The recruits from New Zealand, the inconvenient truth

Wes Clark Interview

http://wesclark.com/rrr/highland_rugby.html

Is there a strong non-U.S. contingent on the club? (I had heard that there were many players of Tongan and New Zealand nationality.)


A more appropriate question to ask is this, "Is there a strong non-U.S. contingent at the school?" Highland High School is a designated ESL (English as a Second Language) school. Depending upon the school year, between 25% to 30% of the student body are enrolled in the ESL program. Immigrants, refugees, etc. that come to the Salt Lake area have the children enrolled at Highland because of the excellent English language program. At present, 37 languages, other than English, are spoken by students as a first language at Highland. Talk about diversity! Many students come here with little or no English speaking ability. 

While we get students from all over the country, presently the majority of students come from Latin America, the South Pacific, and Eastern Europe. We are seeing more African students of late. Several years ago we saw a flood of Southeast Asian immigrants.

Naturally we have some non-U.S. citizens who are students and participate in most all sports at the school, both sanctioned and unofficial sports. (You hear more Spanish being spoken on the Highland soccer team than English!) Although rugby has more students participating than football at Highland, there are more non-U.S. students playing football than are playing rugby.


The team is bigger than any player or any coach. We put our personal wants and wishes aside for the sake of the team. We sacrifice for the team.
We have dominated because we get the best athletes in the school, they work hard and train hard, and, I believe, are properly coached.

What attracted the non-U.S. players to Salt Lake City?

Utah has become a popular place for immigration because we have so much space here and the economy is so good. There is virtually no unemployment here. The LDS Church is also a major draw. Many people want to come to "Zion." Highland High School gets a disproportionate share of immigrants because of the English program.

Answering but not answering the question ... the invisible boys from New Zealand.

BYU Broadcasting Not Talking

Contacted BYU broadcasting several times, Kevin Worthen and President Samuelsons office. Spoke to the admin assistants and left my name and number. I asked that they have someone call me back.

No one had the courtesy to return my call and discuss why BYU is putting its stamp of approval on such a recruiting scheme.

Just prior to the 2011 NCAA tournament, BYU removed a basketball player from the team who voluntarily came forward and admitted that he had violated the school honor code. I will have to read the BYU honor code to see if it gives any further direction.

BYU funded documentry

BYU has funded a documentary on the Highland Rugby Club. More details coming.

Zero Mentions

In over 25 years the invisible rugby players from New Zealand have contributed to winning at least 50% of the 410 wins and 1/2 of the 19 National Championships?

Yet there are ZERO mentions of their critical contributions in the forever strong movie, on the team website, on the missionary strong website or in any newspaper article. Not even a thank you!

WHY?

Because recruiting foreign rugby players to get wins does not:

• sell movie tickets
• secure funding from BYU for a documentary (Brigham Young University)
• get you paid corporate speaking engagements.

U-19 and High School division confusion

There is still a lot of misinformation circulating regarding the Highland transition from the High School Varsity aged rugby program to the more recent focus on the U-19 program.

The U-19 team is not a high school varsity aged team.

The U-19 division was created after 2005, when Highland could no longer use the Utah Public School system or any private school to perpetuate the "pretend full time student" program from year to year. See the letter from Carol Lear and the Utah Board of Education.

The U-19 program has allowed the Highland and the New Zealand recruiting program to continue without the full time high school student requirement.

You have seen a steady decline in the storied 379-9 / Highland High School Varsity program to an average team. Four losses this year alone. Very competitive games from week to week. No 40,50, 60, 80 and 126 to zero wins. Same coaching staff and leadership principles.

What has happened?

There are no recruited import players from NZ playing on this team.

They are all now playing on the U-19 squad.

The U-19 team and its record should be kept totally separate from the High School team record. They are two separate and distinct teams. One comprised of young men attending high school as full time students. The other of 18 and almost 19 year olds and the 8 import players from NZ.

It is very misleading to be adding the win loss record of the post 2005 U-19 team on to the pre 2005 win loss record of the high school varsity aged team just to push the combined numbers to 410 wins.

Import players on both teams

Both Highland (8) and United(4) have import players from New Zealand on their 2011 teams. It was the only way United could compete with Highland and avoid the 50 to 100 point drubbings experienced by every other team.

United has been the only team in the country that has provided an equal level of competition to the Highland U-19 program.

Several proposals to level the playing field for all teams by limiting the number of import players to two on the field at anyone time have been supported by United but turned down by Highland.

