Last month I began a series of articles highlighting ways youth rugby coaches can help their players prepare for college. The first six items addressed included:

1. Set perspective – Emphasize “student first, athlete second”
2. Set team minimum grade requirement, 2.0 or better (3.0 preferable)
3. Talk about college
4. Require that players complete a four-year high school course plan
5. Take your team on college visits
6. Team community service

In this month’s article, I will finish this series of ways a youth coach can help players get to college.

7. Teach Communication & Organization Skills

There is nothing that can kill a student’s chances of acceptance or recruitment faster than having poor communication and/or organization skills.  It is common for students  to send e-mails riddled with misspellings or too casual in tone to an admissions officer or coach . Prevent these errors with small steps like asking players to e-mail or text you using proper grammar.  New York Rugby Club’s U19 program headed by Molly Dengler holds various workshops for her players related to college planning. I particularly enjoyed one workshop I attended where players were asked to write the same message (asking someone for help) to three different people: a friend, an adult they knew, an adult they did not know. This is a great example of how one rugby team taught its players how to differentiate between communication styles ranging from casual to formal.

In terms of organization skills, I always encourage coaches to require their players to use a planner, which should include all practice and game times, along with homework deadlines and other personal items. At the college level, no one will be looking over their shoulders to make sure homework is completed or that they arrive to training on time. Occasionally, ask to see their planners and reiterate the value of time management and prioritizing. It is best to begin building these habits now.

8. Sports Resume-Building

Many programs (especially varsity or fully funded programs) now ask prospective players to fill out a questionnaire. Start having players build a sports resume as early as their freshman year and ask them to update it annually. This will make things much easier for them when they decide to begin contacting coaches later on. Many college teams may ask for things like a Beep Test Score, a 40-meter sprint time or a max bench or squat. To make it easier for their players, a coach may set up a time during one practice to get these statistics for their resume.

9. Require players to sign up for a SAT or ACT their junior year

The majority of colleges and universities require a student to take either an SAT Reasoning Test or an ACT (with Writing) in order to be eligible to apply. Many students who don’t hear about college at home or school may not realize they have to take these tests and wind up removing themselves from the college game at no fault of their own. I encourage you to remind your junior players to make sure they take at least one of the tests during their junior year. Please see my previous articles on standardized testing for more info. These test companies offer fee waivers for students who cannot afford to take these tests. More info at the links below:

SAT Registration - http://www.collegeboard.org/

http://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-fee-waivers

ACT Registration - http://www.actstudent.org/

http://www.actstudent.org/faq/feewaiver.html

Good luck and always go forward!

I know College Admissions. I know Rugby. I’d like to get to know You. Call today for a consultation and let me help you get into your top choice college.

Karen Fong Donoghue, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 310-497-0619 cell

www.facebook.com/TheCollegeTry

It’s grueling playing international 7s tournaments in back-to-back weekends, but the quick turnaround does have its benefits. A team can assess their performance and then immediately test those adjustments in another high-level forum. The USA 7s Women have taken advantage of that opportunity at the Amsterdam 7s. After bowing out of the London 7s to Australia (28-7 semifinal loss), the Eagles have rebounded less than a week later, ending day one 3-0 and bagging a redemptive win against Australia (10-5) en route to the #2 seed in the Cup quarterfinals.

“London was used as a feeling-out for certain positional changes, and we found them to be very promising,” USA 7s Women’s coach Ric Suggitt said. “Do not get me wrong – we certainly wanted to win in London, and we had our chances in the first half against Australia, but we let it slip away on us.”

Among the positional changes is Christy Ringgenberg, who has cycled out of the flyhalf position into the forwards. Kimber Rozier and Sadie Anderson took turns at flyhalf in London, and the former got the start in all three pool play wins today. The most notable change comes in the form of Deven Owsiany, who has moved from hooker to scrumhalf, getting the start over Katie Dowty.

“To be honest I have no idea how me at scrumhalf came about, but it's sweet,” Owsiany said. “I like playing in the middle of the field, and it is definitely a great thing to be able to play multiple positions, scrumhalf being one.”

“For here, in Amsterdam, we settled in on those changes from London, and the players have accepted ownership,” Suggitt said. “All 12 players have an important role to fill, and they have been doing that on and off the field.”

