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 | | This chapter is meant purely for immediate reference. Details of the various topics follow in the corresponding chapters of this handbook. Please acquaint yourself and members of your club with all the information here and that follows.
As a member of the Potomac Rugby Union your club and its members are entitled to a significant number of benefits. The most basic of these benefits is the right to participate in the sport of rugby with other members of the sport. These benefits are not free. There are many other clubs, unions and individuals affected by interaction with your club and its members. The following is a basic outline of the organizational structure of rugby in our Union and highlights of the minimum responsibilities your club assumes as a member of the PRU.
It is always wise to pass this information on should you decide to discontinue your association or executive position with your current club. The Potomac Rugby Union exists to help its members survive and grow. Often a club may fold if this type of information is not passed on.
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| | Just as your club must collect dues from its players to pay tournament fees, light fields, host games and so on - so does the PRU. As a member of the national governing body the United States Rugby Football Union and our territorial governing body, Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union - the PRU is responsible for paying dues which support national and territorial programs.
Similarly, your club as a member of a local governing body must pay dues so the PRU, can administrate a number of ongoing programs, competitions and expenses.
Dues are billed each season. There are two parts to every clubs bill - administrative and All Star funding. The total you will owe is prorated by the estimated size of your club depending on your standings in the Union and proportionate share of anticipated services you will receive at your level.
There are strict fines and playing sanctions for clubs who do not pay their dues. Non payment of dues will not only cause our local programs to suffer, but territorial and national programs will suffer also.
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| | The Potomac Rugby Unions schedules meetings twice per season. These meetings are where a lot of information is passed on to your club from the Territorial and National levels. It is also where decisions are made that will directly affect your club - how your dues are spent (how much your dues will be), who your Union leaders will be, plans for the future and much, much more.
It is essential your club have a representative (governor) at these meetings who will bring this information back to you. Not only that, there are fines for not attending the meetings. If your club is located such that attending these meetings more than once or twice a year you may appoint a RESPONSIBLE person to attend in your place - with a written proxy if you want your votes to count. Every season there is a multitude of confusion and misinformation because teams either do not attend Union meetings or the people they trust to report what happens does neither. Do not let this happen to your club. Make sure you are an active participant in the future of our sport rather than a spectator.
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| | All clubs MUST have liability insurance and all members of the club must have some type of health insurance. There are no exceptions. No written waiver or verbal promise will hold up in a court of law should you be sued. Executive board members are particularly susceptible to legal action.
It is strongly advised that if you are an administrator for any club that you also obtain a personal protection liability insurance to guard against legal action from players injured during play. If you already have a renter or homeowner policy an additional "umbrella" policy is fairly economical and easy to obtain.
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| | All clubs have someone in charge of setting up the game schedule from season to season. While your matrix matches are set by the Tours and Tournaments Director the responsibility for hosting or being hosted does not end after the initial arrangements have been made (see "Divisional Play" chapters for more information about the matrix schedule).
The referee's society must be notified of your intention to play a home game far in advance. We are desperately short on staff in the referees society and allocations are on a first-come first-serve basis. In addition, a written match contract should be completed by both teams to avoid any misunderstandings. The PRU cannot defend or penalize either side if there is no proof in writing of the terms and conditions under which the match was agreed to in the first place. Penalties for not following through on the commitment to play a match are severe. Whether you are the home or away club there is a great deal of time and energy spent on the part of both to either attend or host a match.
The following is a brief outline of commonly neglected but obvious items every team must consider before, during and after participating in a rugby match.
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| | 1) Make sure your dues are paid and your club has liability insurance coverage as well as medical coverage for ALL your players.
2) Send copies of your schedule to both the Union and the Referees Society prior to August for the fall season and January for the spring season.
3) Match contracts completed by all clubs intended on your schedule. Reconfirm the date at the beginning of the season AND 1 week before the game.
4) Notify the referee and visiting club of game times and directions to the pitch by the Tuesday (5 days) before the match.
5) If the team cannot fulfil its commitment to play, notify the other team NO LATER than 1 week (2 weeks if possible) before. Keep a list of team contacts - a minimum of two names/numbers per club to make sure you will be able to reach someone if this becomes necessary.
6) Have the fields well marked in advance. Include sufficient water and medical supplies on your equipment list.
7) Provide adequate bathroom and changing facilities at the fields and after the game for your guests.
8) Include food of some type whether free or for purchase at your post game celebration. This is particularly important if the visitors will be driving a long distance home.
9) No matter where you are remember you are the host of the event. The actions of your entire team both on and off the field should reflect this regardless of referee calls, weather and field conditions or individual temperaments. You are all responsible for each others actions and should act accordingly.
10) As a hosting team you are expected to return the favor by traveling to your visitor's home field the following season or as soon as your schedule allows. Try to set a date now to be confirmed later by their match secretary.
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| | 1) Make sure your dues are paid and your club has liability insurance coverage as well as medical coverage for ALL your players.
2) Cancel a match NO LESS than 1 week in advance. Keep a list of team contacts - a minimum of two names/numbers per club to make sure you will be able to reach someone if this becomes necessary. If you are short of players and might have to cancel - CALL the other team as soon as you know you'll be missing even one reserve player. They may be able to fill your squad and then no one will be out a game or the costs of the referees or post game arrangements.
3) Organize car pools and set your schedule to arrive on time. Make sure everyone has a copy of the directions - include phone numbers for the directionally impaired.
4) No matter where you are remember you are a guest at this event. The actions of your entire team both on and off the field should reflect this regardless of referee calls, weather and field conditions or individual temperaments. You are all responsible for each others actions and should act accordingly.
5) As a visiting team you are expected to return the favor by hosting the next match the following season or as soon as your schedule allows. Try to set a date now to be confirmed later by their match secretary.
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