Thank you to the import players from New Zealand, on both teams for your contribution.

Highland beats United 38-24

Highland beats United 38-24

Jesuit beats Xavier 50-27

Cal beats BYU 21-14

Awesome games

Tipping Point

Highland High School team loses another tough game to Snow Canyon. That makes four losses this season. Props to the boys on both teams for a well played game.

Each week the undeniable yet hidden contribution of the import players from New Zealand, the Highland magic, 100 point to zero games and the "incredible 390 wins" is further exposed and brought to the surface.

Each loss strengthens the case that for 25 years the overwhelming tipping point from one season to the next has always been the import players from New Zealand. Without them there would be 200 wins and 200 losses a 50/50 team and no forever strong movie.

Without these incredible players on the field the High School games are extremely competitive and do much good for local players the spirit and growth of youth rugby.

Highland High School loses 3rd game in a row to Lone Peak

Another tough loss for the Highland High School team to Lone Peak High School on Wednesday.

(23 -19)

Teams are very savvy now to keeping the Highland import players off the field for these High School division games. The very competitive and close games speak for themselves.

Competitive and Equals

Was just informed by a reader that the Highland High School team (not U-19) also lost to Skyline last week.

Both of these games, Snow Canyon this week and Skyline were tough hard fort matches.

Props and respect to the Highland boys as well.

They played their hearts out in the loss to Snow Canyon.

Each loss further unravels the onion of the Highland Myth:

• Reveals the equality and competitiveness that exists between teams when one is not stacked with import players
• NO stifling 100 point wins
• It proves that 30 years of this process has not filtered down to the other Highland players and teams in the program.
• They are at the same level as all of the other High School aged teams in the country.
• Not dominant, not unbeatable but struggling and learning as all teams do.
• This is what builds true character.
• This is a positive and refreshing revelation and change for the growth of youth rugby.
• This is the last year for the U-19 division and the end of outrageous, lopsided 100 point scores.
• Now the future looks very bright for youth rugby

Each loss dilutes the Highland Myth (300 wins and 9 losses) and the lack of recognition that has been with held on purpose from the amazing invisible import players from New Zealand.

Another 50 plus point drubbing

I witnessed another unnecessary drubbing of a team from Arizona by the Highland U-19 team on Saturday.

At one time I believe the entire back line was made of import players from New Zealand.

Sad that the team from Arizona was not permitted to leave the field with any measure of dignity.

Quote from one of the highland players during the game, "on our way to 100 baby". A sad reflection of the Highland culture.

At least it was not a 100 to zero affair which has become far to common over the past 10 years with this team stacked annually with import players and pretend students.

The real telling game of the day was the game between (3rd year)Snow Canyon, a single school team from St George and the (30 year)Highland High School team made up of players from all over the Salt Lake Valley.

Highland lost. The Highland Magic is not so magic with out the (10) import boys.

Speaks volumes for itself.

30 years and no home field

Several high schools were approached by Highland to use their facilities for this season. They were denied partly because they checked with the Utah State Board of Education on the validity of pretend students / import rugby players in 2005 being expelled from Olympus High School.

It's interesting that after 30 years and such a storied record of wins, that Highland has no permanent home field in Salt Lake. This year they are practicing in Millrace city park.

Unlike several relatively new local programs who in just a few years have secured permanent long term locations and amazing community and local school support.

Successful Recruiting trip 2010

Larry Gelwix had a successful recruiting trip to the South Pacific in 2010. Unconfirmed reports, that he recruited from 7 to 10 players from New Zealand and Samoa.

Also interesting rumors that the bulk of last years coaching staff have left the team for greener pastures and that he plans to shut down the club after this season.

IRB Reaching Out 2 Olympic Promo

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The HR rugby recruiting stalk must have a cold?

My sources report a most unusual and very recent sighting in the Land Down Under ... New Zealand.

Mr LG, Highland head coach on a recruiting trip in Hamilton and American Samoa. Holding meetings in several homes, asking them to come and play for Highland Rugby this upcoming season.

I said are you sure!!!!!! This cannot be true ................

I swear it was him or his twin brother.

No no, he would not risk being seen engaged in a recruiting activity that he has vehemently denied having any knowledge of for 30 years.

"I know NOTHING about any recruiting, they (import rugby players from NZ) just show up every year on my doorstep, I don't know how they get here"

Does the rugby recruiting stalk have a cold this year?

