This week's Guest Blogger Phil Killham is asking some rather brash questions! Along with the recent email circulating that the USA’s Club Sevens Women's Championships do not have a home yet. What about the news that this tournament has not been endorsed by USA Rugby? These questions needed to be raised!

Guest Blog by Phil Killham:

“There is none.”

That was the reply I received from USA Rugby’s Matt Trenary when I asked what was the date for this year’s Women’s Club Sevens Championship.

Stunned, I forwarded this reply to Lindsey Tiernan the contact listed as in charge of Championships.
Lindsey replied…

“As of now, USA Rugby only recognizes the Women’s All-Star Sevens. Last year there was an invitational run in conjunction with the men’s club sevens event but this was organised separately. I have copied Alex Williams, our women’s High Performance manger, who can let you know what is in the works for adding this or a similar competition at the national level.”

How do we have All Stars without a club level competition to select from? Are selectors traveling around the country to various tourneys to scout out potential All Stars?

There is no National Club Sevens Championship for women. Women play sevens and have for some time but there is nothing that leads to a sevens championship.

USA Rugby does not plan on adding a women sevens championship anytime soon either. It is USA Rugby’s stance that there has been no demand for a women’s sevens title tourney and without demand they will not host or sponsor such an event. This was the response I received from Alan Sharpley at USA Rugby.

“We add a National competition in response to demand. Until your note there has been little demand for a Women’s Club Sevens National Championship. We saw some level of interest last year just before the Men’s Club Sevens Championship but never received a request to start the process moving.

“Note that a single inquiry from a club representative is not sufficient grounds for establishing a National level competition. Our most recent new National Competitions were Women’s Club Div.2 and Girl’s U19. But those were approved after widespread grass-roots support which took the form of several years of Unofficial competition and an Ad Hoc organizing committee which did the background work to show that the competition was truly National in scope – i.e., interest, participation, and commitment throughout much of the country.

"You have certainly started the ball rolling but we need to see more widespread demand from the Women’s Sevens Community."

This is a woefully neglectful approach and USA Rugby needs to be held accountable for their utter lack of vision and planning when it comes to women’s rugby and specifically sevens. We have all heard the adage failing to plan is planning to fail which succinctly describes this scenario.

USA Rugby is our governing body and charged with the progress, development and success of our beloved sport. How can women’s sevens, recently added to the Olympics, be so overlooked?

Why is acceptable for USA Rugby to sit back and do nothing for women’s sevens?

Mr. Sharpley stated that he needs to see more widespread demand from the womens sevens community.
You know what you have to do.

Let him know your thoughts on asharpley@dynastat.com
Are you ready to be heard?