Our Story

Providing kids in under-served Washington DC communities with access to physical, mental and social health through the game of rugby.

We were founded by the Washington Rugby Football Club (WRFC) in 2004. We only had seven kids at our first match — just enough to field a team. Before long, word had spread to players’ friends, classmates, brothers and sisters — then sure enough to the Embassy community, bolstering our rosters with families from Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Ireland and England.

Today, our teams total 100 children and represent all quadrants of DC, including Columbia Heights, Brookland, Capital Hill, and Edgewood.

Healthy exposure to sports and other cultures from a young age benefit kids across many dimensions, from teamwork, leadership and tolerance, to health, education, and time management.

Washington DC Youth Rugby – 2004

Washington DC Youth Rugby – 2004

Our Vision

Give elementary, middle and high school kids in all quadrants of the city access to free rugby programming.

Our Methodology

Many youth sports are cost prohibitive. Washington DC Youth Rugby (WDCYR) leverages the following strategies to keep our programming free and accessible:

  • We provide all equipment (balls, cones and flag belts) and coach trainings at zero cost to the schools.

  • “Training the trainer” enables non-rugby folks to coach during PE and after-school.

  • All coaches and administrators are volunteers.

  • We nurture relationships with our high school program alumni — many of whom come back to coach and volunteer.

  • Our parent network is passionately involved. They coach, referee, provide crucial transportation and field a team for the highly anticipated “Kids vs. Coaches & Parents” match.

  • Our supporters and the local rugby community offer invaluable financial and operational support.

bell girls .jpg

A Focus on High School

Bell Multicultural Educational Campus, one of WDCYR high schools, is the only Spanish language dual immersion high school program in Washington, DC. 

  • 20 countries are represented in the student body

  • 100% are economically disadvantaged

    • 64% are Hispanic

    • 36% are African American

    • 36% are learning English language as a second language

WDCYR’s other high school program is located at Ron Brown College Preparatory School, an all-boys school in Northeast DC. 

  • 100% are economically disadvantaged

    • 95% of the students are African American

    • 4% are Hispanic

    • 33% have special needs

We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN:26-2820897) and participants in Combined Federal Campaign, CFC #66651.

Help grow our impact with a contribution.
100% of proceeds go to Washington DC Youth Rugby.