TRU Board Meeting Notes – 1/20/2025

At the request of our members the TRU Board will be releasing their monthly board call minutes and notes. View all of the TRU archived minutes or read on for the most recent notes:

  1. Roll Call
    1. McPhail
    2. Tomsak
    3. Dodge
    4. Hiller
    5. Guitan
    6. Davies
    7. Armstrong
      1. Regrets
        1. Hanson
        2. Young
  2. Welcome addition of April Armstrong as Women’s Rep to the Board; seat to be held until Summer 2025 election.
  3. Grant Request – 
    1. Woodlands Youth Rugby Club requested support for an upcoming tournament
      1. Youth Rugby Tournament: Woodlands Youth Rugby Club will be hosting the COME AND TAKE IT youth tournament on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at Gosling Sports Fields in The Woodlands, Texas. We will invite U8 – HS JV Texas teams to participate in Texas’ largest youth rugby round robin style tournament.
      2. Grant was discussed.  Unanimous consent to not approve and recommend that the Grant be better served and addressed by Rugby Texas (Youth).
      3. Young (after call): I’ve notified the grant requestor of the Board’s decision.
  4. Registration Numbers & Other items:
    1. Club Compliance and Registration Numbers – Texas Rugby Union – As of 1/20/25
      1. All teams have paid, have coaches, and above 15+ players.
    2. Registrations are still tracking ahead of the prior cycle.  Currently, we have 2,003 registrations per the above report.  This is ahead of the 1,746 reported at the end of Jan-2024; represents ~12% enrollment growth.
    3. Action Item: Wendy – Can we get a breakdown by Male / Female YTD?
    4. Young (after call): Sure thing, here ya go!
    5.  

Gender

Counts

Male

1,527

Female

464

Non-Binary/Gender Diverse

12

  1.  

Role

Counts

Player

1,799

Coach

100

Administrator/Volunteer

71

Match Official

11

Medical

3

  1.  
  2. Other fun data: 284 participants have never played rugby before with 429 indicating this is their first time playing Senior (Adult) rugby.
  1. Transfers into Texas from other GU’s
    1. To keep clubs from inadvertently playing ineligible players they should request eligibility waivers for any transfers into Texas GU.  
    2. We always recommend that players first submit Waiver requests to USA Rugby Eligibility.
    3. This ensures that there are no mistakes in the paperwork process and ensures that Clubs are staying in line with required documentation from RRRC league play and through the National Championship Series.
    4. The waiver form is available on this page: https://usaclub.rugby/resources/ 
  2. RRRC Ruling on Transfers
    1. RRRC held its regular meeting last Monday evening.  In summary, the RRRC voted, without objection, to follow USA Eligibility rulings for both “local” recognized competitive matches (RRRC Cup/League) and NCS matches (USA playoffs) as the RRRC policy currently states.
    2. Players that have been deemed ineligible by the USA Club Eligibility Committee will only be permitted to play in Social matches, Tournaments, etc.  Ineligible players are not allowed to play in an Approved Governing Body (TRU) that counts towards a National Championship Series.  
  3. Budget – McPhail
    1. TRU Financials prepared by Treasurer – David Pfleger.  Presented by McPhail.
      1. FYE 8/31/24 – Reviewed PDF with discussion.  Approved without objection.
      2. YTD F/S thru 12/31/24 – Reviewed PDF with discussion.  Approved without objection.
      3. Proposed Budget thru YE 8/31/25 – Approved, subject to future review of proposed TRU Mens All Stars and changes to RRRC Sevens structure.
        1. Material Changes noted.
          1. Increase topline revenue by ~6% or $9K
          2. Two All Star line items – Both approved subject to final review of program details that have yet to be finalized.
            1. Men’s All Stars
            2. Competitive 7s initiative
  4. TRRA – Davies
    1. USA Rugby 2025 Game Management Guidelines.
    2. Issue on weekend with verbal issue that resulted in a Red Card, sent to DC for review.  
    3. Other cards are mainly due to law changes; it will take time for all to adjust.
    4. Reminder: Use the Match Change Form for changes.
    5. Law Changes – Reminder from last month.  USAR has shared notice.  Effective Jan-1st.
  5. Discipline – Hiller
    1. Sixteen or so cards. Primarily yellow cards.  Concern regarding total accumulations in the Yellow category.  Low number of RC’s.  All cards in the process of DC review. 
    2. Action Item: Wendy – Can we do an “accumulation” post?  Get with Zack for details and numbers.   
    3. Resend of the prior two links below.  Needs to be updated on website: 
      1. This link for Discipline highlights. Please review and provide feedback to Zack asap.
      2. This link for existing procedures that are being proposed as replacements.
    4. Despite the volume of cards, the depth of the newly trained JO’s, the DC’s capacity was able to process quickly and efficiently.
  6. Senior Club Council – Dodge
    1. Dodge is transitioning from SCC Treasurer to SCC Legal Counsel; effective immediately.  Thanks to Dodge for his tenure and continued leadership on ExCo & SCC.
    2. Reminder: There have been issues with touring sides coming to the US play without international clearance. This invalidates your insurance coverage. Referees should not be assigned nor matches scheduled until a clearance is produced. For more information see International Tours | USA Rugby
    3. SCC Note: Exco has worked on a “Event Sanctioning” document for hosting events, tourneys, tours, etc.  The document is still in draft format.  ExCo presented to SCC for feedback and subsequent changes needed to get it to final draft and future approval.
    4. SCC Note: Community agreement negotiation in upcoming weeks
      1. Asking to get a quote on adding an insurance rider for unregistered players (i.e. first time at practice, etc.)
    5. SCC Note: USA Rugby 50th Anniversary Celebration
      1. Lynton Mare <lmare@usa.rugby>: Every month this year we will be posting special moments of all rugby history in the US over the last 50 years and so we would love to celebrate Senior Club as part of the initiative. 
  7. Women – Armstrong
    1. The Women’s Premiership is going well.  Early trouble acclimating to the social media process is being sorted out and making changes procedures accordingly.  
    2. A notable early result was the win of a WD2 beating a WD1 side.
  8. Championships
    1. RRRC / TRU: Hosted by Dallas RFC at Lake Highlands on Saturday, April 12th.  One day event.
    2. Gulf Coast: Hosted by NOLA RFC in New Orleans on the weekend of May 3-4th.
    3. Club Fifteens:  Location still being confirmed.  Weekend of May 16, 17, and 18th.
    4. Club Sevens: Madison WI, weekend of August 9-10th.
  9. New Business:
    1. Transfer of responsibilities: Per text exchange between Dodge and McPhail:  Dodge has stated that due to personal time commitments and various other rugby duties, he has decided to return the TRU’s voting power at the SCC from himself, back to the TRU President (McPhail).  SCC voting power is held by GU Presidents or their designees.  Former President Tate had previously conveyed voting power to Dodge who was also serving as the SCC Treasurer.  McPhail is already on current ExCo and SCC meetings as 15’s Comp Chair.  
    2. 2025-26 Scheduling Meeting being set for Sunday, April 13th.  Site to be confirmed in the Dallas metroplex. 
    3. Congrats to Wendy Young and Mattison Grey as they were both presenters/Keynote Speakers at the 2025 WRCRA Conference in Denver, CO over the weekend.
  10. 2025 Hall of Fame – Houston TX
    1. 10th annual HOF Banquet is August 23 in Houston, TX; nominations will open shortly.
  11. 2025 Summit Conference – Houston, TX
    1. 10th annual Summit Conference is August 22-25 in Houston, TX; registrations will open in early summer.
  12. Adjournment: Motions by Dodge & Guitan 10:01pm