I think that the AmerBock Super League or some major US Sponsor needs to be expanded and they need to find a partners to help sponsor the development.
Objective is not reduce, but to expand the game of rugby:
The one major issue is knowledge and understanding of the game here in the USA most people have a distorted picture of the game. People with smash skull and arms being torn out its a blood curdling picture I know and where it came from not sure.
The second major issue is the pure size of this country. USA Rugby needs to divide this nation in 2 and create to offices that best can reach the people. They had a youth conference on the game in Tenn. last year which I participated in and I could afford that trip. Then this year they had another one in San Diego, Ca. No way on a teachers salary I would be able to make that trip to give my input as a youth development coach.
Solution:
The State Based Organizations that control sports played at schools in each state dictates the spread or non-spread of rugby or any other sport here.
In the state that I live in we need to push at the NCHAA
http://www.nchsaa.org/index.pl . Then NFHS
http://www.nfhs.org/ these two organization gorvern the spread of rugby in states and in my state in particular.
USA Rugby has gone to the conference for NFHS, I think they should approach each state high school association and with the help of the IRB, this I think would have a better effect on the spread of the game in this abundant athletic resource. With each state developing a team of coordinators to begin the overseeing of the game at a state level.
Being a PE teacher at the middle school level in NC, I see their are more potential athletes not involved in sport today then could be in America. Also the inactivity of these kids at all levels needs to change, one reason why I started a high school rugby team in my neck of the woods. The past 2 years has been a war with trying to educate people about the game an grow our high school team(Rugby Visibility)
I think as a Nation we could be doing much better, but some times I feel that the captains at the helm are not pushing hard enough.
Just MHO.
Coach King
http://hurricanesyouthrfc.org/PHP-Nuke/Hurricanes Youth RFC, Raeford, North Carolina
