Eagle Impact Rugby Academy completed its winter camp over the Christmas break and are looking to get back to touring this year.

Director Salty Thompson brought in players from all over the country and said he has been working more and more on two areas of focus—younger players, and culture.

With U15 boys teams slated for tours in July to British Columbia and Ontario, and with no desire to scramble to populate these teams every year, EIRA is looking at players who might be on that team in two years. 

With the U15s, U16s, and U17s going to Ontario and BC, and a U18 going to BC as well, plus a U19 tour to Spain in June and a U16, U17 trip to Ireland in July, EIRA is looking at potentially a few hundred players, and how they move their way up the ladder is unpredictable.

Thompson told GRR that a young player might be outstanding at 14 but simply not grow and be physically outmatched at 20. Conversely, a player might be skilled or knowledgeable about the game at 15 but be small for his position and not get picked for major teams all the way through his teens, only hit a growth spurt at a key moment which, combined with a good strength & conditioning plan in college, turns him into a game-changer.

“In a way there’s now way of knowing,” said Thompson after the camp. “So you have to approach every player with the idea that he adds value. Maybe he just takes some things back to his high school team to help them get better and build numbers. Maybe you don’t see the payoff until he’s in college. But there is a payoff.”

Culture

The culture piece of the puzzle is a big part of what EIRA is doing as well. Thompson insists on recommendations from teachers and non-rugby people to find out if a player is seen as dependable and honest. At the camp, players relinquish their phones not because of any punitive action, but more to guard against the young players resorting to said phones on down time.

Yes, they can call home. But what Thompson has done now for years is to set it up so players have to talk to each other. They mix at meal times. Their roommate assignments are designed for players to get to know someone they didn’t know before.

“It’s all about broadening horizons,” said Thompson. Some of these kids have never left the country before a tour, so the idea of breaking down barriers starts before then, at camp.

And once they're at camp? Players get direct and specific feedback not only on what they can do to improve and develop as players, but as young people. Talented rugby players who are not good teammates become a project, but a project the players need to be a part of, too.

Expansion in Elite Girls Rugby 

EIRA has expanded its work with girls rugby and will be taking two teams to Ireland, a U16 and a U18 team, to tour along with the U16 and U17 boys. EIRA U16s and U18s have been active at the NAI 7s and the LAI, and will be so again.

Moving slowly into the girls arena, EIRA has been expanding the number of teams it fields, but Thompson said he cognizant of  stepping on toes. Atlantis has been field girls age-grade teams with great success for years. ARPTC has been doing excellent work there, as has the Utah Lions Academy, Panthers Academy, and Rhino. But there is room for more, and the international tour is a nice feature to add this year.

EIRA Summer Tour Schedule (subject to COVID changes)

SPAIN
When: June 25 - July 3
Who: Boys U19 (born in 2003 or 2004)

BRITISH COLUMBIA
When: July 6-10
Who: Boys U15, U16, U17, U18

ONTARIO
When: July 12-17
Who: Boys U15, U16, U17

IRELAND
When: July 18-30
Who: Boys U16, U17 
Girls U16, U18

NAI 7S
When: July 22-23
Who: Boys U16, U18 
Girls U16, U18

LA Invitational
When: August 27-28
Who:  Boys U16, U18 
Girls U16, U18