Level 1 Coach & Referee Courses
Rugby Ohio and the Dayton Area Rugby Club are happy to host both Level 1 Coach and Ref courses on the weekend of December 7-8, 2024 at the University of Dayton’s Kennedy Union Center. Rugby Ohio follows USA Rugby and World Rugby requirements for coach and referee certifications. Read more about these and the courses below.
In order to be a ‘compliant’ coach, each rugby coach (in any capacity where the individual is providing technical or tactical instruction to players, jncluding being called an “Assistant Coach”) must meet the following requirements of the USOPC and USA Rugby:
- Be a registered member in a Coach role in the current season.
- SafeSport completion (annual, over 18yo only). If you are not current, this appears as an option in Rugby Xplorer once you have registered to a club in a role that requires a SafeSport completion.
- Background Check (every two years, over 18 yo only). If you are not current, this appears as an option in Rugby Xplorer once you have registered to a club in a role that requires a Background Check. Note: A standard case takes about 2 weeks to get results (longer if you have lived internationally) so please submit these well before your season gets underway.
- Rugby’s Safety Basics. See below for instructions on how to complete this.
- A current Rugby Coaching Accreditation. At least one from the listing of Rugby Coaching Accreditations below, as relevant.
(Note: USA Rugby also has a requirement that every club playing tackle rugby have, at minimum, one Level 1 Qualified Coach in order to be a ‘compliant’ club. This does not imply that any other coaches at the club do not need the above.)
Who it’s for: This is for individuals who are coaching, in any capacity, forms of rugby that involve tackling. Minimum age 17. Clubs must have at least one coach qualified at this level to be considered a ‘compliant’ club.
(Note: Some coaches in some regions have been acting in an assistant capacity with only a legacy L100 qualification. Given L100 no longer exists in our coaching pathway, USA Rugby expired all these qualifications as of June 30, 2022. USA Rugby will honor this qualification for insurance purposes during this crossover season while coaches are transitioning to Rugby Xplorer. From Sept 1, 2023, all coaches of tackle rugby must have Level 1.)
What it is: An eight (8) hour in-person course, which focuses on player welfare and the technical skills to play safely, and requires coaches to demonstrate effective coaching techniques, taught in the course. These techniques include teaching through games, technical skill development through progressions, and collaborative coaching. In addition to attendance, the course requires completion of several online courses taken through World Rugby’s Passport website, ideally before the course. The resulting PDF certificates must uploaded to USA Rugby’s Learning Center before certification will be granted.
How to take it: The course costs $125. Register through the USA Rugby Learning Center. Available courses and locations are listed on the USA Rugby Course Calendar. If there is not a course in your area, then clubs, schools and facilities can apply to host an upcoming course. Given the different local requirements of our Unions, USA Rugby does not centrally choose where and when to run courses, we rely on rugby organizations to request courses that we then facilitate.
In order to be a ‘compliant’ referee, each and every rugby referee must meet the following requirements of the USOPC and USA Rugby:
- Be a registered member in a Match Official role in the current season.
- SafeSport completion (annual, over 18 yo only). If you are not current, this appears as an option in Rugby Xplorer once you have registered to an LRO or club in a role that requires a SafeSport completion.
- Background Check (every two years, over 18 yo only). If you are not current, this appears as an option in Rugby Xplorer once you have registered to an LRO or club in a role that requires a Background Check. Note: A standard case takes about 2 weeks to get results (longer if you have lived internationally) so please submit these well before your season gets underway.
- Rugby’s Safety Basics. See below for instructions on how to complete this.
- A current Rugby Referee Accreditation. At least one from the listing of Rugby Refereeing Accreditations below, as relevant.
Who it’s for: This is for individuals who wish to referee forms of rugby that involve tackling. Minimum age 13.
What it is: An eight (8) hour in-person course, which contains mostly practical elements in addition to covering aspects of Law knowledge. In addition to attendance, the course requires completion of several online courses taken through World Rugby’s Passport website, ideally before the course. The resulting PDF certificates must uploaded to USA Rugby’s Learning Center before certification will be granted.
How to take it: The course costs $85. Register through the USA Rugby Learning Center. Available courses and locations are listed on the USA Rugby Course Calendar. If there is not a course in your area, then clubs, schools and facilities can apply to host an upcoming course. Given the different local requirements of our Unions, USA Rugby does not centrally choose where and when to run courses, we rely on rugby organizations to request courses that we then facilitate.
