The American Rugby Coaches Association (ARCA) currently will be holding two coaching workshops in the day leading up to the USA v. New Zealand test match in Chicago.

With the game set for November 1, the workshops will be held Thursday evening, October 30, and Friday evening, October 31. Participants of each workshop can earn 5 professional development credits toward maintaining their USA Rugby coaching certification.

The Friday session will provide an overview of ARCA’s ‘FIFTH Rugby Program,’ which provides a clear framework and roadmap for coaches to manage their efforts — to help enable their individual players and teams reach their full potential. The session also gives participants the unique opportunity to mix with former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga (ARCA’s National Director of Player Development), as well as a few other All Blacks ‘Legends’ who are making the trip from New Zealand. Any coach who refers 3 other paid participants to either workshop will be able to attend for FREE.

ARCA (http://arcarugby.com/) is an organization designed to provide continuing education resources and best practices to American rugby coaches.

"Coaching rugby is a full-time job done on a part-time basis," said ARCA founder Jeremy Treece. "Coaches don't have time to gather the necessary resources to improve because they're usually trying to get the team on the field."

Treece said the answer starts with supporting coaches in what they do; he begins this by basing ACRA services on one five-letter acronym: FIFTH - Fitness, Intellect, Fundamentals, Teamwork and Heart.

The program addresses the real-life challenges and frustrations encountered by American rugby coaches who have had little if any training and are looking for ways to improve the effectiveness of their coaching efforts.

For more on ARCA programs go to: http://arcarugby.com/