Create a Stand Out Rugby Resume

Many students have already downloaded the Rugby Resume template from The Rugger’s Edge website, and I am always surprised to see so many sent to college coaches missing critical pieces. Remember, in many cases, this is your first opportunity to make a great impression, so take time to do this right.

Before you send a resume to a coach, make sure to spell-check and grammar-check. Better yet, ask a trusted adult to look it over as well, just in case you missed something.

1. Contact Info – You would think this does not need to be said, but make sure the contact info you list here is updated and correct! Do not list an email you don’t check or a home phone that no one answers. This is the first place a college coach will reach out to you, so make sure this part is the fastest way someone can get a hold of you. That being said – CHECK YOUR E-MAIL!

I know many teens rarely check email, but in the professional world, everything runs through

email. Coaches are not going to text you with their interest; they will email you. If you don’t

respond in a timely manner (24-48 hours), most will assume you are no longer interested and

move on. Make sure this doesn’t happen to you.

2. Photo – A clear headshot can help coaches distinguish you from others. When a coach is talking to many different student athletes at once, it is really helpful to do anything you can to remind him or her who you are.  This can be especially helpful if you meet a coach in person at a tournament or on a visit.

This photo should be like a passport photo; keep things simple: no sunglasses, hats, or distracting clothes. Using a school photo or one you take for your team's roster is fine.

Photo Credit: https://margaretbelanger.com/winchester-ma-senior-portraits/

3. Updated Academic Info – We are looking for the most updated cumulative GPA – this means your GPA from the start of 9th grade until now. They do not care that last semester you had a 4.0 if the year before that you had a 2.0. Coaches need to see the entire picture. You waste a coach’s time if you are not being up front about what your academic record has been. If there is a reason for poor grades, you can always make sure to explain this to a coach ahead of time. Also, make sure you continue to update this each year – the last thing you want is a coach to disregard you because they still think you are in Grade 10, when in reality you are in Grade 12.

*Note, if you have been showing improvements in your grades, you can make a note of "projected GPA" at the end of this semester or year.

4. Rugby Coach(es) Contact Information – Some college coaches would like to speak to your current coaches to get some further info about your athletic talent as well as character references. Make sure you include updated contact info for all your coaches, including high school coaches, club coaches, and even coaches you may have only seen in short stints (summer camp coaches, clinic

coaches). Any of these folks can provide a different perspective on what you bring to the table. Make sure to also ask these coaches and notify them that you are including them on your resume, so they are not surprised if they receive an email or call.

5. Rugby Accomplishments – We are only looking for rugby involvement/accomplishments that

have occurred while you are in high school. No one cares if you were the “Man/Woman of the

Match” while playing Under-8s. As with #3 above, continue to update this with each rugby

season, since it is often the case that you may forget accolades as the years go on. Typical accomplishments we would like to see would be

Photo Credit: Merle Laswell/For The Register

things like "Most Valuable Back 2025," "Coaches' Award for Leadership 2024," Selected as Captain u16 2024," and so on. Make sure to break out teams by Academy Teams, All-Star Teams, Club Teams, and High Schools.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6sMzcD-5sg

6. Include links to game film – I understand that many teams do not film, but this is becoming

increasingly important. If at all possible, find some game film, upload it to your own YouTube or

Vimeo channel and include this link on the resume. Many students have also had a lot of success

using the HUDL platform to create easy-to-watch videos that help highlight who they are on the

field. If you attend a tournament that streams its matches, you can also include a link to that page and note which games you are in (e.g., Match 1, 7, and 8) so coaches can find you/your team easily.

Download an editable version of The Rugger's Edge Rugby Resume template!