Give a Coach This Holiday Season

For this holiday season, will you give a coach? Often when I meet successful adults, I ask them what, if anything, contributed to their accomplishments.  Do you know what many of them say?

“It was my high school coach who believed in me…”

“It was my football coach who inspired me…”

“It was my track coach who wouldn’t take ‘no, I can’t’ as an answer from me.”

Anyone who’s ever played sports knows the power of a coach as a mentor and role model. Many of us still remember some of the life lessons that our coaches taught us.  But today, the state of youth sports in America is in sharp decline especially in low-income neighborhoods where young people need coaches the most.  Schools that face continuing budget cuts have been forced to eliminate youth sports programs.  The result is not just gyms that are now empty, but for millions of kids, life lessons that will never be learned.

That's why I am writing this today.  I need you to help me reverse this trend.  I dream of a country in which every child has a coach who believes in him, who helps her get through school, who teaches him a healthier lifestyle, and who inspires her to believe in success.  This is not just about sports; it’s about improving educational outcomes, reducing youth violence and ending childhood obesity.

My program, Coach Across America, has hired and trained over 1,750 coaches to work with more than 260,000 disadvantaged youth over the past six years. These coaches have motivated kids to be the first in their families to go to college.  They have influenced kids to say no to gangs and violence.  They have encouraged children to exercise and make better nutritional choices.

Half of the coaches I have hired have been women.  Most of the coaches I've hired have come from the same community where they serve.  An increasing number of coaches I've hired are veterans returning from war who have discovered that the values they upheld abroad are just as valuable here at home.  The values of teamwork, leadership, and discipline define success on a basketball court, in a classroom, in a community, and throughout a lifetime.

That’s why I’m asking you to give a coach this holiday season.  I will use your donation to hire and train more coaches to inspire more youth to overcome challenges in this nation’s poorest communities.  I can promise you that your donation will have impact.  We have undergone an external evaluation and found that every dollar you donate saves this country $29 in costs associated with poor health, neighborhood violence, and kids dropping out of school.   

I won’t stop until we build a national workforce of trained coaches who ensure that all children learn these lessons and discover their own capacity for success.

Won’t you help me get there?

Happy Holidays,

Paul Caccamo Up2Us Sports CEO & Founder

Chicago’s Local Champion Coaches at Joakim Noah's Foundation

With Chicago’s history of violence, a non-profit organization called Noah’s Arc Foundation, has taken a stance to help children by promoting peace and positivity in the community using arts and sports. Founded in 2010 by Joakim Noah, a center for the Chicago Bulls, and his artist mother, Cecilia Rodhe, this foundation promotes peace in Chicago by providing children in the downtown area a safe refuge to express themselves and channel their energy and emotions through arts and sports. Joakim’s vision for the program is to help the children improve themselves in positive ways rather than turn to the streets, start a fight, or join a gang. Noah’s Arc Foundation started as a small organization, which ran its art and sports programs only a few times a year. Fast-forward five years, and the organization is now running several programs each week. Partnerships - like the one with Up2Us Sports - has made that growth possible. Shannon Pagels of Noah’s Arc recalls, “we received a call from someone at Up2Us Sports who was interested in getting to know Joakim and his work. As the conversation went on, we said hey, we have these great programs but we need coaches, talented and trained coaches, to be a part of these programs.”

Enter EJ Ollison, Noah’s Arc Foundation’s first and only full-time basketball coach. EJ coaches the youth at Noah’s Arc three times a week at Major Adams Community Center. Located on the near west side of Chicago near the United Center where the Bulls play, Major Adams Community Center serves youth and families with out-of-school programs. Shannon mentioned, “it’s an independent center, not your typical Boys and Girls Club or YMCA. They were in need of support and they welcomed us with open arms.”

Through the partnership, EJ has been able to create a team program that allows the children access to a safe place to come at night to hone their skills, become better players, and better community members. Noah’s Arc now hosts a Moonlight Basketball League two nights a week from June to August.

