URGENT! Our Girls' Team Needs Players -- NOW

The season if fast approaching and we do not have enough girls to field a team!

Girls: Start asking other potential players to come out, not just at school but at where girls hang out. You want to play, you need teammates. Make up a flier and get it posted where other potential players will see it.

Parents: The girls that are already out at practice are improving at a phenomenal rate. We see at least four all state caliber players on the team already. The Portland area has 42 high school rugby teams. When asked how they did this, his response was to get the parents to recruit throughout their networks. Please start using your networks to find teammates for your girls. When talking with co-workers, teammates, peers, etc, here are some important selling points.

-We are recognized and sanctioned teams of USA Rugby. We take players from all of the local secondary schools.

-It is open to those players who have not reached their nineteenth birthday on 01 September of the academic year they are playing youth rugby. These players must be pursuing a high school diploma.

-We assume a lack of experience on the part of most of the players. A vast majority of the players generally have never seen a rugby ball prior to their first practice. We will teach them the fundamentals.

-Rugby is a sport that provides a position on the field for every physical build and athletic ability. It requires many body types and athletic skills. Every high school sport requires skill sets that are
useful in, and reinforced by rugby.

-Our program provides the initial step for many players and the teams themselves to progress to the next level of rugby (college, senior men's, military). The young men's team has made it the Championship tournament in the Pacific Northwest, coming second. The young men's team also participated in the youth program of the inaugural Churchill Cup between USA and Canada. The young women's team finished 3rd in Washington Youth Rugby and 4th at USA Rugby Regional Playoff. A former youth player recently was selected for, and played on the Philippine National Team.

-It provides an activity for all high school students in the county. No player will be cut from the team as a result of a lack of athletic ability. It is also team policy to play every player at every game to the greatest extent possible.

-Spring rugby provides an enjoyable alternative to young athletes facing the prospect of not playing sports in the late winter and spring.

-The head coach is very experienced and has been certified as a rugby coach in several countries, as well as being on the coaching staff of several specialty teams such as at World Scholar Athlete games, the Churchill Cup, and for many years on the All-Army team.

-We require the players and coaches to adhere a very stringent Code of Conduct. This code stresses the importance of academics, abstinence from controlled substances (to include cigarettes), language, and general deportment.

-Practice will be on Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 4:15 to 6:15. Practice location is at the upper softball field on Navy Base Kitsap. Those who do not have access to the base, please notify one of the contacts for escort requirements.

-Practice Uniform will be: running shoes, cleats, fitted mouthpiece (by the third practice), heavy weight athletic long sleeve shirt, heavy weight athletic trousers and/or heavy weight cotton shorts. Please bring a change of clothes. Do not go out and buy specialty rugby clothes until you have decided to play the game.

Contacts: Addilee Healy, mrsfist@gmail.com, 360.813.5338, or Deane Shephard, deane.shephard1@us.army.mil (only email address I can access both at work and at home). 360.440.4925.

The club has a website at www.kitasprugby.org

Rugby teammates and Alumni: the youth program of Kitsap has been very important to our stability as an organization, just take note of Bobbo, Ollie, and Leens, all of whom played locally in high school. Please step up trying to find players for the high school team. Many of the points for the parents are also valid for you, check out your networks.