WER’s Commitment to Making Rugby Accessible to Everyone

"WER recognizes the impact of U.S. Executive Order 14201 on USA Rugby and, as a sanctioned women’s league, is subject to the policy. We do not agree with the policy change and remain committed to supporting all of our players and the broader rugby family. Rugby must be accessible to everyone, and we believe in creating pathways to help players stay within the sport. We have established a set of actions to reinforce our commitment to inclusion, and we encourage our athletes, fans and community to review them and hold us accountable. We will actively work to ensure inclusion both on and off the pitch."

WER is committed to supporting all our players and the broader rugby family. WER was built on the foundation of Rugby's values - and inclusion and accessibility are paramount to our mission. We believe creating this league and pathways for athletes to thrive on and off the rugby field is our core role in this sport. Our actions to reinforce our commitment to inclusion 

 

  1. Partnering with organizations like You Can Play to ensure safety and inclusion for all who participate. This partnership is a shared commitment to building a sport environment where every athlete, coach, referee, and fan feels a true sense of belonging. This work is especially vital with renewed attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, and specifically trans women athletes being removed from many sports opportunities. Read You Can Play’s letter of support here.
  2. Create meaningful, visible moments of inclusion across the league such as taking part in Pride Games, including player and team storytelling, in-stadium activations, and targeted education initiatives that support athletes and staff. 
  3. Work with community partners to find meaningful participation for all people within rugby and WER. 
  4. Create a local market partner network in each team city by collaborating with community ally organizations to provide education, engagement opportunities, resources, and visible Pride and youth rugby activations. 
  5. Expand our existing Players’ Committee into a League Resource Group that meets regularly through recurring listening sessions to guide inclusion initiatives, Pride activations, workshops, summits, and long-term community pathways. 
  6. Ensure accountability for our actions by maintaining open communication and publishing regular progress updates so players, staff, fans, and partners can track our commitments. 
  7. Develop coaching, officiating, and match-day leadership pathways so members of the trans community can continue shaping rugby beyond field eligibility. 
  8. Support education for coaches and leaders in the rugby community to ensure they are creating safe and inclusive environments. 

 

This is just the start of WER’s work to expand access and promote inclusion across the sport. Through listening and working with everyone involved, we will grow and strengthen the league together. 

 

Jessica Hammond-Graf, Ed.D
President 
Women’s Elite Rugby