Rugby Here & There: Youth Rugby

Coming to your LIVE from Austin, TX…lots of youth rugby musing on the web these days. I know that my generation and the generation would have loved to play rugby when we were in our youth. To those of you who were able to and currently play, you are so very lucky!

• TRU High School Elite Schedule

  The TRU Elite Coaching Staff would like to announce the dates for the Elite Youth Try Outs for U 17 and U 19.

  South U 17 and U 19 Elite Try Outs will be held on Sunday March 16.
  North U 17 and U 19 Elite Try Outs will be held on Sunday April 13.

  Both locations to be determined but we are looking at securing locations for the South – Woodlands and the North – Lake Highlands Park, Dallas.

  If you have any questions or comments, please see the TRU website for contacts and contact information.

• Oklahoma Silly Booger

  **In Oklahoma touch rugby is called Booger, don’t ask me why…but it just is, here is a letter encouraging families to bring their kids out to silly booger (touch rugby). It is awesome and I loved playing silly booger all through the summer and pre-season.

  Rugby Ravers:

  Please don’t hold me to an ongoing rave as in days past, but I felt compelled to rave about one of the greatest rugby events of all times. Yep, no hyperbole here. Greater than when William Webb Ellis picked up the soccer ball and ran with great disregard for the game, greater than Frank Sunshine Kumps try of the century against Little Rock to win the Sunsplash with the assistance of 8 other OU Ruggers as immortalized on video tape. Greater than any World Cup Championship to date.

  Wow, what a buildup. What could be so great? Parent-child silly booger. Yep, better than any backyard catch that kids and parents alike hold onto to define that unbreakable bond. Better than Daddy-Daughter Dance. Parent-Child silly booger is the coolest of cool. And it has erupted in Norman.

  Yesterday on a brilliant spring in the middle of winter break, 11* kids of both genders and their dads participated in an historic event. *Jesse Hall actually carried his toddler Marley on his hip while playing.

  Yes we have had kids booger before, we have had a few dads play with kids before, but not this, not to this extent. Each kid had a dad. Only kids could score. We played for hours. Further, this could spread, Tarzan has two grandkids who have played before, Yancey Redcorn and Carrot have brought their kids out.

  We still haven’t played with Millington’s or the DT. We haven’t had Roses and their kids , the Team that is, not the family as Hans Rose played with both his kids, Emma and Tim. We did get Dads and sons where neither had played join in. What a cool game to start with your kid.

  Just think what this could lead to. Tyson Meek played Silly booger with us when he was 11 and because of sole event, went on to be a pro rugby player and play for the Eagles. We have kids as young as 7 out there now. Based on actual logical reasoning they are shoe ins for All-World honors and America is guaranteed a World Cup Championship.

  So bring a kid, even if it ain’t yours.**

  ** Please get permission though. We will not accept kidnapping for the sake of participating in the greatest parent-child event in the world.

• Upcoming Youth & High School Events from the USA Rugby Youth Rugby Digest

  Jesuit Dallas Rugby Showdown – March 8-9th, 2008 – Anthony Mattachione – amattacchione@jesuitcp.org –

  Hawaii Youth Rugby Waikiki Youth Tournament – March 7-8th, 2008 &
  Hawaii Youth Rugby Maui Tournament – March 14-15th, 2008 – Kevin Perry – kevin@hawaiiyouthrugby.com – www.hawaiiyouthrugby.org

  Carolina High School Rugby Festival – March 8-9th, 2008 – Paul Maxwell – carolinayouthrugby@yahoo.com

  Fullerton Youth Rugby High School International Invitational – March 22 & 23rd, 2008 – Ravi Perera – fullertonyouthrugby@yahoo.com – www.highschoolrugbytournament.com
  
  ERugbyNews Cup – April 6, 2008 – Alex Goff – steelheads@buddbayrugby.com

  Northwest Challenge Cup – April 5, 2008 – Otsego, MN – Dave Sheperdson – djs@phenet.net – www.rrrfc.com

  Midwest U-19 Girls Challenge – April 12-13th, 2008 – Phil Kaser – pkaser13@aol.com – www.desmoinesrugby.com

  Big Apple Classic – April 26, 2008 – Cameron Sinclair – camoo3@hotmail.com – www.newyorkrugby.com

  4th Annual Pacific Coast Invitational Tournament – Presented by Pac Coast RFU – May 10-11th, 2008 – Steuber Rugby Stadium Ray Schwartz – vanillagorillaray@sbcglobal.net
  
  Youth Jersey Cup – May 17, 2008 – Denville, NJ & American Flag Rugby Festival – July 26, 2008 – Morris RFC – Tom Feury – tomfeury@optonline.net – www.morrisrugby.org

  Fourth Annual LAU All-Star Rugby Challenge Cup – Presented by Potomac Rugby Foundation – June 21-22nd, 2008 – Founders Field – Pittsburgh, PA – Kurt Mockenhaupt – rugbyfoundation@msn.com

  Great Lakes High School 7s – July 13, 2008 – Chicago Blaze RFC – Lemont, IL – Nolan Day – twoday@sbcglobal.net – www.chicagoblazerugby.com

  Looking for a free way to promote your tournament or local event? Submit information for publication in the YDN digest via this link at www.usarugby.org/goto/YDN_Event_Entry. Entries will also be posted to the Youth & High School events calendar. Help us grow the list of current events today!