In light of Governor Pritzker’s announcement on April 17 that Illinois schools will remain closed for the remainder of this school year, all rugby activity that falls under the jurisdiction of Rugby Illinois is also cancelled for the remainder of this school year. (This includes high school, middle school, and Rookie Rugby.)
Further, given current projections by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the IHSA decision to suspend summer contact days, RIL leadership will not consider resumption of training or matches until at least September 1, 2020. Rugby Illinois will continue to follow the recommendations of the State of Illinois and the CDC as they evaluate the science related to this pandemic. Should circumstances and projections related to COVID-19 change significantly prior to September 1, RIL leadership will reconvene to evaluate current state and federal guidance.
Please know that all decisions made by RIL leadership are done so with the safety of players, family members, coaches, administrators and referees as our foremost priority and responsibility. The Rugby Illinois Executive Committee and Competition Committee are committed to taking all precautions necessary in order to decrease the risk of disease transmission.
We will communicate this decision to all registered families separately and institute a process allowing families to request a RIL registration fee refund by May 1. We will then begin work to make 2020-2021 an extraordinary year for all of our participants.
We appreciate your understanding and support during this extraordinary time as we all look forward to the next match.
Sincerely,
Rugby Illinois Executive and Competition Committees