1 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, it's Bill Courtney with an army of normal folks. 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,800 Speaker 1: And we continue with part two of our conversation with 3 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 1: Shane Young right after these brief messages from our general sponsors, 4 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: and now we return to my reading of a testimonial 5 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: from yet another rugby player and getting Shane's reaction to it. 6 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:37,879 Speaker 1: I used to hang out with a bad crowd, but 7 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: rugby changed my whole view of life, and it's made 8 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: me rethink what I was going to do. I used 9 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: to be what people called a troublemaker, and there's like 10 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 1: zero tolerance with the attitudes. That is Giovanni Merritt, and 11 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: he said, so I learned to channel my anger into 12 00:00:54,680 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: something productive. Holy moly, that line, if we could get 13 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: something to learn. Two a one poplar for those listening, 14 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: is where the jail is here in Memphis, and it 15 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 1: is seven story stall back to the gills, overcrowded, and 16 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if it's not more dangerous into a 17 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 1: one popular than outside of it. It is a disaster. 18 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 1: Every city has one in Memphis. On the streets, you 19 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 1: don't say going to jail, you say going to two 20 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: to one. Everybody knows what you say when you say, 21 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:32,400 Speaker 1: if you don't straighten up, you're gonna end up into 22 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: a one. I used to say to my players at 23 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: Manassas early on, is two to one is filled full 24 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:43,919 Speaker 1: of people who didn't know how to manage their anger. 25 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 2: It's fair, and you know it's it's because it's funny. 26 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 2: Who made that quote. That's Giovanni Merritt, who is now 27 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 2: one of our best coaches. Giovanni is it's a young woman. 28 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 2: And you mentioned you know who is the first person 29 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 2: to sign that girls rugby scholarship. Giovanni Merritt tell us 30 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 2: that story. So Giovanni pioneered girls rugby at Memphis inter 31 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,279 Speaker 2: City Rugby, you know her and coach Sinnam Cotton, another 32 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 2: teach for America transplant from Chicago, played rugby at University 33 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,679 Speaker 2: of Illinois, got placed in Memphis in twenty fourteen, got 34 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 2: placed at which school, Soulsville where Brad, who had already 35 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 2: started the Soulsville boys team, was an administrator, and boom, 36 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 2: we had access. It was like we didn't need to 37 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 2: now go ask principal. Of course we did, but like 38 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 2: we were already in can we start a girls team? 39 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 2: Saam's teaching at the school the perfect access and Saam 40 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:34,399 Speaker 2: is a big personality, bullish, you know it, really hold 41 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 2: you accountable, get in your business, kind of a young 42 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 2: woman coming from Chicago, and so she starts with the 43 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 2: girls team of that school. Javanni is one of the 44 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 2: first players to come out. Giovanni kicks, but she honestly, 45 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 2: it was tough to watch her tackle some of these 46 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:51,359 Speaker 2: young girls. She'd murder them because you would see head whiplash, 47 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 2: you'd see concussions, you would see a lot, and like 48 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 2: she was just so physical, so talented, and it got 49 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 2: everybody really excited about girls ruggy. It was like, well 50 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 2: did you see Giovanni? Like who is that? And she 51 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:04,920 Speaker 2: ends up getting recruited by a life university, which is, 52 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 2: you know, a perennial national champion women's rugby team in Maryetta, Georgia, 53 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 2: near Atlanta, and she signed that scholarship I think it 54 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 2: was twenty fifteen or twenty sixteen and sort of blazed 55 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 2: the trail there. 56 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: And so she went to play college rugby on a 57 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 1: full scholarship and if I understand that's right, she was 58 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: the first woman of color to ever get a rugby 59 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 1: scholarship to that university. 60 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 2: Definitely from this area and at least from Tennessee, and 61 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 2: so there was a lot of historic components to what 62 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 2: Jeovanni did. Now I will say we do have kids 63 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 2: on full scholarships because of rugby at like Ivy League 64 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 2: schools and different institutions right now, Giovanni, And what gave 65 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 2: life to a lot of our alumni sports services is 66 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 2: that rugby scholarships usually aren't full rides. You have to 67 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 2: package them together with different you know, financial aid packages 68 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 2: and scholarships, and so we do that now. We are 69 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 2: like an agency pro bono that puts together financial aid packages, 70 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 2: including rugby scholarships for kids. For Jovanni, we had to 71 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 2: do the same thing before we ever had that systematized. 72 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:02,119 Speaker 1: Rugby is like a family. Seniors that would never talk 73 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: to me because of this ball, now do Samuel Johnson said, 74 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: they want to see me do great and be a 75 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: better person. So what they instilled in me, I'm still 76 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: another guys now. 77 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,039 Speaker 2: We were just at Sam's wedding two weeks ago and 78 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,160 Speaker 2: now in Memphis Inner City Rugby. His little sister Caitlin 79 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 2: has signed a Division I women's rugby scholarship. His little 80 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 2: brother Jacob is one of our top referees at age sixteen, 81 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 2: he's America's youngest referee. His little sister, his little brother, Christopher, 82 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 2: is a great leader for a PCA, the team that 83 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 2: Sam helped start with. Me and Christopher's also are built 84 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 2: in MC. When he comes to games and he's not playing, 85 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 2: he's on the speaker narrating what happens. I'm trying to 86 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 2: think if I'm missing a sibling, But that's Sam Johnson, 87 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 2: who just got married, and all of his siblings play rugby, 88 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:47,919 Speaker 2: and we love the Johnsons. 89 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 1: I never played sports in high school before the tenth grade. 90 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: Rugby has taught me to be a leader outside of 91 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: my sports and inside my school. I've never been the 92 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 1: type to stand up and speak loudly developed me as 93 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: a person. I wasn't a very outspoken person at first, 94 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 1: and it taught me the difference between being a leader 95 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: and being bossy. 