Youth rugby in Illinois is organized as local clubs fielding teams in one or more divisions (by age/grade and gender). Most clubs draw players from many schools in an area, although many clubs recruit exclusively or largely from one school. There are also a growing number of school-based clubs and school-sponsored varsity teams.
The largest concentration of clubs are in the Chicago Suburban area, with a growing presence in the city of Chicago, Central Illinois, Northern Illinois, and Southern Illinois.
Varsity Initiative
The USA Rugby Varsity Initiative is a program that allows school-sponsored high school rugby programs to compete against USA Rugby member clubs at a significant cost savings. For some schools it is a varsity letter sport and others it is a school-sponsored club.
If you would like more information, or would like your high school team to go Varsity, contact us
School | Nickname | Division | Location |
Brother Rice High School | Crusaders | Boys Division 1 | Chicago |
Fenwick High School | Friars | Boys Division 1 | Oak Park |
Golder College Prep | Jaguars | Boys Division 3 | Chicago |
Hononegah Community High School | Indians | Girls Division 1 | Rockton |
ITW David Speer Academy | Pride | Boys Division 3 | Chicago |
J. S. Morton High School | Mustangs | Boys Division 1 | Berwyn |
LaSale/Peru High School | Cavaliers | Boys Division 3 | LaSalle |
Mt. Carmel High School | Caravan | Boys Division 1 | Chicago |
Muchin College Prep | Mountain Lions | Boys Division 3 | Chicago |
Rowe-Clark Math and Science Academy | Masai Lions | Girls Division 1 | Chicago |
St. Ignatius High School | Wolfpack | Boys Division 1 | Chicago |
Sycamore High School | Spartans | Boys Division 2 | Sycamore |
Sycamore High School | Spartans | Girls Division 1 | Sycamore |
Single School Programs
Besides high schools participating in the Varsity Initiative program, many rugby clubs have teams drawing all players from one school, often working closely with the school.
Rugby Team | Division | School | |
Chesterton Academy Saints | Boys Division 3 | Chesterton Academy, Downers Grove | |
Hope Eagles | Boys Division 3 | Hope Academy, Chicago | |
Lane Tech | Girls Division 1 | Lane Tech College Prep, Chicago | |
La Salette Lions | Boys Division 1 | Notre Dame de La Salette Boys Academy | |
Marist Red Hawks | Boys Division 1 | Marist High School, Chicago | |
Montini Mustangs | Boys Division 2 | Montini Catholic High School, Lombard | |
Neuqua Wilcats * | Boys Division 1 | Neuqua Valley High School, Naperville | |
New Trier Trevians | Boys Division 1 | New Trier Township High School, Winnetka | |
St. Rita Crusaders | Boys Division 1 | St. Rita of Cascia High School, Chicago | |
Sycamore Spartans * | Middle School | Sycamore Middle School | |
Taft Eagles | Boys Division 3 | W. H. Taft High School, Chicago | |
Taft Eagles | Girls Division 1 | W. H. Taft High School, Chicago |
* Some single-school clubs do accept players from outside the school on an exception basis.