1)    Objectives

These policies, in accordance with the NCYRA Bylaws, shall provide more specific guidance and direction for the activities of the NCYRA and shall be evaluated, ratified and/or modified and then approved on an annual basis by the NCYRA Board of Directors.  The purpose of these policies is to support the following objectives:

a)    To develop and maintain a strong, well organized and enduring youth rugby program for high school and younger players in Northern California and to provide youth of all ages, sexes and socio-economic status an opportunity to participate in a positive, rewarding and safe athletic experience.

b)    To promote and maintain the ideals of strong character, good sportsmanship, leadership, good citizenship, fair play and camaraderie between all Players, Coaches, Referees and spectators.

c)    To promote and represent rugby in a positive, legitimate and professional manner and be the primary representative and ambassador of Northern California rugby in all relevant matters and events, including but not limited to relationships and dealings with USA Rugby,  regional, state,  national or international rugby organizations and their affiliates, and the public.

d)    To develop and encourage a positive family-oriented atmosphere to the Teams, Clubs, Conferences and NCYRA so as to empower parents to learn about the sport, help run the Clubs, and exert a positive influence where it is needed.

2)    Rugby Laws and Variations

The NCYRA shall determine the law variations under which each Division shall play the game of rugby.  These shall be consistent with those variations prescribed by USA Rugby, but where USA Rugby provides latitude for choice of law variations for the various age groups, NCYRA shall determine the appropriate method of play. 

3)    Student-Athlete Status

NCYRA supports the ideals of promoting student-athletes.  To this end we support the basic principles of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIIF) policies related to student-athlete participation and conduct.  We recognize that there is no current agreement between Clubs with regard to eventually seeking CIF status and that it may never occur, however, we recognize the benefits of adopting certain policies that promote proper student-athlete conduct and standards.  To this end we will adopt the following guidelines:

a)    It is recognized that participation in rugby is a privilege, not a right.

b)    It is recognized that school attendance comes first, athletic participation is secondary.

c)    All Players must be enrolled in a school (or home schooled in an appropriate program or graduated early by virtue of GED requirements) and be a fulltime student.

d)    A Player who is expelled from school shall be ineligible while expelled.

e)    Grade Point Average (GPA) – The NCYRA supports academics above participation in rugby, however, it is not practical for the NCYRA to monitor or check the GPA of student-athletes.  Therefore, it is strongly encouraged that all Coaches monitor their Player’s academic performance, as is reasonably practical, and that all Players achieve and maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA, on a 4.0 scale.  At this time there shall be no action or recourse from opposing Teams for Players that do not meet this minimum standard.

Any Team or Club found to have allowed participation in an NCYRA sponsored or Sanctioned Event (matches, tournaments or tours) of one (1) or more of their Players that are in violation of these requirements will immediately be referred to the Disciplinary Committee and may be sanctioned, suspended or disassociated until such time as they have shown clear indications and assurances to the Disciplinary Committee that they have corrected and/or rectified their violation and that they will assure appropriate participation in future events.  Additionally scrutiny will be utilized for not less than one (1) season following such an occurrence.  Multiple violations of a Team or Club shall result in suspensions or disassociation.

4)    Code of Conduct  

The NCYRA shall adopt a Code of Conduct that shall set forth expected conduct of Players, Coaches, Administrators and spectators.  Violations of the Code of Conduct shall be referred to the Disciplinary Committee for review and possible sanctions. The Safety Policy and Code of Conduct form must be signed annually and submitted to the NCYRA by the Head Coach of all Teams and Referees prior to participating in any NCYRA Sanctioned Event.  An NCYRA Sanctioned Event is any Conference Match, Tournament or Tour that is organized, coordinated or managed by the NCYRA. 

5)    Safety Policy

It is NCYRA Policy that every school, club, team or other party with any responsibility for a rugby activity or event (“organizers”), shall take reasonable steps to safeguard the safety of players, coaches, referees and spectators (“participants”) who participate in or attend the same. In the event that any organizer determines that there is a foreseeable risk of harm to a participant in a rugby activity or event, it is the responsibility of that organizer to promptly eliminate or guard against such risk or, if necessary, terminate the activity or event. The NYCRA shall only be responsible for safety at those events for which it specifically assumes organizational responsibility.”  The Safety Policy and Code of Conduct form must be signed and submitted to the NCYRA by the Head Coach of all Teams and Referees prior to participating in any NCYRA Sanctioned Event.