One of the most exciting aspects of the USA’s game, both in London and here in Amsterdam, is the team’s tenacity in the breakdown. The Eagles have had great success disrupting teams trying to get out of their own end, and they’re doing well to create more opportunities for each other.

“We’ve been putting a lot of our focus on defense, finishing our tackles and communicating, or like we say, ‘narrating the game,’” Owsiany said. “I saw a lot of improvement today. People were finishing their tackles and making them count – especially Jillion [Potter], making some huge hits to really set the tempo of the game. We can always rely on her for that.”

In tight, the USA threatens in contact; however, the team still showed some vulnerability as the ball moved away from the breakdown. The true test came against Australia during the final pool play round. The Eagles dug deep, met the Australians in physicality, and opened up space for Vanesha McGee to score two tries in the 10-5 win.

“It’s always a good match to see Australia,” Owsiany said. “I definitely liked seeing them so soon after we came up short in London. Defense was key to that game – really putting Australia under pressure, finishing tackles, communicating and covering each other’s backs. Total team effort today by the girls.”

“There is no secret that after watching the players perform today that they have found the inner strength to step up the physical and mental components of their game,” Suggitt said. “Now we must become consistent; day two is the big day.”

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Cup quarterfinal against Canada, which finished third in Pool B.

See photos from the USA at the Amsterdam 7s HERE, or check out the players’ stats from today and this season HERE.

North Bay is making moves, and the club’s goals go beyond the DIII championship toward which they’re playing this weekend. The 15-year-old club has evolved from a largely social team to one breeding success with its youth program and looking for bigger challenges in division II.

Coach Chris Powell is at the center of the makeover. He helped formed the club’s U19 program in addition to a local high school team (The John Carroll School), which he coached from 2002-2012 and led to the national championships. Those guys went to college and then followed their former coach back to North Bay, where Powell now resides.

The infusion of younger players created an interesting dynamic, with teammates ranging in age from 19 to 52. On one end of the spectrum, North Bay has leaders like captain Ed Mikhail, a vocal leader who ensures everything runs smoothly. He’s well supported by outstanding veterans like Gardner Thompson and Dave Faimanifo (who played with Powell on DI’s Baltimore a few years ago). On the opposite end of the spectrum are youngsters like Andrew Seufert, who has made great strides in his second season at flyhalf, and Gregory Keatts as an up-and-coming inside center.

Despite the generation gap, the team bonded over hard work. With increased numbers, practices became very competitive and helped drive a 10-0 league season. North Bay averaged a 50-7 winning margin throughout the fall.

As the team looked ahead to MARFU playoffs, North Bay scheduled spring friendlies against DII teams to mimic the better competition that awaited them in playoffs. The uptick in talented opposition levied both positive and negative results.

“When you’re beating teams 50-7, your opponents aren’t really playing defense against you. You’re running right through them,” Powell said. “During our tune-up games [this spring], the defense stepped up, and we felt nicked up early in the season.”

At one point, North Bay was down six starters from the fall, and players were forced to step into new roles.

“Sure, frustration reared its head,” Powell said. “There’s a heavy sigh when another player goes down, and we feel like we’re never at full strength against these better teams. We’ve had to put this team together with duct tape and bubble gum, but we played through and it made us better. The guys filling have gone along without a hitch. We have quality depth now, and that’s going to pay long-term dividends.”

As the face of the team continued to change, Powell smartly adjusted North Bay’s game strategy to accommodate the on-field personnel.

“Since we’ve had so many injuries from last fall, we’ve had to evolve,” Powell said. “Last fall, we were a little faster with our pace, and we were able to swing the ball around more when everyone was healthy. Having lost some of our pace, we’re a little more forwards-oriented now.”

Powell isn’t worried about the team getting beat on speed, however, as he’s been building the squad toward their perceived weakness. The team’s confidence boost came against Virginia during MARFU playoffs.

“Virginia had made it to the final four and were highly touted,” Powell said. “Even though we were the higher seed and playing at home, we were the underdogs. But we won by 35 points, and the guys really started believing in themselves.”

North Bay enters the national DIII Round of 16 as MARFU’s #2 seed and face New York’s Old Blue (Empire champions) on Saturday.

