Why Play Rugby?

Why is Rugby a Great Sport for High School Boys and Girls?

When you search "Why should my son/daughter play rugby?" on the internet, you'll discover countless articles highlighting the exceptional benefits that rugby offers to individuals of all age groups. If you ever engage a rugby player in a conversation about the sport, their enthusiasm is so profound that they firmly believe rugby surpasses all others to become the ultimate sport. So, what are some of these reasons, and why should you encourage your child to participate in rugby?

A significant factor is, what other competitive sport accommodates such a diverse range of participants? There are positions for individuals of varying statures and body types – whether they're short and sturdy, tall and lean, robust, powerful, nimble, adept jumpers, or rapid sprinters. The entire team both defends and attacks, with opportunities for anyone to score. Moreover, teams are available for both boys and girls, fostering inclusivity and diversity.

Here is a quick list (from ruck.co.uk) on WHY you should get your teen involved in rugby NOW!

1. Improve Physical Health - rugby takes A LOT of physical work, from running to rucking and tackling.

2. Develop social skills - teamwork makes the dream work!

3. Character building - you win some, you lose some.

4. Equal Opportunities - everyone gets the chance to do everything: run, pass, kick, score!

5. Build self-esteem and confidence - those little successes add up

6. Learn valuable life-lessons - As in Rugby, As in Life.

7. Positive Role Models.

8. Make lifelong friends.

9. Breed academic success - Children who were involved with at least one sport were more likely to get better grades suggests a study conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine.

10. They’ll experience the incredible feeling of being part of a team

11. They will respect others, regardless of their decisions - When the referee makes a decision we disagree with, players still call him “sir” and don’t talk back.

12. It helps to reduce stress - Exercise and other physical activity produce endorphins and also improve the ability to sleep

13. It could even go somewhere! - Many universities have budding varsity programs with scholarship opportunities. And there are college and adult clubs everywhere!

Is Youth Rugby Safe?

Rugby is a contact sport, and as such carries an inherent risk of injury. While it is difficult to characterize injury risks, we can offer some opinions (if not indisputable facts), and share our coaching philosophy:

Rugby is not more dangerous than American Football, we believe it is actually safer.
The risk of concussion is significantly lower in Rugby as tackles are done with the shoulder, and any contact to the head by a player is severely sanctioned (up to a red card)
No tackling is allowed to be done during practice unless a coach with a bare minimum of Level 200 coach is available to supervise and maintain a safe environment. All Level 200 coaches have had Concussion Protocol training.
The emphasis of Rugby USA, Rugby Colorado and the Front Range Youth Rugby Club is to put player safety first. We will stop practices or games as necessary when we believe that our players’ safety may be at risk