Interview with Brandi - An Athlete Excelling in Academics and Athletics

by Leigh, College Junior, Susquehanna University

Rugby football is a team game similar to American "gridiron" football (American Football actually owes its existence to Rugby Football), that has been played since the early 19th Century, and is one of the most popular team sports in the entire world. Rugby is generally played by teams of fifteen players, and matches consist of two 40-minute halves. There is also a 7-a-side version of the game, as well, that is enjoyed the world over. There is no difference between men's and women's rugby, and both follow the same Laws of the Game. Rugby combines the full-contact action of American football, and the free-flowing, non-stop action of soccer. Rugby is also among the fastest growing sports for women and men on college campuses (and even high schools) across the United States of America.

Brandi is a student-athlete who attends Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. CampusChamps recently talked to Brandi about what it takes to balance academics and sports. Brandi is currently the Vice-President of the Susquehanna University Women's Rugby Football Club.

CampusChamps: We know who you are and where you attend college, but where is your hometown?
Brandi: I'm from Hanover, PA, and attended South Western High School.

CampusChamps: Why did you choose Susquehanna University over other schools that you had looked at?
Brandi: I visited 5 different schools, and SU just seemed to give me the best feeling. I chose Susquehanna because of its excellent reputation in academics and because I found the people here to be very friendly. Plus the campus is beautiful. SU just felt right to me.

CampusChamps: What year are you, and what is your major?
Brandi: I'm a junior majoring in Biology and I'm also going for my Secondary Education Certification. Eventually I'd like to teach, and that will require a Master's Degree. I may also want to pursue other graduate programs in biology or Physical Therapy, but that's all in the future for now.

CampusChamps: Have you always been involved in athletics? What sports did you play in high school?
Brandi: I swam in 7th and 8th grades, then in high school I ran track and cross-country all 4 years. I also swam in 9th and 10th grades.

CampusChamps: What sport do you play at SU?
Brandi: Rugby.

CampusChamps: How long have you been playing rugby?
Brandi: I've played for 3 years, so that's 6 seasons.

CampusChamps: What is your current GPA?
Brandi: 3.8 on a 4.0 scale.

CampusChamps: That's very impressive. How do you manage to keep such good grades, find the time to play rugby, and experience everything else that happens on campus?
Brandi: I'm really motivated to do well and concerned about my grades. Rugby is a club sport and it allows me the flexibility to take care of schoolwork as well as being dedicated to the team. It's the best of both worlds.

CampusChamps: Give us a little background on your experience with the rugby club. How long is your season? How often do you practice and commit to the club during the year?
Brandi: We practice twice a week with our coaches from 4:30pm to 6pm, and the other days of the week we do team running and weightlifting for fitness. With matches, it works out to about 12-15 hours per week for everything. I'm also the club's Vice President. We have 5 matches this Spring, plus a tournament, and we do our own scheduling in the Spring. In the Fall, the union [sanctioning body] schedules the matches. There are about 30 players on the club, and it is completely student-run with very little administrative or financial support from the athletic department, because SU is a small school, so there's a lot of work to do.

CampusChamps: How has playing a club sport affected your studying time and your grades?
Brandi: It's had a positive effect. It focuses my time outside of sports more, and forces me to concentrate better when I sit down to study. It's also a good outlet and release that allows me to have a study break and take my mind off of any problems that I might have been struggling through. When I go back to it later, I have a clearer head to work through it.

CampusChamps: Why did you choose to play a non-varsity sport, like rugby, over running track or cross-country at SU?
Brandi: I was tired of running competitively, and I wanted a team atmosphere, while at the same time less rigidity than a varsity sport so that I could concentrate more on my grades.

CampusChamps: It sounds like your priorities are in order. Were you looking at this when you were planning to go to college?
Brandi: Activities were not my top priority. Academics were definitely more important.

CampusChamps: What differences have you discovered between your previous varsity sports and your experiences with the rugby club?
Brandi: Running and swimming are team sports based on individual competitions. A win helps the team's score, but it's very much up to the individuals. Rugby is a total team sport, because everybody is out there playing and contributing. Rugby is much more relaxed. The focus is on having fun, meeting new people, and staying in shape (winning is important, but it's not everything). It's a lot less pressure than a varsity sport.

CampusChamps: Thanks very much for talking to us about your experiences. Good luck with the rugby season and with the remainder of the semester.
Brandi: You're welcome.