1. Read and follow the Rugby Arizona Constitution
2. Read the minutes from the last AGM.
3. Notify Rugby Arizona of your intent to start a club.  Ask to be placed on the RAZ email distribution list
4. Recruit Players and Parent helpers (see suggestions below)
5. Obtain a practice location
6. Register your team with USA Rugby.  If you have more than one team as a part of your Club, each team must register.  (Boys HS, Girls HS, Youth Non-contact, Youth Tackle).  Await notification from USA Rugby that your team registration has been accepted.
7. Create a logo
8. Decide on team colors.  Consider opponents' team colors when making your selection.
9. Develop a website and social media accounts
10. Order team uniforms
11. Register your team (coaches, admins and players) with USA Rugby.  Be sure coaches register with each team they will be working with (Boys HS, Girls HS, Youth Non-contact, Youth Tackle)  USA Rugby  For a tutorial on how to register for multiple roles of team click here.
12. Ensure that all game-day sideline coaches obtain USA Rugby Level 100 coach certification.
13. Ensure that a minimum of one coach has USA Rugby Level 1 Coach certification.
14. Ensure that a minimum of one coach has USA Rugby Level 1 Referee certification. 
15. Have every player, coach and other adult associated with your club read, sign, and follow the Rugby Arizona Code of Conduct.

Reserve a meeting room and publish the announcement in a local paper.  Plan three meetings.  The first meeting should be informational.  Play a video and give basic information.  The second meeting should be the sign-up and the third meeting an educational session.  Players will start recruiting friends.

Schedule a meeting at the School.  Have a power point presentation or YouTube open with the 20 greatest trys playing as they walk into the room; let them watch it for a while, stop it and give a 15 minute spiel, then return to the video and explain it.  Hold an indoor six week “skills and drills” session through the park district.  Hold a parents meeting where you can recruit drivers and food organizers for game days.

Meet with the parents to go over costs, CIPP, expectations and talk about volunteering for post match gatherings and fund raising.  Keep the parents involved.

Tell your players to keep recruiting all the time.

Make sure that about a week before any home match, that you confirm directions to the pitch with the visiting team and the referee.

Your team may solicit for tax deductible donations through Rugby Arizona.  Rugby Arizona does not take any portion of your donation.  A 3.2% service charge from Square is deducted from all donations made through our online store.

Options

• Online donations through RAZ's online store, https://squareup.com/store/rugbyarizona/.  Be sure donor designates the name of your team in the "Additional note to merchant" section.
• Check donations.  Give donor a Rugby Arizona Pledge form.  Donor to mail the check to the RAZ Treasurer.  The donor will be issued a tax receipt by the RAZ Treasurer.
• Employer match contributions.  Important:  Notify RAZ Treasurer of the anticipated donation so that they can ensure the donation goes to the proper team.  Large corporations may have several employees donating to different teams associated with Rugby Arizona.   Email required paperwork to the RAZ Treasurer for completion, if required.
• A check is cut to the designated representative of your club.  An email confirmation is sent upon issuance of the check.

Start a Non-profit organization
Incorporate your Club as an Arizona Not for Profit Corporation and then request an Employer Identification Number from the IRS (called an EIN even if you never have paid employees). https://www.azcc.gov/

Rugby Arizona recommends incorporating your Club in order to protect against personal liability in case of a lawsuit.  These forms take no more than 15 minutes each to complete.

Open a bank account
Open a Club bank account using the Club’s EIN, NOT using anyone’s personal Social Security Number.  

Use the bank account for all Club business and do not mix Club finances with personal finances.  If you write a personal check or charge a Club expense on your personal credit card, keep receipts and get reimbursed with a Club check.  Promptly deposit all dues and fund-raising money into the Club’s bank account and do not offset Club income against Club expenses you have personally incurred.