Information for Current and Prospective High School Players
For more info, contact: Marty Bradley, Conference Director at director@smacrugby.com

Register to receive more information on the Spring Season!

Each year, we introduce the sport of rugby to hundreds of East Tennessee students (boys & girls) that have no prior experience. Our coaches are dedicated to teaching rugby to the middle school and high school age students (boys & girls) in a competitive, safe and enjoyable manner. Boys teams and girls teams are formed independently at each school and play their own schedule that leads to a state championship tournament. All high school competitions are gender exclusive.

New Players
All High school aged boys and girls in East Tennessee are eligible to participate in rugby programs offered by the Smoky Mountain Athletic Club. Several high schools in the Knoxville area have existing rugby boys' and girls' teams. If a prospective player's high school doesn't offer rugby, they will be placed with an existing team until such time that their school has enough interest from other students to form their own club.

High School rugby is a spring sport in Tennessee. Teams form and begin to prepare following the winter break and play begins in March. Matches continue through April and the state playoffs are in May.

Practices
Each team establishes its own schedule. Every effort is being made to hold practices at or near the campus of the high school. Times and days are subject to field availability and availability of coaches. New players are always welcome to attend practices; however, no player will be allowed to participate in any type of contact drill until the required paperwork has been completed and filed with the league.

Games
Games will be played throughout the week and on weekends. In April, matches will be scheduled during the week as daylight permits. The final schedule will be announced after each team has a completed roster of players.

Costs
Each participant will be charged a registration fee by SMAC plus must register with USA Rugby, the national association for rugby. Additionally, each player is asked to purchase shorts and socks as a team uniform. Each club may also offer jerseys, warm ups or other apparel for purchase plus assess dues to help cover club expenses. The average total expense to play rugby for a season is approximately $100 plus the cost of any optional warm ups or other apparel. SMAC participates in a fee waiver / reduce fee program similar to the program offered through the public school system.