6)    Trainers

The home Team shall reasonably endeavor to provide, within their means, first aid support to all Players at all matches.  It is encouraged that home Teams provide a qualified sports medicine Trainer at all High School matches.  Both visiting and home Team Coaches agree that the home Team Trainer’s determinations and decisions are final regarding injured Players continuing participation.  If the visiting Team also has their own qualified Trainer, the visiting Teams Trainer’s determinations and decisions will take precedence for their Players only.  If the home Team is unable to provide a Trainer, and the visiting Team has a Trainer, the visiting Team Trainer will take on the role of the home Team Trainer.

7)    Match Facilities and Oversight

It is ultimately the responsibility of the Home Team to organize and/or provide appropriate Referees and Match Officials for home scheduled matches.  It is also the responsibility of the Home Team to provide match fields that are consistent with the rules and regulations set by the NCYRA and USA Rugby, which includes, but is not limited to a regulation sized field that is free of obstructions and other unsafe playing conditions, and has clearly marked lines, goal posts, crowd control measures and other safety precautions.

8)    Single School vs. Multi-School Definitions

a)    Multi-School High School:  A Team or Club with Players from more than one school that do not meet the Single-School definition below but otherwise meet the USA Rugby and NCYRA eligibility requirements, and the eligibility and geographic requirements of their individual Conference.

b)    Single-School High School:  A Team or Club with Players from a single designated high school, that meet the USA Rugby and NCYRA eligibility requirements, and the eligibility and geographic requirements of their individual Conference, with the following clarifications/exceptions:  a maximum of three (3)* registered and age appropriate Players that do not attend the designated high school may participate with the single-school Team under the following conditions:

i)     The Player must be named and then designated by the appropriate Conference Administrator prior to playing in any Conference match, and

ii)    The Player must have a permanent resident address within the school district boundaries in which the designated high school is located and be enrolled in an appropriate GED or home school program, or

iii)   The Player must be a fulltime enrolled student at an appropriate aged school (i.e. high school, charter school, continuation school, etc) within the same school district boundaries as the single-school, or in a school that is in a district contiguous to the same school district in which the designated single-school is located and where there is no other such program available to the Player.

Furthermore, a maximum of three (3) individual Players may be designated during the course of the prescribed rugby season, regardless of the Player’s playing status (ie. injury, relocated, quit, etc.).  The intent of this section is that single school Teams do not game the system by rotating or backfilling Players.   

*Note: USA Rugby does not allow any non-school Players (ie. from another high school or home schooled) to participate in any High School (referred to as Single-School by the NCYRA) National Championship Events.

9)    Division Group Definitions, Age and Eligibility Requirements

NCYRA shall periodically determine the Division groups under which rugby shall be played in Northern California.  The current age definitions are based on the Players’ ages on September 1^st, preceding the current season.  So, for example, for the 2010 season, the age is determined as of September 1, 2009.  The Division groups are:

a)    High School Varsity Club and Single School Varsity – Must be U-19 and enrolled, attending and in good standing in a high school or an equivalent non-post secondary educational program or institution (home schooled).  The player must be within four (4) years of the moment the player first enrolled in the ninth grade, regardless of when the player started playing rugby or had the ability to start playing rugby.  Players may also be eligible if they would otherwise be in high school but have graduated early by virtue of early graduation and/or passing, or in the process of passing, the GED. 

b)    High School Junior Varsity (Frosh/Soph) Club and Single School Junior Varsity – Must be U-17 and enrolled, attending and in good standing in a high school or an equivalent non-post secondary educational program or institution (home schooled), and be a high school Freshman or Sophomore.

c)    Middle School  – Must be enrolled, attending and in good standing in a 6^th, 7^th and/or 8^th grade school or other appropriate educational program (home schooled).

d)    U-12 Youth – Must be U-12 and enrolled, attending and in good standing in a grade school or other appropriate educational program (home schooled).

e)    U-10 Youth – Must be U-10 and enrolled, attending and in good standing in a grade school or other appropriate educational program (home schooled).

f)     U-8 Youth - Must be U-8 and enrolled, attending and in good standing in a grade school or other appropriate educational program (home schooled).

Any Club or Team found to have allowed participation in an NCYRA Sanctioned or Sponsored Event (matches, tournaments or tours) of one (1) or more of their Players that are in violation of these requirements will immediately be referred to the Disciplinary Committee and may be sanctioned, suspended or disassociated until such time as they have shown clear indications and assurances to the Disciplinary Committee that they have corrected and/or rectified their violation and that they will assure appropriate participation in future events.  Additionally scrutiny will be utilized for not less than one (1) season following such an occurrence.  Multiple violations of a Club or Team shall result in suspensions or disassociation.

