Hello RedHawks Rugby Players and Families,

Happy New Year! As 2014 has come to a close, I can’t tell you how excited I am about our upcoming RedHawk season in the New Year. Recently, I’ve been especially saturated in “all things rugby” and am more inspired than ever to challenge our players to lead the way for their generation as the USA continues to embrace rugby as its fastest growing sport.

As many of you know, I went to Chicago in October to attend the benchmark match, USA vs. New Zealand All Blacks, at a sold-out Soldier Stadium. In addition to New Zealanders, I was amazed at the attendance and attention from people who traveled from all over the world. 

Although they were blown away in the match, the good-will and excitement celebrating our new American team was overwhelming. The American people are “So Ready” to get started. It is going be an amazing decade of change and growth for us and our RedHawk players are absolutely in the right place at the right time!

While in Chicago over 4 days, I enjoyed several great opportunities to meet and brainstorm with many of the current top players and coaches and former colleagues from different states and different countries. There’s lots of enthusiasm for collaborating to identify and develop the best young talent in our nation and so much interest was shown towards our program. I was very proud to wear my RedHawks jacket everywhere and gladly accepted every
opportunity to talk about the talent we have here, as our youth program is a leading representative of the southeast.

Then, two weeks later, I was visiting my family in Wales and visited several rugby clubs, caught up with former teammates and also attended the sold-out Wales vs. New Zealand All Blacks…so much fun!

I hope all of you are keeping on top of all the RedHawk news, schedules and information as well as the educational and inspiring content we post for our players and families.

Website www.redhawksrugby.com (All information for parents, players and a google Calendar!)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/northraleigh.redhawks (please like the page!)
Instagram: redhawks_rugby 
Twitter: @rugbyredhawks

Our Coaches, President and I are happy to let you all know that the JCC has installed a great new lighting system for our practice field, allowing us later practices even when it gets dark early. We are also excited about the future developments at the JCC including the incorporation of a new dedicated Rugby field.  I suggest you check out the field plans situated in the parking lot!  It;s alsi greatto have all our equipment stored right at the field!

The most exciting new addition for our RedHawks is our new Rhino Rugby Scrummage Machine! We are the only youth rugby organization in the state to have this invaluable resource for training top players.

We are also very fortunate to have a professionally run organization with great, dedicated managers and the area’s only organization with former Professional Rugby Players as well as coaches that have represented their Country, State or East/West Coast Rugby.  Our coaches are truly passionate about the sport and eager to pass our experience on to the next generation of players and help shape the future of rugby in the United States.

My sincere intention is to grow the sport and develop players in the most positive manner, with the integrity and
sportsmanship I was raised to uphold. I sincerely hope our RedHawk principles are strongly evident to each of you through our work, dedication, passion for rugby, values, genuine commitment to our players, experience, qualifications, camaraderie and healthy, supportive team spirit.

Again, I’m so stoked for the upcoming season and can’t wait to get started with all of you.  We look forward to our first
practice this coming Tuesday, onJanuary 6th at 7:00 pm!  Please register if you have not completed the process.  In addition please check out the Clayton camp as well as our schedule which is updated on our website!

Go RedHawks!!!

Best

From Coach Andy and Your RedHawks Coaches


 

The sport of rugby continues to blossom in North Raleigh. After starting with just twenty five kids a few years ago, the Raleigh Redhawks Youth
Rugby program is launching the first-ever High School Rugby team’s. The addition of the High School teams now gives the Raleigh Redhawks a complete sweep of all age group, something that not many rugby programs in the country can boast. 

This coming season, the Raleigh Redhawks will have teams in seven different age brackets. The North Carolina Youth Rugby Union has switched from the traditional “age groups” to classifying teams based on what grade the players are in as a way to align with other school sports. The Raleigh Redhawks now offer teams at the following grade levels: K-2nd (non-contact Coed), 3rd-4th (non-contact Coed), 5th-6th (non contact Coed/contact), Middle School (7th-8th), and High School Boys (JV and Varsity) and High School Girls.

The Raleigh Redhawks president, John  Adams will oversee the program and Andy Thomas serving as Head Coach of the new team.

As a club team, the High School teams are open to all High School players in the area regardless of what High School they attend. The club is pulling the majority of players from North Raleigh and Leesville area but will include players from Athens Drive, Apex and Cardinal Gibbons.  The Raleigh Redhawks High School teams will begin practice this weekend and their opening match is on February 14th, 2015. The squad jumps into the very tough NCYRU Multi-High
School Division with teams from Charlotte, Chapel Hill, Triad and Pinehurst to name a few.  The Clayton Copperheads are also new to the High School ranks, but are no stranger to the Raleigh Redhawks as the two clubs have battled it out at the youth level for years.

With the addition of the High School teams in Raleigh, along with the launch of Middle school 15s team this year, the
area now has rugby opportunities for players of all ages. There are players in  the area ages 5 through 18+ actively enjoying and participating in this wonderful sport. Rugby is a sport for life and Raleigh Redhawks are proudly
turning our corner of Wake County into a rugby hotbed.

If you would like to learn more about the Raleigh RedHawks High School team, please visit their website. The team is actively recruiting High School Boys and Girls in Wake County to join the team. No experience is necessary and everyone plays. If you know or know of someone who might be interested in playing, please forward them to the team’s website or have them email the president at jadams@nryra.org and we will put them in touch with our
coaches.

Youth Rugby is exploding in the area! With the news today that rugby is the fastest growing sport in the US (see bloomberg article below).  In addition, rugby returning to the Olympics in 2016, the growth in exposure for the sport in America, so many kids are getting the opportunity to play the sport and reap the many positive benefits of rugby. Founded in 2010, the Raleigh Redhawks are one of the largest youth rugby programs in the entire state of North Carolina. The Raleigh Redhawks offer playing opportunities for players  age 4-18. The Raleigh Redhawks compete in a youth league against programs from Clayton, Chapel Hill, Fayetteville, Cary and Greensboro. Entering the 2015 season, the Raleigh Redhawks are adding a High School team this year.

The Raleigh Redhawks are currently taking registrations for the 2015 season. Boys and girls are welcome to join and give  rugby a try!  To learn more about the Raleigh Redhawks or register to play, please visit www.redhawksrugby.com

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-10/football-participation-fell-21-from-2008-13-rugby-lacrosse-up.html