Rugby as a Female Varsity Sport
As more females begin to play Rugby, the case for high schools and universities to support it under Title IX continues to grow. Rugby is the only full-contact, tackle team sport that compares to American Football. And, it's less expensive to fund with injuries rates comparable to soccer.
These webpages have been created to provide an additional resource site for anyone interested in using Title IX to expand opportunities for females to play Rugby; a full-contact sport with an inclusive culture. While a lawyer should be consulted and included in the process, much of the preliminary work will ultimately need to be done by you (the interested party).
The following provides an overview of the progress girls'/women's rugby has made at the interscholastic and intercollegiate levels.
These webpages have been created to provide an additional resource site for anyone interested in using Title IX to expand opportunities for females to play Rugby; a full-contact sport with an inclusive culture. While a lawyer should be consulted and included in the process, much of the preliminary work will ultimately need to be done by you (the interested party).
The following provides an overview of the progress girls'/women's rugby has made at the interscholastic and intercollegiate levels.
Female Participation Grows at the Interscholastic (k-12) Level in Texas
In Texas, 184 HS-aged females were registered during the 2015/2016 academic year to participate in competitions governed by Rugby Texas, the state-based affiliate of USA Rugby (Madonna, Executive Director, Rugby Texas, 2016). This is a 530% increase since the 2010/2011 academic year (Rick Marshall, Past-President, Rugby Texas, 2016). This increase has eclipsed the number of females participating in Texas high school football in the fall of 2014, based on data from the National Federation of High School Associations. Despite a well-established 14th Amendment right to participate, female participation on high school 11-man football teams in Texas dropped 47% between 2010 and 2014 (316 down to 169). And, no females reportedly participated in 6-man football during this time period (National Federation of High School Associations, n.d.). While the cause for the progressive drop in football participation among HS females is unknown, it would be fair to say that a considerable number of females want to play a full-contact (tackle) sport – just not against males opponents.
While rugby is still primarily a club sport at the interscholastic (MS and HS) level the tide is rising for its adoption as a female varsity sport.
While rugby is still primarily a club sport at the interscholastic (MS and HS) level the tide is rising for its adoption as a female varsity sport.
Rugby Texas clubs that support or seek to support girls rugby teams. Under each is the primary school district they serve with the number of high schools at offer varsity sports.
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Panther City Rugby Club
Panther City Rugby
Fort Worth ISD -> 15 high schools 10 HS w/ definite interest (7 are PCR affiliated teams) 5 HS w/ likely interest Aledo ISD -> 1 high school Arlington ISD -> 5 high schools (1 is PCR affiliated HS team) Burleson ISD -> 2 high schools Crowley ISD -> 2 high schools Cristo Rey Fort Worth (private) Mansfield ISD -> 6 high schools 
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Other DFW area Rugby Clubs
Alliance Rugby Club Keller ISD -> 4 high schools Cristo Rey Dallas Rugby (private) Dallas Bears Rugby Club Ursuline Academy of Dallas (private) Dallas Youth Rugby Dallas ISD -> 22+ high schools ---> 2nd largest ISD in Texas Eagle Mountain Rugby Club Eagle Mountain Saginaw ISD -> 4 high schools HEB Hurricanes Rugby Club HEB ISD -> 2 high schools North Texas Barbarians Rugby Club Celina ISD -> 1 high school Plano Rugby Club Plano ISD -> 3 high schools |
Texas Rugby Clubs (outside DFW area)
Alamo Heights HS Rugby Club (folded) Alamo Heights ISD Austin Area Girls Rugby Club (folded) Austin ISD Bay Area Rugby Club Goose Creek ISD La Porte ISD Cy Fair Rugby Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Cy Fair HS Carnegie Vanguard HS (folded) Houston ISD Houston Area Rugby Club Houston ISD ---> Largest ISD in Texas Katy Barbarians Rugby Club* Katy ISD Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Kingwood Rugby Club* Humble ISD Lamar HS Rugby (girls folded) Houston ISD Lanier MS Rugby Club (folded) Houston ISD Pharr Rugby Club* Pharr ISD Rock HS Rugby Club* Round Rock ISD San Antonio Los Toros Rugby Club* San Antonio ISD St Pius X HS Rugby Club* (private school) The Woodlands Rugby Club* Conroe ISD - 1 high school |
Women's Collegiate Rugby Grows
The NCAA has given Women's Rugby emerging sport status. This recognition allows universities to support rugby as a women's varsity sport through the provision of athletic scholarships as well as access to quality coaches, facilities and support services. As of May 2017, sixteen (16) universities have a NCAA varsity women's rugby program. Forty (40) universities are need to support women's varsity rugby for the NCAA to sponsor a National CHampionship.