EJ was born and raised in the same area as the Community Center and understands the need to give back to his community. He attended Crane High School just three blocks from the Community Center, where he excelled at basketball. EJ candidly shared, “I was born and raised in the projects. After high school I stayed home for two to three years and tried to improve my grades so I would be up to par to get a Division-1 scholarship. I was blessed with the right coaches that got me out of Chicago and out to California.”

However, the road to his success was not always straight. EJ felt lost and aimless during his first year in Riverside City College, a community college in California. “I did not have any major or purpose so it ended up taking me three years to finish my Associates Degree in Liberal Arts,” shared EJ. “Then I was offered a full scholarship in Oklahoma.”

His switch to Oklahoma Panhandle State University, a Division-2 school, was a tumultuous one. “I had anger problems. We lost a game in Texas and I had an altercation with a teammate. We got into each other in the locker room. I got the bad end of the stick. My scholarship was not taken away from me but I was not signed for another year.”

Because no school wanted to take a chance with EJ, dejectedly, he came home and went to East-West University, small private NAIA school in downtown Chicago. He switched his major and went there on and off for one or two years. He said that he was not really focused and ended up stopping altogether with only two semesters left.

With no real purpose but with a burning hunger and determination to help others, EJ started volunteering everywhere he could. EJ divulged, “I started volunteering all over the place. I started doing what I love doing and doing it from my heart. I volunteered with summer programs and coached teams. We started a dance program at Crane High School. I was busy with no money but I loved what I was doing.”

Over the years, his love of volunteering paid off because he got involved with Noah’s Arc Foundation, where he was offered the coaching job through Up2Us Sports’ CAA program. Shannon said he was the perfect fit as their first full time basketball coach. As a local champion, EJ knew the kids and their families. Shannon shared, “He knows the politics and situation of the area. He knows the game. He knows the people and he knows a great way of mediating. He’s made Major Adams Community Center a safe place for these kids. He's been through a lot. He’s a great basketball player in his own right. He has gotten out and created something of his life. We saw his passion and it’s something that’s so great.”

Asked what kind of impact this program gives to the community, EJ enthusiastically shares that “the impact is very clear – you make it about the kids. The program allows for the children to be themselves but with structure and discipline. It also allows for them to express who they are and not to be ashamed. We understand the situation of most of these kids go through on a day to day basis.”

EJ said that the training he received as a CAA coach has made him realize that he needs to have the connection with the kids more than anything else. It gave him the ability to listen and understand what the kids need instead of what they are not doing or what they do not have. EJ shared that he was trained to “look for signs and to be there and be helpful and give the kids the one on one attention they need, which could not have been possible elsewhere.

EJ believes that the difference is the connection, because “these kids are a little rougher and they didn’t care at first that I was from here. I had to earn their respect and their trust like any other kid. What’s important to me is to create a safe environment, just like what Up2Us Sports emphasizes - the vital connection – getting to know the kids, not always talking, giving them more control and not telling them what to do.” He feels he has a responsibility to mentor these kids because the time spent with them makes a difference in their lives. He believes there is more work to do on his part, but he is getting there.  

For the rest of the year, EJ will be coaching kids six to 17 years old, five days a week. He is also very enthusiastic about the future.  Asked what he would love to do down the road, EJ readily replies that his vision would be to create a tournament, March Madness style. “Maybe a team of 32 girls and 32 boys if we can pull that off, that will be great! But we will need more than one facility to do something like that. It is just an idea for right now.”

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Thanks to Vian Wheatley, a volunteer through our partnership with Humana, for helping us compose this inspiring story.

