child's involvement in a new and exciting sport. The Highlander Family includes players, coaches, parents,
friends and other supporters who wish to come out and participate in any way they can.
About the club
Our rugby team is unaffiliated with any particular school district and is a nonprofit sports club that operates
under the guidelines and rules of both USA Rugby and by Rugby Washington.
What age do I have to be to play?
14-19 (must be under 19 prior to August 1st 2011)
Who is in charge?
Our club is coached by a several experienced and mature coaches with overall management falling to Andy Ramsay.
Andy is a USA Rugby Certified Coach. Additional accreditations include first aid, CRP and National Sports Safety Training.
Andy also carries a current WA State Patrol Risk Assessment Card (background check) which is required for coaches in most
youth sports organizations.
What Can Parents
do to help the rugby program?
As well as cheering on your son/daughter and the rest of the team from the sidelines we always need assistance in many aspects
of club operations. Some of these opportunities are listed below:
Our team needs parent volunteers to:
·
Launder the team's uniform jerseys (sign up on the Admin tab of the website)
·
Purchase, preparation and service of post match food at home games (costs refunded by club,sign up on the Admin tab of the website)
·
Video Taping of Games for coaches to share with team
·
Host touring team players in your home
·
Act as chaperones during overnight or tour stays
·
Provide transportation for other players to away games
·
Solicit and procure team sponsorship or donations
We also have a parent committee which meets monthly to discuss, plan and coordinate upcoming events, fundraisers or other club operations.
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When does the
season begin and end?
In January outdoor practices will commence typically at 6.30pm and last 2 hours. The days
of the week and start time are totally depended on field availability. We make every effort to
avoid late evenings during the school week. In February we will play scrimmage games and
also travel to Oregon for a tournament. The remainder of the month will include local
friendly and non-league matches. In March the league season will commence which involves one game a week. The league
season and playoffs will conclude in mid May. Matches are scheduled dependent on the opponent's
geographical location. Local opponents will schedule games on Friday evenings and others will
be played on Saturday. Girls will play on Sunday
During the Presidents Day Weekend in February we are typically invited to play in an
interstate tournament in Beaverton OR. Teams from WA & OR will compete in this tournament that
is played in a jamboree environment with little attention paid to results. It's intended to
introduce new players to the game and provide teams their first semi competitive games of the
season. We will depart Bonney Lake Saturday morning returning Sunday evening. Players traditionally
will be hosted or billeted by opposing team's families who will feed, provide bed and hospitality
on Saturday evening.
Aside from our game schedule we ensure that we include other activities such as paintball, snow
tubing and team dinners which serve as great team building opportunities as well as a lot of fun.
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Can my son/daughter play
other sports and also play rugby?
Yes of course! We do not support the idea of "single sport, year round athletes". We believe
that all student athletes should have opportunities to experience as many sports as possible
while young and able to do so. We encourage rugby player's t play fall sports at school and if
they are inclined a winter sport. Athletes engaged in a winter sport may simply join us at
practice and games when possible and then as that sport season concludes commit more extensively
to rugby. We have had numerous players that have played a spring school sport and rugby. We
leave this up to the individual player and parents to decide if the athlete has the time and
stamina to play two sports and also complete all educational commitments.
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Do you suspend
players who are not getting good grades at school?
No formal or informal arrangements are in place to monitor individual grades but the coaches
will respect the right of parents to hold their child out of rugby activities including games.
Academic achievement is equally important to us as any athletic achievement.
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What Kind of
equipment is needed to play rugby and what does it cost?
One of the great things about rugby is the simplicity and the minimal equipment that is
required to participate. As part of our membership or dues you will receive uniform shorts and
socks plus a mouth guard. A uniform jersey will be provided each match day. Cleats are each
players own personal responsibility. These can be soccer, football or rugby cleats. Rugby cleats
are not necessary and are essentially the same as football ones. Rugby cleats along with other
more specialized rugby supplies can be obtained on the internet from vendors such as world rugby
shop, Red Rhino Rugby and Rugby Imports. Regular cleats can be purchased at Dicks Sporting Goods in Puyallup
and Sports Authority.
