About this episode
Chris O'Brien's Rugby Background Grew up in a rugby family, father played at Stanford in the 1950s Started playing at 14-15 years old with the Old Blues club Played multiple sports (football, water skiing) which contributed to his rugby development Represented the USA Eagles national team Transitioned into coaching after playing, including youth, high school, college, and international levels Cal Poly Rugby Program Development O'Brien is in his 4th year as head coach Focused on building team culture and skill development Scheduling tougher opponents (BYU, Central Washington, Army) to challenge players Balancing academics and rugby, with high GPA requirements for admission (3.6-4.2 depending on major) Training and Player Development Emphasis on basic skill development and repetition Incorporates video analysis sessions to improve player understanding Pushes players in training to simulate game fatigue and decision-making Utilizes men's club matches to expose players to higher-level competition Recruitment and Admissions Program is attracting more interest from potential players Admissions are highly competitive (1 in 10 applicants accepted) Cannot tag or influence admissions as a club sport Many players come from the Bay Area Future Plans and Opportunities Considering organizing summer camps to develop youth rugby in the area Building relationships with the Cal Poly football program for potential crossover athletes Exploring ways to improve fundraising to support team travel and experiences Next Steps Prepare for upcoming tough stretch of games (Central Washington, St. Mary's, Santa Barbara, Army, UCLA) Continue to develop relationships with Cal Poly football program for potential player crossover Investigate possibilities for organizing summer rugby camps in San Luis Obispo Maintain focus on academics and encourage prospective players to prioritize grades for admission worldrugbyshop.com rugbynorcal.org