The tipping point for USA Youth AND High School's members to all get on board with USA Rugby appears to have been just that little bit of wiggle room in negotiations, and perhaps a pervading feeling that having a central National Governing Body is still something most members want.

Community Agreements Signed With USA Rugby, Dues Levels Approved

USA Rugby's initial dues outline was $25 per contact player for Youth & HS. Of that, $18 would go to USA Rugby operations (including a rainy day fund), and $7 would cover insurance. But that proposal wasn't met with cheers and balloons by everyone, from some saying "never in a million years" to US Youth & HS President David Pool's more muted "we're looking at all options."

The Youth & HS members wanted to see a cost breakdown, and they also knew they could get better and cheaper insurance on their own. (Youth and High School rugby players get a better accident insurance rate because minors have to have health insurance, and overall there are fewer claims compared to college or adult.) That cheaper rate was easier to get if Youth & HS negotiated for it on their own. No way, said USA Rugby; you have to have our insurance, and this is a take-it-or-leave-it option.

"Take it or leave it wasn't working," said one source close to the negotiations. "People were starting to get pissed off."

USA Youth And High School Rugby Dues Breakdown 2020-21

So one tipping point came when USA Rugby returned with a new take on it, one that could save face for them and give a little for Youth & HS. Liability insurance was the thing that had to be the same all over, not accident insurance. So take USA Rugby's liability insurance (about $2.50 a head) and get and manage your own accident insurance.

By taking on that management of the other insurance, US Youth & HS was able to divert more of the $25 per person to its own purposes and away from USA Rugby. 

While all of that was going on, the reluctant faction started to split. Those who wanted to walk away from USA Rugby forever turned out to be a relatively small group. Even those who were angry, eventually showed unity with the rest. That unity forced USA Rugby to soften its stance.

"A large majority felt the way I felt; I am not happy with USA Rugby but for the good of the game it’s good to have a legitimate, strong central governing body," said one source. "But there’s a limit to that also. A strong central governing body is good, but it’s got to be a good central governing body."

"All of us know the history and it’s very natural for people to be apprehensive," added Pool, who spoke to GRR on Monday. "We had a complete change of governance and people wanted change and wanted to feel included and feel comfortable that it would be transparent, and that people would have have a chance to express themselves and be heard."

Meetings with SGBs were vocal ones with many questions, and the more meetings there were like that, the more representatives felt they were part of the process.

In the end, said Pool, SGBs representing over 94% of Youth & HS players voted, and that group voted unanimously to accept the agreement with USA Rugby. 

"We're going to be running USA Youth and High School Rugby; it will be our own entity," said Pool. 

USA Youth AND High School Rugby will bring in its own money from dues. The players dues will be $25, with $11 going to US Youth & HS Rugby, must funneled toward insurance but about $5 per player going to the organization. Every other type of member—coach, administrator, rookie rugby player, referee—all pay $5 over and above what USA Rugby announced as dues. That money, in part, helps cover costs associated with managing multiple memberships (a coach who is also a referee and also an administrator, for example).

There is also a team fee that USA Youth and High School will be charging. That can be per-team or a flat fee paid by an SGB.

There is, said Pool, some unallocated funds that will be going toward continuing education for coaches, but the organization has other plans, too.

"I believe Youth and High School as a brand is a marketable group of rugby players," said Pool. "Sponsors have an affinity for it and we will get sponsorship. I think we're going to surprise some people. I am a massive believer in the sport of rugby and how it helps people grow. We're going to be giving our volunteer coaches as much assistance as we can—we're looking to do to create a system where we give a lot more tools to the coaches."

There are also plans to create plug-and-play programs for PE classes in elementary and middle schools, and a plan to expand the player welfare program started in Southern California to the entire country. By using a system that tracks injuries and especially concussions through the SportLomo membership system, US Youth & HS Rugby can make it easier for teams, leagues, and SGBs to ensure players play safely.

So all of that is possible, and is immediately more than USA Rugby—pulled in a hundred different directions as it was—to do. And that, in the end, might have been why everyone signed on.