96 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 2: Wow wow, Yeah, that's That's one of the things I 97 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,040 Speaker 2: love the most is the leadership development we are. Our 98 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 2: best coaches can push the buttons of kids to bring 99 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 2: out whatever, whether they're leading by example or vocally. I 100 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 2: love to see our kids unfold as leaders is amazing. 101 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: All right, So you've talked a little bit about it 102 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 1: this team at Kingsbury and then at Freedom Pop and 103 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:39,159 Speaker 1: then the four teams became an organization as a result 104 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:43,839 Speaker 1: of what you guys started. Tell us what that organization 105 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:46,839 Speaker 1: looks like. You've talked a little bit about the programming 106 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:52,359 Speaker 1: you do, but we need to remember this came from nothing, 107 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 1: from the people, not even from a city, who just 108 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: had a passion and a discipline and saw an opportunity. 109 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 1: Tell me what this organization is today, so today and 110 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: what you do. 111 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:06,679 Speaker 2: So today I serve as the co executive director. 112 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: Maybe you're not teaching. 113 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 2: I'm not teaching anymore. We have five full time employees 114 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 2: and I'm one of them. So we have and I 115 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 2: won't take you down the whole organizational chart, I promise you, 116 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 2: but I will just kind of outline it real quick, 117 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 2: which is me and a co executive director. So we 118 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:23,839 Speaker 2: have two directors, you know, and then a alumni Support 119 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,720 Speaker 2: coordinator who runs our whole alumni support programming. That's Morgan. 120 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 2: And then we have two full time Pathway coaches and 121 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: that's Savannah and Mariah, and they oversee really all the 122 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 2: youth programming that happens. And so our organization has two 123 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:40,279 Speaker 2: main main pillars, K through twelve programming, and it's a 124 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 2: we have to maybe relabel that because it's not really 125 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 2: K through twelve, it is middle school in high school, 126 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 2: so really it's like sixth grade through twelfth grade. We 127 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 2: may do elementary at some point, so it's K through 128 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:54,839 Speaker 2: twelve programming and then alumni support and so our kids 129 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 2: are engaged in MICR year round. We do seven on 130 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 2: seven rugby in the fall, fifteen on fifteen and rugby 131 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 2: in the spring, and then a dynamic summer program and 132 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 2: so they're getting all of those services that I've been 133 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 2: rattling off to you, nutrition, transportation, mental health, counseling, college counseling, 134 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 2: travel opportunities, academic support, case management, will we will do 135 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 2: anything we can for our kids. So when I'm rattling 136 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 2: off all these services, those are codified and systematized and 137 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 2: we're accountable to deliver those. But we do a lot 138 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 2: more than that too, And so these kids receive these 139 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 2: services year round, and then when they become juniors and 140 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 2: seniors in high school, our alumni support coordinator starts to 141 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 2: engage with them so that they have access to our scholarships, 142 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 2: our internships, ninety percent of coaches at MICR are our 143 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 2: own alumni. I mentioned Giovanni Merritt, she's a coach. I 144 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 2: mentioned Colvin Gentry, he's been a coach. Most of our 145 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 2: coaches are alumni. 146 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 1: It is. 147 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 2: It is one of my favorite things about what we do, 148 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 2: and same with our academic mentors and alumni support. These 149 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 2: are mostly first generation college students who don't have strong backgrounds, 150 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 2: but they're getting recruited to go play at Brown University, 151 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 2: to go play rugby linden Wood elite institutions. There's really 152 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 2: academic gaps there, especially since the pandemic. So our mentors 153 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 2: are and certified to help close those gaps. And one 154 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,239 Speaker 2: hundred percent of those mentors are alumni under the leadership 155 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 2: of our Alumni Support Coordinator, who delivers all the services 156 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 2: of alumni sports. That's why it's a big family. 157 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 1: You're telling me you have kids from the inner city 158 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: who whose prospects of even getting to college were low, 159 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: that are at IVY League schools as a result of 160 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: their involvement right now in rugby. 161 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 2: Right now, and it won't be the first either. We 162 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 2: have IVY leagues recruiting kids for the class of twenty 163 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 2: twenty three right now, first generation college students who found rugby, 164 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 2: and it's not the institution that's recruiting them, it's that 165 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 2: institution's rugby coach that's recruiting them. And one of our 166 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 2: students that's an IVY league is Akuila Cathy, who's two 167 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 2: sisters also played an MIICR. One of them went to 168 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 2: Lindwood on a rugby scholarship. Aquila goes to Brown on 169 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 2: a rugby scholarship. She also is a member of USA 170 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 2: Under twenties right now. She was in Canada this summer 171 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 2: playing against Wales, scoring against Canada, wearing the American you know, 172 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 2: symbol on her chest. And when we talk about you 173 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 2: know what pissed me off about how I made the 174 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,559 Speaker 2: USA team and we went and got killed, Well, this 175 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 2: is this is you know, starting to happen the right way. 176 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 2: I think now people like me will never hopefully make 177 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 2: the USA rugby team again if if we're able to 178 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 2: like do a good job what we're doing in Memphis. 179 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: You know, I remember hearing or reading a story that 180 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,559 Speaker 1: I think had to have been some of the impetus 181 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 1: for you developing all of these systems, and you can 182 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:32,680 Speaker 1: fill in the blanks for me. But you had you 183 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: had a player who did great, got a scholarship, but 184 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: didn't have all of the function around going to college 185 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: and ended up only a year later homeless because he 186 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:49,319 Speaker 1: couldn't pay a like one hundred dollars fee or something. 187 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 1: To me, well, share that story briefly with us. But 188 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: is that story not one of the very reasons you 189 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 1: decided you had to do all this support stuff as 190 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 1: well as rugby and everything. 