USA Rugby Launches Regional Talent Identification Camps for High School Pathway

[Denver, CO] — January 10, 2025 — USA Rugby High Performance and USA Youth & High School Rugby have announced a series of regional talent identification camps as part of its High School Pathway program.

These camps aim to discover and nurture emerging rugby talent across the United States, engaging them in intensive, sustained development towards USA U18s and national team competition.

The evaluation process is open to all USA Rugby-registered boys and girls players born in 2007, 2008, 2009, or 2010.

Camp Dates and Locations

The next regional talent identification camps are scheduled as follows:

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Date/City /Pathway Partner

Sat, Jan 25th - Sacramento, CA- Rugby NorCal

Sun, Mar 2nd- Houston, TX - Houston Sabercats MLR

Sun, Mar 23rd- Seattle, WA  - Central Washington University D1A

Sun, Mar 23rd- Bay Area, CA - TBA

Sun, Apr 6th - Charlotte, NC - Anthem Rugby Carolina MLR  

TBA  - Boston, MA - New England Free Jacks MLR

TBA - San Diego, CA - San Diego Legion

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Eligibility and Registration

Participation in talent identification camps – and if selected, the High School Pathway – is at no cost to players registered with USA Rugby/USAYHS. Registration for these camps can be found here, with the announcement of camp times and field locations. Additional camps in other regions will be announced shortly.

High School Pathway Program Overview

The High School Pathway program is a collaborative effort between USA Rugby High Performance and USA Youth & High School Rugby. This initiative aims to identify, select, and progressively develop a large pool of 15-18-year-old players nationwide. The program is designed to:

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• Enroll over 375 boys and girls aged 15-18 annually, in a sustained development environment.
• Provide a virtual curriculum focusing on skill development, strength and conditioning, and rugby IQ.  This programming is facilitated by 6 Degrees, through Nick Leah, former Brumbies Academy Manager, and Mick Byrne, World Cup winner as the All Blacks skills coach, and current Fiji men’s head coach.
• Offer in-person talent identification and player development camps.
• Create a pathway for players to progress into age-grade national teams and potentially senior national teams.

"This program represents a further step forward in our efforts to develop young rugby talent across the country," said Brendan Keane, USA Rugby's Director of High Performance. "Through collaboration with USA Youth & High School, Collegiate Rugby Association of America (CRAA) and Major League Rugby partners, we're creating a comprehensive pathway for aspiring players to reach their full potential."

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