AmeriCorps VISTA Makes an Impact in Philadelphia

It has been nearly one year since Zurrell Toney joined the Philadelphia Police Athletic League (PAL) as an AmeriCorps VISTA. Zurrell has a unique connection to both PAL and AmeriCorps and knows firsthand how valuable they can be, because they were a vital part of his teenage years growing up in Philadelphia.Zurrell faced adversities early in life, and dropped out of high school before he could graduate. It was during his attendance at the alternative school YouthBuild that Zurrell learned about AmeriCorps. He became a member through one of the service projects offered and completed 900 service hours before graduating at the top of his class and being named Valedictorian.

As Zurrell continued his higher education, he spent time at West Chester University, but it was during his time at Temple University that he discovered his passion of working in the field of sports and leadership. Being accepted to Temple University was a significant milestone for Zurrell. “It gave life back to the idea of getting an education for me,” he shared. He made it his goal to take advantage of every opportunity available to him.

As a Sport and Recreation Management major, Zurrell took a course that allowed him to participate in a recreation program that, coincidentally, reconnected him with the PAL in Philadelphia that he had grown up in. Through Up2Us Sports, he was able to sign on as an AmeriCorps VISTA and begin working at the PAL as a Capacity Building Associate. His leadership of several key initiatives has positioned the organization to provide greater opportunities for young people to take on leadership within the organization and established a continuum of connection from PAL member to alumni status. He has demonstrated a strong understanding of the value and potential for the alumni program to strengthen multiple areas of the organization, especially fundraising.

In a sense, Zurrell has come full circle with PAL and is able to connect on a personal level with the participants, because he was once in their place. He strives to be a role model for the youth and hopes they view his personal success and achievements as motivation to excel in their own lives. When asked about the best part of being involved with this organization, Zurrell describes the personal connection he is able to develop with the kids: “giving back and helping kids in the neighborhood is the best— because those kids used to be me.”

Zurrell attributes much of his success today to the support system that he had as a participant in the AmeriCorps VISTA program. Zurrell is grateful to provide a mentor relationship to the youth of Philadelphia, and is thankful for the opportunity to give back to an organization that he was part of as a child.

“With the passion I bring, I intend to not only become an asset but also the person that’ll help (an organization) move forward and adapt to the changing needs of our most valuable youth.” 

**Special note: After the completion of his VISTA term on November 21, Zurrell will begin a full-time position with the Columbia North YMCA in downtown Philadelphia.

My Visit to the Up2Us Sports Office In Philadelphia

Back in April, we posted a blog that our Philadelphia-based Senior Regional Manager, Claire Perry, wrote on why she loves being an assistant coach for a local girl’s high school basketball team. She spoke of the connection she has to the girl’s on the team and how important those relationships have become to her. Today, we’re going to hear from one of those girls. Maddie Maio is a sophomore JV/Varsity swing player at Central Bucks West High School, where Claire is her assistant coach. This past summer, Maddie and another teammate of hers spent a day interning in our Philadelphia Up2Us Sports office. This is her story. -

I first  learned about Up2Us Sports from my CB West basketball coach, Claire Perry. She and I had the opportunity to talk on a personal level when I was injured and standing on the sidelines watching my teammates play. Coach Claire mentioned to me about her work at Up2Us Sports, and I immediately became interested because of the program’s focus on the power of sport to support underserved youth. She told me and my teammate that we could visit her work site in Philadelphia to learn more about what Up2Us Sports was all about.

At the end of August, Coach Claire drove me and my teammate to her office in Philly. I had spoken with my parents about visiting as both of them grew up in Philadelphia and they were familiar with the area. They mentioned the area was different than the town we live; different schools, buildings, people, and parks. I had no idea what to expect.

Once we got into her office, we met some of the Up2Us Sports staff and had the opportunity to play squash with coaches from SquashSmarts, an organization that teaches squash and provides academic support to kids within North and West Philadelphia. As a member of the network of organizations that Up2Us Sports supports, SquashSmarts hosts two coaches through Up2Us Sports’ Coach Across America (CAA) program. I, fortunately, was taught and played with these two CAA coaches, Tempest and Rabbi. It was such a fun and amazing experience to learn how to play squash with the both of them. Even though my teammate and I weren’t very good at first, they were so encouraging, energetic, positive, and patient with us and they turned us into experts (well, almost) by the end. As I write this, we are dying to get back onto a squash court to play against each other because of Tempest and Rabbi.

