USA Rugby Policy for Under18s and Under19s Playing Adult Rugby

USA Rugby Policy for Under 18s and Under 19s Playing Adult Rugby.

Within this policy, the following phrases are defined as: -

Adult Rugby: Rugby played by non-collegiate teams comprising players normally of 18 years of age and older. For the avoidance of doubt, this includes games played at the U20 level and rugby sevens. These teams would be registered with USA Rugby as‘Senior Clubs’.

Exceptional Players: Players showing exceptional talent and physical development, who are in USA Rugby’s High School All American and Under-20 program and identified by the coaching staff of those national teams.

High School Rugby: Rugby played between players enrolled in high school or of high school age. These teams would be registered with USA Rugby as ‘High School Teams/Clubs’. This includes high school single school, multi-school, community club teams and teams made primarily of High SchoolPlayers.

High School All-Star Rugby: High school all-star and selectside teams, not including community club teams. These teams must be sanctioned by the State High School and Youth Rugby Organization (SBO), Geographic Union or Local Area Union. Non-Sanctioned teams fall under ‘High School Rugby’.

High School Player: Players enrolled in high school, of any age, including 18 and 19 year olds.

Under-18: Being under 18 years of age, aminor.

Under-19: Being under 19 years of age.

Introduction.

Under-18 players should not normally play Adult Rugby. Under-18 players may not play Adult Rugby during the competitive segment if or when there is an age-appropriate or scholastic program available.

USA Rugby has jurisdiction over the Adult Rugby division and has developed the applicable policies regarding safety, player welfare and local conditions and circumstances by which Under-18 players may be permitted to play Community Adult Rugby.

Players younger than 18, or 19 in the case of participating in the front row, are only permitted to participate in Adult Rugby if each condition listed below has been satisfied. Upon confirmation, USA Rugby shall provide a written waiver documenting that the Under-18 player is eligible to participate in Adult Rugby. This waiver must be maintained by the club and produced if called into question by any rugby official.

For positions other than front row (but including all positions in rugby sevens) an Under-18 player may not play in any Adult Rugby match unless the following are obtained:

a. written agreement from the Under-18 player to play Adult Rugby and acceptance of any associated risk with playing with Adults who may be stronger and more physically developed than the player;

b. written parental or legal guardian’s consent;

c. Copy of Under-18 player’s birthcertificate;

d. Copy of USA Rugby Medical History form, completed and signed by a medical expert/physician; and

e. written confirmation from the club coach with an appropriate understanding of the physical attributes required of and the risks to players in Adult Rugby and to whom the player is known to have the requisite skills and experience to play Adult Rugby.

For Front Row Players (except for players that may play in the front row in rugby sevens), an Under-19 player should not play in any Adult Rugby match in the front row unless the following are obtained:

a. written agreement from the Under-19 player to play Adult Rugby in the front row and acceptance of any associated risk with playing with Adults who may be stronger and more physically developed than the player;

b. written parental or legal guardian’s consent;

c. If Under-18, a copy of player’s birth certificate;

d. Copy of USA Rugby Medical History form, or qualified medical assessment, completed and signed by a medical expert/physician; and

e. written confirmation from the senior club coach with an appropriate understanding of the physical attributes required of and the risks to players in the front row in Adult Rugby and to whom the player is known to have the requisite skills and experience to playAdultRugby.

Required records the club must secure before an Under-18 player, or Under-19 front row player, is eligible to play Adult Rugby:

a. all required consents, confirmations and forms listed as mandatory to fulfill terms of this policy; and

b. all original (except birth certificate which should be a legible copy)signed documents specified above to USA Rugby for review to confirm that the necessary criteria have been met; and

c. a written waiver from USA Rugby (must be able to produce upon request) for each Under-18 player and/or Under-19 Front Row player verifying that player’s eligibility to participate with the Adult Rugby club.