191 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 2: Else one hundred percent? You know, such a heartbreaking situation 192 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 2: and did did absolutely color in give life and provide 193 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 2: the DNA for what was eventually our codified you know, 194 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 2: system of alumni support directly responsive to situations and casework 195 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 2: like this. And I won't name him because it's such 196 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 2: it's so sad, and it didn't really have a great ending, 197 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:24,840 Speaker 2: and you know, but it was one of our one 198 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:27,680 Speaker 2: of our original graduates who was super talented on the field, 199 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:31,320 Speaker 2: you know, really really bright. So the academics were there 200 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 2: able to figure out a scholarship. And now this is 201 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 2: us without any real alumni support systems being college counselors. 202 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: On it this early on. 203 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 2: I mean, we would meet at McDonald's on the weekends 204 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 2: to be like, all right, let's look at cap. We 205 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 2: were just to get the Wi fi in his neighborhood 206 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 2: down the street from his apartment. We'd pick him up, 207 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 2: go to McDonald's and we'd be there as long as 208 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 2: there wasn't a rugby game. And then when it was 209 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 2: time to do financial aid, okay, back in the McDonald's. 210 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 2: I remember like it was yesterday, sitting in the McDonald's 211 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 2: doing college counseling work. And I'm not a college counselor, 212 00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 2: but we figured it out and and so we sent 213 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 2: sent him out. I keep make sure I don't say 214 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:02,679 Speaker 2: his name, but we sent him off to a Tennessee 215 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 2: State university. And you know, he did well for maybe 216 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 2: a couple of weeks before some of that stuff that 217 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 2: first generation college students don't have the awareness or safety 218 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 2: net to deal with. Oh this class, you got into it. Cool, 219 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 2: your signed up. 220 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: Cool. 221 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 2: It has a lab component. By the way. That lab 222 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:19,440 Speaker 2: has an access code. By the way, that access code 223 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 2: costs one hundred and twenty five dollars. Oh, and here's 224 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 2: a parking ticket, because when you relate, you parked in 225 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 2: the staff only parking at the student union to come 226 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 2: ask a question. So here's your parking ticket. And you know, 227 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 2: this young man has no resources, no money, and not 228 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 2: a It's not that he didn't have stamina, but when 229 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,720 Speaker 2: you face those obstacles and your parents didn't go to college, 230 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 2: and this is so strange, and it doesn't seem like 231 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 2: people around you are struggling. And you know how Memphis 232 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 2: has this boomerang effect too, You know that from working 233 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 2: with you young people, the boomerang, they go and they 234 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 2: come back. And maybe that's because Memphis is great, it's home. 235 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,559 Speaker 2: I don't know. But sure enough we couldn't get a 236 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 2: hold of him, cell phone turned off, like the bill 237 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:57,600 Speaker 2: wasn't paid. How do we even reach him? I honestly, Bill, 238 00:11:57,640 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 2: I don't even remember how we found him. But we 239 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 2: were driving around apartments in North Memphis, and in this 240 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 2: apartment with no furniture, a wood floor, there there was 241 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 2: you know, our young man, twenty pounds later, you know, 242 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 2: and telling us how you know, he's been like eating 243 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 2: like once every three days when somebody comes by and 244 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 2: helps him out, and he had just it was it 245 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 2: was just not good. And so we went grocery store, 246 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 2: you know, loaded him up. 247 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 1: But the point is he got into college and He 248 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,560 Speaker 1: might have been prepared academically to handle coursework, but he 249 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:36,320 Speaker 1: wasn't handled for the culture of the social aspects, or 250 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: the financial the rigors, or the financial aspects. And that 251 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: is when you guys decided, we're coaching and we're making 252 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:47,079 Speaker 1: a difference, and we're spending our weekends at McDonald's helping 253 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:48,360 Speaker 1: people get into college. 254 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 2: But even that isn't enough, and he was and this 255 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:54,200 Speaker 2: case is one of the most heartbreaking because of who 256 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:55,959 Speaker 2: he is and how bad it got. But he is 257 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 2: certainly not the only case that went like that. And 258 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 2: so we learned through through a lot of trials and 259 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:05,479 Speaker 2: tough times with our young people the type of services 260 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:09,080 Speaker 2: and support they need to thrive in their post secondary pursuits. 261 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 1: Which led which led to what you have now. 262 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 2: Alumni sport. 263 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 1: Yep, yep, we'll be right back. Tell me your favorite 264 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: story of a kid. I know you've got a bunch. 265 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: Let me say it more fairly. Tell me one of 266 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 1: your favorite stories. 267 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, there are so many, so just bear 268 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 2: with me, and I promise you I'll get you one here. 269 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:49,680 Speaker 2: It's just crazy to try to to try to pick one, 270 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 2: but I'm going to and it's you know, what I 271 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 2: think it's I think I'll pick this one because it 272 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 2: aligns well with some of the some of the things 273 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 2: we touched on on this episode, and I think it 274 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 2: aligns well with kind of an army of normal folks. 275 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 2: And so this takes us way back to twenty sixteen, 276 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 2: when we were a year into our Girls programming and 277 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 2: Girls started to kick. But you talk about documentaries, if 278 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 2: you ever go on YouTube and look for you could 279 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 2: just google Nike Rugby Memphis because Nike came to Memphis 280 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 2: and filmed a short film about our girls team in 281 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:26,479 Speaker 2: Westwood who went to the state championship. 282 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 1: And Westwood is a tough, tough, tough area. 283 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, And so this, this team of inspiring young women 284 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 2: fought through incredible obstacles to change the face of rugby 285 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:40,760 Speaker 2: and Tennessee and they were unstoppable. And then the pandemic happened. 