10) Player Transfers  (Sunset Clause of One Year – To Be Reviewed at 2013 Annual General Meeting)

a)    General Transfer Policy - Player transfers from one Club to another will inevitably occur.  The NCYRA strongly discourages Clubs “raiding” or “poaching” players from another Club, but recognizes that players are not required to play with a specific Club merely because they started with that Club.  It is the explicit intent of the NCYRA that Clubs do not recruit or poach players from other Clubs for any reason, at any time.   However, the NCYRA supports the active recruitment of players for the purpose of growing the Club and the sport, but not to the detriment of another Club and purely for self-interest.  The NCYRA recognizes that players may have reasons to change to another Club and so transfers will occur.  All player transfer questions and controversies must be reviewed, deliberated and approved/denied by the NCYRA Officers (President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary) in writing.

b)    The two types of player transfers are: 1) Between Season Transfers, and 2) Mid-Season Transfers

(1)  Between Season Transfers: Players may transfer Clubs prior to being properly registered for a season (i.e., between playing seasons).  If a player requests to join a different Club (the “Transfer Club”), the Transfer Club shall notify the previous Club (the “Initial Club”) as a courtesy and to avoid double registration.  However, approval by the Initial Club is not required to complete the transfer.  

(2)  Mid-Season Transfers: If a player requests a transfer to a different Club after being properly registered for a season with the Initial Club, the Transfer Club must follow the Player Transfer Request (PTR) protocol detailed below.  Mid-season player transfers are strongly discouraged.  The NCYRA also strongly encourages that the Transfer Club Coach/Administrator show the courtesy of informing the Initial Club Coach about the proposed transfer by contacting them in person, through telephone or email, prior to the formal PTR process. 

c)    Mid-Season Player Transfer Requests (PTR) - A PTR must be made in writing from the Transfer Club Coach or Administrator to the NCYRA (email to the President is sufficient) with the following information:

(1)  Player Name, USAR CIPP #, age, year in school, school attending, NCYRA Division playing

(2)  Requested date of transfer

(3)  Initial Club name, Initial Club Coach Name and contact information

(4)  Transfer Club name, Transfer Club Coach Name and contact information

(5)  Reason for transfer request (must be thorough and specific).  Additional information can be requested by the NCYRA Officers.  There must be a compelling reason, not simply that the player wants to play with another team.

(6)  The NCYRA will have seven (7) calendar days to approve or deny the PTR.

d)    Transfer Protocol - The following is the protocol, process and hierarchy of determining factors when authorizing a mid-season player transfer from an Initial Club to a Transfer Club, ie. after a player has properly been registered for that season with the NCYRA by the Initial Club. 

(1)  Mid-season player transfers are strongly discouraged by the NCYRA.

(2)  Under no circumstances can a transferred player compete in High School Conference Matches, Playoffs or Championships if the initial PTR is received after March 15^th.

(3)  Both Coaches from the Initial Club and Transfer Club must approve the transfer in writing (email to the NCYRA President is sufficient).  If one of the Coaches does not approve the transfer in writing this does not necessarily preclude the transfer, but the process will require a conference call hearing with the NCYRA Officers, which may also involve testimony from the player and/or Coaches.

(4)  Players cannot transfer simply because they “want to”.  There must be a compelling reason or a definitive hardship.  For example: a financial or logistical hardship, a change in the player’s school or home location, the players Initial Club has folded or been disassociated, an extraordinary event that compels them to want to leave, such as for safety concerns.  

(5)  The NCYRA Officers will determine and must approve or deny the player transfer in writing (email is sufficient).

(6)  USAR must approve the player transfer, though this is perfunctory in nature.

e)    Newly Established Clubs - The NCYRA will encourage, promote and support the growth of the sport and provide guidance and direction to the expanding Clubs in the fairest, rational and unbiased manner possible.  It is understood that when a new Club is established it will very likely involve players that previously played on another Club.  The NCYRA will promote this growth in an orderly and logical manner, with the understanding that there will be issues and possible controversy during the establishment of these new Clubs.  In situations that involve controversy of player participation the NCYRA Officers will work to resolve these issues in the best interest of the association.

