TRU attempts to make STRR irrelevant

The TRU has announced in a letter released November 12 a new Referees and Laws Committee (R&L) based on US Rugby's system. Referees of any TRU-sanctioned game must be members of the R&L and abide by its rules. The TRU executive board states that this doesn't conflict with membership in the Society of Texas Rugby Referees (STRR), with whom the TRU reminds us they have severed their relationship.

The motivations for that step were:

"to obtain financial accountability over the use of your dues money, and
to advance the TRU initiatives in regards to recruiting and retention of referees."

With the new R&L Committee, the TRU is instituting some changes. For instance, R&L refs will be paid a per diem (today's Word-Of-The-Day), which will increase each year for the next three years. They highlight that this means no expense reports will be necessary, though that is how per diem's normally work.

Why the change? The Executive Board explains:

"...[T]he TRU R&L Committee is modeled on USA Rugby's R&L Committee and as such all funds for referee per-diems, referee training/certification and referee development will be provided by the TRU through the R&L Committee. Texas is fortunate to have quality rugby referees, who are stewards of the game and who ensure fair competition and safety on the pitch while educating its players. However we need more referees of a younger age and it is in the TRU's best interest to attract and develop those individuals interested in the same goals. This R&L Committee will allow for a more fiscally responsible organization and provide for fiscal oversight and budgeting of your dues money, while relieving some of the strains associated with the burdens referees endure to ply their trade."

Did we mention "fiscal"?

I've asked the STRR Chairman Chris Callan for a comment on this development.

I can't help but note that, aside from the fiscal oversight, the TRU and the STRR seem aligned perfectly in their stated goals: recruitment, training and retention of quality referees for the improvement of rugby in Texas.

Why then a complete inability to come to a negotiated resolution in the last 5+ years? I don't have any unique insight into this situation, but I can't help but think that "personalities" are playing a role here. I've seen that be a problem in other areas of Texas Rugby. I don't know what a solution for that would be, or whatever the true problem is, but consolidating power, even more, in the three votes it takes to control Texas Rugby is unlikely it, though some might hope for the benevolent dictator situation (and maybe that will work, I think I might like to try it - make me dictator first and we'll see how it goes).

I do love the optimism of the TRU Executive Board though. Their parting words in the letter announcing this:

This step will put us on top.

Here's the letter so you can read it for yourself (80 kB, PDF):
The TRU's Letter To Members.