TRU Board Meeting Minutes- 7/21/25

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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:

  • Attendee’s
    • McPhail
    • Dodge
    • Guitan
    • Tomsak
    • Armstrong
    • Hanson
      • Regrets
        • Ross – Vacation
        • Hiller – Work
        • Wendy
  • Compliance
    • Registration totals:
      • YTD 2024-2025 = 2,521
      • YTD 2023-2024 = 2,267
        • Growth YR over YR = 111.20%
  • Competition Grant: USA Club Sevens
    • Austin Huns as RRRC # 1 rep = $3,825.
    • Dallas Harlequins as Men # 2 and Womens #1 RRRC # rep = $3,425.
    • HEB Hurricanes Women RRRC # 2 rep: Travel allowance = $1,000 was granted based on historical growth and success of the Club and YR over YR representation at Nationals.  Being a Sevens Only club the grant was increased to recognize their consistent contribution and fact that .  
    • Vote for the above amounts to be paid out: DT / AA motioned; approved by proclamation.
  • RRRC / TOLA Sevens
    • Final RRRC Standings 
      • RRRC Men: Austin Huns, Dallas Harlequins, Austin Blacks
      • RRRC Women: Dallas Harlequins, HEB Hurricanes, sHARCs
      • Top two from M & W have been invited and accepted bids to National Club Sevens
    • TOLA Finals: Riverboat 7s in Shreveport Jul 26, 2025
      • More teams dropping out / likely due conflict with CC7’s?
        • 20 M & 15 W teams registered
      • Looking at Riverboat 7’s moving date back to August in 2026
    • USA Club Nationals: Madison Wisconsin Aug 9th & 10th 2025
      • Congrats to Huns, Quins, & HEB!!
  • 15s
    • Update on WD1 competition:
      • Life Univ appealed to USA rugby for inclusion in Capital GU / Atlantic SR
      • Application denied by Capital.  Appeal filed but Capital vote was upheld by SCC
      • USAR has weighed in on the matter and a competition needs to be identified
      • Life University is currently a member of Carolina GU / Gulf Coast SR
      • Proposed D1 league:
        • “East Conference” a) Life University and b) TBD / TBC
        • “West Conference” a) Austin Valks b) Dallas Harlequins c) sHARCs
        • East vs West play in one match final at GCSR
      • Impact on WD2 schedule
      • Potential for a) addition of another WD1 team in the GC region as well as b) long term plan for growth in 2nd year by promoting high level WD2 teams in the GC region.  Potential for future grant support from USAR.
      • McPhail and women’s stakeholders having a conf. call on WED to look at competition and impact on WD1 and WD2 format / schedule.
    • Next Season’s RRRC schedule and structure – “Working Draft”
  • Events
  • Tournaments & Touring Sides – Policy Position from USAR:
  • USA Senior Club Council updates
  • TRU Board Elections upcoming:
    • Timeline (for TRU and RRRC)
      • Aug 1 – Aug 17: Nominees accepted
      • Aug 20: Nominations posted to the TRU website for review
      • Aug 23: Candidate forum at TRU Summit/AGM
      • Aug 24-30: Online Voting via club presidents (TRU Club Contacts)
      • September 1-7: Vote analysis and confirmation of elected officers
      • No later than Sep 8: Results posted to TRU Website
    • Vice President – Tomsak
    • Mens D1 Rep – Dodge
    • Womens Rep – Armstrong (interim)
  • RRRC Elections upcoming:
    • Chair – McPhail – Elected by RRRC after rest seated
    • MD1 – Dale
    • MD3 – Wegman
    • Women – Hunter
  • AGM / TRU Board Meeting:
    • Held at the Summit: Hilton – Houston North, 12400 Greenspoint Drive, Houston TX 77060
      • Saturday at Noon to 1:30pm
      • Format is online & in-person
        • Primary focus will be elections and upcoming issues for season
          • Recap Leagues
          • Bids for Events
          • Key Dates
          • Budget
    • McPhail emailed the Treasurer for updated YTD Financials.  Will also start work on a budget for the next cycle.
  • Reminders of Key items:
    • RX closes for the 2024-25 Season week after Club Sevens is over (August 13-14).
    • TRU: 501(c)(3) Status:
      • Update: Dodge updated the status and options for best options to continue forward. Recommended:
        • Formation of new entity (NEWCO);
        • Ratification of NEWCO formation and adoption of Bylaws (identical to existing TRU Bylaws) for NEWCO at AGM;
        • Adopt resolution to have existing TRU Board members whose terms have not expired also serve on Board of NEWCO for the remainder of their terms on Board for current TRU entity, and newly–elected TRU Board members would serve on Boards of both entities.  (Idea is that members of Boards of both entities would be the same, and have the same terms or remaining terms on both Boards).
        • Apply for 501(c)(3) status for NEWCO.  (Not eligible to expedite application).
        • Wind down existing TRU (i.e., Texas Rugby Football Union, Inc.)
        • Wind down formed, but never active, Texas Rugby Union, Inc.
      • Motion by DM, second by AA, to move forward with the plan as outlined above.  Approved by acclamation.
  • New Business:
    • Drew: None
    • Dodge: 
      • All Star Budget – option A and B discussed.
        • The original $8K budget was previously approved at a prior Board meeting; informational only.  Dodge presented an update on the Team and planned events.  The group discussed line items adjustments and re-affirmed approval to move forward.
      • Social Media post with squad traveling to the Can Am Rugby Tournament in Saranac, NY this weekend should go up tomorrow or on Wednesday.  
      • The squad will take on Cardinals Premier, Kutztown Alumni, and Eastside Hyenas in pool play on Saturday, then be seeded for one additional match on Sunday.
      • Selections are ongoing for the Aspen (CO) Ruggerfest tournament (Sept. 18-21).
      • Thunderbirds have inquired about a match in Dec on same weekend as Mary Graham Women’s event in Dec-2025.
    • Zach: “Will be set up well for 15’s”
      • Discipline is working as planned 
      • Brad is fully integrated and leads cases on his own
      • Thomas will be joining two Cherrybone hearings
      • Rachel will be trained at end of summer in LA
      • April & Louis are both interested in the next event
    • Louis: None
    • April: 
      • WD1 hot topic; noted above.  
      • Still seeking a HC for Mary Graham Allstars
    • Ross: 
      • TRRA and Lone Star Referees have formally announced their merger back into one society under the TRRA name.
      • Referee scheduling will be done via RX this year; no more Who’s The Ref
    • Hansel: 
      • Reminder of TRU and RRRC Google Drive migration to Shared Drive
      • Social Media and email comms requests can now go to Max Wilson.
        • Check for a media@ or similar to add him to.
          • Max and Wendy are members of social@tru
      • Club Admin in RX will rollover; no changes needed.
      • TRU will create the Teams in RX
    • Thanks to Fil & April for doing a great job and running a great season this summer.
  •  Adjournment:  9:40pm Motion: AA / DD