11) Competition Management System (CMS) Registration, Rosters, Photos, School Verification and Age Determining Documents for Players, Coaches and Referees

a)    Registration - The NCYRA utilizes a Competition Management System (CMS) for all dues, fees, registration, documentation and eligibility issues.  Club Administrators must properly register all Players, Coaches, and Referees prior to participating in any NCYRA Sanctioned Event.  The proper registration includes annual NCYRA Club and Player Dues, Coaches Dues, Referee Dues, USA Rugby CIPP Player, Coach and Referees Dues, Player Pictures, Player School ID Cards, and for Players competing in Under 12 and younger Divisions, Birth Certificates or Passport copies.  A Player, Coach or Referee cannot participate in any NCYRA Sanctioned Event unless they have properly been registered and are in good standing with the NCYRA, their respective Conference, and USA Rugby.

b)    Rosters - NCYRA Player Rosters must be input into the CMS at least four (4) hours prior to the start time of the NCYRA Sanctioned Event (ie. Conference Match).  This allows the opposing Teams the opportunity to review and print the Rosters, though it is not required, from the CMS prior to traveling to the event.

c)    Photos – Player Photos must be input into the CMS prior to participating in any NCYRA Sanctioned Event.  Player Photos should be portrait styled color pictures from the shoulders up.  File sizes should be less than 250 kb.

d)    School Verification - School ID Cards or other form of School Identification Documents (with Player’s picture) must be scanned and input into the CMS prior to participating in any NCYRA Sanctioned Event.  File sizes should be less than 250 kb.

e)    Age Determining Documents - For all Players and Teams participating in Under 12 or younger Divisions, all Players must have an age determining document input into the CMS prior to participating in any NCYRA Sanctioned Event.  This could include a scanned copy of a birth certificate, passport or any other legal document.  File sizes should be less than 250 kb.

f)     Failure to comply with the items above can result in sanctions by the NCYRA and possible forfeiture, as determined by the opposing Team’s Head Coach at the time of the event, or by the Regional Disciplinary Committee (RDC) or NCYRA Inter-Conference Disciplinary Committee (ICDC) subsequent to the event.

12) Dues Structure 

The NCYRA shall periodically determine the dues structure for its Conferences, Clubs, Teams, Coaches, Referees, Administrators and Players, and all such participants shall only be eligible if such dues are paid prior to participating in an NCYRA Sanctioned Event.   All NCYRA Club Dues must also be paid prior to any Club Team participating in any NCYRA Sanctioned Event.  In addition, all USA Rugby Player, Coach and Referee Dues must be paid, which they are automatically paid through CMS, prior to any participation in an NCYRA Sanctioned Event.  It is desirable to maintain a reasonable dues structure to minimize hurdles to participation, but it is also recognized that a budget is required to pursue these Policies.  It is agreed that dues shall be:

a)    $40 per individual High School Players

b)    $30 per individual Middle School Players

c)    $20 per individual Youth Players.

d)    $30 per individual Coach

e)    $20 per individual Administrator

f)     $10 per individual Referee

g)    $150 for annual Club Dues (this amount is for each Club, regardless of how many USAR Club ID # are issued for the Club)

h)   Current USA Rugby annual dues as determined by USA Rugby

13) Coach Development, Licensure and Certification

All Teams shall have an NCYRA Licensed Coach, at or above the appropriate Classification, in attendance and in charge at all NCYRA Sanctioned Events.  No NCYRA Sanctioned Event can take place without a Licensed Coach present. All Clubs, Coaches, Players and Administrators shall be registered with NCYRA and shall pay the required seasonal dues prior to commencing any NCYRA Sanctioned or sponsored events.  In addition, all Coaches must be incompliance and certified with the USA Rugby Coach Development program.

The NCYRA shall establish and provide a comprehensive NCYRA Coaches Licensure program with three levels of Classifications:  Level A – High Performance/All-Stars, Level B – High School and Middle School, and Level C – Youth.  At least two (2) courses per Level B and C Classifications shall be provided annually in geographically diverse locations, and one (1) Level A course.  Coach Licensure will be mandatory for all Levels in 2012.  Current USA Rugby Certified Coaches will automatically be classified at Level B.  Coach Licensure higher than what is required for the level of the Team are acceptable.  The NCYRA will seek to provide coaching development opportunities and resources to improve the quality and experience of rugby coaches in Northern California.  Areas to be considered shall include coaching clinics, first aid training, participation in Positive Coaching Alliance, and other activities that will increase and improve the pool of active rugby coaches in Northern California.

