- Referee & Laws Committee Working Group to host fitness challenge geared towards engaging the greater referee community this spring.
- Referees from across the country encouraged to participate where recording workouts and fitness activity count towards weekly raffles of USA Rugby gear and experiences.
- Challenge also to include weekly webinars providing referee specific health and wellness education.
- Competition starts February 1, 2021 with three divisions: High Performance, Club and Social.
The Referee & Laws Committee Working Group and USA Rugby Training & Education have collaborated to launch a nationwide fitness challenge, aimed at engaging the greater referee community and keeping rugby officials in shape. With rugby slowly making its way back to full activity, the #FitRefRaffle offers a virtual group experience for referees looking to keep active. The #FitRefRaffle splits into three divisions depending on preferred commitment and culminates in weekly drawings for USA Rugby gear and experiences. Referees from coast to coast are invited to participate for free from February 1st to March 13th recording each workout for a chance to win the raffle.
"Earn some confidence and prove it to yourself!” noted USA Rugby Referee and educator Haylee Slaughter, "Keeping fit improves your refereeing and makes the laws easier to remember on the pitch.'
HOW IT WORKS
Pick Your Division
- Social
- Low pressure – just have fun with it!
- Club
- Challenge yourself to grow your fitness level and keep active on your own time.
- High Performance
- Referees from across the country interested in competitive fitness tracking. Apply HERE for the High Performance Division before the Feb 1st start date and join the Strava group. Open to all rugby referees. Contact Joe Burpoe, burpoereferee@gmail.com for further info.
Enter Your Workouts
- Every recorded workout counts for one virtual raffle ticket.
- High Performance division workouts must be recorded via a fitness app.
- Club Level and Social divisions must submit each workout via the #FitRefRaffle online entry form.
Win USA Rugby Gear and Bragging Rights
- Weekly virtual drawings – Webinar and drawing schedule below
- LRO with the highest participation rate per capita wins a free USA Rugby Training & Education Level 1 Referee course for 10 participants.
#FitRefRaffle Workout Entry Form »
In addition to the daily fitness challenges, Haylee Slaughter and educators from around the community will be hosting a series of webinars focused on the health and wellness of rugby referees. These webinars are free to participate and the weekly raffles will occur live after each presentation. The webinars will be hosted live on the USA Rugby Referee Facebook Group and USA Rugby Facebook Page.
Referee Webinar Schedule
| DATE | PRESENTER | SUBJECT | REPLAY |
| Feb 6th | Katie Hunzinger, MS, CEP | Flexibility and Injury Prevention | WATCH NOW |
| Feb 14th | USA Eagle, Irene Gardner | Pre and Post-Match Nutrition | WATCH NOW |
| Feb 21st | USA Rugby Referee, Pantxo Lopez | Speed Training & Core Strength | WATCH NOW |
| Feb 28th | Katie Hunzinger, MS, CEP | Sleep and Recovery | WATCH NOW |
| Mar 7th | Milo Athletic, Jarrod Presland | Periodization of Training | WATCH NOW |
| Mar 14th |
Queens University Director of Rugby, Katie Wurst EdD, CMPC |
Mental Skills | WATCH NOW |
Applications for the High Performance division are now open, for questions and inquiries please email FitRefRaffle@gmail.com.
