New Player – Rainier Rugby

Club Overview

Each season significant parental involvement is a vital element of creating, developing and maintaining our club. Equally important to the contribution’s parents make is the sense of reward and appreciation from helping many more kids than their own during their involvement as Highlander rugby player.

Communication

Communication
HS Boys & Girls: Teamsnap App

All other teams use group text system called Remind

Facebook – Rainier Junior Rugby Club

Instagram – rainier rugby

Who Coaches the Teams?

Our team coaches are a mix of former players and parents who volunteer their time and effort to ensure they are all certified, current with the laws of the game and fully educated in all safety related aspects including player welfare and recognition of concussion and how to react to this injury. All of our coaches have participated in a USA Rugby Certification Course and carry a Risk Assessment Clearance (background check) conducted biannually by USA Rugby.

How Parents Can Assist Our Club

As well as cheering your son or daughter and their teammates from the sidelines we always need assistance in a variety of aspects of running and operating our club.

Team Manager (Free club membership for one of managers children for the season)
Film Games to share footage with coaches & players
Provide transportation to away games for other players
Solicit and procure club sponsorships
Launder team uniform jerseys
Purchase, prepare and service of post-match meal at home games (costs refunded by club)
Game day concessions trailer volunteers
Fund raising committee or Dinner / Auction committee

When does the season begin and end?

For our U14 and older teams we will kick off the season in Mid-January with two weekly practices. Our U12 & U10 teams will commence their season in late January /early February. Student athletes involved in school spring sports such as wrestling and basketball are encouraged to concentrate on those sports and commitments and report for rugby practice once those commitments are completed. There is plenty of time to teach and coach these athletes how to play despite a later start than others.

The season ends for U10 thru U14 will be mid-May and all other teams will end dependent on post league season play. The latest the season could end would be the 3^rd week of May.

Do you suspend players from participating for failing or poor school grades?

Our club has no ability to monitor or verify a player’s academic grades or performance but our coaches will always comply with the right of any parent to hold their child out of rugby involvement until they are satisfied with an improvement in their child’s academic performance.

What Kind of Equipment is required to play rugby?

One of the great features of being a rugby player is the simplicity and inexpensive equipment and uniforms required to participate. Match day shorts and socks are provided as part of membership and are inexpensive to replace when lost or larger sizes are needed. Uniform jerseys which remain property of the club are provided on game days to players which they are required to return at the end of each game.

Cleats are each players responsibility but these can be football or soccer types. Baseball or softball styles are not suitable as they can injure or cut players with their sharper and style of cleat pattern. Our club operates a free cleat program which is a great way to get rid of unwanted cleats which children may have outgrown or if you simply want to avoid paying money for cleats you can check the inventory and see if we have what you need. These cleats are typically available to look thru during most practices. Rugby specific cleats are available from various online vendors but are far from unique or needed to play. A recommended vendor to purchase cleats is Ruggers www.ruggers.com

Uniforms

Please refer to the Uniform tab above in the main menu for specific instructions by team for ordering the appropriate uniforms.

How Much Time is dedicated to Rugby each week

Our teams will typically engage in two evening practices a week lasting 2 hours per session. These are typically Tuesday and Thursday nights. All age levels of teams will practice at the same location with the same start time (Usually 6:30pm) with the younger teams ending earlier than our older age group teams.

No player who has a valid and reported reason to miss practice will be penalized in any way. We encourage good use of time management but understand that there will be occasions when players have to skip practices. Excused absences would include studying, homework, work or attending important family, church or school events. Players are however expected to notify their designated coaches of their absence by either calling or texting their appropriate cell phones. These notifications should be made as early on practice day as possible so that coaches can modify their practice plans accordingly for these absences. We also encourage you to review the club’s website calendar page during the season that should include all practice, match and social activities. If you are aware of schedule conflicts for other commitments please let the coaches aware of your absence so they can plan accordingly.

Game days are Saturdays with players typically expected to report to the designated venue one hour ahead of the kickoff time. Durations of the games vary by the age level but at the conclusion of all matches players are expected to remain at the venue and participate in the post-match meal and social with the opposition and team mates which is a unique rugby tradition that is recognized worldwide.

What are the Information Sources & Methods of Communication Used by Coaches & Club

Our coaches choose to communicate via a texting system known as Remind 101. Individual coaches and managers will provide enrollment guidelines for this system. The club’s website is the primary source of information needed by parents & players. www.rainierjuniorrugby.com . At the top of the home page their a scrolling message which is used for short term alerts and for communicating unexpected occurrences such as practice cancellations during inclement weather or facility issues, changes in venues for practices or matches. Each team also has its own individual page on the website for specific information pertaining to their team. Included on this page is an instant email messaging feature that can be used to contact both the team head coach and manager.

In addition to our website we host a Facebook Page that we use to supplement website content and keep players up to date with club activities and non-related game or practice events. This page is not intended as the primary information source but can be a useful tool to compliment the website. Our page is RainierRFC (no spaces).