About 2016, the NAIA, an intercollegiate athletic association serving small universities, started a discussion to include rugby under it governance as a number of its member institutions have been supporting it as a quasi- to full-varsity sport. Probably the most recognized in within the rugby community is Life University (GA). Other NAIA schools with varsity-like status include Davenport University (MI), Linwood University (MO), Wheeling Jesuit University (WV) and American International College (MA). Until the NAIA adopts rugby as an emerging or full collegiate sport, these institutes and others compete within USA Rugby's collegiate competitive structure.
USA Rugby lists 303 universities with women's teams playing 15s, 7s or both. Slowly but surely, more women's collegiate rugby clubs are doing the legwork to transition to true varsity status under the NCAA or NAIA. Minus the current 16 NCAA teams, 287 of the 303 teams remain to raise to official NCAA or NAIA endorsement. Additionally, new women's collegiate rugby club teams are continually on the horizon.
In Texas, the following institutions of higher learning have a women's rugby team: East Texas Baptist University*, LeTourneau University*, Tarleton State U*, Texas A&M University - College Station, Texas A&M University - Central*, Texas Tech, U of Texas - Austin, U of Texas Dallas, U of Texas - San Antonio*, Texas State University*, U of North Texas*, San Angelo State University*, Lamar University, Sam Houston State University*, Rice University*. Unfortunately, these are all at the club sports level which means most their financial support comes from player dues, except TAMU-Central which offer scholarships.
As a natural extension of our efforts at the high school level, Panther City Rugby has committed to assisting women's rugby attain varsity status at Texas Christian University (NCAA) and Texas Wesleyan University (NAIA). Both located in Fort Worth.
(Schools with a * are not on the USA Rugby list which means many more schools out there already have women's collegiate teams)
About 2016, the NAIA, an intercollegiate athletic association serving small universities, started a discussion to include rugby under it governance as a number of its member institutions have been supporting it as a quasi- to full-varsity sport. Probably the most recognized in within the rugby community is Life University (GA). Other NAIA schools with varsity-like status include Davenport University (MI), Linwood University (MO), Wheeling Jesuit University (WV) and American International College (MA). Until the NAIA adopts rugby as an emerging or full collegiate sport, these institutes and others compete within USA Rugby's collegiate competitive structure.
USA Rugby lists 303 universities with women's teams playing 15s, 7s or both. Slowly but surely, more women's collegiate rugby clubs are doing the legwork to transition to true varsity status under the NCAA or NAIA. Minus the current 16 NCAA teams, 287 of the 303 teams remain to raise to official NCAA or NAIA endorsement. Additionally, new women's collegiate rugby club teams are continually on the horizon.
In Texas, the following institutions of higher learning have a women's rugby team: East Texas Baptist University*, LeTourneau University*, Tarleton State U*, Texas A&M University - College Station, Texas A&M University - Central*, Texas Tech, U of Texas - Austin, U of Texas Dallas, U of Texas - San Antonio*, Texas State University*, U of North Texas*, San Angelo State University*, Lamar University, Sam Houston State University*, Rice University*. Unfortunately, these are all at the club sports level which means most their financial support comes from player dues, except TAMU-Central which offer scholarships.
As a natural extension of our efforts at the high school level, Panther City Rugby has committed to assisting women's rugby attain varsity status at Texas Christian University (NCAA) and Texas Wesleyan University (NAIA). Both located in Fort Worth.
(Schools with a * are not on the USA Rugby list which means many more schools out there already have women's collegiate teams)
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NCAA Women's Rugby
National Intercollegiate Rugby Association National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (provides information on NCAA approved programs) |