“We’re very competitive,” Powell assured. “We have a lot of technique and fitness, and we stand a legit shot of faring well.”

If North Bay gets past Old Blue on Saturday, then the team will face the winner of Kalamazoo vs. Montgomery in the quarterfinals. But regardless of the outcome, the Maryland team will play in DII next year, eager to realize the benefits of investing in the club's longevity.

Kalamazoo celebrated its 25^th year as a club, and they’re taking their party to the DIII national championships, the farthest the Michigan side has ever advanced. The team had stints in DI and DII as the club was developing, but found a home in DIII, and during the last three years has really started to come into their own.

“There’s no secret to our success,” Kalamazoo captain Adam Dudycha said. “We have a group of about eight old boys who’ve been playing together for about 10 years now. We’ve added some newer talent, guys from Western Michigan University, where some of the guys help train and coach when we get the chance. They’ve been a good feeder club for us.”

Dudycha is among the core of old boys and is joined by key veterans Jeff Mohney, Andy Gyorkos and Vakautafefine Fonua, to name a few. The club’s gotten a boost from newcomers like Ryan Burdette, Dan Hetrick and Jason Vincent in the forwards, while backs like Zach Engel have taken the last couple to get the backs moving in the right direction.

“We’re a forward-type of club,” Dudycha said of Kalamazoo’s style. “We like to keep the ball in the pack, do what we can there, then get some overloads and people out of position before getting it to the backs. The Midwest is forward-oriented rugby, with the pack doing a lot of the brute force work.”

In the past, Kalamazoo has struggled with back-oriented teams, like the Chicago Riot. The Riot like to work the ball wide quickly, something Kalamazoo learned during the teams’ opening league match last fall.

“We were set on our heels during the first half of that game,” Dudycha remembered the loss. “But we figured it out and eventually tied it up. It was more handling errors and mistakes on our side that fueled our defeat. We can handle those teams. Our forwards get around quite a bit, and our backs tackle well.”

After that opening-round defeat last fall, Dudycha assumed it’d be another one of those up-and-down seasons.

“But then we just kept on winning,” Dudycha said. “The turning point came against Erie [in the Midwest semifinals], the deciding factor of whether we’d go to nationals or not. We had a big break from our last game of the fall in November, which was our second round of playoffs and that gave us our conference championship. Erie was tough and we won by three points on a penalty kick. We managed to get that win, and then it set in that we have some talent here.”

Even though Kalamazoo is making its first trip to nationals, the team has high hopes.

“We want to win like every other team out there, and we’ve got a good chance,” Dudycha looked ahead to the team’s Round of 16 match against Montgomery. “We’re not here out of luck; we’re pretty good, like the other teams. We’ll go in with that knowledge and play our best, then what happens happens. Would be great to get to Colorado [for the final four], and we have a chance. It all depends on how that first half of the game goes.”

Should Kalamazoo get past South champion Montgomery, the team will face the winner of North Bay (Md.) vs. Old Blue (N.Y.).

The USA Women 7s team is on a two-tournament tour of Europe, competing in this weekend’s London 7s and then the Amsterdam 7s on May 17-18. The latter is a stop on the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series, but interestingly enough, the USA faces a more challenging draw during tomorrow’s invitational.

“We are expecting three very physical games on day one,” USA Women 7s coach Ric Suggitt said. “The players have done an excellent job over the past couple of weeks preparing for this tournament and of course Amsterdam.”

The USA will play teams all along their familiarity spectrum. The Eagles begin with Russia, a team the Americans have played once; followed by Ireland, a newcomer on the IRB circuit; and end day one against their ultimate rival, Canada.

First up, Russia (6:12 a.m. ET), a team that burst onto the scene in Dubai, winning the Plate over Canada. They followed that breakout performance in Houston and launched Baizat Khamidova into stardom. Tall, and almost awkward, Khamidova pulls away in space and led the Houston tournament with nine tries. Teammate Ekaterina Kazakova is tenacious and quick, and also has a penchant for the try zone. Russia is a tough way to open a tournament, especially if the USA starts slowly, which they’ve been wont to do at times.