286 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 2: But I'm taking us back to twenty sixteen when a 287 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 2: lot of those state champions were just getting started playing. 288 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 2: They were in the state semi final where we were 289 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 2: playing against a team of you know what most other 290 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 2: rugby teams looked like outside of micr you know, homogeneous, 291 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 2: you know, and demographic as all white people, and their 292 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 2: sideline was loaded with parents, you know, and our parents 293 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 2: are often working on the weekends, you know, in different things. 294 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 2: So our parents are you know, our sidelines not loaded 295 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 2: with our you know what. 296 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 1: Where is this The game. 297 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 2: Is happening out in actually Millington, so not too far away. 298 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 2: But we're hosting a team from I think the Middle 299 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 2: Tennessee area, got it, And we're playing and in the 300 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 2: first half it's it's competitive, you know, our girls are 301 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 2: are going back and forth. It's a competitive game. In 302 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 2: the second half, our girls really start to unclip, you know, 303 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 2: they are starting to tackle harder, they are not getting tired, 304 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 2: they are scoring, and this thing is opening up. From 305 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 2: what I think at halftime was like twenty two to 306 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 2: twenty five. Now we're talking about like forty six to 307 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 2: twenty five, you know what I mean. Like the score 308 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 2: starts to open up. And I am not coaching this game. 309 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 2: Remember I already coach a different team. I'm kind of 310 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 2: coaching the coaches. I'm kind of the administrator, you know, 311 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 2: I am the volunteer director of MCR. There was no 312 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 2: nobody was getting paid back then, and so one of 313 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 2: the volunteer roles is carrying a flag up down the 314 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 2: sideline so that the referee can see you raise it 315 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 2: out of balance, bull the whistles. So they're called touch judges, 316 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 2: and I'm serving as basically a pseudo referee, a touch judge, 317 00:15:57,440 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 2: And so I'm sort of in disguise because I'm running 318 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 2: and I'm raising my flag and I'm helping the ref 319 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 2: but I'm on the sideline of the parents of this 320 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 2: opposing team who in the second half are starting to 321 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 2: go what is that tackle? You start to hear the 322 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:12,120 Speaker 2: word animals, You start to hear the word you start 323 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 2: to hear words that are problematic because our girls, I'm 324 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 2: watching the game I played rugby of my whole life. 325 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 2: They're not doing anything besides winning. They're playing hard, they're 326 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 2: not letting up. There's nothing wrong with that. But boy, 327 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 2: these parents were not liking it. They were not liking it. 328 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 2: And specifically one one mother who just kind of people 329 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 2: were starting to kind of go to her and say, hey, 330 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 2: calm it down, like you're starting to like, these kids 331 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:35,560 Speaker 2: might hear you, and then it might escalate. And then 332 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 2: even an off duty police officer comes over to her 333 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 2: and goes, ma'am, like, do we need to you know 334 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 2: what I mean. Like, So that's kind of how the 335 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 2: tone and tenor was. Game ends. Nothing on the field 336 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 2: happens besides a lopsided victory for our Westwood girls. And 337 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 2: I'm observing everything that's happening. I'm watching my coaches break 338 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 2: their team down. I'm watching the sideline to see anything, 339 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 2: and I'm noticing this woman aggressively pack up her chair 340 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 2: and she looks like she's gonna go confront somebody, and 341 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 2: she's marching on the felt Old where the kids. At 342 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 2: the end of the game, I promise you, I'm gonna 343 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 2: start talking about the student. You know, I'm getting I'm 344 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,520 Speaker 2: getting to the student to the young woman. But what 345 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 2: we do after the girls games, after any game really 346 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 2: is meet in the middle of the field and give 347 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 2: out the gatorade for the girl of the game, you know. 348 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 2: And so the captain of that team and the captain 349 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 2: of our team meet to talk to just hey, we 350 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:20,640 Speaker 2: we noticed your number six. It was all over the field. 351 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 2: Here's her gatorade Girl of the game. So our girl, 352 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 2: our team is doing it. And and Shanaya, you know, 353 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:31,359 Speaker 2: who were super close to even today. She's one, you know, 354 00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 2: one of our best coaches of the organization. She she's 355 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 2: about to graduate college. She's been in our alumni support program. 356 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 2: You know, she's the captain, and she's given out the 357 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,880 Speaker 2: girl the game. She's explained it. Why meantime, the mom 358 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 2: that I'm talking about is walking up, you know, and 359 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 2: I'm I'm watching the whole thing, and I know she's 360 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 2: going to confront somebody or something. There's nobody walks that fast, 361 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 2: you know, or so says a lot of those things 362 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 2: if they don't mean you know, mean business. And and 363 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 2: so she walks up, and right when she walks up, 364 00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 2: she hears Shanaiah like articulating, you know, like how she 365 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:03,119 Speaker 2: felt about the game and how you know, she she 366 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 2: she was encouraging the team that she just killed. You know, 367 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 2: she she had beat them so bad and she was 368 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:08,880 Speaker 2: now trying to lift them up. 369 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:09,239 Speaker 1: You know. 370 00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 2: So the mom saw that happen, and I think the mom, 371 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 2: I don't think the mom had interacted with black folks 372 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:18,199 Speaker 2: a lot, you know, I know, she doesn't live in 373 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 2: a black community, and I don't think she's ever really 374 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:23,200 Speaker 2: seen you know, young women play sports like that before 375 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 2: looking you know, while black. And that's some of my 376 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:28,119 Speaker 2: assumptions by the way, I you know, and I but 377 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:30,199 Speaker 2: I think I think I'm probably on point with it. 378 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 2: And the crowd starts to, you know, disperge the girl. 379 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 2: The game situations are done, and the mom now has 380 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 2: sort of calmed down, and I think she Shanaia showed 381 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 2: her humanization, you know, of of them. It was no 382 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 2: longer an athlete and animal. It was a human, and 383 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:49,680 Speaker 2: it was an articulate person, and it was a talented 384 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:51,880 Speaker 2: woman with tons of potential. And I think the mother 385 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:54,239 Speaker 2: saw that, and she went up to Shanaia and like 386 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 2: hugged hers, like thank you, thank you, you know, and 387 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 2: Shani didn't know why. You know, she's getting hugged by 388 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 2: everybody is one of the big states. I'm my final. 