USA Rugby Pathways ramps up for year three of nationwide Talent ID Camps in 2023

USA Rugby High Performance Pathways will return to the road in 2023, hosting the third annual series of Talent Identification Camps beginning in March.

Each camp is focused on identifying Men’s and Women’s athletes capable of competing for junior and senior national teams. Athletes between 16 and 25 are encouraged to review the performance criteria here and sign up for a camp in their area at least 5 days before each event date.

Brendan Keane, USA Rugby Men’s High-Performance Pathways Manager said, "Over the past two years we have seen a number of players advance from the Talent ID series into Junior National Teams and the USA Rugby Academy held each fall, then into MLR. At the identification events, specifically, we are looking for players with exceptional rugby skills and exceptional athleticism. In addition, to make it successfully through the ID process, we are looking for players with the character and resolve to realize their talent.

Echoing Keane, USA Rugby Women’s High-Performance Pathways Manager, Martha Daines said, “We’ve identified a number of players for inclusion in our Junior National Teams and even our Senior Team player pools through these identification events. We are looking for players who have the athletic talent and drive to master the skills required to be successful at the international level, not only in age grade competitions, but also at the senior level.”

Held in partnership with World Rugby, camps include a series of tests in a combine-style environment that create opportunities for athletes from diverse sporting backgrounds. Players will rotate through different stations that include physical performance testing, general and position specific skills assessments, as well as small-sided games.

Ultimately, the goal for both Keane and Daines is to record top talent from each corner of the rugby playing community and offer high performance opportunities for those top prospects on a yearly basis. With international tours, combines, camps and regional competitions across both fifteens and sevens expected again in 2023, identified standouts will provide an expanded pool of player selection for these events. Both the Men’s and Women’s programs are once again targeting a busy summer of high performance assemblies, with the Coredon Summer Tour, Canada U23 Series and both pathways planning for World School 7s at the end of the year. The Women’s Pathways are also working towards development competitions in conjunction with the Pacific Four Series as it lands in Canada this July, alongside the return of the World Rugby Trophy for the Men’s U20s. A full schedule of USA Rugby Pathways assemblies will be available shortly.