Now American Samoa is interesting I said, why would he be recruiting players from American Samoa?..........Because they are US Citizens!!! Ah ha his creativity ceases to amaze me .............

"I know NOTHING" Sargent Schultz from the old TV show Stalag 13.

Level the playing field for all teams

1. Require ID cards for all players. Very easy to do with today's technology.

2. Limit the number of non resident players to 2 or 3 on the field at any one time.

3. If you live in the boundaries of a High School that has a team, you must play for that team.

Dave makes some very good suggestions worth looking into

Is it time to:

1. Clarify the resident, non resident, citizen, non citizen confusion?

2. USA Rugby National Championship for US Clubs with US Citizens/Residency who live in the USA

3. And their could be allowances for true exchange students studying full-time in academic courses or foreign born boys who are living in the US full-time

4. USA Rugby Open Tournament which allows any U19 Club in the USA or from anywhere in the world to compete.

From a parent of one of the Belmont Shore players

Dear Ra:

Thanks for your Info / Blog and I do take it for what it is, just good information that helps to create talking points and explain what I was wondering about but not knowledgeable about.

I try to suppress any animosity towards Highland or even Utah United "Import Players. Anyone should want to play against the best players at their age grade to improve, learn from, and understand what it takes to excel at the highest level. This can only be done by playing the best competition you can find, which in the US (outside of Utah), can be difficult for most youth rugby clubs that don't have healthy traveling budgets.

Anyway, I was impressed while attending the U19 Nationals in Sandy that all of the "Import Players" seemed like terrific boys not just in their level of play but their sportsmanship on the field also. So I have no problem with these great U19 boys at all.

I watched most of the 2010 Utah United win over Highland and it was the best U19 match I've seen played in the USA. It was just a great match and I was proud to see Rugby played at this level, at this age grade, in the USA. Our U19 coach made sure our boys where in the stands watching not just the skill level but how the boys would make a hard tackle but many times give the opposing player a pat or even help them up.

So, the only problem I have, and I think you have this opinion by reading your blog, is:
1) What is fair?
2) Why would adults with such good morals, a sense of what fair play is, and strong religious standards want to play their own games with the intent of the rules. It doesn't take Rocket Scientist to understand what is "Fair Play" and what is not.
2) So, did we really have a USA Rugby U19 National Championship or just a great Open Tournament Final played in the USA?

Yes, rhetorical question with a simple suggestion for Youth Rugby in the US:
- The USA Rugby National Championship should be for US Clubs with US Citizens/Residency who live in the USA. And their could be allowances for true exchange students studying full-time in academic courses or foreign born boys who are living in the US full-time.
- Their could also be a USA Rugby Open Tournament which allows any U19 Club in the USA or from anywhere in the world to compete. This could be a traditional US U19 Club (home grown), a hybrid like Highland/United, or traveling Clubs from overseas or Canada. That is, an invitational but open to any club from anywhere in the world.

We could then reward US Boys with a true US National Championship. And we could also challenge our US U19 Clubs to play against the best Club Teams in the world. If some of our best US U19 Clubs think they can play at International Levels (or honestly close to it), then enter the Open Tournament. Teams like Highland could enter both but not go to that extreme of having 8 New Zealand boys playing for a USA National Championship.

Continuing on to a more important topic. My son plays for the Belmont Shore U19 Team that tried as hard as could with the skills their short rugby training allowed them. They were all disappointed to loose to Highland but understood that their skill level was not (yet) at Highland or Utah United's level. So sure, the boys, parents, & coaches complained a bit about Highland but almost all of us understood that we (boys, coaches, parents & supporters) were given a great gift to have our club boys be able to play a match against such a quality rugby side. Immediately after the match, our Club started to plan on how to get organized to provide the best support possible for our boys for next year and the future. And the boys started thinking about the higher level of commitment that would be required to get to international levels.

As you mentioned, Highland has a habit of painting a rosy picture. On their website, they mentioned that Belmont Shore looked like a Men's Side but we are really quite young: Props are 15 & 17, starting wing also 15, half the team are juniors in high school, & we only age-out three players from this year. Having a team with many Samoan-American boys you just get big athletic kids with a football background. My son ....................... and this was his first year playing at that position; he's also 17yrs and a high school junior.

Anyway, thanks for your blog since it really did give me good background info; just better to be informed than ignorant and bitter.

In the end, I was just happy to have seen such an impressive U19 Final Match on US soil and thrilled that my son and his club played in a terrific tournament in Utah