Our Story

Mission

The Mission of Oshkosh Youth Rugby is to promote the growth of all forms of Rugby at all levels of competition for the Oshkosh and Winnebago County community. The development and promotion of sportsmanship, teamwork, honesty, courage, respect for authority, academics, discipline, leadership and physical fitness in the area youth are the corporation's main priorities.

In order to accomplish this mission, we seek to attain the following objectives:

To govern the program in a manner that puts the development of our participants, as both athletes and persons, above other considerations.
To provide our participants with volunteer coaches who work with participants of all ability levels and who remember that development of exceptional athletics skills and winning games is secondary to the development of participants and to providing our participants with positive examples and a positive Rugby experience.
To provide our participants with volunteer coaches who seek to teach those participants the rules of the game along with proper Rugby fundamentals.
To provide quality equipment for the use of our participants.

Vision

Oshkosh Youth Rugby envisions a community that never asks ‘Oshkosh has Rugby?’ and who’s youth have access to Rugby through programming provided by more than Oshkosh Youth Rugby; through schools and community programming. Youth must be made aware of Rugby, before they can partake in Rugby.

Oshkosh Youth Rugby must provide opportunities for future rugby players at all possible levels and ages, especially after they find Rugby; the room behind the door can not be empty. We must establish flourishing programming for High School Boys and Girls, Middle School Boys and Girls, and Flag for all Youth.

When programming provided by community organizations, particularly the school district, ventures into the programming of Oshkosh Youth Rugby, we must vacate the space to allow that programming to expand. Oshkosh Youth Rugby will assist all school programming, and will evolve to a new purpose when the entry levels of Rugby become provided by the community.

Oshkosh Youth Rugby Values

Character	Youth sports are not an end, but a means to an end. It is a golden opportunity to teach character that will impact young athletes for life.
Fun	Youth sports should always be fun. There will be hard work too, of course, but kids must enjoy it, or they will not keep playing. Kids can learn a lot of good things while having fun.
Teamwork	Youth athletes are better together. Teamwork will always make each individual player better.
Respectful	Youth sports should raise humble leaders. Leaders that are worth following are those who are servant leaders. They support others on the team and are not consumed with themselves.
Compassion	Youth athletes should be better people after the experience. Better athletes; more skilled; a better understanding of the game—yes to all of those. But also, better human beings who’ve learned to have compassion, be patient and work hard.
Inclusive	Youth sports are for everyone, regardless of race, economic status, or ability. If a child wants to play, then let’s find a way for that to happen!
Play	Youth sports are for the kids, not the adults. Parents and coaches must keep their egos, their private ambitions, and their issues out of youth sports. Let the kids play!

History of Oshkosh Youth Rugby

Oshkosh Youth Rugby was established in 2016 to provide Flag Rugby opportunities for youth, and continue providing for the High School Boys Rugby Club. Oshkosh Youth Rugby’s first board of Directors include Matthew Stenerson, Christopher Jones, and Ian Hibbard. However, OYR was not the first Youth Rugby in Oshkosh. The High School Boys Rugby Club, established by Scott Koehnke and Wayne Binversie, had been operating as an ad hoc committee of the Oshkosh Rugby Football Club since 1996 but had now become a program of the newly formed Oshkosh Youth Rugby. Hundreds of young men participated in Rugby through the Boys High School Club, including OYR founders, Matthew and Chris.