High School Boys
Eagle Impact Rugby Academy assemblies have been ongoing throughout the fall around the country, with almost 100 HS teams sending players to six different locations for regular skill training.
EIRA runs regular academies in New York, North Carolina, Washington state, Southern California, Texas, and at Lindenwood University in Missouri.
ATAVUS recently sent USA flyhalf/scrumhalf Shalom Suniula and former Eagle prop Shawn Pittman to Tennessee to work with players from Middle Tennessee State University, and high school players from South Doyle and other teams.
Suniula worked with the players on passing skills and decision-making, while Pittman works on contact and forward skills.
Florida Youth Rugby will be unveiling its Boys HS schedules soon, and there have been some significant changes.
In Boys DI, gone are the four pools of four teams each, which provide competitors with a fairly unsatisfactory three-game schedule (and one pool had only three teams).
Replacing that system is ten-team DI competition.
The new New York chapter of the Eagle Impact Rugby Academy finished up its third session this past weekend.
Ten coaches took care of 40 players, working with them in enhancing rugby skills and decision-making. Guest coaches Mike Petri, Nick Discala, and Dave Katz of the NYAC men's club joined the result group of coaches, headed up by Matt Persanis.
Gonzaga HS in the DC area is once again hosting the Jesuit Rugby Classic at Morven Park (http://www.morvenparksports.org/Fields/626605.html) in Leesburg, Va.