Giovanni Vaglietti

Key TakeawaysUSA Youth and High School Rugby, formed in 2021, has significantly improved youth rugby's positioning and representationKey initiatives include high-performance partnerships, coaching education (Six Degrees), and developing a comprehensive player pathwayCurrent focus is on building foundations for scalable growth, aiming for 1 million youth players in the futureChallenges include geographic spread and competition with established U.S. sports, but rugby community engagement is a key strength TopicsGiovanni Valetti's Rugby BackgroundBorn in South Africa to Italian grandparentsFirst rugby experience: 1995 Rugby World Cup in South AfricaMoved to U.S., studied sports managementBecame Executive Director of SoCal Rugby in 2018 before joining USA Youth and High School Rugby Formation and Structure of USA Youth and High School RugbyCreated in 2021 following USA Rugby's restructuring501(c)(3) organization focused on youth and high school rugbyBoard structure with regional representationAims to insulate youth game from potential issues at higher levelsProvides more direct representation for youth rugby interests Current Initiatives and ProgramsHigh Performance Partnership with U.S. national teamsSix Degrees coaching education platformImagine Rugby (non-contact introductory program)Working on integrated strategic plan for player pathwayFocus on mass participation and skill development Challenges and OpportunitiesGeographic spread makes competition and travel difficultNeed to compete with established U.S. sports for participantsCurrent player base is substantial compared to some rugby nationsOpportunity to leverage upcoming World Cups (2031, 2033) for growthBuilding sustainable structures for post-World Cup growth Community Engagement and RetentionRugby community provides networking, job opportunities, and lifelong connectionsFocus on retaining players as coaches, referees, and administratorsWorking to improve communication and engagement with clubs and playersEncouraging content sharing from clubs and state organizations for social media Next StepsContinue developing and promoting Six Degrees coaching platformExpand high-performance initiatives and player pathwaysImprove marketing and communication to showcase YHS Rugby's workEncourage more content sharing from clubs and state organizationsFocus on building sustainable structures for long-term growth beyond 2033 World Cups   worldrugbyshop.comrugbynorcal.orggoffrugbyreport.com