Key Takeaways

USA Youth and High School Rugby, formed in 2021, has significantly improved youth rugby's positioning and representation

Key initiatives include high-performance partnerships, coaching education (Six Degrees), and developing a comprehensive player pathway

Current focus is on building foundations for scalable growth, aiming for 1 million youth players in the future

Challenges include geographic spread and competition with established U.S. sports, but rugby community engagement is a key strength

Topics

Giovanni Valetti's Rugby Background

Born in South Africa to Italian grandparents

First rugby experience: 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa

Moved to U.S., studied sports management

Became Executive Director of SoCal Rugby in 2018 before joining USA Youth and High School Rugby

Formation and Structure of USA Youth and High School Rugby

Created in 2021 following USA Rugby's restructuring

501(c)(3) organization focused on youth and high school rugby

Board structure with regional representation

Aims to insulate youth game from potential issues at higher levels

Provides more direct representation for youth rugby interests

Current Initiatives and Programs

High Performance Partnership with U.S. national teams

Six Degrees coaching education platform

Imagine Rugby (non-contact introductory program)

Working on integrated strategic plan for player pathway

Focus on mass participation and skill development

Challenges and Opportunities

Geographic spread makes competition and travel difficult

Need to compete with established U.S. sports for participants

Current player base is substantial compared to some rugby nations

Opportunity to leverage upcoming World Cups (2031, 2033) for growth

Building sustainable structures for post-World Cup growth

Community Engagement and Retention

Rugby community provides networking, job opportunities, and lifelong connections

Focus on retaining players as coaches, referees, and administrators

Working to improve communication and engagement with clubs and players

Encouraging content sharing from clubs and state organizations for social media

Next Steps

Continue developing and promoting Six Degrees coaching platform

Expand high-performance initiatives and player pathways

Improve marketing and communication to showcase YHS Rugby's work

Encourage more content sharing from clubs and state organizations

Focus on building sustainable structures for long-term growth beyond 2033 World Cups

worldrugbyshop.com

rugbynorcal.org