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BC Rugby Players & Parents

FURTHER YOUR GAME

BC Rugby is committed to helping you develop your understanding of Rugby. From recognising concussion to accessing medical care and mental health support, our Players & Parents resources section has everything you need to further your game both on and off the pitch.

Skip to the relevant section by clicking on the topics below:

Player Welfare

International Player Clearance

Member FAQ

Accessing Medical Care

Mental Health Support

Funding and Support For Aspiring Players

Taking Your Performance Further

Reporting Abuse/Get Help

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PLAYER WELFARE

Recognising Concussion and Next Steps

Concussion is a traumatic brain injury that results in a disturbance of brain function. Some of the most common signs and symptoms of concussion include headaches, dizziness, memory impairment or loss of balance.

Concussion can be caused by a direct blow to the head, but can also occur in whiplash type injuries, where a blow to another body part results in rapid movement to the head.

Concussions can happen to anyone at any age. However, children and adolescent athletes are more susceptible to concussion and they take longer to recover from concussion-related injuries.

The World Rugby Recognise and Remove message incorporates 6 Rs:

  • Recognise

    Learn the signs and symptoms of a concussion so you understand when an athlete might have a suspected concussion.

  • Remove

    If an athlete has a concussion or even a suspected concussion, he or she must be removed from play immediately.

  • Refer

    Once removed from play, the player should be referred immediately to a qualified healthcare professional who is trained in evaluating and treating concussions.

  • Rest

    Players must rest from exercise until symptom-free and then start a Graduated Return to Play. World Rugby recommends a more conservative return to play for children and adolescents.

  • Recover

    Full recovery from the concussion is required before return to play is authorised. This includes being symptom-free. Rest and specific treatment options are critical for the health of the injured participant.

  • Return

    For safe return to play in Rugby, the athlete must be symptom-free and cleared in writing by a qualified healthcare professional who is trained in evaluating and treating concussions. The athlete completes the GRTP (Graduated Return to Play) protocol.

Rugby Canada Playsmart

Rugby Canada PlaySmart is a Player Welfare program that aims to educate players, parents, coaches, match officials and administrators on the safety of Rugby across Canada.

The health and safety of every player across the country is of paramount importance. Rugby Canada strives to ensure a safe playing environment at all levels. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that all players are protected and ensure that the game is played safely.

To learn more, visit the Rugby Canada website.

Useful Resources

Check out the links and downloads below for useful information on Player Welfare in Rugby:

World Rugby Concussion Guidance

This excellent guideline from World Rugby details everything you need to know about concussion in Rugby.

Learn More

World Rugby Head Injury Assessment (HIA) Protocol

This Protocol has been developed to support the recognition, diagnosis and management of concussion in elite rugby.

Learn More

World Rugby Player Welfare

View the entire Player Welfare section on the World Rugby Section.

Learn More

Concussion Protocol Resources for Sport Organisations

Helping sport organisations develop and implement evidence-based, best-practice concussion protocols based on the Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport.

Learn More

Rugby Return to Sport Strategy

Developed by Rugby Canada and World Rugby.

Download

Rugby Canada Putting Player First

A Player Welfare initiative that provides resources for coaches, players, parents, teachers, match officials and administrators of Rugby.

Download

INTERNATIONAL PLAYER CLEARANCE

Outbound Players

For Canadian players wishing to play Rugby in another Union.

In accordance with World Rugby Regulation 4, when moving to another country all players (both youth & adults) are required to obtain international clearance from their current Union to play Rugby for a Club in another Union.

Each Union has its own International Clearance Application form, which is tailored to their specific processing requirements. Rugby Canada will request its own International Clearance Form to be completed. The incorrect form being submitted will cause a delay in your processing times.

If you are currently registered as a Rugby player in Canada and are planning to play in another country, you will need to be cleared out of Canada and into your new Union. To do this:

Please fully complete the Rugby Canada International Clearance Form.

