Player Recruitment Strategies and Tools

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Player Recruitment Strategies and Tools
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Small Group Discussion

• Answer the following questions
• What recruitment strategies have you or your
  organization done in the past that worked?
• What recruitment strategies have you or your
  organization done in the past that
• have not worked?

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Rookie Rugby Retention

• Cart Before the Horse
• First step is to focus on what you already have.
• Environment Creation
• The right environment will sell itself (Fun,
  Challenging, Learning-Focused, Player-Centered,
  Mutual Respect, etc.
• Friendraisers
• Encourage players to recruit their friends
• Relationships
• Players, Parents, Referees, Coaches,
• Administrators, etc.

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Marketing

• What You Can Do
• Flyers
• Announcements
• Where To Market
• Sporting Events
• Local Parks and Recreation Centers
• Local Newspapers and Publications
• Local Stores
• Backpack programs

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Promotional Programs

• Run an outreach program
• 2-3 keen parents
• e.g. PE class promos
• Real life e.g. 1200 kids in 2 days
• Set up weekend club
• Use parents to spread the word
• Grow from there

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Online

• Facebook
• Fan Pages
• Updates
• Twitter
• Who are you following?
• Who is following you?
• Rookie Rugby Club
• Groups, Discussions, Videos, Blogs, etc.
• Other Social Networks
• What have you done?

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Sport Programs

• Benefits of Rugby
• Aerobic
• Anaerobic
• Off Season Benefits
• No Conflict
• Cross Over Skills
• Passing, Catching, Fitness, etc.

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Research

• Utilize research on rugby to sell your message
  to others
• Rugby Research
• Katie Wurst, USA Rugby

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Quantitative Analysis of Students Rating of
Perceived Exertion (RPE) During Non-Contact
Rugby American Football Themed Physical
Education Sessions
Katie Wurst - Youth Development Consultant Youth
Conference on the Game - Dallas, TX - Dec. 12-13,
2009
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Study Objectives

• Measure RPE students participating in physical
  education sessions featuring non-contact American
  football and rugby lead-up games
• Perform a paired t-test comparing student values
• Find results indicating equal/different perceived
  exertion rates
• Draw conclusions from data based evidence

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HYPOTHESIS

• H0 µr- µf 0
• Ha µr- µf gt 0
• What does this mean?
• Null Values of RPE for non-contact rugby and
  American football will be equal
• Alternative Values of RPE for non-contact rugby
  will be higher than those of American football

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SUBJECTS

• 4-5th grade male and female students (22)
• Learning for Leadership Charter School (Public)
• Phys. Ed Teacher new to rugby (MARF)

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METHOD

• Two independent visits
• Variance in leadership
• RPE values explained prior to testing
• Game explanation time same for each sport
• Measurement interval at 15 minute mark (approx.
  half of class period)
• Football 21
• Rugby Ultimate Rugby

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RESULTS

• Mean Values Rugby (15.41) / Football (12.09)
• Paired t-test p-value of .000 (read as p lt .001)
  
• 95 confidence value p lt .05
• We are 95 confident RPE values for non-contact
  rugby will be higher than those of American
  Football

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RPE WHATS THAT?

• Rating of Perceived Exertion
• Borgs Scale of 6-20
• Self-Assessment Scale
• No Exertion at All to Maximal Exertion
• Objective

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RUGBY RESULTS
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FOOTBALL RESULTS
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CONCLUSION

• Results match what we all know.students think
  they are working harder when they are playing
  non-contact rugby-related games vs. football
• What next? Apply data to theory on motivation,
  self-perception, endless possibilities! To be
  continued..

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Thank You!
kwurst_at_usarugby.org