389 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:04,160 Speaker 2: Everybody was ugging her, okay, you know, a good game. 390 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:04,439 Speaker 1: You know. 391 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:06,919 Speaker 2: She didn't know what the mother was reflecting on or 392 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:09,199 Speaker 2: why she was being thanked. And then she went up 393 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:10,640 Speaker 2: to another couple of a couple more of our girls 394 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 2: and hugged them too, and she just was like I 395 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:14,360 Speaker 2: don't know if she was trying to apologize or what, 396 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 2: but I just saw like an adult who was wrong, 397 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:22,480 Speaker 2: you know, change, change in front of in front of, 398 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 2: in front of me. Not nobody else was watching that 399 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 2: whole thing like I was, and so I kind of 400 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 2: that's the story is special to me. And I'm sorry 401 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:32,359 Speaker 2: getting emotional because Jania is so special to me. That team, 402 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:34,479 Speaker 2: what they did for girls rugby in Memphis and for 403 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 2: their neighbor, for their community is special. And that's such 404 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:40,879 Speaker 2: a small micro example of how we put. 405 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: The point is. I used to say to my guys 406 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:50,880 Speaker 1: at Manassas when we went out to some areas like that, 407 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:53,400 Speaker 1: that we wanted to win the game, and we were 408 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 1: gonna win the game, but you know what, we were 409 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 1: also going to win the referees. We were gonna win 410 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:04,360 Speaker 1: the other team. We were going to win the fans 411 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:06,479 Speaker 1: in the opposite stands. And what I meant by that 412 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:11,359 Speaker 1: is there is a societal preconceived notion about who you 413 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 1: are as kids from Anassis coming to play football out 414 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 1: in a community somewhere else, and by the end of 415 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:19,920 Speaker 1: the game, they're going to respect your ability to play football, 416 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:22,160 Speaker 1: but they're going to respect a whole lot more when 417 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:24,919 Speaker 1: we're done because of the way we conduct ourselves. 418 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 2: Can change that. There lens on your. 419 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:29,919 Speaker 1: Community, right and the story you're telling, And I know 420 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: why you're getting emotional because I feel it and I 421 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:37,239 Speaker 1: remember it like was yesterday. But that young lady on 422 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:40,959 Speaker 1: your team won the rugby match because she was a beast, 423 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 1: but more importantly, she changed hearts in minds. Yeah, she 424 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:53,840 Speaker 1: won a community and man, screw the score of a 425 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: rugby match. If you win that, you win at all. 426 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 1: And again, none of that happens if to normal goofball 427 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: kids and teach for America, don't decide, Hey, these kids 428 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 1: in Memphis need to learn how to play rugby. I mean, 429 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 1: is that not the payoff? 430 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's one of the many payoffs, and that just 431 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:18,359 Speaker 2: it's just it's just such a case because I can't 432 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 2: imagine now that we've scaled, and I don't see every 433 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:23,360 Speaker 2: game anymore, and I'm not always running touch and I'm 434 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 2: not always you know, I'm not always the secret agent 435 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,880 Speaker 2: able to observe all these things. But I know that 436 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 2: that story that I just told is happening every time 437 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:32,919 Speaker 2: we take the field and make those impressions. You know, 438 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:36,479 Speaker 2: I think our kids have challenged the institution of rugby 439 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 2: by making their own culture in it and winning in it, 440 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 2: you know, and then watching these phases of people not 441 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 2: be super thrilled that we're winning, but then see that 442 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:46,680 Speaker 2: we're great, you know, and that we have the space 443 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:48,400 Speaker 2: in the sport, and then embracing us. And I think 444 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 2: they've moved the needle. They've created systems level change. 445 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:53,280 Speaker 1: They've moved the needle from. 446 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 2: Themselves and themselves, and. 447 00:21:55,720 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 1: They moved the needle socially. Yeah, how many teams are 448 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 1: there now now? 449 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:05,840 Speaker 2: We have twelve teams middle school and high school girls 450 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:07,640 Speaker 2: and boys are about fifty to fifty. 451 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, And how many kids have been served over the 452 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:10,880 Speaker 1: last ten years? 453 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:13,440 Speaker 2: Just under three thousand in the last decade. And we 454 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 2: serve right now at scale, like we can't really serve 455 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:17,840 Speaker 2: many more than we do right now. We're about at 456 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:21,679 Speaker 2: four hundred participants. And then our alumni support, you know, 457 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:24,159 Speaker 2: has a caselow that they can they're bursting at the 458 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 2: seams too, because we engage you know, one hundred plus 459 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,439 Speaker 2: alums a year, you know, we employ twenty plus. And 460 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 2: then in our academic mentoring, there's another you know, fifteen 461 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 2: right now across the country. So there's rugby mentoring too. 462 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:37,280 Speaker 2: We hooked them up with USA Eagles Olympic players to 463 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 2: you know, who are people of color who mentor are 464 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:41,879 Speaker 2: young women and men who are breaking into college rugby. 465 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 2: So that's just a little bit of the numbers. 