You are responsible for ensuring that your current Rugby Club and Provincial Union sign the form.

If you are eligible to play international matches for a Union other than Canada or the Union which you are going to, you are responsible for ensuring that Union signs the Clearance Form, ‘Other Union’, prior to submitting a fully completed form to Rugby Canada.

Send your fully completed Rugby Canada International Player Clearance Form to msison@bcrugby.com, who will process the request and send the form to Rugby Canada for final approval.

If all is in order Rugby Canada will clear you out of Canada and then email a copy of the Form to your new Union in order that you can be cleared into that country.

NOTE: Rugby Canada receives a considerable number of requests for clearance at the end of the Provincial domestic season. Rugby Canada will aim to return your clearance form within 14 business days.

Inbound Players

It is recommended that players moving to Canada to play Rugby obtain a copy of their Unions international clearance from via their Club or Union. Players will need to complete and submit this form prior to their departure to Canada.

Rugby Canada can only accept approved clearances directly from the Union of the country you are leaving. Once we receive an approved clearance from another Union, you will be notified by Rugby Canada.

Follow the steps below:

Complete as far as possible the International Clearance Form provided by your current national Union. This is normally downloadable from their website. If this is not available, your current Union may accept the standard clearance form attached as Appendix 1 to World Rugby Regulation 4.

Forward the form to the individual responsible for administration at your current club. Ask them to forward the Form to your current national Union, confirming that you are under no contractual obligation to the club. We recommend that you ask to be copied in on this correspondence.

Your current Union will then complete the process of clearing you out of their Union. They will send a copy of the Form to Rugby Canada at clearances@rugby.ca.

Rugby Canada will review your clearance form and providing everything is in order, we will then clear you to play in Canada. At this point, Rugby Canada will send a copy of the completed clearance form and a covering letter by email to the secretary of your Canadian Club and/or Provincial Union.

The Club Secretary should provide you with a copy of the correspondence for your own records.

MEMBER FAQ

Use the dropdown menu below for information on Refund Requests, Transfers and Upgrades:

To request a refund for your registration fees, log in to your SportLomo account to initiate the request.

Automatic Refunds: If the refund is requested within 14 days of your registration date and you have not participated in any Rugby activity (game or practice), the member qualifies for an automatic refund and the money will go back directly to the credit card used to purchase the Membership.

Manual Refunds: If the refund is requested after 14 days of your registration date and you have not participated in any Rugby activity (game or practice), the refund will be manually processed by Rugby Canada, BC Rugby and the Club separately and make separate payments to the Member.

PLAY VIDEO

If you are moving between Clubs, you must get a transfer release from your old Club. Log in to your SportLomo account to initiate the transfer request. The transfer process can take several days for approval between Clubs and Provincial Unions so please allow at least 5-7 days’ notice of transfer to ensure you are properly registered with your new club.

If you are already a registered Member and you wish to add another role to your Membership (i.e. official, coach, etc.), log in to your SportLomo account and you can upgrade your Membership to include multiple roles without having to create a new account.

ACCESSING MEDICAL CARE

The following section houses all information relating to Accessing Medical Care in BC. If you are in need of urgent medical care, please dial 9-1-1.

Rugby Canada National Insurance Plan

Use the dropdown menu below to find out more information on the Rugby Canada National Insurance Program:

Participants who are registered members with a Member Rugby Club or Organisation participating in sanctioned Rugby activities, training and games, fall within the scope of Rugby Canada’s National Insurance Program under specific conditions.

A variety of membership categories exist for types of activities associated with our sport; players, coaches, match officials, managers, medical staff, and club directors.

Player Members

While training or playing for a Rugby Canada registered club in Provincial leagues ONLY, coverage is in place in accordance with terms applicable to each province. Please contact your Provincial Union for information about sanctioned competitions.

