The Academy started as a local club in Southern California in 2014, and quickly became very successful, with over 400 boys and girls players from U8 to U18, and 15+ Championship titles. The success was a testimony to the passion and personal financial investment of the founder, Derek Nellmapius, in state-of-the-art facilities, equipment, coaching, structure, and the unwavering support of the local families who believed in the potential value of rugby for their kids’ future.

Within two years, there was a huge gap between the Rhinos Club and many other local clubs who were struggling for players and resources. The lack of quality options for kids, as well as a strong desire to raise the US level of training and competition to a Tier 1 nation, drove the owners to transition into a national Academy, supporting local rugby clubs in their growth and working with the local state organizations (SROs) and other academies to provide player daily training resources, coaches and referee education, numerous camps year-round, and an academics program (homeschooling and after-school).

Understanding that there is no substitute for high-level competition in a true development pathway, the Academy has started to create opportunities for international Tier 1 level competition, reaching 4 international and 5 domestic tournaments in 2019, including the prestigious invite-only “World Schools Festival” South Africa, and the World Youth Rugby 7s and 15s in USA.

Together with ERM and MLR development academies, Rhinos Academy looks forward to an exciting future of bringing to youth rugby its tried-and-true package of world-class facilities and coaches, daily training and tracking, international competition and the discipline and structure that long-term successful youth development requires.