At 9:14 a.m. (ET), the Eagles face Ireland, which made their IRB series debut in Guangzhou, China. Like Russia, the Irish impressed with a Plate championship, winning a 15-14 rematch over Australia and edging the Netherlands 14-10 en route to the trophy. Alison Miller, Jeannette Feighery and Jenny Murphy stood out during the knockout rounds, and they’ve made the trip to London.

And then comes Canada (12:50 p.m. ET). The North American rivals have only played each other twice this season (excluding representative sides at the Las Vegas Invitational), the first game ending in a 12-12 tie and the follow-up going Canada’s way 17-5 for 3^rd in China. Canada is incredibly deep; however, they are missing one of their fastest players, Bianca Farella, and best performers, Ashley Steacy, to injury. Farella might be back in time for Amsterdam; however, Steacy’s broken hand is causing Canada coach John Tait some anxiety as he looks to the world cup.

That said, Canada has brought a slew of heavy-hitters in Mandy Marchak, Jen Kish, Magali Harvey, Kelly Russell, and one of the most exciting players on the circuit, Ghislaine Landry.

The USA has brought a veteran squad as well, as all of the travelers are coming out of the residency program. There are two personnel adjustments of note, however: First, Bui Baravilala is back.

“It's great to have Bui back in the lineup,” USA 7s teammate Deven Owsiany said. “Both on and off the field, she brings great chemistry to this team. She has worked really hard the past few months to get back on the squad, and we are really excited to have her back. She deserves it.”

Baravilala will punch up the lineup but also bring a sense of daring, which is always key to a successful 7s team. But with the youngster’s re-introduction, one mourns the loss of Lauren Doyle, who tore her ACL in China. Doyle had a fantastic Houston 7s performance (remember the South Africa game?!) and was a leading scorer for the Eagles on the wing. She’ll be hard to replace, and missed.

Since there are only eight teams competing at the London 7s, everyone qualifies for day two quarterfinals. What does that mean? Don’t be surprised if a team sacrifices a win in order to tweak a lineup or try alternate combinations.

Stay tuned for match reports and player/coach feedback.

London 7s Schedule (All Time Eastern)

(Pool play through Plate championship held at Twickenham's Cardinal Vaughan pitches)

Round 1

5:28 a.m. England v France

5:50 a.m. Australia v Spain

6:12 a.m. USA v Russia

6:34 a.m. Canada v Ireland

Round 2

8:30 a.m. England v Spain

8:52 a.m. Australia v France

9:14 a.m. USA v Ireland

9:36 a.m. Canada v Russia

Round 3

11:44 a.m. France v Spain

12:06 p.m. England v Australia

12:28 p.m. Russia v Ireland

12:50 p.m. USA v Canada

DAY TWO

Quarterfinals

4 a.m. A#3 v B#2

4:22 a.m. A#2 v B#3

4:44 a.m. A#1 v B#4

5:06 a.m. A#4 v B#1

Plate Semifinals: 6:12 a.m. and 6:34 a.m.

Plate Final - 8: 46 a.m.

Final Four inside Twickenham (not streamed)

Contributing writer Eamonn Hogan also writes for Rugby Coach Weekly, drawing on his 22 years of coaching experience in England - from the British military to the Leicester Tigers - to his involvement with the USA All American age grade program, where he serves as advisor. Hogan is also a technical advisor to Workshop College Rugby.  

I would love to be a professional rugby coach. I am sure many of you would love to be one of those mythical creatures, too. Getting paid to do what you love isn’t work at all. However, are we all in love with the idea of getting paid for doing something we do for free already?

My brother works in the motor vehicle industry and is as good a mechanic in his spare time as you are likely to meet. He is so good that professional teams in Ireland recruit him as their pit boss, and he spends his weekends stuck under some high performance heap, freezing, covered in mud with the biggest smile on his face. His view on life is if you can get paid for doing something you love, then you’ll never work a day in your life.

Sadly, I am in the Tiger Woods category. He once said that if you do your hobby for a job, then what are you going to do for a hobby? I coach rugby at a private high school and university; I contribute to this esteemed website, writing out my thoughts and opinions on the game; I spend all of my time reading sports management books; and I watch at least 10 hours of rugby per week on television. But I am not a professional rugby coach; if anything, I am a professional rugby voyeur. A professional coach requires much more effort and energy than I currently give, so I am still firmly placed in the amateur rugby family – along with nearly all of you.