14) Referee Development, Coordination and Management

a)    The NCYRA has an active NCYRA Referee Committee which will provide leadership and direction for Referee development, Conference and Tournament Match Scheduling for all Divisions, and a Strategic Plan to establish a sustainable, well organized and competent pool of Referees, with the explicit intent of eventually providing qualified and Certified Referees to all NCYRA Sanctioned Events.  For the present, the hierarchy of providing qualified and Certified Referees will flow from High School competition through Middle and Youth.  It is intended that all Conferences or Regions will provide a Referee Coordinator who will be a Member of the NCYRA Referee Committee and will work through a central repository to schedule Referees for NCYRA Sanctioned Events.  The NCYRA shall seek to support the development of new Referees and provide for scheduling of Referees for games.  This shall be done in consultation with the Referees’ Society.

b)    Each Team shall be required to have at least one (1) certified Referee that is affiliated with their Club.  For example, a Club with five (5) Teams must have five (5) Certified Referees.  This requirement is so that the NCYRA will have enough Referees to cover all Conference Matches during the season.  A License Coach can also be a Certified Referee. The Team’s certified Referee will have to referee at least half (1/2) of the number of Conference Matches as the Team plays each year.  Referees should, not shall, referee unaffiliated matches only.  There may be times when a Certified Referee must referee a match where his/her Team or Club is competing, but this should be avoided to the greatest degree possible. 

c)    Failure to name and provide the requisite number of Certified Referees representing the specific Teams, prior to the start of Conference Matches, shall result in forfeitures of those Conference Matches played until such time that a referee is named and certified.  Failure to provide a Certified Referee to referee half (1/2) as many matches by the end of the season can result in forfeiture of matches and/or disciplinary action by the NCYRA. 

d)    In the event that there has been no Referee assigned by the NCYRA Referee Committee or Regional Referee Coordinator, it is the responsibility of the Home Team to arrange for a Referee.  There must be a Certified Referee for all High School Conference Matches or the Conference Match must be forfeited by the Home Team.

15) Club Incorporations

For proper liability, insurance and legitimacy purposes the NCYRA will actively promote and provide advice and technical assistance to Clubs to incorporate as 501(c)3 non-profit corporations.

16) Team Definition for Youth Divisions  

For the purposes of a Team definition in the NCYRA Bylaws, for Youth Divisions it shall be a minimum of fifteen (15) Players and one Licensed Coach.

17) Scheduling

The NCYRA shall determine, by the regularly scheduled quarterly November  or December Board Meeting, and prior to any current season, all post-season schedules, including Northern California playoffs, select side matches, playoffs towards national championships, or other competitions as applicable.  All Conferences shall determine their own season schedules to conclude prior to any applicable post-season events.

Each Conference Representative (Director) shall be responsible for submitting their respective Conference season schedule to the NCYRA by the last Friday of January on the form provided by the NCYRA.  These schedules shall include all the Conference matches, dates, times and venues (field locations).  The purpose of this submittal is to create a NCYRA Master Schedule and to organize and coordinate with the Referee Society to provide Referees for the events.

Because Referees are limited the priority for providing Referees shall be in the order of Divisions, going from Varsity A, Varsity B, Junior Varsity, Middle School School, U-12, U-10 and U-8.  If Referees are not assigned it is the responsibility of the Home Team to organize them as specified in the Match Facilities and Oversight section.  The NCYRA shall endeavor to post all scheduled Conference matches, with Referees assigned, on their website.

18) High School Playoff and Championship Rules

a)    The NCYRA Playoffs and Championships shall follow national and international USAR and IRB tournament rules (Law 3 of the Laws of the Game Rugby Union), which have a maximum roster size of twenty-three (23), which includes an extra front row player, and no open substitutions.  Conference Matches and competitions shall remain with an unlimited roster size (30 has been used in the past, but not a hard rule) and open substitutions.  This allows for the maximum participation for the Teams and players during the regular season.

b)    If a Team makes the NCYRA Playoffs and/or Championships and is not able to attend, for whatever reason, they must give at least ten (10) days advance written notice to the NCYRA (email to the President will suffice) before the scheduled match that they will not be able to attend.  Furthermore, they must play all of the required Playoff and Championship Matches that are scheduled, including Consolation Matches.  The ten (10) day advance warning gives the NCYRA the opportunity to find another Team to fill their Playoff spot.  If a Team gives the required ten (10) day advance notice there will be no sanctions.  If a Team does not give proper notification or does not play in all of the prescribed matches, regardless of the reason, it will result in a one (1) year sanction where that Team is not eligible for the Playoffs in the subsequent year.  In other words, they can play the subsequent season in Conference Matches and be part of the Conference Standings, but they cannot participate in the next season’s Playoffs and Championships.  An asterisk or note will be placed next to their Team’s name in the CMS Standings indicating this.