Participating in other games, events, tournaments, inside and outside Canada, either as a team or as an individual player is subject to different conditions. Applications for approval must be submitted to Rugby Canada. There are a wide variety of scenarios that fall outside the standard National Insurance Program coverage, require additional approval, or are NOT COVERED. 

Players, team coaches, managers, officials, are strongly advised to ensure that adequate cover is in place before participating in such games, events, tournaments, both inside and outside Canada.

Non-Playing Members

Like Player Members, Non-Playing Members are covered during their activities on behalf of their Club, Province, or Rugby Canada. Further details are available in the policy summary.

Rugby Canada’s coverage is not one singular policy, rather several different policies, underwritten by different insurers, that together offer the level of coverage designed to protect our members. Each underlying policy has its own scope, conditions, and exclusions.

  • Commercial General Liability
  • Accidental Death & Dismemberment
  • Out of Country Emergency Medical
  • Director’s & Officers Liability

BC Medical Services Plan

In BC, public health insurance is called the Medical Services Plan (MSP). It covers the cost of medically necessary insured doctor services. For information on MSP services for BC residents, visit the BC Government website.

Personal Accident Insurance

When you leave Canada to play in another Union you will cease to be covered under the National Insurance Program. All players planning to play Rugby outside of Canada are advised to research the insurance arrangements in their new Union.

Please note that the insurance coverage in some Unions may be significantly less than that provided in Canada. In addition, in some countries, injured players will be required to pay for any medical treatment they receive.

If you can not find the information you are looking for or need assistance with an international clearance, please contact clearances@rugby.ca

Accessing Healthcare for International Students

Effective September 1, 2019, international students studying on a valid study permit for at least six months of the year in British Columbia pay a health fee to contribute to and benefit from B.C.’s health-care coverage.

For more information, visit the BC Government Website.

For more information on how to access health care in BC, visit Welcome BC.

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

There are numerous mental health and substance use related services and resources available to British Columbians. Click on the icons below to learn more. To search for all available services in the province, use the HealthLinkBC Directory.

Bounce Back

Led by the BC Division of the Canadian Mental Health Association. Their program is designed to help adults experiencing symptoms of mild to moderate depression, low mood, or stress, with or without anxiety.

Crisis Centre

Is a non-profit, volunteer organisation committed to helping people help themselves and others deal with crisis. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call: 1-800-784-2433 (1-800-SUICIDE)

Heads Up Guys

Based out of UBC, they are part of the Men’s Depression and Suicide Network, a Canada-wide initiative to develop resources, services, and programs to improve the mental health and well-being of men.

MindHealthBC

Provides easy access to information and resources related to mental health and substance use conditions. MindHealthBC was developed by Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care.

BC Children’s Hospital

Mental Health Services at BC Children’s Hospital provides psychiatric assessment, short-term individual, family and group treatment and medication review for those based in BC.

Kids Help Phone

Toll-free 24-hour, phone counselling, web counselling, and referral service for children/youth. Completely anonymous and confidential. To speak to a counsellor, call 1-800-668-6868.

FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR ASPIRING PLAYERS

This section focuses specifically on funding and bursaries for aspiring BC-based players.

Player Subsidies and Bursaries

Find out more information on the topics using the dropdown menu below.

The BC Rugby Player Subsidy program aims to ensure that no player withdraws from a BC Rugby Team due to financial constraints by providing financial support to players in need in the form of discounts applied against team fees. Targeted towards players who require financial assistance in order to represent their Province, the Player Subsidy program was launched in 2017 and has provided over $40,000 of support to players in BC Rugby XVs and 7s Teams.

The BC Rugby Representative Player Bursary program aims to ensure the no BC player selected for National Teams or programs withdraws due to financial constraints by providing a $2,500 bursary directly to the player. The Representative Player Bursary program is made possible by donations to a dedicated account held by the National Sport Trust Fund, from which BC Rugby will be able to direct funds to players selected to receive the Representative Player Bursaries. With funds raised to date, four bursaries will be available annually.

