To all:
 
We've just finished a successful youth rugby season and now need to start planning for next season.
 
I'm hoping that we'll have a youth league in the south bay with 5-6 clubs and plenty of players. If we plan now, or after the season, we can meet this objective.
 
Tentative teams
EPA,
Peninsula
Cupertino
Los Gatos
San Jose Ramblers
Santa Cruz???
 
I've included high school coaches on this email because it is of great interest to them. If we can develop young players in this area then when they go to high school they will (a) have good skills (b) have a team to play for.
 
When I first started coaching high school rugby here many years ago we had a strong high school program; however, every team with the exception of Bellamine has folded.
 
We had Gunderson, Leland, Santa Teresa, James Lick ( Mt Hamilton, Roger Beuno), Aptos, Saint Lawrence, Santa Cruz, Saratoga ( Gary Townsends old team) Los Gatos ( Norm Crebill and Dan Smith's old team), Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Burlingame and many more.........
 
This year the Exiles folded.
 
If we had a program to support those teams then the south bay could have 20 plus high schools playing rugby.
 
We need to organize a coherent program, elect members and recruit like mad. I believe that we could easily have 3-500 kids playing youth rugby next season.
 
If we meet this goal then we'll have a strong U-8, U-10, U-12 and Junior High School programs. We also will not have to travel all over the north bay playing games; all games will be local. I also think we should have the kids playing on Saturday mornings and at one ground if possible.
 
I'll ask Bruce Carter and Pete Smith to run referee training session for coaches that want to officiate. We need proper refs to oversee games not anyone in the crowd that will reluctantly blow a whistle because no one else will.
 
In about 2-4 weeks we need to have a serious meeting about getting our numbers up.
 
Finally at the USA/Ireland game in May we need a big sign promoting youth rugby to the 5-6,000 expected fans.
 
Chris Fisher