Since 1976, the NOVA Rugby club has been built a foundation of rugby excellence for men, women and youth, which has led to two national championships, countless regional titles and most recently the first ever Virginia High School championship.

Among our proudest accomplishments involve a nearly 15-year commitment of time, resources and mentoring to hundreds of Northern Virginia teenagers. Rugby is a game that values discipline, hard work, teamwork and devotion to club and community. Dozens of NOVA men and women have dedicated afternoons, summers and years to coaching teens and youngsters about the benefits of the game for physical fitness and focusing on being productive members of our area and nation. NOVA has supported players of all skill levels, backgrounds, and ages who have graduated to a vast array of careers from commercial development to technology to media and service the armed services.

During these recessed and uncertain economic times, NOVA Rugby understands that every dollar is as hard-earned as any win we produce on the rugby pitch. However, we would like to provide you some brief background on our club, its goals and most importantly our involvement in the Washington D.C. area community as a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization, which we believe sets our club apart from other sports groups.

Our efforts have been centered primarily through two teams – the boys NOVA u-19s and West End RFC – however, a girls u-19 program is entering its third year and other NOVA alum continue to donate their time coaching summer youth programs.

Over the past 14 years, the NOVA u19s has established itself as one of the premier teams in the Washington D.C. area, from our home base in western Fairfax County. In 2007, we were crowned the Capital Cup champions, as the best first division club in the area. Last year, NOVA completed an undefeated season and won the state championship during the inaugural year of Rugby Virginia. Several of our members have been honored with selection to the U.S.A. Rugby national youth team or earned scholarships to college. Off the field, we preach the importance of studying hard in the half dozen public and private schools our players attend, respecting parents at home and growing into responsible family men. Our graduates have gone on to universities nationally and internationally, and are establishing themselves in top businesses or military careers.

Please read this Washington Post profile of the club from 2008:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/05/AR2008060503633.html

Also under the NOVA family umbrella is the West End Rugby Club, which draws players from schools around the Springfield area in eastern Fairfax County, and for more than 20 years has had NOVA players as coaches and administrators. West End finished 2nd in the third during the 2008 Rugby Virginia season and in years past was a perennial seed in the National High School Championship tournament. For the past several years, West End and NOVA has sponsored the Dave Bailey Memorial Scholarship, a small stipend for a college bound West End player. West End and NOVA alum Dave Bailey died suddenly from liver failure in 2006 at age 29, but his short life represented sportsmanship, Christian missionary work abroad and a devotion to helping young people.

Our challenge during these changing economic times, is finding adequate financial support to meet our funding needs for fields, equipment and travel. Increasingly in recent years, free public field space is difficult to acquire, with the growth of area sports programs and shrinking of government budgets. For example, the NOVA u19s have paid a minimum of $6,000 per spring season to secure our home field near Herndon. We collect seasonal player dues and engage in several fundraising activities, but each year our teams are stretched more and more, and now we realize that we need to find new revenue streams to continue the work we do and hope to expand.

The NOVA parent club would like to provide grants to these established and fledgling youth programs to help them continue to offer rugby as a great option for Northern Virginia youth to find exercise, discipline and commitment to their community as a way of life. With a tax-deductible contribution you can help NOVA continue to make a difference in young lives.

Hopefully, you will find our cause a worthy one.