March 18, 2026

Call to order – Al – 8:00 PM CST

Roll Call – Michael

• Meeting Attendance – 031826.pdf and Conflict of Interest statements 
• Reminder on time management
  • Periodic announcement of running time 
  • Off topic items tabled to end of call

Approval of past SCC minutes – Michael

• Last Meeting Minutes – SCC 26 2 18 Agenda and Minutes – USA Club Rugby
  • Motion: __Midwest___. Second: __NorCal___. Approved

Chairs’/Officers’ Reports

Guest Speakers – Quinton Leduc and Jeffrey Thorpe of IGR

• Regarding update to USA Rugby Competition Eligibility Policy
  • Letter to the Senior Club Community from the Executive Committee of the Senior Club Rugby Council – USA Club Rugby
  • IGR Ban FAQ and Social Media Guidance
• Questions and Answers
  • Is our insurance impacted? If so, how? What if trans players play in a women’s match anyway?
    • No, will continue to be covered.  Would only affect the trans individual
  • Can we just ignore the new policy and do what we’ve been doing? If not, why?
    • Non-compliance could put club’s sanctioning, match eligibility, and competitive standing at risk.
  • Can we redefine all of our women’s comps as open? If not, why?
    • No, there is no formal competition in the open division. Open division could be at risk if all women’s competition is moved to be under the open division.
  • What can we do to operate as closely to what we have before this new policy and remain within the bounds of the law and regulations?
    • Operate as usual, complaints will be taken on a case-by-case basis.
  • There are Unions exploring adding Open competitions in the future to their existing Women’s and Men’s Competitions. Are there any implementation issues to overcome related to the USAR policy?
    • Open division competition to be reviewed by USAR, policy was originally focused on tournaments and friendlies.
  • What would we do with teams that flat out vocally refuse to comply with this?
    • Non-compliance could put club’s sanctioning, match eligibility, and competitive standing at risk.  This could include losing 501c3 status.
  • Would a player who is subject to an eligibility challenge be entitled to a refund?
    • Technically no, because they would be eligible to compete in the other division.
  • What are next steps in addressing this policy?
    • This USAR policy is required to adhere to federal law.
  • Is the open division the only alternative?
    • Process and governance for competition still in development.
  • What could the personal club leader liability v. club standing liability look like if a participant is challenged?
    • A 501c3 challenge to a club based on a competition has not happened yet in the Rugby community but has in other sports.
  • Is there a future with an open division being labelled as competition?
    • Currently the open division is to move forward focused on open tournaments and friendlies.  Competition process and governance idea still in development.
  • Could a GU and/or clubs remove themselves from USAR?
    • Standing, recognition, insurance could be impacted.

Secretary – Michael

• • Tracking action Items here Action Item Tracker and Website here Website Issue Tracker
    • Completed items are there. Just filtered out
  • USACR Event setup in RX and Promotion

• A number of tournaments are in process

• • USA Club Rugby Tournament Schedule – USA Club Rugby
  • USA Club Rugby Tournament Marketing Process.pdf
• Club Competition Recaps
  • MD1 – Men’s Division 1 – February 2026 Recap – USA Club Rugby
  • WD1 – Women’s Division 1 – February 2026 Recap – USA Club Rugby
  • MD2 – Men’s Division 2 – February 2026 Recap – USA Club Rugby
  • WD2 – Women’s Division 2 – February 2026 Recap – USA Club Rugby
  • MD3 – Men’s Division 3 – February 2026 Recap – USA Club Rugby
  • 

• Action Item from SCC 26 02 18: Post Board rep job description once updated by KJ. Also Secretary and VC JD 
  • Done. Nomination Form for Executive Committee Officers and Board Representative 

Admin – Nicole

• NDA signing status? 
  • NDA Tracker
  • 2
• Refund processing
  • 18
  • Refund policy USA Club Rugby Refund Policy
• Web Contact form responses
  • 7
• Outstanding Club Pays Invoices
  • USAR/RX has provided a partial solution to allow GUs better control
    • GU configuration of Club or Player Pays Registration 
  • Note: Club Pays Invoice Policy
• GU Responses to Athlete Safety Policy
  • Majority have also been addressed to Compliance, have shared out the 2 that were not.

USAR Liaison – Elaine

• Feb 2026 SCC Report.png
• Ability to request COIs through RX is active, will automatically generate unless there are special requests.
• In-office admin interviews are ongoing this week.

15’s Comp – David McPhail

• Action Item from EXCO 26 02 02: 15s to look at ITT type all star comp
  • Moved to committee’s next meeting agenda.
• Proposed SCC Promotion Policy 
  • Revisit vote after addendum.
    • Action Item: 15s to add Addendum of national vs. regional designation guidance into the promotion document
      • None opposed.
• Venue site visit in Chicago done.

7’s Comp – David Fee

• Working on defining regions and bid process.
• Process to ID clubs for women’s competition in discussion.

Eligibility – Tam

• Seeking the SCC’s approval to add a new committee member (right in time for the play-off crush of waiver requests).
  • Janet Miramontes / Northern California.
    • Program Manager: Life West Men’s and Women’s senior clubs. 
    • Head Rugby Coach:  St Mary’s College of California / Carondelet High School.
    • Competition Manager: NorCal Youth/High School Girls Rugby.
    • World Rugby L1 Referee.
  • Motion:   TB   Second:  NorCal  Approved
    • Result: Yes
    • Voting – Proposed Eligibility Committee member.pdf
• Eligibility deadlines are coming up.
• Eligibility document processing guidance to come.

Treasurer – Tim

• USAR’s Senior Club Report for 2025 
• 2026 02 Feb USA Club Rugby Assoc Statement of Activity.pdf
• 2026 02 Feb USA Club Rugby Assoc Statement of Financial Position.pdf

Discipline – Megan

• Super Regional areas are covered.

Governance – KJ

• Action Item from SCC 26 02 18: Follow up with 15s and 7s on committee member policies
  • In process.

DEI – Robert

• DEI Committee working on putting together guidance for clubs to navigate policy.
• Administrator training in progress.

Vice Chair – Wes

• No Report

USAR Director – Rick

• February 12 Board Meeting.
  • Discussions continue with World Rugby leadership about RWC and Grow the Game funding – developing ‘grant system’: more info to come
  • Working with WR to define next steps and deliverables
• Business operations manager interviews continue
• Athlete Safety (“Transgender”) policy – on agenda for tonight – see above
  • USOPC determined policy meets federal/USOPC requirements – carefully defined complaint management – pushing USOPC legal department about timing of implementation
  • Multiple problem solving/identifying conversations with leadership/membership
  • Need more clarity/definition of “open” competitions 
  • Code of conduct is still in force re: filing complaints.
  • Distributed New England survey – Thank you, Nikki et al, 

USAR Referee and Laws Committee (RLC) – David Chapman

• Nominations for RLC Chair closed on March 3 with resumes/CVs provided to LROs on March 9. Voting is underway and will be completed by March 23 with an announcement shortly after..

Chair report – Al

• Strategic Growth Consultant Report
  • USA Club Rugby Strategic Growth Plan ’26-’29 Brief Overview
  • SCC Members: Complete Preliminary Feedback Survey
  • Nish available for further discussions, with more details to present in May after SCC feedback
• Community agreement + dues discussion ongoing due to different financial cycles.

New Business

• None

Adjourned

• Motion: __NorCal___. Second: __Midwest___
  • Meeting adjourned at _10:16___ PM CST