Although I would jump at the chance to coach for a living (and have attempted to do so for many years), today, I can express my thoughts in any way I see fit without being accused of walking “the party line”. I don't have to wear the corporate kit or be mindful that the result is all that matters. Player development isn’t someone else’s job, and I can have as many fake girlfriends as I want and Katie Couric couldn't care less.

Don't decry the fact that you cannot devote more time as an amateur coach to the game, because honestly, the young players and fellow coach friends of mine who have gone pro will tell you that although they love being at the top of the tree, it isn’t really that much fun … it’s a job – a superb and exciting one, but not one that could be classed within a donkey’s roar of fun.

Being a professional coach is one of great challenges, huge demands and constant pressure. I loved it when I did it, and as I said, would love to do it again, but amateur coaching is where the fun’s at. I have a thousand stories of things I saw as an amateur coach that I never saw in my years as a paid one.

I once had a player arrested 15 minutes into the second half of a game by armed military police officers.

My team once gave away a try on tour in Spain because they were on all fours bah-ing like sheep because someone used the "special code word’’.

In Germany, I made a player the honorary captain for his final game, and he was so excited that he jumped up on the spot, hit his head on the door frame and was taken to the hospital for six stitches. He played when he came back though. Heroic.

After a match in Cologne, my second row took an instant dislike to a Neo-Nazi who was drinking nearby with his similarly shaved-head friends. He walked over to one of them, handed him some coins and walked back. When I asked what he was doing, he said he gave the guys some coins to phone his friends so he could start a fight with them in the parking lot outside. My second row was a British police officer.

In Scotland, I had a scrumhalf who was nicknamed “Blind Phil” due to his predisposition to pick the ball at the scrum and go down the blind side on his own. Despite months of asking him not to do this, in one game, I finally lost my temper and screamed at him, calling him every unprintable name I could. At halftime, I called him to the side and asked why didn't he pass the ball when it was obvious we had many opportunities out wide. “Eamonn, I will not pass the ball to someone who has less talent than I do.”

My final game of rugby as a player was a 1999 tour match in Florida. After the game, we asked where the showers were, and their captain pointed at the Atlantic Ocean, saying, “It’s 78 degrees, why do you need a shower?" Sadly, one of my players took the man literally and walked naked, with some shower gel, into the water with horrified pensioners and families watching on. Didn't take long for the federales to turn up.

I can assure you, the aforementioned does not happen in professional rugby despite what the players may tell you. Many would LIKE it to be that way, but it really isn’t. Rugby is at its most fun at the amateur level and long may it be so. I spend most of my time coaching amateur players today, and there are many times I am frustrated by the lack of time or commitment they show, but I have to remember that not everyone is a rugby bore like me.

Amateur rugby holds the soul of the game and needs to be cherished and nurtured by new generations of players and coaches. Professional rugby is for a very small percentage of players who with a combination of hard work, genetics and luck seek to make a living from the game. There is no harm in admitting the professional game, having had a little exposure to it in my time at Leicester Tigers, is a wondrous thing to be involved with. It’s challenging, demanding, frustrating and the biggest rush you can get as a rugby coach. It’s rewarding and very enjoyable, but fun it is not.

Professional rugby will come to the USA soon enough. As sevens becomes more popular and with 7s and 15s world cups, Six Nations and Rugby Championship games aired live now, it’s inevitable that some bright spark will invest funds in the game and start a professional league. While it’s fully amateur, enjoy the ride.

In 1974, the British and Irish Lions Invitational side, the same one that is travelling to Australia this summer, went to South Africa and didn't lose a game in three months. The captain of that tour was a Northern Irishman called Willie John McBride, who throughout his life said that his tour wouldn't have been the same without the support and strength of his second row partner, Gordon Brown of Scotland. In 2001, Gordon died from cancer and Willie John was asked to speak at his funeral. He gave a moving speech and finished it with a line by poet W.B. Yeats:

“Think where man's glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends.”

Amateur rugby gives you friends who at the end of your time will speak of you like this. If you cherish the game and the people who play it, it will return to you tenfold what you give to it. This is what amateur rugby is really all about and long may it be so.

