from USA Rugby:
USA Rugby members past and present will be surveyed and interviewed over the next few weeks as part of a World Rugby study that will examine the factors that cause players to remain in the sport and those that result in players leaving the sport.
USA Rugby commissioned sport development firm Sport Development Concepts LLC, in conjunction with researchers at the University of Illinois, to perform the study of more than 300,000 players who have been USA Rugby members since 2005.
In addition to the online surveys, more than 100 current and past USA Rugby members will be interviewed to delve into the reasons for their continued participation in rugby, or their exiting the sport. The quantitative and qualitative approach will provide researchers and USA Rugby and its member clubs with insights into what is working and what is not in the present organizational, competitive, and development environment for rugby in the U.S.
“By gaining a better understanding of the reasons for continued participation in the sport from high school to club, high school to college, and college to club we will be better able to develop programs in conjunction with the club programs that will attract and retain more players as they transition through the levels of play,” said USA Rugby Chief Executive Officer Nigel Melville. “The study – funded by World Rugby – will shed light on issues and solutions that can be applied worldwide to assist growing the game on a global scale.”
“This is an important study and shows great insight and leadership by USA Rugby,” World Rugby Development General Manager Morgan Buckley said. “The scale of this research is significant and will be very important to global research on how we can grow the game and retain players in rugby.”
Participants in the survey and interviews will be provided the opportunity to receive a USA Eagles-signed match ball for engaging in the study. The study is expected to be completed in June of this year.
About Sport Development Concepts
Developing athletic potential requires a long-term and holistic approach that incorporates numerous organizations to provide the support that athletes need as they pursue their athletic and personal goals. By encouraging and seeking out collaborative and supportive partnerships between the sports organizations and educational institutions throughout the country, SDC will enable programs at all levels to serve their athletes and allow them to take advantage of all the benefits available. With extensive experience in organizational development, training, education, certification, member service and high performance support, SDC can provide insight and leadership to take sports organizations to the next level.