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How much does it cost?
As we are a fairly new club and haven't been able to create substantial financial savings we
rely heavily on collection of individual dues to offset our operating costs. Supplementing this
income is a series of fundraisers which we schedule throughout the year. All players are
expected to participate in these events. These fundraisers allow us to keep the membership fees
to a minimum. The collected monies from dues offset player's uniforms, field rentals, field
marking paint, post match food, referee fees, promotional materials and general administrative
costs.
2012 Season Player Dues will be:
Rookie Player - Yearly Dues $200
Veteran Player - Yearly Dues $175 if planning to use last years shorts and socks
$200 if not using gear.
Dues can be paid in whole by January 24th or divided into two payments with the final
payment due by February 4th.
Checks should be made payable to Rainier Plateau Junior Rugby Club.
Confidential payment plans can be established for players requiring this provision.
Dues can be waived on a confidential basis in instances deemed appropriate.
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Are there a lot of
injuries in rugby?
No, there is a tremendous amount of misinformation on this important issue. Most of this
misinformation is given our by folks who know little or nothing about rugby, or who are
personally "invested" in sports that they perceive as competing with rugby for talented athletes.
There are actually very few injuries in rugby. As with all
contact sports, there are bumps, bruises, and occasional sprains, concussions
and fractures. Rugby is a contact sport, and a
vigorous one. However the rate of serious injury is less than experienced in
other contact sports, such as football and ice hockey. The rate of serious
injury in rugby is roughly comparable to that in soccer and lacrosse and substantially
less than sports like skiing and skateboarding.
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What happens if my
son/daughter is injured during a match or practice?
A fully stocked first aid kit is always on hand to treat minor injuries that may occur during a
match or at practice. Each player will complete a medical history document, emergency contact
information and a medical authorization form which in the event of a serious injury requiring
emergency treatment and a parent can't be immediately located will permit coach Ramsay to seek
immediate medical care. These completed documents are added to a binder which accompanies the
team to all practices and games. Players are responsible to report minor injuries to their
parents; injuries that are suspected to be more serious in nature will be immediately reported
by the coaching staff to player's parents or guardian.
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Who is in charge
when the team goes to away games or overnight stays?
The ultimate responsibility for supervision of the players rests upon the head coach of the
team with regard to all rugby activities, including team travel. This is a responsibility that
is taken extremely seriously. In addition to the coaches parent chaperones may travel with the
team on overnight trips. Parents will be provided comprehensive trip itinerary and telephone
contact information that can used in the event of an emergency situation.
In addition to the head coach, parent chaperones and assistant coach will travel
with the team on overnight trips. Parents will be provided
comprehensive trip itinerary and telephone contact information in the event of an emergency.
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Club Code of
Conduct
All athletes and their parents are required to review and sign a copy of the club's "Code
of Conduct" which endorses the following values:
Personal Responsibility
Good Sportsmanship
Honesty
Respect for Teammates, coaches, officials and opponents
Fairness and team work
Included in this mandate is the zero tolerance policy for the use of drugs and or alcohol at any practice, match club tour or other events.
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How much time is
spent on rugby on a weekly basis?
Our team will generally engage in two practices a week lasting 2 hours per session. No
player is penalized in any way if he needs to skip practice or a match to study, complete
homework or to attend a family, church or school event. Please report your absence by texting
or calling Coach Ramsay. Game day depending on the location are generally an evening or a half
day.
We will also encourage you to review on the website all the clubs practice, game and social
activities. If you have known absences for work, school or perhaps a wedding or other family
event you can log this absence in advance.
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How do I find out
about current news, schedule or club related information?
The clubs website is the easiest and most comprehensive source of information and we also host a face book page.
Website : http://www.RainierJuniorRugby.com
Facebook : RainierRFC (no spaces)
How do I contact
the coach?
Cell Phone :253-330-6816
Home Phone :253-891-8364
E mail : a.s.ramsay@comcast.net
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