In 2012, Rugby Magazine named the Norwich vs. Washington State DII championship semifinal the women’s game of the year. Many regarded that match as the true title bout, and WSU has returned to Palo Alto, Calif., to claim that trophy in 2013. The Cougars are heavily favored to go all the way, but that doesn’t mean the weekend will belong to Washington State.

The match we’re most excited to watch is Winona State vs. Quinnipiac in the semifinals. Winona have experience on their side, having advanced to last year’s DII final. They’ve continued their dominating ways throughout the 2012-13 season and encountered little resistance in their return trip to Stanford. Quinnipiac lacks that experience; however, they’ve played some more competitive (i.e., closer) matches, and being only two years old, have the element of surprise on their side.

When the Hamden, Conn., team played their first league game in fall 2011, they resembled many college sides: Began with 60 walk-ons, whittled down to 30, and then retained a core group of 12 who were dedicated to the sport. Everyone was a rookie, and that first season ended with a 3-6-1 record, which met the expectations of head coach Becky Carlson and her first-year team.

“During my peer interview at Quinnipiac, many of the other coaches had asked about my plans for the program,” Carlson reflected. “I said that I hoped, within a few seasons, to be among the top five in the nation and vye for a national championship. There weren’t too many of my peers who believed me at the time.”

But the student athletes didn’t want to wait a few seasons. After their first year concluded, the players sat down with coaches and decided they wanted the conference and national titles, now. Pleasantly surprised, the coaches laid out the pathway toward drastic improvement, and also upped the recruitment effort.

An NCAA varsity sport, Quinnipiac has the ability to offer scholarships. The Bobcats acquired one of the more exciting players to grace the pitch this year – Florida’s Natalie Kosko, a former gymnast, who played with the USA 7s Stars & Stripes in Las Vegas last February. Elisa Cuellar (Sebastian River, Fla.) and Shannon Durkin (Bishop O'Dowd, Calif.), both of whom had some rugby experience to their credits, also bolstered the roster.

“We’ve added a mix of talented rugby players and crossover athletes who’ve been recruited,” Carlson said, “but this [team success] has truly been a collective effort. The core of 12 is a testament to them practicing six days a week, weight training, strength and conditioning. They really enjoy playing with each other and want to win.”

The team saw results immediately. The wins started to add up as the Bobcats worked through the inaugural regular season of the new Tri-State Conference. Confidence was buliding, but it wasn’t until their game against Vassar that Quinnipiac really started to believe that something special was coalescing.

Several players were out of position due to injury, and Kosko was playing in her first game since recovering from a foot injury. At one point, Quinnipiac found themselves down three players, defending their own five-meter for what seemed like an eternity.

“There’s not much you can do as a coach at that point; that’s all guts,” Carlson remembered. “Vassar didn’t score. That game lit a fire under them; it was amazing. They just looked at each other and saw their starting lineup right there – and that’s the way it’s been ever since.”

Quinnipiac had developed these t-shirts together that simply read: Believe. Carlson told her squad that if they believed in each other, then anything was possible; and once the team displayed that trust, they’d earn the right to wear those shirts. They donned those “Believe” t-shirts with pride after the Vassar game.

The Bobcats didn’t cruise to the conference title or through national playoffs, not like the way Washington State or Winona have. Albany proved a worthy opponent in the fall, playing Quinnipiac to two tough games during league and for the conference title. In the Round of 16, the Connecticut side took a half to adjust to the tempo of play and intensity at the breakdown against Lee. Battling back from a deficit and weathering the anxiety of a score-trading match, Quinnipiac pulled through with a 25-20 victory.

“We were prepared for this,” Carlson said of Lee and Appalachian State, Quinnipiac’s quarterfinal opponent. “You continue in this tournament and you’re going to see better teams, a higher level of athleticism. I told the players, ‘There’s going to be a time when you get scored on, and you’re standing in the try zone with this unfamiliar feeling. But how you bounce back from that is going to prove what kind of team you are.’”

But the rapid success hasn’t gone to the team’s head. They’ve earned the confidence that results from hard work and shared successes and trials, but they’re also embracing that “good kind of nervous,” according to Carlson, that wards off complacency.

“There’s an incredible amount of humility that comes with it,” Carlson said of the team’s achievements. “Yes, you go out there with a feeling of confidence that you’re going to win, but you still approach every game as a championship game.”