Applications are currently closed. For more information, contact BC Rugby.

By virtue of its status as a “targeted sport” within the British Columbia Integrated Performance System (IPS), BC Rugby Union is eligible to nominate selected athletes and their coaches for enhanced programs and services support through the Canadian Sport Institute and the network of Regional Centres in BC.

Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, through a partnership with the Province of British Columbia (BC), viaSport, the network of PacificSport centres and BC Rugby, collaborates to deliver programs and services to place BC athletes onto National Teams, and ensure athletes and coaches have every advantage to win medals for Canada.

The partners work jointly to encourage sport excellence and increase podium performances in communities throughout BC. Through the above partnership, and with the above purpose in mind, BC Rugby may nominate athletes and their coaches who meet specific criteria for Canadian Sport Institute Pacific/PacificSport athlete or coach registration.

Upon registering, athletes and coaches can engage in enhanced programs, benefits, and selected support services through Canadian Sport Institute Pacific and the network of PacificSport regional centres in BC. Canadian Sport Institute Pacific and PacificSport athlete support is tiered across four levels based on performance, each with a slate of designated benefits.

Benefits include:

Click here the following for a full outline of Athlete and Coach Programs and services.

Selection Criteria

Athlete Selection

BC Rugby has created a set of criteria for selection to the Athlete Nomination List. There is no application process. Athletes are selected by BC Rugby and a list is submitted to an Athlete Coach Services Technical Expert at Canadian Sport Institute Pacific.

Coach Selection

Personal coaches can also receive access to benefits if they currently coach an athlete selected to the Athlete Nomination List. Like the athletes, coaches will receive a notification via email. For more information on services for coaches, please visit Canadian Sport Institute Pacific.

I am an athlete. How do I know if I can get access?

Upon approval of the BC Rugby Athlete Nomination List, athletes and coaches will be notified via email from BC Rugby and provided with the information to complete registration at one of the eight campuses/centres across the province. Athletes and their coaches can make an appointment at their corresponding centre to complete their intake meeting.

For other funding options and scholarship opportunities, please visit the BC Scholarships website.

Receive high school credits for participating in a Regional Elite Athlete Development Program.

The following BC universities offer post-secondary rugby opportunities for players who want to continue to play rugby after graduating high school: UBC, University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University, Trinity Western University, and UBC Okanagan. Additionally, UBC and the University of Victoria offer scholarship opportunities to student-athletes who have been accepted to study at these two universities.

For more information of any of these programs, contact BC Rugby.

TAKING YOUR PERFORMANCE FURTHER

Below are resources to support you physically and mentally as you continue to play Rugby:

Sport Nutrition

Nutrition is a critical part of an athlete’s life. The choices you make every day about what and how much to eat are amplified when those choices directly impact sport performance, training, and recovery. Visit the CCES page on Sport Nutrition.

CSI Pacific Sport Information on Supplements

The Sport Nutrition Team at the Canadian Sport Institute helps athletes & coaches recognise the critical importance of fueling the body to maximise performance. Visit the CSI Pacific Sport Nutrition Page.

Mental Performance

A performer’s mental state has a vital impact on performance; training the mind for success is an essential ingredient alongside the physical, technical, and tactical training and preparation to achieve high performance goals in competition. Visit the CSI Pacific Mental Performance page.

REPORT ABUSE/GET HELP

BC Rugby values safety, integrity, and respect for all in the community. We all share a responsibility in fostering safe and secure environments, especially for children. 

If you think a child or youth under the age of 19 is being abused or neglected, you have the legal duty to report your concern to a child welfare worker. If you suspect abuse is taking place, call 1-800-663-9122 at any time of the day or night to report your concern.

Duty To Report PDF – Click Here

For more information, visit the BC Government website on Keeping Kids Safe.

EMERGENCIES

IF YOU BELIEVE ANYONE IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY IS IN DANGER, PLEASE PHONE 9-1-1.

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