ABOUT US

Rugby Oregon (RO) a.k.a. Oregon Youth Rugby is a 501(c) (3) non-profit formed in 1999 to promote physical fitness, teamwork and leadership skills through the game of rugby. At the time of our inception there were no youth rugby players in Oregon or SW Washington.

Jeff Arker, founder and President of RO, is a retired rugby player who wanted to be able to introduce the game and its strong sense of sportsmanship and camaraderie to his son and friends.

From the first series of clinics for elementary and middle-schoolers in the summer of 1999 the organization has grown to include nearly 1,000 athletes, most of whom play for one of the 30 boys and girls high school teams spread from Ashland, OR in the south to Vancouver, WA in the north.

While we have seen significant growth, safety remains our number one priority. Click to get more information on the policies enforced by Rugby Oregon to promote safety and provide a positive environment in which our athletes can safely participate.

Sportsmanship is a very important part of our structure. Every high school participant, and their parents, signs a Code of Conduct prior to the first practice and they agree to adhere to our required high standards of behavior. In return our coaches agree to give all participants fair playing time and we embrace all players regardless of athletic ability.

OUR TEAMS

We also work with schools to ensure that students’ grades do not suffer due to their involvement in the sport. After all games the home team is required to provide a meal for their visitors, which allows both rugby players and parents to interact in a social atmosphere. Attendance is mandatory.

Many of the high school teams hold club sport status at their schools while the balance act as regional teams and have members from different high schools. Rugby Oregon has provided a free set of rugby jerseys to each of these teams and works to remove the financial, administrative, coaching and refereeing barriers that new teams face. Our modest dues provide each athlete with a pair of shorts, socks, Black Diamond rugby ball and mouth guard, as well as pay for local Union dues, referee fees, field usage fees and membership with USA Rugby.

RUGBY BALLS

In order to make it possible for every player to receive a high quality rugby ball, we went to great lengths to find a supplier who lived up to our high standards and did not employ child labor. An independent organization has certified that the factories we use do not employ any child labor. We also wanted to make it clear that we were not out to line our own pockets. In fact, we went the extra step and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Any surplus funds are spent on youth rugby and nothing else. In an effort to defray administrative costs associated with our tremendous growth, we are now the sole US distributor of Black Diamond rugby balls. We also offer excellent custom rugby balls with low minimums, fast turnaround and affordable prices. For more information check out www.youthrugby.com.