2007 Update

Hi Parents and Players:

We finished the 2006 season winning the State Championship in both the 15s & Under  and 13s & Under  and I am very excited about our prospects for 2007. If we have enough kids, I hope to have an Under-11 side as well.  Several of the coaches from the High School Rugby team have offered to work with me this summer so we should have a great program.

Our first match is not until June 2nd. but we have the preseason festival on May Sat. May 19th. We need to schedule our first practice for Monday May,14. I am hoping to move practice time from Tues-Thurs to Mon -Wed. 5-6:30 so we don't conflict with the High Schoolers. I would welcome your feedback on days and times. As last year, we will play our games on Saturday mornings.

I plan to have the parent/player meeting & BBQ at my home on Sunday afternoon, June 3rd. We will have a recruiting booth at the Boulder Creek Festival over Memorial Day weekend and hope to sign several new players.

Please let me know if you are intending to play this season, and if you can make the May 14 practice, and how many new kids you are planning to bring. There will be cool prizes (rugby balls, jerseys, t-shirts) for the four players who bring the most new kids.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Jim Bruce

All interested players or parents can contact Coach Jim Bruce: JimBruce11@comcast.net or at (303) 516-9704 for further information.

History of Youth Rugby Programs at BRAC

Boulder Rugby operates several programs for youth in the Boulder area. The purpose of each of the programs is to expose kids the game we all love with emphasis on enjoyment participation, sportsmanship, and safety.  The programs have been developed to allow participation of boys and girls from age 10 to age 18 and include both full contact rugby and touch rugby.

In 2002 the first under 14’s game was held in Boulder the day after a wet spring snowstorm. Twenty kids, many of them sons of broken down men’s club players played three twenty-minute halves to the delight of parents and kids alike. Since then, Boulder has fielded youth boys’ teams each summer to compete in the Denver youth summer league.  Boulder has dominated the under 12’s competition by walking away with the championship in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

In 2004 an effort was launched by the club to the increase the participation of youth in the area and to expose a greater number of kids to the game. Touch rugby was introduced to PE teachers in Boulder County as a module. Each school that signed up to participate was provided with lesson plans, rugby balls and volunteers from the rugby club to introduce the game of touch rugby to their classes. Teachers at both public and private elementary, middle and high schools in the county have enthusiastically embraced the program. To date, over 2,000 boys and girls have participated in rugby through this effort.

All of the youth programs embrace the philosophy that the Rugby community is a unique group of individuals (and a group of unique individuals) who dare to try something different... a legendary game that mixes strength, speed and agility… a game that will forever welcome athletes of any and every size and shape. Successful rugby does require fitness, but first and foremost it requires that special person who's ready, willing and able to give it a go.