U14, U16 and U19 Teams
Note that all contact teams in So. Cal are open to any boy (or girl) under 19, 16, 14, 12, 10 etc.
years old on September 1, no matter what school they attend. These are
clubs not officially affiliated with the school, even though many of the
players attend one particular H.S.
Boys and girls must play on separate teams against others of their own sex. In 2008
we offer a girls U14 contact rugby team.
Bear Valley Middle School Bar'Bear'ians
Math teacher Mark Richards had a vision one day to establish a rugby team at Bear Valley Middle School. In 2007, his vision became double vision, when he successfully launched two teams at the Escondido school.
In 2007, Richards was surprised when 70 boys from Escondido and nearby North San Diego County communities showed up to give the sport a try.His U-14 Bar-bear-ians played in Southern California Youth Rugby's South division, turning in a 4-3 record, not bad for a first-year team. The U-12 team tallied a record of 16-4-1 in what SCYR considers an instructional division.
For the 2008 season, after another knock on the head while playing old boys rugby in Catalina, Richards has triple vision. He is adding an Under-14 full-contact (tackle) girls rugby team, to the U-12 and U-14 full-contact boys teams home-based at Bear Valley MS.
Southern California Youth Rugby determines eligibility by the player's age on Sept. 1, 2007. Thus, if you were age 10 or 11 on Sept. 1, you are a U-12; if you were 12 or 13 on Sept. 1, you are a U-14.
The Bar-bear-ians will play a full 2008 Southern California Youth Rugby schedule of nine matches starting on Feb. 2 and concluding April 19. The U-14 league championship tournament, pitting the first- and second-place teams from the SCYR North and South divisions, takes place Feb. 28-29.
U-12 rugby is introductory. Therefore, there is no league championship or SCYR tournament for U-12. But there are tournaments that offer championships.
Here are some testimonials from the principal and two teachers as to how happy they
are to have rugby at their school.
The Bar-bear-ians U-12 will play two exhibition matches on the field at Petco Park on Saturday, Feb. 9, before the kickoff of the International Rugby Board's USA Sevens Tournament. Sixteen national teams from around the world, including the United States, will play a two-day tournament on Feb. 9-10 at Petco Park. PM the same day, the
Bar-bear-ian U-14 will play in the San Diego Invitational, also an exhibition tournament.
It will take place at Robb Field in Mission Bay Park.
All NCRC youth rugby players will be eligible for discounted tickets to attend this exciting event, which will be seen on TV around the world.
The Bar-bear-ians will travel to away matches in Orange and Los Angeles Counties. Before the league season starts, Bar-bear-ian teams will practice two days a week -- Mondays and Wednesday -- at Bear Valley Middle School. The school field has no lights, so practices will be from after school till dusk. In January there will be pre-season scrimmages, also on Saturdays.
The U-14 will play 40-minute matches (20 minute halves and a 5-minute halftime, 20-5-20) with 12 players on a side.
Under-12 will play 24-minute matches (12-5-12) and have 10 players on a side.
In rugby, when a player is substituted for he generally cannot return to the field. Therefore, players play offense and defense; all players can and do carry the ball; and all players can score.
The North County Rugby Club is committed to making youth rugby a fun experience. Anyone who registers and comes to practice is guaranteed playing time.
Often, SCYR teams will play two matches per age group. In rugby speak, that is an A and a B game. Especially in the U-12 division, NCRC uses this practice to ensure that players get the most of their rugby experience.