After we were done playing, we had an opportunity to sit down with Tempest and Rabbi to talk to them about their lives and about how much squash has helped them turn their lives around in a positive direction. They value the importance and impact that squash had on their lives. They found it had helped them through tough times and positively affected their development psychologically, emotionally, and socially in ways they never thought possible. Without squash, they wouldn’t be where they are today, and they have the program SquashSmarts to thank for that. As CAA Coaches, they’ve received over 30 hours of sports-based, youth development coach training and are excited to receive more training to develop the skills necessary to provide a positive experience to the kids they coach and hope to serve as coach mentors, combining both sport and life skill coaching as they support the SquashSmarts kids both on and off the court.

As we drove back home with Coach Claire, we reflected on our time with Up2Us Sports and SquashSmarts. Hearing Tempest and Rabbi’s stories really opened my eyes and showed me the benefits and positive impact sports can have on someone’s life. I never thought playing a sport would be a way to help kids going through challenges in their lives, but Up2Us Sports showed me it can completely turn a child’s life around for the better. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have spent the day learning about the great work Up2Us Sports does for youth and coaches in the Philadelphia area. It has truly changed my view of sports’ impact on my life. I can’t wait for this upcoming summer so I can go again!

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The Lady Bucks kick off their 2015-16 season in November. They finished the 2014-15 season as PIAA State Runner-Up, D1 Champions, and SOL Champions with a 32-2 record. Follow along with Maddie and the team this season on Twitter at @CBWGBB.

Q&A with Justine Siegal: The Female Baseball Coach Breaking Barriers in the MLB

This fall, Justine Siegal made history by serving as a guest coach for the Oakland Athletics' instructional league.  This isn't the first time she's been the first woman on a male-dominated coaching staff.  In 2011, Justine was the first woman to throw an MLB batting practice when she attended the Cleveland Indians spring training.  Since then, she has thrown batting practice for five more teams.  With all of this inspirational work, we knew we had to sit down and talk to Justine. Check out our conversation below.  

Up2Us Sports (US): What do you love most about the game of baseball? Justine Siegal (JS): I love the complexity of the game and yet the simplistic idea that it is a bat-and-ball sport. I love what it feels like to throw a perfect curveball. To me, holding a baseball is like holding perfection.

US: You’ve been working diligently for decades and are now making history as the first female coach in Major League Baseball.  What does that feel like? Did you set out to be a pioneer? JS: I have wanted to be a baseball coach since I was 16. It didn’t occur to me that I would be a pioneer, I just knew I loved baseball. However, I knew what I was trying to do was different. It was also different when I was fighting for the right to play the game. So really, I was following my passion. But I certainly understood as I got older my role as a role model and how important that was to the girls behind me.

US: Tell us about Baseball For All – how it started, how it's grown and where it's going. JS: Baseball For All is a national nonprofit providing opportunities for girls in baseball as players, coaches, umpires, and other leadership positions. Our goal is getting  girls baseball leagues around the country. Our next big event is the 2016 Nationals in San Francisco, where we will have playing opportunities at the 8u, 10u, 13u, and 16u age groups. I started Baseball For All when I was just 23 years old. I was tired of waiting for opportunities so I decided to create them.

US: Baseball for All is a member organization of Up2Us Sports, whose signature program, Coach Across America, recruits and trains coaches to serve in communities that lack positive adult role models. Why do you think it's important for children to be involved in sports and have a coach who teaches them more than just about the sport?   JS: The best part of sport is how we can learn about ourselves and who we want to become. Sport is a great teacher for values like: humility, hard work, forgiveness, and working with others. It’s instrumental that we have well trained coaches who can teach positive values to help our girls and boys grow into their best selves.

