Growing the Game Through After-School Flag Rugby
At the grassroots end of Legion Community Foundation’s player pathway, LCF’s after-school programs continue to introduce hundreds of young people to rugby in a safe, accessible and positive environment.
The program uses non-contact flag rugby to introduce boys and girls to the game, with no previous rugby experience required. But the program is about much more than simply learning how to pass a rugby ball. Each week combines rugby and movement development with the values that sit at the heart of the sport:
Respect. Teamwork. Discipline. Integrity. Sportsmanship.
Through high-energy sessions led by trained community coaches, students develop movement skills, confidence, leadership and physical fitness while learning how rugby’s values can apply beyond the field.
Students train with their schools during the week before having the opportunity to represent them in league competition, helping create school pride, connection and a genuine team experience.
The Escondido Flag Rugby League has become a cornerstone of LCF’s work and an example of how rugby can be introduced through school-based programming: start with a fun and inclusive version of the game, create positive experiences and provide pathways for young people who want to continue playing.
See more about LCF's Escondido Flag Rugby League on our Instagram
With rugby set to feature prominently at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, followed by the Men’s Rugby World Cup in the United States in 2031 and the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2033, LCF believes there has never been a better opportunity to introduce the next generation to the sport.
From a student picking up a rugby ball for the first time in an after-school program to an Academy player pursuing USA age-grade selection, LCF is working to build a connected pathway that creates opportunities for young people at every stage of the game.