466 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 1: I guess, Well, can't Birmingham, Nashville, Little Rock, Omaha, Fort Myers, 467 00:22:50,880 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: Why can't Dallas, Atlanta, Montgomery? Why can't Miami, Jacksonville, Tulsa, Albuquerque, 468 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 1: Salt Lake City and Boise do this? 469 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:06,359 Speaker 2: I'm really glad you asked. And there's a lot of 470 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 2: reasons why. And I know we don't have like all 471 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 2: the time in the world to break it down, but 472 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:12,439 Speaker 2: I will. I will just give you, you know, I 473 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:15,439 Speaker 2: will give you the what we're doing about that. You know, 474 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty two, we were trying to bring our 475 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:21,680 Speaker 2: kids to the HBCU Rugby Classic. It's something that is 476 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:24,000 Speaker 2: kind of a new tradition exists in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 477 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 2: You can imagine HBCUs. Historically, black colleges and universities don't 478 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,200 Speaker 2: have rugby, but a few of them do and they 479 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 2: come together once a year. That's a black institution. Our 480 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,399 Speaker 2: kids are black rugby like that there. We need to 481 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:35,880 Speaker 2: be at that, right. We need to get our kids 482 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 2: around those people and that and that so they can 483 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 2: be at something that they're finally not the strangers and 484 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 2: the outsiders at that's what it'd be special, right. We 485 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:43,679 Speaker 2: tried to do it, but it didn't work out. They 486 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:45,239 Speaker 2: were gonna have us plan a Sunday, it didn't work 487 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 2: with our budget. It was all these complications, and so 488 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:50,760 Speaker 2: we quickly launched the first ever Urban Rugby Championship in 489 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:52,919 Speaker 2: twenty twenty two right here in Memphis at our home 490 00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:55,399 Speaker 2: field Advanced Middle School, and we brought uh, there's an 491 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 2: inner city program in Los Angeles, there's one in DC, 492 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 2: and there's two in Dallas that we to Memphis and 493 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 2: we got funding to bring them to bring them to 494 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:04,680 Speaker 2: Memphis to have a tournament, and that was at the 495 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 2: Urban Rugby Championship. It was such magic, it was so special. 496 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 2: And there's also if you go on our YouTube channel, 497 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:12,639 Speaker 2: you can look up the Urban Rugby Championships twenty twenty two, 498 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:14,679 Speaker 2: you could see a short film on that. Then we 499 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:16,960 Speaker 2: did it again in LA just about six months ago 500 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 2: this past spring in Los Angeles for the second annual 501 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 2: Urban Rugby Championship. And I'm almost done here explaining it all, 502 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 2: but we're doing the third annual in DC on March ninth, 503 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 2: twenty twenty four you could start to see this thing 504 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 2: getting legs, and we just launched Urban Rugby America when 505 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 2: you can go on Urban Rugby dot org and see 506 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 2: our website, which is our attempt to sort of rescue 507 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:39,919 Speaker 2: the broken institution of American rugby by uniting, advancing and 508 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:44,119 Speaker 2: empowering anybody a teacher, a coach, a rugby enthusiast who's 509 00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 2: trying to leverage the game to make a difference in 510 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 2: underresource communities. The institution of American rugby is literally bankrupt. 511 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 2: USA Rugby doesn't have any money, they're in debt. There 512 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 2: is no one they can turn to. They don't have 513 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 2: any expertise and understanding of these urban education landscapes where 514 00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:59,159 Speaker 2: you can partner with schools and where you need to 515 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 2: institute trauma informed coaching, where you need to provide access 516 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:05,360 Speaker 2: and new services. At Urban Rugby America, we're pretty much 517 00:25:05,359 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 2: the experts of that because of what we've done in 518 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:08,760 Speaker 2: Memphis and how we've linked up with the group in 519 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:11,360 Speaker 2: LA and co founded Urban Rugby America. And so that's 520 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 2: just getting started. It has no money, it has a website, 521 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 2: it has some people. We are just trying to get 522 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,679 Speaker 2: it going right. Now to sort of solve for what 523 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,160 Speaker 2: you were just mentioning, why can't all these cities do this? Well, 524 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 2: it's so so hard, and that's why we launched Urban 525 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 2: Rugby America to make it not so impossible for those 526 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:28,679 Speaker 2: who might want to do in the future. 527 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 1: We'll be right back. So somebody listen out here has 528 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 1: played Rugby nos Rugby sitting into Peak and says I 529 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:50,120 Speaker 1: want to do it, Go. 530 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:52,720 Speaker 2: On the website, fill out the application to be an 531 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:55,360 Speaker 2: affiliate partner, and they'll be eligible for our services, which 532 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 2: are not mud right now because if. 533 00:25:57,440 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 1: They what if I want to know the truth about 534 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 1: how it was and all of that, can email. 535 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 2: You in the first call or interaction email, like I'm 536 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 2: gonna I'm gonna tell them, like some of these people 537 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:08,360 Speaker 2: I'm gonna try to scare away because of how hard 538 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 2: it is. But but you know some of them who 539 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 2: are already going or show the propensity to make it happen, 540 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 2: like we're gonna run with them. 541 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:18,439 Speaker 1: Do you get to hold their hand and help them to. 542 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 2: The extent that we have the band with And that's 543 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:23,719 Speaker 2: that's why like I can't, oh absolutely, I've already been 544 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 2: doing that for years, you know, any I get a 545 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 2: call once a week. It seems like from Oakland, Baltimore, 546 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:32,600 Speaker 2: New Orleans. I've helped people in Philadelphia, Oakland. I've helped 547 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:35,680 Speaker 2: people in everywhere across the country. People, Hey, I tried 548 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 2: to call us there. What do you guys do down there? 549 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:39,399 Speaker 2: How do you do it? I get emails, we get 550 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 2: Facebook messages. I get it all the time because people 551 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 2: like what we do and they want to see if they. 552 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:45,880 Speaker 1: So, how do they contact you so they. 553 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:47,720 Speaker 2: Can do anything? So I'll give you a couple of them. 554 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:50,840 Speaker 2: S Young Shane Young, but s Young at Memphis Inner 555 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 2: City Rugby dot org. Or if you're national, you want 556 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:55,560 Speaker 2: to fill out that application on Urban rugby dot org. 557 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:57,880 Speaker 2: Do that. You can go on Memphis Inner City Rugby 558 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 2: dot org. You know, fill out the contact us. We 559 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:03,199 Speaker 2: don't have a marketing team at Memphis inter Cidio Real 560 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:05,119 Speaker 2: I have, you know, I do that all myself. So 561 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 2: if you message our Instagram, our Twitter, ours Facebook, it's me, 562 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 2: so you can get me that way too. 563 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:17,640 Speaker 1: Dude, you're a New Jersey transplant shows up in Florida 564 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:21,920 Speaker 1: from a failed diner who gets into the easiest school 565 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:24,520 Speaker 1: to get into, kind of by hook or Crook in Florida, 566 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 1: ends up teaching for America because you have a heart 567 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 1: to serve, start a rugby team in inner city on 568 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:34,400 Speaker 1: a wing and a prayer by Hooker Crook, and ten 569 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:40,480 Speaker 1: years later have served three thousand kids, many of whom 570 00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 1: are going to college, most of whom now go to college, 571 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:46,120 Speaker 1: some of them go to IVY schools, but most importantly, 572 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 1: who have changed their entire approach to life. What is 573 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 1: it that you think about when it's just you and 574 00:27:56,800 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 1: you at night and you go to bed, about this 575 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:04,680 Speaker 1: experience and where you're going. Because that is a phenomenal story, Shane. 