I just received the USA Rugby news release on its new college eligibility requirements.  I am ashamed. 

I went to your website, hoping to find out who were the individuals responsible for these changes.  USA Rugby’s website is no help there.  I found and read the piece featured on your website, however, on the College Eligibility Committee and the several resignations it has had over the past couple of months.  That piece didn’t help my disposition; in fact, it has made it worse.  But, it did give me some more information on the subject.

It is mortifying that apparently not one person on the College Eligibility Committee had the decency or sensitivity either to comprehend the effect of their change on certain members of our armed services or gave no care for the disservice this change has on those service members.

It would seem our veterans serving in defense of their country who enter college after that service is completed no longer are eligible to play for their college teams when leaving the service more than five years after graduating from high school.  At the very least, some may have some small amount of eligibility left should they still be within five years of their high school graduation.  There are many college teams, as you know, that exist in areas where no senior men’s or women’s teams exist.  As a member of the Board of Directors of USA Rugby between 1996 and 2001, I was the proponent of the change to college eligibility requirements that permitted our veterans to play on their college teams after completing their military service. 

Equally disturbing is the fact that USA Rugby saw fit to release the notice of this change to college eligibility that certainly discriminates against the interests of our veterans on the very eve of the Memorial Day holiday weekend, when we Americans supposedly honor those service members who have given their lives in the service of their country.  What a great way for USA Rugby to honor those brave souls and their comrades who still serve our country.

Michael G. Malone
IRB Trainer
USA Rugby
R&L Training Committee
Pacific Coast Representative