Sask Rugby is proud to announce the launch of the Sask FlagX program in the province, starting in Regina. This exciting new pilot program brings a fast and exciting non-contact flag rugby league to the province, catering to youth between the ages of 4 and 18. The pilot is a partnership with the international TagX brand, which has a history of delivering successful non-contact rugby leagues around the world. This program will help players develop their evasion techniques, learn spatial awareness, and hone their communication skills through playing games in a structured league format. Most importantly, this league will provide an enjoyable and exciting playing experience that encourages players to return to the sport year-over-year.

“This is an exciting opportunity for new and existing young rugby players in our province,” said Jordan Astrope, Executive Director of Sask Rugby. “Building on the work that our Member Organizations have put into the minor and junior rugby space, this program is the next step in providing a great rugby experience for kids that are learning the game and falling in love with it as so many of us already have.”

This program is launching in Regina in the spring of 2023, with plans to bring it to other parts of the province in the future. The long term goal of the program is to provide an excellent rugby experience to youth across the province through a standardized program format, easy-to-understand rules, and a product that local leaders can pull out of the box and implement in their own communities. In the future, this program will enable competition between youth across the province at every age and experience level.

Andrew Shaw, Rugby Development Officer with Sask Rugby noted that “having a program like Sask FlagX is a key initiative in growing the number of people playing rugby in the province. It is extremely important that we are able to provide playing opportunities to kids when their enthusiasm for the sport is high and the more opportunities that are available increases the likelihood that youth will find our sport, give it a try, and become lifelong rugby players.”