US: What advice do you have for women and girls who encounter doubters or are trying to overcome sexism and discrimination on and off the field? JS: Just keep going strong. You cannot control how people treat you. The only thing you can control is how you respond. I decided to be kind when others were mean. Not so I could be liked, but so I could keep my passion moving forward. I recommend staying on your plan. Don’t let someone else derail you.

US: Your story is about perseverance and possibilities and you are currently a role model to so many. Who were your role models growing up? JS: I looked for the goodness in people all around me. By watching others I could determine who I wanted to be.

US: Do you hope to influence the pro players (on the Oakland Athletics) you're working with off the field as well? JS: Of course. I hope that my being there makes them be better fathers and husbands by seeing that gender stereotypes are unnecessary and constraining.  I also think I demonstrate to them what never giving up looks like and how important giving back to the community is.

US: Have you encountered any sexism in your new role with the A's? JS: Beyond a tweet here and there I have not experienced sexism in my new role. It’s been amazing.  

US: Any predictions on when a woman will make it to the major leagues? Who should we be watching out for? JS: I am not sure about MLB but I would love to see a women’s professional baseball league. I think the WNBA has been instrumental in the growth and dreams of girls basketball. I’d like to see the same opportunities occur in baseball.

US: Why is it so important to have more female coaches? JS: This is a huge question with a lot of layers. But at its basic level, it’s important to have female coaches in men’s programming because we bring a diverse perspective. A coaching staff is stronger when diversity exists. If every coach knows the same thing and comes from basically the same background then there is risk for a stale staff. It’s also important that girls and women realize that these jobs are open for them; that they know they are not judged by their gender but by what they can bring to the team. I think that’s what all coaches want - to be seen for who they are and how they can contribute to the team.

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When she isn't coaching professional baseball players, Justine coaches kids at Baseball for All, a Up2Us Sports member organization with a mission to provide meaningful instruction and opportunity in baseball, especially for girls.

THE WINNING TEAM: Meet Coach Beth

What does the small town of Memel, South Africa have in common with New Orleans? Her name is Beth Henkle (pictured in red) and she has left her mark in both places by using sport to affect change in the lives of underserved youth. After graduating from Bard College with a degree in Anthropology, Beth worked with a small nonprofit called SheWinS. She travelled to Memel to teach soccer as part of an after school program to 150 girls in first through seventh grades. While in South Africa, she realized her passion for using sports to make an impact in the lives of young girls. She wanted to do more and learn more, so she came back to the United States, where she found out about Up2Us Sports and Coach Across America (CAA).

In the fall of 2014, Beth started her CAA term at KIPP Central City School in New Orleans as part of a brand new initiative. Up2Us Sports placed 20 coaches in one school to facilitate a structured recess and after school sports-learning curriculum. The urban school had limited space, which was a unique challenge for the Vermont-raised Coach. Beth shared that, “in terms of managing so many kids at once and making sure [recess] stations were separate, it was hard at times. These are small things that you don’t really think about when you’re from a very rural environment and used to having large amounts of land.” They had limited access to the outdoor courtyard area, and had to use classrooms for coaching. Having 12-15 children dribbling soccer balls in a classroom around desks and chairs wasn’t always ideal, but Beth and her fellow coaches made it work.

Soccer was relatively unknown to kids in Central City, but with Beth’s influence, the KIPP students adapted and learned to love it. This was a key moment of success for her. “Soccer is not as popular here among kids as where I’m from, so it was exciting to see so many kids have their interest sparked in this great game.” Beth is also proud of her work with the young female students at KIPP. She made sure to connect with the girls that were on the periphery at recess - the ones who preferred to be gossiping or not participating or shyly standing alone. At an age where recognizing their emotions is not easy, Beth introduced them to journaling as an outlet for releasing their thoughts and feelings. At times, the girls would confide in Beth on what they wrote, even though it wasn’t required. For them, she had become not just their coach, but a mentor. One girl, Mariah, said journaling “helped her deal with some of the frustrations she was feeling in life and, in turn, is now receiving fewer deductions and staying more focused in class.”