Individual coaches and managers methods of other types of communication may vary but the standardized method is intended to be via group text and website based team pages.

What happens if my son/daughter is injured during a match or at practice?

A fully stocked first aid kit is always on hand to treat minor injuries that may occur during a match or at practice. We also are required to have a professional Athletic Trainer present at all contact rugby matches at our home field and the teams we play are required to at their home matches

Club Code of Conduct & Play and Support Responsibly Policy

During our club online registration process all players and their parents are required to review and sign the applicable copies of the club’s Player and Parent codes of conduct. An additional requirement for players and parents in our U14 and older teams is to complete our online Play and Support Responsibly video course. This course was created to educate players, parents and anyone supporting youth rugby to aid in understanding the core values and principles of the game.

Each of our video guests will share their experiences and insights on different aspects of the game. Perspectives from a youth player, a parent, a referee, to help to illustrate the Play and Support Responsibly Policy. After watching each segment in the video, you will need to complete a few short questions in order to meet our club requirement.

These standards endorse the following values:

Personal responsibility

Good Sportsmanship

Honesty

Fairness and team work

Respect for teammates, coaches, officials and opponents

Included in this mandate is the zero tolerance for the use of illegal drugs and or alcohol at any practice, club function, match, tour or other official event.

Online Club Store

Online Club Store @ www.rainierjuniorrugby.com/shop

A wide array of Rainier spirit wear is available to purchase either on game days or via our website based online team store. Click on the Shop Tab and scroll down to team store. Our vendor Snappyduds will manage, produce and ship your purchases directly to you. In addition to being able to purchase spirit wear you can also purchase protective head gear, replacement match day shorts & socks or purchase your own rugby ball. These items are stocked locally by a club member and will be hand delivered to players at practice or games. Local Purchases must be completed at a minimum 24 hours prior to receiving these specific items.

How Much are Individual Membership Fees & How Do I Pay These

2024 Costs

Download: Player Spring Season Fees 2024
2024 Season Player Spring Season Fees

TEAM		Rugby WA	USA Rugby	Uniform	Rainier Club	Total
Under-10	Non-Contact Coed	$5 $5	$15 $15	$45 (New player) $25 (Returning)	$50 $50	$115 $95
Under 12	Contact	$30	$35	$25	$100	$ 190
Under 14	Contact	$30	$35	$25	$100	$ 190
High School Girls	Contact	$45	$35	$50	$100	$ 230
High School Boys	Contact	$45	$35	$50	$150	$280

PAYMENTS

Please take advantage of our sibling discount if you are registering multiple siblings. All players need to be registered at the same time for the discount to be applied.

Sibling Discount Program
Parent registering 2 siblings at same time will receive a $25 discount off total of combined fees
Parent registering 3 siblings at same time will receive a $50 discount off total of combined fees
Parent registering 4 or more siblings at same time will receive a $75 discount off total of combined fees

One of our primary club goals is to make the opportunity for all kids to play regardless of their ability to pay our full fees. We have a membership fee reduction program which is available for parents to apply for. Fees can be reduced in return for some volunteer hours being worked by player and or family Contact a.s.ramsay@comcast.net or cell phone 253 330-6816

Our club receives no outside funding and relies solely on fundraising, sponsorships, donations and player membership fees to offset our operating costs. Membership fees vary by the age of the player and whether they are a new or returning player. A returning player will pay slightly less each season as they already have the necessary uniform pieces which a new player will pay for during their initial registration.

When any player registers the fees, they pay will include the mandatory fees collected by our governing body Rugby Washington and our club portion. Typically, registration opens in December prior to the spring season and is completed online at www.rugbywa.org. Payment can be completed using a Credit/Debit card or utilizing a personal bank account for deductions. If necessary, a cash payment option is available which is administered by our club.

Fees can be paid in three incremental payments usually one month apart and if you are registering more than one child from the same family you will be eligible for a sibling discount. More details on the 2020 membership fee structure and sibling discount plan is not currently established but is not anticipated to be radically different from 2019 which you can review in our Registration/ Fees tab.

New player registration includes uniform shorts, socks and a mouthguard. U10 players also receive a game day uniform shirt. All other players will receive a loan jersey each match day to wear during matches.

It’s extremely important to our club to ensure that all children get an opportunity to join our club and play rugby regardless of their family’s ability to pay our full membership fees. We have never denied anyone that opportunity since our inception in 2008 and plan to continue that welcome to all. Families who may need that assistance can apply for a reduced fee membership which will be reviewed and a suitable revised payment amount and plan will be established in a cooperative manner. To review details of this program please go to our Registration/ Fees tab. Should you wish to discuss matters related to any challenges paying membership fees please contact Coach Andy Ramsay via email a.s.ramsay@comcast.net or in person.

Welcome to Rainier Junior Rugby!

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