Frequently Asked Questions:

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​Is Rugby a CIF Sport?

No, rugby is not yet a sport sanctioned by the CIF.  Our goal is to make rugby a school sponsored sport and sanctioned by the CIF.  We plan to raise the awareness level of the athletic conferences and the CIF/SDS Managing Board and to begin a grass roots movement to sanction rugby.

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Although rugby at LCC is technically a club sport, we are fully under the LCC Foundation and Maverick Athletic Boosters, just like all other sports.  All team coaches, trainers and managers are LCCHS Volunteer employees, approved by the San Dieguito Union High School District.  While rugby is not yet a CIF sport, we follow, to the maximum extent possible, all published CIF, SDUHSD and LCCHS guidance, including player eligibility.  You must meet all LCC standards to be eligible to play, including academic standards.   

 

NOTE: As a matter of interest, and indicating the growth of the sport, rugby has now been approved by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association and will become a fully sanctioned high school sport in Massachusetts in 2016.

 

Women's Rugby is an NCAA sport.

 

How do I register to play?

 

Registration is a two step process.  The first step is to complete an online form.  The second step is to complete and turn in required forms and documents. You DO need to turn in a few additional forms.  See the Registration Page for additional information. ​

 

Is there a fee for playing?

Yes, because Rugby is not currently a CIF sport, it considered and club and is completely funded on its own.  Without this fee we simply could not exist nor could we field a team.  We receive no money from the District or School. With your financial support and separate fund raising, we pay team, coach, and player registration fees to our parent sports body, (USA Rugby). This includes officials fees and insurance - both liability insurance and secondary medical insurance ( USA Rugby Medical Insurance ).  Additionally, we provide uniforms, cover coaching costs, field use fees as necessary, transportation and administrative fees to the LCC Foundation and to the Maverick Athletic Boosters, supporting all other sports at LCC. We pay for rugby balls, training equipment and supplies, host visiting teams, provide for medical coverage and an athletic trainer and help fund an end of season banquet - and the list goes on, and on.

 

When is the season?

Rugby is a winter sport.  The season is the same as all other winter sports.  (Nov – Feb) Practices will start in mid November, with tryouts and baseline fitness testing as the winter sport season opens.  Scrimmage and non-league games may begin as early as the latter part of November or the first part of December with league games starting in January. The last regular game is at the end of the winter sports season, mid Feb. Playoffs may continue for a week until the end of February.

 

Girls season is slightly modified - see the question on girls rugby below.

 

Can I play for a recreational rugby club team at the same time as I am playing for LCC?

No.  Both LCC and the league do not allow that.

 

Who do we play against?

LCC is now in the top tier of Southern California HS rugby. 

The teams in the league/division (as of Sep 2016) are: ​

Cathedral Catholic High School

Del Norte High School

La Costa Canyon High School

St Augustine High School

Torrey Pines High School

 

We will play other schools in non-league games.

 

Are there separate Varsity and Jr Varsity teams?

Yes.  Generally, the Varsity team is comprised of Seniors and Juniors, and the JV team is made up of Sophomores and Freshmen.  Juniors may play both JV and Varsity and in rare cases, Sophomores can play Varsity.

 

Do girls play rugby?

Yes.  It is a fantastic opportunity for girls.  In fact, for the next few years, a female student with a good academic standing who plays rugby has a better chance than a male rugby playing student of receiving financial aid or admissions assistance to some universities and colleges.

 

Women's Rugby has been sanctioned by the NCAA as an emerging sport. 

See USA Rugby website for additional information. USA Rugby - Women's Collegiate NCAA`

 

Is there a LCC Girls Team?

Yes! We are recruiting, and plan on fielding at least two Sevens team. To encourage and promote girls rugby teams here in SoCal, girls high school rugby is played within the Sevens format - seven players on a side, with two halves of seven minutes each. Games are in a tournament style, with each team playing three or four matches in a day. ​See the Varsity Girls in Team pages for more information. 

 

Are there tryouts, cuts or a selection process?

Yes, there are tryouts.  We DO NOT plan on cutting anyone, however, should we have extremely large numbers we may need to conduct a selection process.  This process will be based on demonstrated fitness, demonstrated core rugby skills and the student’s participation/attitude during tryouts.    

 

If I register and come out to practices, am I guaranteed to play?

Yes.  Provided there is no unusual safety issue involved, anyone registered, who is making practices, will be given the opportunity to play.  However, you may, or may not, play on the first string or first side, and probably will not play every minute of every game.  We do have a limited number of coaches, practice fields and competition and cannot accept an unlimited number of players.  Unlike American football, there are limited substitutions rather than unlimited or rolling subs.  Should we have 30 or 40 students on the varsity or junior varsity line up, we may field two varsity or two junior varsity teams, a first side and a developmental side.  The priority given to placing players on the first side or on the developmental side depends on a variety of factors including, experience, knowledge and understanding of the game, ability, attitude, attendance at practices, "heart" or desire, and improvement.  Will I get to touch the ball? Absolutely!  You will have the chance to score, to tackle and be tackled.  In rugby there are no downs, and the game doesn’t stop, the ball keeps moving around the field.  If your team loses possession of the ball, you instantly switch from offense to defense.  Everyone has the chance to touch the ball! Everyone has the chance to run with the ball!  Everyone has the chance to pass the ball!

