While the High School All American boys team will be assembling July 10 for their tour of South America, coaches are still scouting for one or two players to fill out the squad.

That means that Head Coach Salty Thompson and his staff will be attending several Regional All-Star Tournaments looking not only for next year’s players, but perhaps one or two for this year.

Thompson and Michael Engelbrecht will be in Colorado for the Rocky Mountain Challenge, while University of Arizona Head Coach Sean Duffy will be in Elkhart, Ind for the Midwest Rugby Challenge.

After that, Thompson goes to Portland, Ore. for the Great Northwest Challenge, and then to the New England Challenge Cup in Massachusetts. That last one may be a bit late to get players on the HSAA team, but it is also clear that breaking into this year’s tour squad won’t be easy.

“We are always looking for exceptional players right now,” said Thompson - emphasis on the exceptional part. “But if we’ve done our job properly we’ve identified most of the best players in this current senior class.”

Thompson said, though, that it’s important to avoid confirmation bias as a coach - you’ve had a player on the HS All American team, and you expect him to play well, but that doesn’t mean he will.

“Returning HSAA players are expected to prove that they are the best, and we’ve told then that we expect them to play [in the Regional All-Star Tournaments] and prove they are the best,” said Thompson. “But there are always player who will emerge.”

Not all of those players will suit up in RAST events - family obligations, a need to rest, or injury, will keep a few out. But most will be there, and Thompson said they need to play well.

“No one should feel a sense of entitlement.”