576 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:06,960 Speaker 2: And I appreciate it. And this isn't one of those 577 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:10,159 Speaker 2: like coach speak humble answers. It's almost a problem with 578 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:14,159 Speaker 2: our sustainability because you know, you can talk about the 579 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 2: past and an organization and think about how hard and gritty, 580 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:19,720 Speaker 2: you know, and inspirational those early days were. But it 581 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 2: is no easier today. In fact, it is harder. In 582 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 2: the post pandemic era of social emotional regulation, of trauma, 583 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:30,600 Speaker 2: of deepened poverty, of academic melt. We are dealing with 584 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 2: extremely difficult problems with our young people and funding and capacity, 585 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:39,920 Speaker 2: and we are doing our absolute best. So when I 586 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 2: lay down at night and when I reflect, I'm still robotic. 587 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 2: I'm still in robot mode, meaning I just have im 588 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 2: survival mode for lack of better words, because I have 589 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 2: to go do the really hard stuff the very next 590 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:53,480 Speaker 2: day and then and then try to motivate every coach 591 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 2: who got burnt out, who got beat down, who you 592 00:28:57,000 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 2: know whose kids didn't show up to practice, or those 593 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 2: who got third five at practice and then their assistant 594 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:03,280 Speaker 2: coach wasn't there, so they were all alone and a 595 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:05,360 Speaker 2: fight broke out, and somebody at the basketball court was 596 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 2: a distraction. And then this kid you know, who's the 597 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,480 Speaker 2: best player on the team, failed out of math class, 598 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 2: so they can't play this weekend, even though we're building 599 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:14,960 Speaker 2: the game plan around them, keeping all those coaches managing 600 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 2: all four hundred k through twelve you know students right now, 601 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 2: keeping them motivated, so like, and then I got to 602 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:21,480 Speaker 2: raise the money and then go do all that. So like, 603 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:24,640 Speaker 2: I'm not complaining, but I'm just highlighting there is no 604 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:28,360 Speaker 2: world and no day and no no situation where I'm 605 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 2: sitting there going, man, this was special. This was what 606 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:35,600 Speaker 2: an achievement. Because I can't take a breath. And while 607 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,640 Speaker 2: I'm saying this, it's my plea to those listening to 608 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:42,200 Speaker 2: invest in things that are grassroots, things that are gritty, 609 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 2: things that aren't shiny. Open the hood on the charities 610 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 2: you donate to turn the stones of where you invest. 611 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:51,720 Speaker 2: Maybe go on one less vacation a year, because that's 612 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 2: how deep the deficits are in the communities we're serving. 613 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:57,880 Speaker 2: That's how I've given it. I gave my whole twenties 614 00:29:57,920 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 2: to this. 615 00:29:58,560 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 1: I have no. 616 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:01,480 Speaker 2: Problem telling people to make sacrifices because I gave. I 617 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 2: gave everything to try to bring it to this. And 618 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 2: so there's no time to sit there and say this 619 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 2: was great, because we're still on the brink of existence 620 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 2: and I'm hoping and praying, and you know, I said, 621 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 2: I have to create an enemy to fight against. I'm 622 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:17,760 Speaker 2: creating them every day for myself so I can end 623 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:21,440 Speaker 2: these unsustainable, difficult days and bring us some breathing room, 624 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 2: and buy our employees some sustainability, and give our kids 625 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,760 Speaker 2: more resources that they deserve. And so again I'm not complaining. 626 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 2: I just have to highlight that because there's no there's 627 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 2: no reflections and warm feelings when we are still very 628 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:34,080 Speaker 2: much in survival. 629 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 1: Mode ten years later. Yeah, would you go back and 630 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 1: say I'm not going to do it? Uh? 631 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 2: No, because it's I don't know who I would be 632 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:51,200 Speaker 2: with that Like it's it's almost like it's who I am, right, 633 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 2: it's like my story. So I don't know what in 634 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 2: life I would have done, or where I would have gone, 635 00:30:55,440 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 2: or what I would have become if it wasn't for 636 00:30:57,360 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 2: this community embracing me and these kids doing such a 637 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 2: incredible things through rugby and embracing this work. So no, 638 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 2: I don't regret it. I would still do it. Let 639 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:07,160 Speaker 2: me tell you a hard question to answer, because it 640 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:07,600 Speaker 2: was still hard. 641 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:10,720 Speaker 1: It is hard, and I remember the days I had 642 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 1: four kids and a wife at home too, and I 643 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 1: had a business to grow, and there's nothing easy about it. 644 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:21,640 Speaker 1: But I can give you three thousand reasons why every 645 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 1: minute of it's been worth it for you, And I 646 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 1: can give you, let's see an average of fifty times seven. 647 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 1: I can give you three hundred and fifty reasons of 648 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 1: my own case why every minute of it is worth it. 649 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:38,720 Speaker 1: And that's what it means to be in an army 650 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:43,479 Speaker 1: of normal folks. Members of the army fight, but at 651 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:45,320 Speaker 1: the end of the day, it's worth the fight because 652 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 1: you exact some measure change in your corner of the world, 653 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:51,440 Speaker 1: and my friend, you have made a massive difference in 654 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:55,280 Speaker 1: the lives of three thousand people and the next four 655 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:59,120 Speaker 1: hundred a year more. I want to give you one 656 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:04,480 Speaker 1: chance to play. Every organization like yours needs money and funding. 