c)    National Invitational Tournament (NIT) - USAR has currently stopped sponsoring a High School and High School Club National Championship, and that task has been assigned to an NIT Committee (for both boys and girls). The NCYRA, regardless of the selection / invitation criteria established by the NIT Committee, shall strive to offer and send the best teams in the NCYRA to these tournaments and will offer to send them in order of their finish in the NCYRA High School Championships.  If there is more than one Team invited from the NCYRA then the offer to attend will follow the sequential order that the Teams finished in the NCYRA Championships.  If a Team is not available or cannot afford to attend the NIT, the next in line (runner-up) will be given the offer to represent the NCYRA.  In other words, the first right-of-refusal to attend the NIT shall go to the NCYRA Champions, regardless of who was invited.  If a Team(s) cannot attend, for whatever reason, or there is more than one Team invited, the invitation will go down the line in order of finish at the NCYRA Championships.

19) Match Results

It is the responsibility of the Home Team to properly input Conference Match Results within seventy-two (72) hours of a Conference Match.  It is also the responsibility of the Home Team to scan and e-mail or fax the Player Rosters of both Teams participating and the Match Results page, with the Referees signature and verification, to the NCYRA within seventy-two hours (72) hours of a Conference Match.  Red and Yellow Card violations must be included in the Match Results page.  The NCYRA will input all Red and Yellow Card violations into the CMS.  Failure to comply with this requirement can result in forfeiture of the match as determined by the RDC or ICDC.

It is specifically the intent of the NCYRA not to post Middle School and below age group Division match scores as the purpose and intent of these Divisions is to introduce the sport of rugby in a positive and rewarding manner through well organized and safe events, and promote the ideals of strong character, good sportsmanship, leadership, good citizenship, fair play and camaraderie.  Winning, losing and keeping track of Conference match results and standings does not meet the goals and objectives of these age groups, rather making the student-athlete a “lifetime rugby player” is.

20) High Performance Committee (All-Stars) The High Performance Committee shall promote and organize select side events, including Conference, NCYRA, state-wide and/or national events.  The Committee shall work to produce a consistent approach to selecting and promoting high performance Players and Coaches, and provide suitable competition for them.  It is contemplated that several age grade select sides will be promoted, such as Varsity, Junior Varsity and Middle School.  High Performance efforts may also include 7-a-side rugby.  The NCYRA shall seek to make moneys available to support the Committee’s initiatives at all age levels. 

21) Disciplinary Committees 

Each Region shall establish their own Regional Disciplinary Committee (RDC) who will consider any proposed disciplinary actions, or shall in some circumstances delegate that authority to the Inter-Conference Disciplinary Committee (ICDC) shall act on all referrals or complaints of violations within one (1) week of the notification and their decisions shall be final.  RDC meetings or deliberations can occur via conference call.  The ICDC will deal with all violations that affect Inter-Conference issues, such as Playoffs and Club, Team or Player disassociations.

22) Staffing 

The Board of Directors shall periodically determine the need to hire staff to carry out the Policies of the NCYRA.  Hiring of staff shall be carefully considered relative to achieving the Policies and consistent with the budget. 

23) Insurance

The Players shall comply and meet all insurance requirements as set by the NCYRA Bylaws and USA Rugby.

24) Public Education / Public Relations

The NCYRA shall seek to promote the sport of rugby to the public through all reasonable means possible, including media, events, educational opportunities, etc.

25) Sponsorship / Fundraising

The NCYRA shall seek sponsorship and fundraising activities to help fund the pursuit of the Policies.

26) Database

The NCYRA shall maintain a database of Clubs, Teams, Coaches, Administrators and Players and shall make such database available to its constituents via a NCYRA website.

27) Organizational Resources

The NCYRA shall seek to assist new Clubs and Teams in setting up operations, provide guidance for best practices, and provide other assistance to promote the development of new Clubs and Teams.

28) Budgets

It is recognized that the Policies are ambitious and will require a lot of volunteer time and money.  The NCYRA shall prepare annual budgets to reflect its annual objectives and such budgets shall be approved by the Board of Directors.

29) Website

The NCYRA shall maintain a current and professional website that provides as many tools as possible to assist in the pursuit of the Policies.  This will include an active database, links to rugby resources, educational materials, coaching materials, referee materials, Bylaws, Policies, season schedules, post-season schedules, match and Division results, promotional materials, current communications, transparent information as to the budget, and so on.