 

Can I earn a Varsity letter?

Yes. In this case, the letter is awarded by the Team, and not by the Athletic Director.  You must complete the season in good standing (unless out for injury), and have played in at least three periods or more of varsity competition.

 

Uniforms and Clothing, Apparel, and Special Equipment

A good mouth guard, sturdy shorts, socks, jersey and proper cleats are the only equipment necessary.  The team will normally issue each player a "kit" consisting normally of shorts, socks, and a T-shirt or training jersey.  Mouth guards and cleats are the players responsibility.  Team jerseys are handed out prior to the beginning of each game and collected afterwards and washed, usually by one of the team moms.  Soccer cleats are fine for rugby, American style football shoes with cleats at the toe, are not - unless the toe cleat/s are removed.  Cleats with sharp edges, such as some football cleats or poorly maintained soccer cleats -that can easily cut or puncture the skin- are not acceptable.  Additionally, rugby rules specifically prohibit most types of padded clothing (shorts, T-shirts, and under garments) unless approved by World Rugby (formerly the IRB - International Rugby Board).  These items of apparel will have an IRB approval label on them.  In any case of doubt, the referee of the game is the person deciding. 

 

I need corrective lenses, can I wear eyeglasses?

No.  According to USA Rugby “per USA Rugby policy, eyewear (goggles, sports glasses etc.) is not permitted to be worn by a player when tackle rugby is played."  However, there is a change being considered by the IRB and USA Rugby.  Check with us first. Contact lenses are OK. I heard rugby is dangerous, is it? While rugby is a full on, contact sport, there are important differences between rugby and American football.  Rugby is game of avoidance and football is a game of collision. In rugby that extra yard gained or lost in a tackle is inconsequential because the clock never stops and the ball is always live and in play, moving from player to player avoiding contact.  Only the person carrying the ball is eligible to be tackled or blocked. The tackle itself is designed to minimize injury.  “Hits”, non-wrap tackles, dump tackles, players leaving their feet, shoulder charges and some other contact are all prohibited, and will earn the offending player a penalty, cost his team possession of the ball and may result in suspension or expulsion from the game.  Because they don't wear heavy "protective" equipment, rugby players are generally more aware of their physical position, particularly their head, neck and shoulders. 

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For more on rugby safety, please see the USA Rugby organization web site which has a number of resources and informational articles: USA Rugby - Medical and Safety Overview

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Where can I find out more about how rugby is played, and what the rules are?

Rugby as played at LCC and other high schools is actually the sport of Rugby Union, and is governed wherever in the world it is played by rules or “Laws” as they are known, promulgated by the International Rugby Board, the IRB.  The United States is a member of the IRB, one of over a hundred countries.  The Laws can be found on the link below, and there is a lot of information available on the internet about the game.  World Rugby Laws

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Will rugby help me in my other sports?

Rugby is excellent preparation for any team sport. The game will get you in excellent shape. Your spatial orientation and field sense will improve dramatically. Your eye-hand coordination will improve as will your agility, no matter whether it's with a stick in lacrosse, your feet in soccer, your hands in basketball, or your tackling skills in football. In fact, several college and professional teams are now teaching rugby style tackling to their players. ​Seattle Seahawks

 

Are there onward playing opportunities in rugby?

Yes. Rugby continues to be one of the fastest growing team sports in the United States.  Many major colleges and universities have rugby teams, including Brown, William and Mary, Berkley, UCLA, SDSU, UCSD, the Claremont Colleges and Stanford to name a few.  Additionally, many minor excellent schools have thriving rugby programs.   Further, rugby offers outstanding students who are good rugby players another avenue for assistance in onward education.  While it will never equal football in scholarships, there are first rate colleges and universities that now offer direct or indirect financial assistance to academically qualified rugby players.  In other schools, some have granted their rugby coach the ability to 'tag' a rugby playing student applying for admission, so that if the student makes the grade academically, they will be admitted.  The Claremont Colleges (Harvey Mudd) is one recent example.

 

As an aside, women's Rugby is now sanctioned by the NCAA as an emerging sport, giving female students a big opportunity to use rugby as a leverage for school. Outside of school, it is played at every level (from under 8 years of age to over 60!) in over 100 countries.  The United States has men’s and women’s international teams as well as a high school age All-American team that represents the US abroad.  Rugby was played in the 2016 Summer Olympics for the first time since 1924, and high school rugby is a great place to be seen, putting an outstanding rugby player on a potential Olympic pathway.

 

How can I become a sponsor?

LCC Rugby is part of the Maverick Athletic Boosters (MAB) and any and all funds go through the MAB. Please see the link below to the MAB website, donation area. After completing basic data, please make sure you indicate - "Rugby - general donation"

 

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