Stories like Mariah’s have made the largest impact for Beth. “I think ultimately, this experience has just solidified what I want to do. In South Africa, I was in a very new program and there wasn’t much research behind it, it wasn’t labeled sports-based youth development (SBYD), even though that’s what we were doing. Coming here, going through [National Coach Training] Institute and realizing this is happening with so many people involved across the country—this is what I’m supposed to be doing.” Discovering that her passion has a name and a movement, with Up2Us Sports leading the way through ground-breaking research and one-of-a kind training, has inspired Beth to pursue a career in the SBYD field.

Now, a few months out from finishing her term at KIPP, Beth is back home in Vermont studying for the GRE with plans of obtaining a Masters in Public Administration (MPA). She is excited at the thought of going back to school and expanding her knowledge, but also sharing the experiences she’s had so far and spreading the message of the power of SBYD.

Beth isn’t too concerned about knowing exactly what comes after two years of school, because she knows she has found the world she was born to be in. It’s easy to hear the passion in her voice as she talks about why she loves coaching: “The thing I find the most satisfying is empowering youth to feel like they can use their voice. When a young girl really feels that she can speak up and be heard, especially in sports, they are standing up a little taller and feeling more confident. When they can say ‘we’re girls and we can do this and this is our thing and we’re strong and we’re awesome’ - helping them find that voice is what I love the most.”

Rugby Legend Phaidra Knight on the World Cup, the Olympics, and the Growth of the Sport in America

Phaidra Knight wears many hats as a professional athlete, brand ambassador, sports agent, and motivational speaker - but one she doesn’t yet wear is that of an Olympian. She hopes to change that soon. Named USA Rugby’s Player of the Decade in 2010, the two-time All World honoree is currently training for the chance to compete in Rio next summer as part of the first-ever U.S. Olympic women’s rugby team. Up2Us Sports recently caught up with Phaidra to talk everything rugby, including her passion to make sure youth all over the world have a chance to play the game she loves.

Up2Us Sports: The Men’s Rugby World Cup started last week. Who do you think will win?

Phaidra Knight: Based on the impressive performances during the first round of pool play, it could honestly be anyone's game. Japan pulled off the biggest upset in rugby history, defeating the Springboks of South Africa. But based on their impressive record, attention to detail, discipline, and outstanding come from behind win versus Argentina, I believe that the New Zealand All Blacks will repeat.

Up2Us Sports: How is Team USA expected to do?

PK: According to some recent interviews with Team USA players and an article in the Wall Street Journal, the Eagles have their minds set on advancing to the quarterfinals. After a loss to Samoa in their first pool game, they will have their work really cut out for them to earn a spot in the quarters with matches remaining against South Africa, Japan, and Scotland.

Up2Us Sports: You’ve played in three World Cups yourself, and were twice named an All World Team Honoree. Can you talk a bit about what the World Cup experience is like?

PK: The World Cup experience is like nothing in the world. Rugby becomes our total focus, not only for the 2-3 weeks of playing in the World Cup, but also for the year leading up to it. The team gathers for one to two months leading up to the World Cup to train in residency in an effort to fine tune for the big dance. It's an incredible time for team bonding. Once we reach the World Cup, our primary tasks are to play, train, recover, review film, and discuss strategy. The twelve competing countries all reside on a common campus, which is pretty cool. There is opportunity to form new friendships while playing the best rugby in the world.

Up2Us Sports: What is your favorite World Cup memory?

PK: My favorite World Cup memory was the entire 2006 World Cup in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We finished with a record of 4-1. It was representative of an outstanding performance by Team USA led by a pretty talented staff.

