Rugby, Football Can Coexist in America

Rugby Union is one of the fastest-growing (and most misunderstood) sports in the United States. From the youth level all the way up to the American Super League, domestic rugby in the states is on the verge of developing into a mainstream sport. With the growth of the game also comes challenges; one of the most significant being a competition for potential athletes, particularly regarding American Football players.

While a large portion of post-collegiate rugby players have prior football experience, many high school and college age participants are left to concentrate solely on one of the two sports. Many reasons contribute to this lack of athletic crossover; the most common being coaches objections and seasonal conflicts. Many football coaches at the high school level forbid their players from taking part in rugby, due mostly to their perception that it is "too dangerous". At the college level, scholarship money comes into play and things become a bit more complicated, although the reasons for banned participation remain largely the same. Both scholarship and non-scholarship players are often forbidden from participating in non-NCAA sports (especially contact sports like rugby) due to the potential for injury, which could in-turn jeopardize the athlete's scholarship status.

While the aforementioned restrictions are somewhat justified, domestic high school and college rugby teams find themselves confined to recruiting from a smaller pool of athletes because of them. The football players who desire to take part in rugby end up forced to make an unfortunate decision, rugby or football?

As misconceptions about the sport abound, the participation rate in the US still continues to climb. As more and more high schools welcome the development of new teams, parents and players alike are finding out that the sport's rules actually do more to protect the athletes than previously believed. Simple rugby rules, such as restricting contact with a player who is jumping in the air or requiring a tackler to make an attempt to wrap up (use arms in the tackle) the opposing ball carrier, are both crucial to injury prevention, yet are both absent from American Football.

The apparent lack of protective equipment seems to be another major issue driving away potential participants. While it is true that some players wear only the necessary uniform, cleats and mouthpiece, others choose to don any combination of legal protective equipment. Slim shoulder pads, scrum-caps (soft helmets that provide limited protection for the head) and certain joint braces are all permitted and encouraged at all levels of rugby. Even with the option of wearing this protective gear, the strict rules regarding contact are usually more than enough to protect athletes from serious injury.

To say that severe injuries do not occur in rugby would be just as ridiculous as saying that injuries do not occur in football; there is potential for these unfortunate circumstances in all contact sports. According to Training-Conditioning.com, rugby injury rates in the US are nearly the same as that of football, with the most common injuries involving the head, ankle and shoulder. While there are exceptions, the use of proper technique and certified protective equipment can minimize the potential for these unfortunate occurrences.

Parents, coaches and NCAA representatives alike will hopefully come to realize that the skills and mindset of an American Football player can translate perfectly well onto the rugby pitch without any additional health risk. Until people begin to realize this, American high school and college rugby will unfortunately remain on the sidelines as an "alternative sport."