Now, it’s reality. Quinnipiac will play in the program’s highest-stake game tomorrow against Winona, and the winner will very likely see Washington State in the final Saturday.

The April issue of Rugby Magazine is now available to RUGBYMag.com Subscribers as well as via the Apple Newsstand and iTunes. Click here to use the iPad App.  And BIG NEWS - you can subscribe with you Android tablet. Go here for more.

The April issue of Rugby Magazine is now available to RUGBYMag.com Subscribers as well as via the Apple Newsstand and iTunes. Click here to use the iPad App.  And BIG NEWS - you can subscribe with you Android tablet. Go here for more.

RUGBY Magazine is now available for Android device users. 

This means you can subscribe to the e-magazine on its own through your Android tablet.

You get access to each new RUGBY Magazine, plus uploaded back issues. The app for RUGBY Magzine is free, and then you pay for a subscription, or the individual back issues that you want.

How to get RUGBY Magazine on your device:

Step 1: Confirm Your Device Allows Installation of the Amazon Appstore

Step 2: Download the Amazon Appstore

Step 3: Install the Amazon Appstore

The April RUGBY Magazine is out on iPad and iPhone, and will be available to RUGBYMag.com subscribers soon.

The theme of the issue is Why We Play, and we profile some players who love the game for various ways, while Alex Goff addresses one of the main obstacles to rugby players who just want to play. Jackie Finlan also addresses issues that undercut just taking the field, while Pat Clifton takes a more romantic view as he recalls the special moments on road trips.

We check in with Samu Manoa, and his rugby-playing little sister. We speak with Brett Thompson, look at how rugby became an Olympic sport the first time, and examine one of the game's great rivalries - Glendale and the Denver Barbarians.

And finally, Sammy Anderson from the University of Tennessee gives his own spin on his experiences at Stellenbosch.

To subscribe on your Apple device, go to the Apple Store.

On the surface, going 2-1 during day one of an international tournament isn't a bad result. But for the USA Women 7s team at the China 7s, those wins weren't the prettiest of performances, and the team's shortcomings were exposed against England.

"The good news is that we advanced to the Cup round," USA Women 7s coach Ric Suggitt said. "We had some first-game jitters against Fiji, but still managed to come away with a victory. Against China, we got caught asleep at the wheel for the first six minutes. A good rebound at that point got us the all-important two victories in pool play."

Those two wins automatically qualified the USA for the Cup round; however, the Eagles had to first take on Houston 7s champion England before calling it a day.

"We had a great kickoff start, and then it all went downhill from there," Suggitt said. "We got outworked and out-muscled at the breakdown. We didn't cover well when the first-up tackles were missed. When the reserves game into the game, I thought they did some good things, but the gap was way too large. We then ended up playing to save face."

"Outworked" and "out-muscled" aren't terms typically associated with the USA women's team, so some big changes need to occur today during the knockouts.

"Going into day two, if plan on moving past the quarters, we will need to tidy up the tackle/ruck area. No ifs, ands or buts about it," Suggitt said. "We have some quality speed, but we failed to utilize it effectively today. We can not complain about the weather."

Tune into tonight via http://wsws.irb.com/ to see whether the USA enacts those changes against Australia, 10:22 p.m. EST.

Last month I began a series of articles highlighting ways youth rugby coaches can help their players prepare for college. The first three key items included:

1. Set perspective – emphasize “student first, athlete second”
2. Set team minimum grade requirement, 2.0 or better (3.0 preferable)
3. Talk about college

In this month’s article, we continue with more ways you can help players get to college.

4. Require that players complete a four-year high school course plan
College planning doesn’t just fall into your lap. Families must be proactive and plan out their courses in advance to avoid any potential red flags or holes in their schedule. Too many times I see a student realize they need to take a specific class, but don’t have room. Your players’ high school guidance counselors should have four-year planning sheets specific to their school for them to fill out. If not, then here’s an easy, four-year planning worksheet you should encourage your players to maintain throughout high school: www.gearup.wa.gov/files/Student_guide_hs_plan.pdf

5. Take your team on college visits
Getting on a college campus is one of the best ways to give players a tangible feeling of what college is like.  College visits allow students to get a feel of what they want in their dream college, and once they have that goal, students are much more motivated to work hard toward achieving it. You may even contact the college rugby coach and arrange a visit with the team or attend one of their games. Anything you can do to encourage your players to think about college is a huge plus. Go to a college website, search for “Campus Tour” and sign up for a group tour.

