Twin Ports Rugby youth jamboree set for Two Harbors field

Two Harbors put municipal approval behind a new youth sports bet as the Twin Ports Youth Rugby Jamboree cleared the city council on May 12 and drew fifth- and sixth-grade teams to Burlington Field on May 30. The event brought players from across Minnesota and a visiting North Dakota squad to the old football field, giving the Twin Ports Rugby Football Club its first youth showcase on the North Shore.

For the club, the jamboree was more than a one-day tournament. Ashley Allen, the club’s social chair and a former college player, said the youth program grew so quickly that it had to split into two sides, an unusual development in an inaugural year. Twin Ports Rugby is building out a full ladder of teams, from K-5 flag rugby to 5th-6th coed rugby, 7th-8th boys and girls, and 9th-12th boys and girls, with the long-term goal of supporting men’s, women’s and youth programs and eventually reaching into local schools.

The club’s growth has depended on keeping the entry cost low. Twin Ports Rugby says youth registration carries a $20 USA Rugby fee, with a club T-shirt provided and kept by the player, and that it is trying to hold down expenses through local grants, donors and sponsors. Practices are open to any child who wants to try the sport, and families only pay if they choose to attend jamborees, a model that has helped bring in players from Two Harbors, Silver Bay and surrounding towns.

That affordability matters in Lake County, where the July 1, 2024 Census estimate placed the population at 10,698. About 18.4% of residents are under 18, while 29.5% are 65 or older, underscoring the pressure on youth programs to stay affordable, volunteer-driven and flexible. Two Harbors’ population is about 3,567, and Silver Bay’s is about 1,769, leaving few places where a new sport can build a durable base without strong community buy-in.

Rugby’s appeal in that setting is rooted in its structure as much as its novelty. Allen has described the game as community-focused, trust-based and built around shared responsibility, traits that fit a smaller region where families already know one another and youth activities rise or fall on volunteer energy. The fifth- and sixth-grade level is also where tackling is introduced, making the jamboree a developmental milestone for young players.

The local effort lines up with a broader national lift. USA Youth and High School Rugby surpassed 50,000 registrations in 2024, up 12% from the year before, with the youth category, ages 8 to 14, showing a 15% year-to-date increase. USA Rugby says youth and high school rugby is organized for players ages 5 to 18, while the Minnesota Rugby Union says its mission is to expand the sport and support player development in Minnesota and surrounding areas. World Rugby says grassroots rugby generates US$8.4 billion in social value worldwide, a reminder that the North Shore’s newest field sport is being asked to do more than fill a schedule.