The Elevate Women’s Rugby Event Sets the Stage for Strategic Growth in the U.S.

Denver, CO (January 23, 2025) – The Elevate Women’s Rugby event, held January 19-20 in Denver, brought together key stakeholders to advance women’s rugby across all levels in the United States. The event was made possible through the generous support of the US Rugby Foundation and Tittmann Weix following the 2025 Women’s Rugby Coaches and Referees Association (WRCRA) Conference. This impactful workshop created a collaborative environment to align strategies and drive the growth of the sport for girls and women. While the focus began with women’s rugby, the work initiated during the event is expected to benefit the entire U.S. rugby community.

The two-day event welcomed an impressive range of groups representing every level of rugby:

In Attendance:

  • College Rugby Association of America (CRAA)
  • Girls Rugby Inc.
  • Geographic Unions (GUs)
  • International Gay Rugby (IGR)
  • Media
  • Major League Rugby (MLR)
  • National Collegiate Rugby (NCR)
  • National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA)
  • Premier Rugby 7s (PR 7s)
  • USA Rugby High Performance
  • USA Rugby National Office
  • USA Senior Club Competitions Committee
  • USA Senior Club Council
  • USA Senior Club Referee & Laws Committee
  • US Rugby Foundation
  • US Women’s Rugby Foundation
  • Women’s Elite Rugby (WER)
  • Youth representatives

Invited:

  • USA Rugby International Athletes (IA) Representatives
  • USA Rugby High Performance Referees
  • Play Rugby USA
  • USA Touch
  • USA Rugby Youth & High School
  • Women’s Premier League (WPL)

Over the course of the workshop, participants engaged in discussions on key topics, including reducing barriers to participation,  increasing youth participation, enhancing collegiate programs, expanding club opportunities, and streamlining governance. The event culminated in the formation of dedicated working groups committed to actionable goals that will carry these collaborative efforts forward.

For more information, you can reach out to the Elevate organizers or one of the Working Group leads:

Elevate Organizers

  • Hedwig Aerts – New York Rugby 1998-2011, Eagle 2000-2006
  • Kristin Aliberto – Temple, Philadelphia, and New York player; coach at La Salle; USA Rugby Club Competitions Committee
  • Anne Barry – Current Vice Chair and Treasurer, US Rugby Foundation; President, USA Rugby Board 1998-2002; Minnesota Rugby President 1985-2005; Twin Cities Amazons player 1984-2001
  • Barbara Bond – Eagle 1987-1998; Co-captain ’91 World Cup Champions; ’94 and ’98 World Cup finalist
  • Jessa Giordano – New York Rugby player/officer/director 1998-2010; NY 7s Tournament Director 2001-2010; Long Island Youth Rugby co-founder/coach 2016-2021; VTSU Castleton Women’s Assistant Coach 2024
  • Kerri Heffernan – Chair, Women’s Rugby Coaches and Referees Association (WRCRA); Vice President, US Women’s Rugby Foundation; Talent ID Coordinator for US Women’s Olympic Rugby Team
  • Danita Knox – President and Board Chair, US Women’s Rugby Foundation; former USA Rugby Board Member, Congress Member, GU Committee Chair
  • Laurel Lockett – Former Referee, Player, and Administrator
  • Kristine Sommer – Former USA 7s & XVs Eagle; Co-Founder of XV Foundations
  • Wendy Young – Oklahoma Roses 2001-06, Austin Valkyries 2006-11; Texas Rugby Referee Association 2008-2019; current USAR Club Competitions Committee member; journalist, broadcaster, and administrator

Working Group Leads

  • Communications – Wendy Young
  • Strategic Planning & Alignment – Jami Jordan
  • Data – Margy Thomas
  • Participation Journey – Shane Young
  • Lifelong Connections – Mary Swanstrom

Discover more from YSCRugby | Women's Rugby News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.