657 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 1: If somebody doesn't coach rugby but loves what you're doing 658 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:12,840 Speaker 1: and wants to drop a check in the mail or 659 00:32:12,920 --> 00:32:16,280 Speaker 1: reach out to you to talk about what you need 660 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 1: to continue all of the amazing services you're doing far 661 00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 1: and beyond coaching rugby, what do they do well? 662 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:24,880 Speaker 2: Just thank thank you Bill for the encouragement and the 663 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:28,320 Speaker 2: platform and so you know, just go on Memphis Inner 664 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:30,400 Speaker 2: City Rugby dot org, you know, and there's a big 665 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 2: donate button in the top eight corner. So we just 666 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 2: need all the help we can get. And you know, 667 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 2: if you're local, or even if you're not, please travel in. 668 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:41,360 Speaker 2: On December eighth at the Memphis Botanic Gardens, we have 669 00:32:41,480 --> 00:32:43,720 Speaker 2: the fourth annual evening for mic R. It's a really 670 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 2: special event. It sells out every year. It's an absolutely 671 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 2: magical opportunity to honor our students, our alums. You will 672 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:54,360 Speaker 2: see the MICR family front and center when we do that, 673 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:56,760 Speaker 2: And we're also going to premiere a short film at 674 00:32:56,800 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 2: that just to highlight the magic of our alumni support programming, 675 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:03,040 Speaker 2: which is kind of the misunderstood thing of m I 676 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 2: c R. But he know, as we play rugby youth programming, 677 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:06,720 Speaker 2: but they don't see the special nature of our you know, 678 00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:09,320 Speaker 2: the economic upper mobility we cultivate through alumni support. So 679 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:11,720 Speaker 2: we'll premiere a video about that December eighth at the 680 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:15,000 Speaker 2: Memphis Botanic Gardens. You can buy tickets now, buy tables now, 681 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 2: get it, get it, gets your sponsorship package on Memphis 682 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:19,960 Speaker 2: Inner City Rugby dot org and there's the event tab 683 00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:22,200 Speaker 2: or just donate if you're not able to make the event. 684 00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 2: And just thank you so much for anyone who's able 685 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:26,000 Speaker 2: to contribute. We really need it. 686 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:28,360 Speaker 1: We bought a table, right, Uh, yes, you. 687 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 2: Guys did, and we look forward. Yeah, that's that's our actually. 688 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:32,560 Speaker 1: Fast, that's Alex, the producer said to that gum check. 689 00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:35,840 Speaker 2: I'm embarrassed because I didn't even say that. The first 690 00:33:35,840 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 2: sponsor for the fourth Annual Evening for m I c 691 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:40,160 Speaker 2: R is an army of normal folks and so thank 692 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 2: you for coming in as a sponsor. It's it's just 693 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 2: you and World Rugby Shop right now, and we appreciate 694 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:47,600 Speaker 2: it greatly. You may not want me to say this, 695 00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 2: but it's a brag on Bill. It's really Bill in 696 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:52,200 Speaker 2: this company doing that. It's really not the army, so. 697 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:54,640 Speaker 1: No leave it as army and normal folks. That's who's 698 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:54,960 Speaker 1: doing it. 699 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:55,680 Speaker 2: We promise you. 700 00:33:57,560 --> 00:34:01,760 Speaker 1: It doesn't matter you run across a guy like Shane 701 00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 1: with that passion, that energy, and that willingness that has 702 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:08,000 Speaker 1: made that much difference in this city. A little bit 703 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:10,400 Speaker 1: of money to buy a table is no big deal. Shane, 704 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 1: you are just phenomenal. Your passion oozes out of you. 705 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:20,600 Speaker 1: I know why the kids around you at the very 706 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:22,960 Speaker 1: beginning played so hard, and I know why the people 707 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:26,160 Speaker 1: around you work so hard for your organization. I hope 708 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:29,840 Speaker 1: to goodness our listeners hear your passion through this microphone, 709 00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 1: and my friend, you're absolutely in an army and normal folks. 710 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:34,960 Speaker 1: And I can't tell you how much I appreciate you 711 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:36,400 Speaker 1: sharing your story with us today. 712 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:37,800 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, such an honor. 713 00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:38,040 Speaker 1: Bill. 714 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:39,480 Speaker 2: Let's to hear that from you means a lot. And 715 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:42,239 Speaker 2: I just appreciate the platform. This was a fun, fun conversation, 716 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:42,839 Speaker 2: so thank you. 717 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:43,680 Speaker 1: I appreciate it. 718 00:34:44,600 --> 00:34:46,480 Speaker 2: You might if we quickly cover a couple of things. 719 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:51,360 Speaker 1: Why not you always do? See what I have to 720 00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:56,440 Speaker 1: put up with Shane. This is my wife, Lisa. Hi, Lisa, Shane. 721 00:34:56,760 --> 00:35:02,040 Speaker 1: You know all about Shane. Now, yeah, there you have it. 722 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:02,360 Speaker 2: It's not. 723 00:35:04,040 --> 00:35:09,480 Speaker 1: No, it's not no, and ironically enough, Uh, he's now 724 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:11,040 Speaker 1: going to go start a surfing team. 725 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:14,279 Speaker 2: I've served. 726 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:19,919 Speaker 1: He's ad his parents would if they saw his hair, 727 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:25,760 Speaker 1: all right, and on behalf of all the redheaded people 728 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:28,000 Speaker 1: on the face of the planet. We really appreciate you 729 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:34,000 Speaker 1: guys for joining us this week. If Shane or another 730 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:36,359 Speaker 1: guest has inspired you in general, or better yet, to 731 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:40,799 Speaker 1: take action by starting an inner CP rugby team, by 732 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:45,880 Speaker 1: donating to Memphis Center City Rugby, or something else entirely, 733 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:48,200 Speaker 1: please let me know. I'd love to hear about it. 734 00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:51,720 Speaker 1: You can write me anytime at Bill at normal Folks 735 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:55,399 Speaker 1: dot us, or you can be like Badger and call 736 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:58,959 Speaker 1: us at nine oh one three five two one three 737 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:02,279 Speaker 1: six six. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with 738 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 1: friends and on social subscribe to the podcast, rate and 739 00:36:05,840 --> 00:36:09,440 Speaker 1: review it, become a Premium member at Normalfolks dot us 740 00:36:09,600 --> 00:36:12,600 Speaker 1: do all the things that will help us grow an 741 00:36:12,760 --> 00:36:16,400 Speaker 1: army of normal folks. For Premium members, we'll have bonus 742 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:18,880 Speaker 1: content from this episode and it's Shane and I are 743 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:22,040 Speaker 1: talking about the awesomeness of rugby culture. If you don't 744 00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:25,360 Speaker 1: want to miss it, become a Premium member today thanks 745 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:29,080 Speaker 1: to our producer Ironlight Labs. I'm Bill Courtney. I'll see 746 00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:29,680 Speaker 1: you next week.