Is it hard to start a rugby team at your college?

Question

Is it hard to start a rugby team at your college?

Answer 1

As long as there is general interest, it won't be too hard to start a team. However, the difficulty lies in having teams around your college that the boys (or girls) can play. Usually, there are some club teams around so it doesn't make things TOO difficult.

Otherwise, just start off talking to your college's version of the activities councellor and go from there! pin up notices, give out information. If this idea has been floating around your head then ther should be some rugby players in your school?

Try to generate interest -- its usually a game that most guys like to play (appeals to our physical tendencies you see :P )

Hope this helps~

Answer 2

It might be a little more difficult if you go to a smaller school, but you should be able to round up enough people to field a team.  Your biggest problems will probably be finding people to properly coach you, as well as getting matches against area teams...but if there are teams in the area, men's Division 2 or 3 especially along with College sides would be your best bet to start with.  

Start by hanging up flyers about an informational meeting for anyone interested in learning and playing rugby...make it clear that no experience is necessary.  Make sure you have a meeting room/classroom reserved and get people there.  You should then start with speaking to your school's intramural or activites coordinator to find out what you need to do to be recognized as a group on campus provided you have enough interest.  Most school's student government or activities council have money they can allocate to new groups to get them started, for training supplies uniforms and referee fees.

When you know you have enough interest and some form of coaching, whether it be a volunteer, or player-coaches, start to set up scheduled training times, and club rules (who determines the side, dues, and expectations of club members).  After you have these established, talk to local teams about getting matches.  You may have to play on their pitches until you can get your own set up somewhere on or near campus.  You may only get a match or two in your first season, but keep with it and start getting your name out more.  

Before starting matches you need to register your team with USA Rugby, so there are no legal ramifications for yourself and other club founders, this way everyone signs waivers and knows the risks and that any injuries occuring on the pitch need to be handled by their own insurance coverage.  This way you can also get in touch and join your local rugby union also and get referee information so you have fair play (and less injuries).  

It will be a lot of work, but definately worth it in the end, especially since rugby is being added to the scholarship roles at more and more universities, and hopefully will be the next sport picked up by the NCAA.  Good luck!

Answer 3

It shouldn't be too hard to start up a club.  Like the other fellow said, talk to your activities outfit about getting a team together.  Hand out flyers at your quad, drum up support and that sort of thing.  Get together in the gym to work on fitness and get on the field to work on game play and strategy.  Get the school to pay for kits and find a coach.  Then Talk to other clubs about arranging some matches once you get a team together.