Up2Us Sports: For anyone who doesn’t know a lot about the sport, but are interested in watching the World Cup, can you share a few basic rules or must-know facts to the game?

PK: A few basic rules that anyone who doesn't know the sport should know is that in rugby, only lateral or backwards passes are permitted as opposed to the forward pass commonly used in American football. Rugby is also continuous, barring an infraction, so when someone is tackled, play does not stop. A ruck occurs, which is a contest for possession of the ball. When scoring a try (which is similar to a touchdown in American football), the player must ground the ball under control using their hands. In American football, there are unlimited substitutions, but in rugby there are limitations on the amount of players that can be substituted into a match. In rugby 15s, only seven substitutions are allowed, and in Sevens only five are allowed. Generally speaking, players cannot return to play once they have left the game unless within a certain time frame for a blood-related injury. In rugby, only a mouthguard is required to play, whereas, in American football, padding and a helmet are required.

Up2Us Sports: Earlier this summer, the U.S. Men and Women's Sevens teams qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics - which has the sport back for the first time since 1924. It will be the first appearance of women’s rugby on the Olympic stage and you’re currently training to be on that team. Tell me a bit about the process, your training and what the outlook is for Team USA next summer.

PK: The pathway to becoming an Olympic player starts with an athlete playing exceptionally with their club/collegiate team to reach the representative level. Available to players more frequently now are development academies and camps where players can showcase their talents to national team selectors/influencers. Once a player is identified as having potential to play at the international level, they may receive an invite to attend a national team camp, which allows the player to train with current members of Team USA. Based on their performance, they may receive an invitation to train in residency at the Olympic Training Center (OTC), tour with Team USA or with the developmental team.

My training is a little different from the majority of the Olympic pool players presently. I spent the first six months of this year training in residency at the OTC and have since then, been training on my own, working with various rugby and athletic specialists. I am significantly older than the other players in the Olympic pool, so some elements of my training and recovery are little different.

The outlook for Team USA, both men and women, is very optimistic. The women recently experienced a coaching change, with former Eagle and Team USA coach, Julie McCoy, being brought back to lead the team to the 2016 Olympics. She has experienced a great deal of personal growth and coaching success since her last stint with the team.  She and her staff will be working closely with the USA men's coaching staff (arguably the best Sevens coaches in the world), Mike Friday and Chris Brown, to cultivate an Olympic medal contending team. The USA men jumped from 13th to 5th place in less than 12 months under the leadership of their coaching staff. They also had less than a 20% chance of qualifying for the Olympics. With growing support from USA Rugby and CEO, Nigel Melville, I look forward to great things from the USA in the next 12 months.

Up2Us Sports: The World Cup plays 15s - which is the traditional version of rugby - but the Olympics will have Sevens. Can you talk about the difference between the two?

PK: The biggest difference between the two is the additional eights players per side on the field in 15s, making for a much larger coverage area for the players in Sevens. Instead of a scrum of eight (in 15s), there is only a front row (two props and a hooker) in Sevens. The game of 15s is played for two 40-minute halves with a 10-minute halftime, whereas Sevens features seven-minute halves with a one-minute halftime (10-minute halves with two-minute halftimes for championship matches). More points are typically scored in Sevens games than in 15s.

Up2Us Sports: You have represented Team USA on both the Eagles and Sevens teams – do you have a personal preference between the two?

PK: In 15s, as a flanker, it was my job to follow the ball. That allowed me to roam freely about the field. I loved playing that role. I didn't necessarily have to be a cog in the wheel. I had a free pass to push the limits of the game, setting the tone in many instances. However, I really love the wide open nature of the Sevens game. Although there is a greater field territory to cover with just seven players, there is more space both before and after a line break, which is something I have grown to love. Candidly speaking, although the players in Sevens are typically the fastest players in rugby, I prefer tackling Sevens players at this stage of my career, because they are a bit smaller than traditional 15s players. The thing that challenges me the most in Sevens is what I love the most -- the discipline and work ethic required to work within a very structured format with the other six players on my team. It goes against my very nature as a flanker in 15s. 15s will always have a very special place in my heart, but at this stage, I really love Sevens.

