Service to others has been an important part of my life from my very youngest years, and none of the work was ever done with the intention to be recognized for it. Winning the Life of Significance Award was not something I anticipated. For me, the cross section of rugby and service is rooted in the value of respect.
After this year’s Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship, we held an invitation-only Leadership Summit for a select group of rugby players. Not only does Penn Mutual love rugby, we also want to help build the next generation of leaders.
I have been thinking a lot recently about my journey in rugby and the overall rise of women’s rugby in the United States. As I reflect upon the last several years, I realize that we women have accomplished a lot. For the first time ever, women’s rugby was in the Olympics, and women’s rugby is now tabbed an NCAA Emerging Varsity Sport. Most importantly, however, thousands of girls are picking up a rugby ball.
The growth of collegiate rugby and the return to the Olympics have given us great visibility, but I believe it is the growth of youth rugby in the U.S. that we must focus on, as this will increase the level of play at all levels.
I was very surprised when I was told I was to receive this year’s Penn Mutual Life of Significance Award. When Eileen McDonnell, the Chairman and CEO of Penn Mutual, called me, I was just shocked.
I hope you were as excited as I was by the play at this year’s Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship! It was the biggest tournament yet with 88 teams participating.
Penn Mutual was thrilled to return to Las Vegas during the USA Sevens International Rugby tournament, as well as the Las Vegas Invitational (LVI) tournament earlier in March.
My rugby teammates at the Naval Academy gave me a lot of grief when they learned I had won the inaugural Penn Mutual Life of Significance Award. I’ve thought a lot since then on what it means to live a life of significance.
Penn Mutual’s sponsorship of The Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship comes at a critical moment in the history of the game here in the United States. Interest in rugby is exploding, and the attention is well-deserved.
Eileen C. McDonnell
David O’Malley
Larry Adkins
Leanne Acton
Keith Bratz
John Caserta
Raymond Caucci
Jessica Choi
Michael Clark, M.D.
Joshua Coleman
Matthew Condon
Cheryl D. Creuzot
Susan Deakins
Gretchen Dinucci
Tim Donahue
Greg Driscoll
Cara Drew
Michael Dunne
Michael Durkin
Sara Faitelson
Stacey Fabricant
Ande Frazier
Frannie Gardner
Thomas Harris
Jethro Kollie
Chris Lyman
David LaBricciosa
Christine Hennigan
Keith Huckerby
Jim Knox
John Laurito
Jeff Leinen
Roy Lenzo III
Andrew Martin
Jim Meehan
Margaret Muldoon
Danny Noles
Susan Notaras
Adam Paoli
Jay Perlman
Dave Raszeja
Helen Rennie
Allan Sternberg
Maury Stewart
Walter Young