Belmont Shore

Belmont Shore Rugby Club is one of the leading  rugby clubs in the US. Established in 1974, the Club has won 24 National Championships, fielded 3 Paris Olympians, and currently has 10+ players at the national level for Men, Women, and Youth teams. We're proud of our 80 players who have played for US national teams. That said, Belmont's Youth program experienced an unprecedented first. 

 

Two Belmont Youth alumni, Freda Tafuna (Player of Match vs Australia and Samoa !!!) and Sariah Ibarra,  played on the 2025 USA Women's World Cup team in England. These confident, responsible, and capable young women represented Belmont and the US on the world stage. They are shining examples of leadership and character.

 

We're proud to announce Belmont's Youth have added another USA Eagle, Nalu Liufau, to the 2026 US 7's National team.

 

Simply put, Belmont uses rugby as a platform for youth development to foster confidence, self esteem, and community inclusion. Our Youth program has grown from  ~10 players in 2005 to around 400 today.  Through various initiatives and supportive networks, we've fostered  the largest, most impactful Youth rugby program in the US. We're very excited about one such initiative, "College Bound", which had its first large group of seniors beginning college in Fall 2025.

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In Fall 2026, Belmont's largest 'graduating' class of 10  Youth players will be attending colleges across the US, having garnered $1.5 M in scholarships, including our first Ivy League representative. In 2026, Belmont hosted the largest 'College Bound' type  tournament in the US, a 2 day Long Beach event with  40 colleges and universities in attendance. Many Belmont  Youth players, and those attending from 4 western states,  were offered scholarships to colleges they may not have been noticed or accepted at otherwise.  

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Belmont was also honored to host in Long Beach  2 visiting Youth teams from Australia; the New South Wales  Waratahs, and the Queensland Shockwave. All teams enjoyed the competition, the hospitality, and the sense of community in a highly successful multiday event. To date, Belmont Youth have now hosted multiple international Youth teams who expressed a desire 'to play against the USA's best'.

 

We are also expanding, and having initial successes, in  our "Pathways Jobs" program to help our Youth  and adult players obtain high quality jobs post high school / college. 

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"On field" success, even beyond Belmont's two women World Cup representatives, is easily recognizable for us.  Results from Belmont's 2025 'on field' performances may be unmatched in USA Club and Youth Rugby history, and include:

    Men's 15's Division 1 National Champions

    U23 Boy's 7's National Champions

    U18 Girls 15's National Champions

    U14 Girls 7's National Champions

    U18 Girls 7's National Finalists

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So far in 2026, Belmont will send its inaugural men's D2 team, the 2026 Western Region Champions, to the US National Championships in Chicago in late May. The team includes many Youth players who have 'graduated' from our Youth programs.

 

Our Girls 15's U18 Youth team will also be going for a 3rd consecutive National Championship in Utah in late May. They are 2X defending Girls 15's National Champions. 

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And "off-field", we'll continue to innovate and invest in our Youth Program long term, including a focus on Alumni giving back, and through various community partnerships with the City of Long Beach, the Port of Long Beach, Cal State Long Beach, and greater Southern California.