Olympic Rugby is Coming to Houston & Your School!

USA Rugby Adopt A Country Program For the Houston Area Students

The USA Rugby Adopt-A-Country Program (AACP) is designed to bring the international sport  of Rugby to middle school students in the Houston Area. This program centers around the  historical 2013 Women’s Rugby Sevens World Series, USA tournament on February 1st & 2nd,  and will engage kids to research rugby-playing countries, learn to play flag rugby and culminate with a visit from future international Olympians.

On Wednesday, January 30th , the National Olympic Team from your adopted country will visit  your school (assigned at random by USA Rugby). Our goal is for you and your students to host  an assembly where you showcase your research, sing national anthems, meet the team for picture  and questions, etc. The visiting team will also present the students picked to participate in the tournament with uniforms.

Each middle school selected for the program will also be able to choose ten girls to represent their school in a “Tournament of Countries” held on Saturday, February 1st in the BBVA stadium during the IRB Women’s International Rugby Sevens World Series Tournament in Houston.

Countries Participating in the Tournament and AACP
Netherlands, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago, Russia, France, South Africa, USA, England,
Australia, Canada, Brazil, Japan

What We Need From Schools

• Intent to participate, including the curriculum for research of assigned adopted country.
• Access to run Rookie Rugby in the PE Classes with the help of our trained staff
• Host an all-school Assembly on Wednesday, January 30, to welcome the National Team players (45min-1hr total)
  • i.e. gather in gym, class president to speak, choir sings the national anthem,
• National Team Rugby Players present tournament t-shirts to students
  • We also appreciate inviting parents to the assembly!

What You Will Receive From USA Rugby

• “Rookie Rugby in a Box” educational materials, including rugby balls and PE curriculum
• AACP program manual and training for teachers/volunteers
• Guest coaching from local rugby players
• Tournament administration and Assembly support
• Select # of free student ticket giveaways to the Women’s Rugby Sevens Tournament
• An International Olympic Team visiting your school!

This ZERO COST program will help pave the way for future Olympic dreams, and change the  lives of girls and boys in the Houston area.

If interested, please contact Jinnie Pratt, Girls Rugby Development Coordinator in Houston.
email: jinnie.pratt@rugbytexas.org / phone: (832) 374-0594