Rugby United New York Expands Player Pathway

RUNY announced today plans to expand upon their player development pathway program. The program will now feature a High School All-Star team in addition to the club’s Under 20 and Under 23 teams. This decision further highlights the commitment RUNY has to its local rugby community.

The Young Roosters’ first challenge is a daunting one- the Connacht Under 17 side. Connacht, one of the four professional provincial rugby organizations in Ireland, will send their youth development team to compete against the RUNY High School All-Stars before RUNY’s home opener on March 15h.

Alex MacDonald, RUNY athlete, and Community Development Officer is set to lead the coaching staff. He’s assisted by multiple figureheads within the local community, most notably Old Blue Head Coach Dom Wareing. RUNY Athletes Trevor Cassidy and Chris Mattina will also act as assistant coaches for the Young Roosters.

After an initial four training sessions, the staff will select 30 athletes to represent the RUNY High School All-Stars. The sessions are outlined below. The Young Roosters face Connacht U-17 on March 15th, raising the curtain for the highly anticipated 2020 RUNY home opener against the Seattle Seawolves. The curtain raiser match will kick off at 12:15 PM.

To be eligible for the High School All-Stars, athletes must

A) be born between the years 2002-2004

and

B) be enrolled in high school

Before practicing, athletes are required to complete this registration form. Players must attend as many practices as possible to be considered for selection.