Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo

Chris O'Brien's Rugby BackgroundGrew up in a rugby family, father played at Stanford in the 1950sStarted playing at 14-15 years old with the Old Blues clubPlayed multiple sports (football, water skiing) which contributed to his rugby developmentRepresented the USA Eagles national teamTransitioned into coaching after playing, including youth, high school, college, and international levels Cal Poly Rugby Program DevelopmentO'Brien is in his 4th year as head coachFocused on building team culture and skill developmentScheduling tougher opponents (BYU, Central Washington, Army) to challenge playersBalancing academics and rugby, with high GPA requirements for admission (3.6-4.2 depending on major) Training and Player DevelopmentEmphasis on basic skill development and repetitionIncorporates video analysis sessions to improve player understandingPushes players in training to simulate game fatigue and decision-makingUtilizes men's club matches to expose players to higher-level competition Recruitment and AdmissionsProgram is attracting more interest from potential playersAdmissions are highly competitive (1 in 10 applicants accepted)Cannot tag or influence admissions as a club sportMany players come from the Bay Area Future Plans and OpportunitiesConsidering organizing summer camps to develop youth rugby in the areaBuilding relationships with the Cal Poly football program for potential crossover athletesExploring ways to improve fundraising to support team travel and experiences Next StepsPrepare 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 crossoverInvestigate possibilities for organizing summer rugby camps in San Luis ObispoMaintain focus on academics and encourage prospective players to prioritize grades for admission worldrugbyshop.comrugbynorcal.orggoffrugbyreport.com