What is leadership through rugby?
It’s a Navy SEAL inspired leadership program designed to build future leaders within our community. Our players are selected based on character as well as talent, which means some of the most promising players may never pull on the jersey because their inclusion would be detrimental to our Whanau (Maori term for family). Our leadership through rugby philosophy simply means finding incremental ways to do more – in the gym, on the field, in school, at home and for the team.
Our coaches serve as mentors and focus on continual improvement, the creation of a continual learning environment, and a willingness to support your teammate. In short, we train for
adversity using triggers to help players aim to achieve clarity and accuracy, so they can perform under pressure as teenagers and adults. Throughout our program coaches and players guide each other with references to keeping a Blue Head to maximize performance and be a good teammate.
Keep a Blue Head
Following their arguably premature exit at the 2003 World Cup, the All Blacks worked with forensic psychiatrist Ceri Evans to understand how the brain works under pressure. They wanted
to overcome their habit of choking. Richie McCaw stamps his feet, literally grounding himself, while Kieran Read stares at the farthest point of the stadium, searching for the bigger picture. Using these triggers, the players aim to achieve clarity and accuracy, so they can perform under pressure.
Red Head is the negative state, when you are heated, overwhelmed, tense and not in complete control of your actions. Your emotional engine is smoking, your perceptions are slow, the game feels too fast, and your decision making is rushed.
Blue Head, on the other hand, is the precise opposite: the cool, controlled, pattern-seeing state, when you retain your awareness and your decision-making power, when you stay flexible and deliver top performance.
The key is doing three things:
1) seek to stay in Blue Head as your default setting
2) sense cues when you are entering Red-Head mode
3) use a physical or mental trigger to get yourself back into Blue Head.
Our Rugby Ethos
Who are we?
We are a brotherhood/sisterhood of fast, fit players that aggressively attack and defend with intelligence, timing and precision. We run hard and tackle well. We are far better than our opposition because we show up prepared, always move forward with support and never do anything to dishonor ourselves, our families or the team. In difficult moments we bind together to support each other and work to improve our position.
We play Coronado Rugby to be with our friends, to have fun and just like our predecessors, to be just a little bit different.
Our Four Player Types
The Superstar Players
The Superstar Players
The Superstar Players
The Superstars are the remarkable players we all love — the ones who “do the right thing” always maintaining a “Blue Head” with above average Rugby Skills. They work hard both on and off of the field, play in a manner that supports the players around them while leading the team through challenging moments and moments of great accomplishment.
The Up-and-comers
The Superstar Players
The Superstar Players
The Up-and-comers play with heart and they are constantly working to improve themselves. They generally do things the right way but whose skills need further maturation or enhancement. They are supportive of other players and with training, time, and support, these players will become our future Superstars.
The Zombie Players
The Vampire Players
The Vampire Players
The Zombies fail on both counts. Their behavior doesn’t align with supporting their fellow teammates and their performance is mediocre. They are the proverbial dead wood. But their ability to inflict harm is mitigated by their lack of commitment. On a team with limited players their lack of effort steadily infects others causing resentment and anger.
The Vampire Players
The Vampire Players
The Vampire Players
The Vampires are the real threat. These players perform well but in a manner that is against our team culture with little regard for their fellow teammates. Vampires are hypercritical and have trouble maintaining a “Blue Head.” Because they have great potential as athletes or rugby players, they instantly acquire power and influence. But over time they will acquire zombie player followers who begin to share a different set of values and lose their desire to better themselves or their team. Without intervention, soon there’s a small army of vampires and zombies attacking the Superstars, Up-and-comers and leaders who are trying to better themselves and those around them. Coaches are responsible for identifying player types and its not uncommon for people to get a little vampire or zombie like. The key is to convert back to a Up-and-comer or Superstar as soon as possible.
Our Goal
Our goal is to produce great leaders which requires specific skills that one must learn over time through training and experience. Nobody is born a great leader. It is a cultivated ability that requires courage, inspiration and a desire to ascend. It takes a village to produce great leaders, and with your help, we hope to provide structure and opportunity for our young people to learn, grow and succeed.
