For many years Seattle Rugby Club players have expressed an interest in getting their school classmates involved in rugby – and possibly playing for their high school.

In 2016 we decided to do something about it.

The ‘Seattle Rugby City Cup’ was founded to provide Seattle Rugby Club players the opportunity to also play in parallel high school-based 7s competition each spring.

Featured in the Summer Olympics, rugby 7s is a modified version of the full 15-a-side game – an easy-to-learn format that emphasizes fitness and basic skills, accessible to new players with varying abilities.

While all Seattle Rugby Club players will play together in spring XVs, traditional school rivalries will be celebrated in the bye weeks of the spring season, with a school vs. school points series.

In the first year the clubs include Bishop Blanchet, Nathan Hale and Shorecrest – with students at Roosevelt part of the Roughrider Rugby program.

If interested, your school is encouraged to join. 

The City Cup competition is an excellent way to attract new players to the game, and for high school football players and wrestlers to cross-train out of season.

There is no prior experience required to play for these school clubs. Most players are new to the game, so there are no “tryouts” for the clubs. The high school clubs are organized around age grades: Freshman & Sophomores, and; Juniors & Seniors.

Only students enrolled at each school can play for their high school club. And the high school clubs will only play against other high school-based clubs that adhere to this school-based standard.

The clubs will practice and play for 6-8 weeks from February – April, typically one afternoon/evening per week, and play for an abbreviated 3-4 tournament season.

These are not “boys” high school rugby clubs. We would like to provide girls at each school the opportunity to play rugby and will work to find additional coaching and teams if there is interest. We are only starting with boys, as that’s where we know we have interest.

For more information on the high school-based Seattle Rugby clubs contact: registration@seattlevikings.com