Frequently Asked Questions
Where do the dues go? What is USA Rugby? The Tacoma Tsunami are part of the RugbyWa League, which is part of the national organization; USA Rugby. From the dues that are paid, a portion goes to RugbyWa and USA Rugby. This money goes to coordinating seasons schedules, Athletic Trainers and Refs. The dues for USA Rugby sustain the national certifications for coaches and refs; among many other things. The rest of the money collected as dues goes directly back into the club. It helps purchase new jerseys, shorts and training shirts. As needed the dues go to general operating costs, such as; purchasing new training pads, website, marketing and other capitol expenses. The money also goes to supporting our Tsunami Scholarship fund. This money is most commonly used to help players that cannot afford season dues. The Tsunami coaches and administrative staff are all volunteers and are not paid.
What gear does my player need? Rugby boots (cleats) are preferred. A player can also use soccer cleats. American Football cleats are allowed, but we do not recommend them. Mouth guard (gum shield). The club will provide the players with one mouth guard at the beginning of the season. We recommend buying spares. Mouth guards must be "in the mouth" style, no lip guard mouth guards are allowed. For practice, players are recommended to dress for the weather. Utilizing layers to help with warm ups. Match shorts will be provided for the U12 teams and up on a need basis. Training shirts are provided for all players, as needed. Scrum caps are optional. Please contact your coach for advice.
What team do I sign my player up for? Are the teams by grade? The teams are segregated by age. The age cut off is September 1st. the “U” in U12 stands for “under”. For example; all the players on the U12 team were under 12 years of age on Sept 1st, the start of the Fall season (and the start of the rugby year).
Where are matches played? The Tacoma Tsunami play in the highly competitive RugbyWa league. We play other clubs from all over Washington State. Match locations range from Olympia to Bellingham to Ellensburg; even out of state. We also host some matches at our home pitch.
Fundraising; Are you going to make my kid sell stuff door to door? No. We do not employ that type of fundraising. Unfortunately it is getting more and more expensive to run a Youth Sports Club in Washington State. The cost of insurance, kit and general expenses go up ever year. We wish dues could cover it all, but they don’t. If we raised the cost of dues to cover all expenses, it would be counter to our club mission of getting ALL kids into youth sports. We work with what we have. Our volunteers go above and beyond and often pay for stuff out of pocket. We do ask our parents to buy our Tsunami merch and make donations if possible. All the money made from merch sales and donations goes directly back into the club to help the kids play.
Is it really full contact? How is it safe? Yes, Rugby is a contact sport. But, safety is the #1 priority for all our coaches. All our coaches are certified in Safe Sport. We prioritize teaching kids how to not only tackle safely, but also how to protect themselves when being tackled. U10 is flag, there is zero contact. U12 is technically full contact, but the scrums and lineouts are uncontested. U14 and up is full contact. We will not let players play if the coaches are not 100% sure the players can protect themselves at all time. Lets be honest with our selves. Driving to practice or a match is exponentially more dangerous than Rugby. Your player will get bumps and bruises.
My player is kinda small, are they just gonna get crushed? As mentioned above, safety is priority. Rugby players come in all shapes and sizes; and all are welcome. We will teach your player to work with what they have and build confidence. Remember, some of the best Rugby players in the world, are the smallest ones.
My player has zero experience, can they try it out first? Yes. First your player must register with our club to play, even if they are just trying it out. Then once they decide they like it, you can pay the dues accordingly. Set your player up for success. Watch some of the many videos on YouTube that explain the basics of Rugby. This will help your player be more confident on day one; higher confidence means higher chance of having fun.
Is it really coed in U12? Yes. At the age range of U12, players come in all shapes and sizes. Gender is not a determining factor of size and muscle density at these ages. No matter what, safety is the priority.
What is Spond? Spond is communication app designed for sports clubs. It is a one stop shop for communicating with your coach and other parents. All practices, matches and tournaments will be managed through Spond. To use Spond effectively, download the app, and allow for notifications.
My player is trans, what team do they register for? The Tacoma Tsunami follow follow the policies of USA Rugby. They can be found at https://usa.rugby/transgender-policy