Up2Us Sports: It’s being reported that rugby is the fastest growing sport in America. A recent study showed that participation in the sport increased by 81% from 2008-2013. Based on its recent growth, and it’s upcoming re-appearance in the Olympics - what do you see for the future of the sport worldwide and across the U.S.?

PK: I believe that rugby will see it's most dramatic growth spurt in popularity within the next 10-15 years in the U.S. Over the next two years, there will be the establishment of at least one men's professional league followed by a women's professional league. I believe this will formally commercialize the sport in America and create tremendous viability, profitability, and sustainability. The 2016 and 2020 Olympics will provide the platform for exposure, worldwide, to create exponential growth, making it one of the top five sports in the world. It will become the ambassador of many great things including discipline, respect, and camaraderie that all other sports strive to attain.

Up2Us Sports: You’ve been involved with Play Rugby USA - an Up2Us Sports member organization - for many years. Up2Us Sports is working to advance sports as a tool for addressing the critical issues facing today’s youth. What does developing youth through rugby mean to you? Why is it important for children, particularly in urban environments, to be involved in sports?

PK: Developing youth through rugby is an integral part of the foundation and future of rugby in America. I believe is goes without saying that it means a great deal to me. I believe that it's equally important for children in both urban and rural environments to be involved in sports. Having grown up in a very rural area in Georgia, I witnessed then and continue to see the need for young people to develop positive connections with themselves and others through sport. It also offers them the discipline, work ethic, and interpersonal skills that can transcend  and enhance other areas of their lives. Sport helps children confronted with aggressive emotions, such as anger, to channel them in positively, keeping them out of harm's way. The health benefits of being physically active through sport are numerous.

THE WINNING TEAM: Meet Coach Gabriel

In the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, just eight blocks separate Chicago Youth Boxing Club (CYBC), where Coach Gabriel works, from where he lives. In a city that is home to more violent neighborhoods than any other, Little Village has experienced its fair share of violence, crime and drugs. Growing up there, Gabriel has too. But he used sports as an escape from the dangers of the streets, and now he devotes his life to ensuring that the youth living in and around those eight blocks are able to escape as well.

The former professional fighter found himself without a gym when Windy City Boxing closed its doors in 2006. When a new gym, CYBC, opened in his neighborhood, he stopped competing and started coaching. As one of Coach Across America’s first coaches, Gabriel has been a part of Up2Us Sports since the beginning. Now, sports-based youth development is ingrained in his coaching techniques. “The first year, I was nervous trying this stuff out, but now I do it and I don’t even realize it’s all the things I’ve learned over the years at [National Coach Training] Institutes,” says Gabriel.

Now, he uses lessons learned from sports to keep his kids in the ring and off the streets.  When a kid comes in with dreams of becoming a professional fighter, Gabriel encourages them to be the first person in their family to graduate from college. “I don’t mean to take away their dreams, but I want to be more realistic: I want them to be more focused on school, I want them to go to college.” Gabriel estimates that in his seven years at CYBC, over 30 kids have achieved this goal.

While CYBC is focused on the youth in the neighborhood, the entire community benefits. Instead of sneaking out of their houses and getting in trouble, the children stay home because their coaches have taught them to make better choices. These young boxers stay in school, and become friends and positive influences on one another. Most importantly, after school - between the hours of 3pm and 6pm, which is proven to be the most dangerous time for risky behavior in teens - these kids are in a safe haven with positive adult role models at CYBC. “They come in at 3pm and they’re here until 7pm or 8pm, even though a training session only lasts two hours. They just want to be here.”

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Coach Gabriel is funded by The Humana Foundation.