6. Team Community Service
Colleges like to know that students have an awareness of the world around them. Community service allows students to give back to their community as well as potentially increase their job experience and grow their leadership skills. This is also a great way to increase team bonding off the field. Involve your the parents and players to really add to team unity!  By taking on a team cause, you will automatically add to your players’ college application. Check out www.volunteermatch.org for ways your team can pitch in!

Stay tuned for Part III in the next few weeks. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me. I plan to offer a “Mailbag” column soon to answer any questions you readers may have.

Karen Fong, MA, PPSC, is a college admissions expert with specialized knowledge of the collegiate rugby landscape available for personalized coaching. She is a credentialed guidance counselor and former collegiate All-American & National U-23 Team player, and is also USA Rugby’s High School All American Program Volunteer Academic Advisor.

Call today and let Karen take the stress out of the college application process! (310) 497-0619  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Earlier this week, RugbyMag.com learned that the first USA Women 7s professional - Kaelene Lundstrum - is being released from contract. She was one of the "original eight" signed during the inaugural round of 7s contracts in late 2011.

The March issue of Rugby Magazine is now available to RUGBYMag.com Subscribers as well as via the Apple Newsstand and iTunes. Click here to use the iPad App.

The March issue of Rugby Magazine is now available via the Apple Newsstand and iTunes. Click here to purchase the latest and previous issues. RugbyMag.com Premier subscribers will be able to access the magazine on Monday, via RugbyMag.com, not iTunes.

MARCH PREVIEW: This month, Rugby Magazine looks at a variety of big issues within the American game. We also look ahead to the CRC, the most-attended domestic rugby event in the USA.

FEATURES
Isiejah Allen: Pat Clifton looks at a former football player who may have the right attitude to make it big in rugby.

Character Counts: Alex Goff talks with coaches about how rugby can't always just assume players have good character.

Surprise Bizer: Meya Bizer's rise through the USA WNT ranks has been meteoric, but her journey is an interesting lesson to rugby fans, whether you follow women's rugby or not.

CRC: We look at the CRC through the eyes of Madison Hughes, and check out what's going on with the High School and Women's events in Philly.

DEPARTMENTS
Cliff Notes: Pat Clifton discusses the trend toward leaving USA Rugby out of league business decisions

Goff On Rugby: Sometimes little things matter, and why in American rugby we have differing rules for things like forfeits drives Alex Goff crazy.

Full Time: Coach and columnist Eamonn Hogan tells us some of the things he's learned from another coaching legend.

Ask The Coach: Former Eagle Mike Saunders discusses the box kick.

Off the Clock: Eagle 7s player Deven Owsiany talks Twitter, laziness, the chilling with the Eagle men's team.

To download the iPad or iPhone app and subscribe to RUGBY Magazine through iTunes cick here .

If you are a RugbyMag.com Premier, the magazine will be available on RUGBYMag.com on Monday, March 25.

DI college teams in the Northeast and possibly the Midwest also are seriously looking at moving to a fall-only schedule.

Break a 7s game down and you have a hundred different facets.

USA U20s players and staff gathered in Las Vegas last week for a week long camp in preparation for our debut in the Junior World Championship in France this June. We face an incredibly tough task of playing against South Africa, France and England in Pool A of the Championship.

USA U20s players and staff gathered in Las Vegas last week for a week long camp in preparation for our debut in the Junior World Championship in France this June. We face an incredibly tough task of playing against South Africa, France and England in Pool A of the Championship.

USA Men's 7s Coach Alex Magleby has a specific plan in mind for Mike Palefau.

USA Men's National Team Head Coach speaks with RUGBYMag.com Editor-in-Chief about the USA team in this audio interview exclusive to RUGBYMag.com Premier Subscribers.

USA scrumhalf Mike Petri did not play for NYAC Saturday following diagnosis of a thumb injury.

A RUGBYMag.com source has confirmed that the 2013 DI-A final, slated for