Welcome to the Xavier Rugby Family!
Parents play a integral role in the success of our program. We understand how much you care for your sons and we appreciate the trust you place in us in allowing us to coach your sons. We are partners in the development of your sons as rugby players and gentlemen. With this in mind, we ask parents to be mindful of our mission and the consequent expectations for both parents and coaches.
Xavier Rugby's Mission:
Xavier Rugby’s primary goal is to promote the development of Xavier High School students in the context of the “Graduate of a Jesuit High School at Graduation.”
Most important, Xavier Rugby challenges students to be Open to Growth – growth in their athletic and physical capacities, but also growth in their character. Xavier Rugby provides students the opportunity to experience a high performance atmosphere where teammates can explore what it means to be fully dedicated to one common goal (playing the highest level of rugby they are capable of) and learn how to grow from both successes and failures.
While our goal is the development of each and every individual, this goal is pursued in a team atmosphere. While our goals are primarily personal development, the crucible in which this development occurs is a high performance rugby team.
All stakeholders in the Xavier Rugby community – players, parents, coaches and alumni – are responsible for supporting this mission.
Parents Should Expect:
Coaches will be open to communication about your son's progress, his selection for matches, and other important matters regarding your son's involvement in Xavier Rugby.
Coaches will give your son proficient and personalized coaching.
Coaches will approach coaching your son with the Jesuit ideals of cura personalis (care for the individual) and "educating the whole person" in mind.
Your son's participation in Xavier Rugby will support his academic and spiritual development, not distract from it.
Parent's Should Understand:
Rugby is a contact sport and injuries can occur. All Xavier rugby coaches are certified in first aid and will give your son the care he needs and deserves if he is injured. Students, for their part, must inform coaches of injuries if those injuries are not visually apparent.
Xavier Rugby is a competitive sport and Xavier is one of the elite high school rugby programs in America. Making the team is a competitive achievement and weekly selection to the match-day starting team is even more competitive. Selection is based on atheltic talents, rugby skills, and the attitude and effort of the individual player, as well as the needs of the team for any particular match. We ask that parents trust the judgement of our coaches in these selections.
Playing rugby at Xavier takes great dedication. Players are expected to come into season in top physical shape. Players should expect to practice four days each week from 3:00 to 5:30 and to spend a good portion of their weekend preparing for and playing matches. Coaches work 20+ hours per week for little monetary compensation. Please respect and support your son's and his coaches' dedication by freeing your son's schedule for full participation in all team activities. In particular, parents should be aware that the rugby season includes two school vacations - the February Break and the Easter Break. Parents should assume that the team will practice and/or play matches during these breaks and should not schedule family vacations during these breaks without first speaking with their son's coach and ensuring that any vacation will not force your son to miss parctices or matches.
Touring is an important and unique aspect of rugby. Tours allow the team to improve as they play against better competition around our country and the world. Moreover, it gives the team the opportunity to grow closer together as players travel and room together for extended periods of time. Just as important, it allows players to learn about the world as they experience foreign cultures firsthand through the worldwide rugby community. While parents are always welcome and encourgaed to attend matches, we ask that you allow your sons the time and space to experience touring on their own and enjoy the comeraderie of their teammates and hosts without close parental contact.
Parents Are Encouraged to:
Come watch their son's matches. Your sons dedicate an incredible amount of time and energy to becoming better players and your support means a lot to them. Besides, the matches are great fun to watch!
Join with other parents in supporting the team. From simply cheering for our team to helping prepare and serve food at our after match functions, parents play an invaluable role in Xavier Rugby - and parents usually enjoy the game more and make great friends as they get more involved in parents' activities.
Show appreciation for good play by both our team and our opponents. Remember that our boys learn from the examples we set for them.
Parents and Spectators Should Never:
Verbally abuse, ridicule or confront an opposition player or coach before, during or after a match. This is simply unacceptable behavior and will only embarrass our program and your son. If you feel an opposition player or coach has acted inappropriately, we ask that you bring it to the attention of one of your son's coaches and we will handle the matter immediately.
Verbally abuse or ridicule a referee, or argue a referee's call. Unlike many other sports, the culture of rugby holds referees in highest regard and their decisions should not be contested by spectators. Only captains and coaches may speak to referees during a match, and referees should be treated with the utmost courtesy after the match.
FAQ's
- You can find your son's schedule on the team page for his age group.
You can find your son's coaches' contact information on the "Coaches" page.
The two guides below introduce the game of rugby to the new spectator:
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The two videos below may help you begin understand your son's new sport:
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