Rugby in Indiana is about more than wins and losses. It gives young people a place to belong and a set of values they can carry into every part of their lives.
World Rugby’s core values are Integrity, Passion, Solidarity, Discipline, and Respect. When kids live these values in a team environment, rugby becomes a framework for whole‑person development: mental, emotional, social, and physical.
Why a values‑driven sport matters
Research on youth and team sports keeps pointing in the same direction.
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Team sports are linked with lower rates of anxiety and depression in adolescents, in part because they build belonging, support, and shared coping.
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Structured, sport‑based programs can measurably improve resilience, positive thinking, and willingness to ask for help in as little as 8–12 weeks.
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School and community belonging are strongly associated with fewer depressive symptoms and better overall well‑being.
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Youth rugby programs are often highlighted for how they teach collaboration, discipline, respect, and leadership in ways that transfer into school, work, and community life.
In other words, when young people play in a rugby culture shaped by these five values, they are not just learning how to tackle or pass. They are learning how to be honest when it is hard, show up for others, bridge differences, stick with challenges, and treat people with dignity.
What the five values look like on the field
At Rugby Indiana, we talk about the World Rugby values in simple, practical ways.
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Integrity: Telling the truth, owning mistakes, and playing fair—even when nobody is watching.
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Passion: Bringing energy and effort to training and games, and caring about teammates as much as results.
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Solidarity: Standing together, supporting teammates, and welcoming new players into the group.
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Discipline: Following the laws of the game, listening to coaches, and doing the small things right every day.
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Respect: Valuing teammates, opponents, coaches, and referees, and accepting decisions without argument.
These habits show up in simple moments: a player helping an opponent up, a captain calming a teammate, a new athlete being welcomed into a huddle. Those are the experiences that shape character over time.
What this means for adults around the game
Rugby’s values only come to life when adults model and support them.
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Parents: Your child does not need to be the biggest, fastest, or most experienced to benefit. A values‑driven rugby team gives them daily “reps” in integrity, belonging, and respect, along with physical activity.
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Coaches: You are coaching more than systems and skills. You are helping shape identity and character, and the tone you set around these five values is often what young people remember most.
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Partners and sponsors: Investing in youth rugby grounded in these values means investing in future employees, parents, and community leaders who bring integrity, teamwork, and empathy into everything they do.
When parents, coaches, and partners pull in the same direction, rugby becomes a powerful support system for kids.
How World Rugby supports value‑based rugby
In 2009, World Rugby’s member unions identified Integrity, Passion, Solidarity, Discipline, and Respect as the defining character‑building characteristics of rugby. Those values are now written into the World Rugby Playing Charter to help protect the game’s unique ethos on and off the field.
Rugby Indiana aligns with that vision at the local level. We design our competitions, coaching education, and sideline expectations to reflect the same core values for youth and high school players across the state.
Rugby values that last a lifetime
A rugby match might last 30, 45, 60, or 80 minutes, depending on the age group. The lessons, however, can last much longer.
When young people grow up in a rugby culture shaped by integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline, and respect, they carry those habits into their classrooms, jobs, families, and communities. That is the bigger goal: not only better players, but young people who are ready to thrive.
References
World Rugby values and rugby ethos
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World Rugby – Rugby’s Values (Integrity, Passion, Solidarity, Discipline, Respect)
https://www.world.rugby/organisation/about-us/values -
World Rugby Passport – Values of the Game
https://passport.world.rugby/officiating/match-observation-programme/the-game/values-of-the-game/ -
World Rugby Passport – Introduction to Leadership and Management (values and organisational elements)
https://passport.world.rugby/administrators-academy/introduction-to-leadership-and-management/organisational-elements/5-rugby/ -
Oman Rugby – Rugby Core Values (example of how unions present the 5 values)
https://www.omanrugby.com/corevalues -
MYRO – For Players (includes references to rugby values and player development)
https://www.myrugby.org/resources/for-players -
Monterey Bay Rugby Association – Why Rugby is an Ideal Sport (character and values focus)
https://www.montereybayrugby.org/rugby-an-ideal-sport -
Rugby Americas North – The 5 Core Values of Rugby (video)
https://rugbyamericasnorth.com/es-us/news/the-5-core-values-of-rugby-video?02ba0a17_page=3
Youth sports, mental health, resilience, and belonging
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National Study Finds Youth Participation in Team Sports Linked to Fewer Mental Health Difficulties – Cal State Fullerton
https://news.fullerton.edu/2022/06/national-study-finds-youth-participation-in-team-sports-linked-to-fewer-mental-health-difficulties/ -
Team and individual sport participation, school belonging, and mental health – Journal article (ScienceDirect)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190740924000896 -
The impact of sports participation on mental health and social outcomes – Systematic review (PMC)
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10286465/ -
Sport: Where Young People Find Belonging – Centre for Humanitarian and Justice Studies (CHJS)
https://chjs.org/blog/youth-sports-belonging-mental-health/
Youth rugby, character, and skill development
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The Benefits of Youth Rugby – Chicago Lions Rugby
https://www.chicagolions.com/blog/the-benefits-of-youth-rugby -
Youth Rugby: Building Skills and Teamwork – Titan Sports Academy
https://www.titansportsacademy.co.uk/post/the-importance-of-rugby-in-youth-development -
How to Build Unbreakable Character in Young Athletes Using 5 Rugby Principles – Saffa Rugby
https://www.saffarugby.com/post/how-to-build-unbreakable-character-in-young-athletes-using-5-rugby-principles -
Why Rugby is an Ideal Sport – Monterey Bay Rugby Association (also listed above; useful for both values and benefits)
https://www.montereybayrugby.org/rugby-an-ideal-sport