Coaches

Field Requirements – Technical Zones

  1. USA Rugby requires technical zones. Here’s a link to the mandatory technical zone setup which is also available at the bottom of this page.
  2. The host club is responsible for setting up and enforcing technical zones.
  3. It is everybody’s responsibility (hosting and visiting teams) to follow the technical zones. Clubs, coaches, players, and spectators must abide by the rules.
  4. If for some reason there are no technical zones on the field, the teams must follow the guidelines of a technical zone. For instance, coaches stay between the 22m and 10m lines, 2m from the touchline, players must stay 5m from the touchline between the 22m and 10m lines, and all other people (parents, spectators, etc.) must be on the opposite side of the field.
  5. Infractions will incur penalties.
    • Competitive Penalty: Team points reduction of one bonus point per game if repeated offenses occur.
    • Club Financial Penalty (Coach leaves technical zone with out referee permission during play): Fine that doubles for each occurrence
      • First fine is $25
      • Second fine is $50
      • Third fine is $100
      • Etc.

Zone Infraction Reporting

  1. Please report an infraction to the appropriate Commissioner who is responsible for tracking offenses and communicating infractions to clubs.
  2. Commissioners are also responsible for tracking fines which are due within 30 days of notice. Late payments will incur additional fees.

Training Requirements

Coach Registration & Certification

All coaches must register as coaches with USA Youth and High School Rugby and complete all training to be a coach.  RugbyXplorer will indicate what courses or other requirements need to be completed in order to be a properly trained coach.

USA Rugby Coach Training information

Summary of USA Rugby Coaching Compliance (as of November 2023, be sure to go to the above USA Rugby website for current requirements.)

In order to be a ‘compliant’ coach, each rugby coach in any capacity must meet the following requirements of the USOPC and USA Rugby:

  1. Be a registered member in a Coach role in the current season.
  2. SafeSport completion (annual, over 18yo only). If you are not current, this appears as an option in Rugby Xplorer once you have registered to a club in a role that requires a SafeSport completion.
  3. Background Check (every two years, over 18 yo only). If you are not current, this appears as an option in Rugby Xplorer once you have registered to a club in a role that requires a Background Check. Note: A standard case takes about 2 weeks to get results (longer if you have lived internationally) so please submit these well before your season gets underway.
  4. Rugby’s Safety Basics. See below for instructions on how to complete this.
  5. A current Rugby Coaching Accreditation. At least one from the listing of Rugby Coaching Accreditations below, as relevant.

 

FIT Touch:

USA Rugby Non-Contact Coach (Online Learning)

Who it’s for: This is for individuals who are coaching only non-contact forms of rugby, i.e. those that do not involve tackling (rookie, tag, touch, flag, etc).

What it is: Consists of four (4) online courses taken through World Rugby’s Passport website. The user downloads each of the 4 certificates they receive from World Rugby and uploads these into the USA Rugby Learning Center.

How to take it: Club POCs or FIT Touch lead are to email USA Rugby (education@usa.rugby) to request that you be enrolled in the Non-Contact Coach course.  Clubs should provide name and your USA Rugby ID number.  Once you have been enrolled you’ll receive an email.  After that login to RugbyXplorer, then from the left-hand menu click “Learning Center,” and then click on your name.  Once you are in the USA Rugby Learning Center, you can confirm you have an account and the courses will appear on your account in the USA Rugby Learning Center.

Tackle:

World Rugby Level 1 Coach (In-Person, formerly called L200)

Who it’s for: This is for individuals who are coaching, in any capacity, forms of rugby that involve tackling. Minimum age 17. Clubs must have at least one coach qualified at this level to be considered a ‘compliant’ club.

(Note: Some coaches in some regions have been acting in an assistant capacity with only a legacy L100 qualification. Given L100 no longer exists in our coaching pathway, USA Rugby expired all these qualifications as of June 30, 2022. USA Rugby will honor this qualification for insurance purposes during this crossover season while coaches are transitioning to Rugby Xplorer. From Sept 1, 2023, all coaches of tackle rugby must have Level 1.)

What it is: An eight (8) hour in-person course, which focuses on player welfare and the technical skills to play safely, and requires coaches to demonstrate effective coaching techniques, taught in the course. These techniques include teaching through games, technical skill development through progressions, and collaborative coaching. In addition to attendance, the course requires completion of several online courses taken through World Rugby’s Passport website, ideally before the course. The resulting PDF certificates must uploaded to USA Rugby’s Learning Center before certification will be granted.

How to take it: The course costs $125. Register through the USA Rugby Learning Center. Available courses and locations are listed on the USA Rugby Course Calendar. If there is not a course in your area, then clubs, schools and facilities can apply to host an upcoming course. Given the different local requirements of our Unions, USA Rugby does not centrally choose where and when to run courses, we rely on rugby organizations to request courses that we then facilitate.