For the first time since 2019, USA Rugby High Performance Pathways will host its annual Winter Camp, bringing 97 men’s players to the U.S. Olympic Training Site in Chula Vista, CA from December 27 to January 2.

Winter Camp 2021 will invite some of the best U18, U20 and U23 male athletes to train and compete across the week under the guidance of a robust roster of high performance staff. The annual assembly typically serves as a primary touchpoint for players within the Junior National Team pipeline, increasing development and scouting opportunities for senior national teams going into the new year.

Attendees will have the opportunity to train and perform in front of USA Rugby Head of Performance Huw Bevan, USA Men’s XVs Assistant Coach and Utah Warriors Head Coach Shawn Pittman, as well as retired Eagle and current Utah Coach Olive Kilifi. Coaching staff for all three Junior National Teams (U18, U20 and U23) will also be in attendance, giving players the best chance to vie for selections in the new year.

The last Winter Camp was held in 2019 – featuring only U18 players – and saw the likes of Tiai Vavao who went on to compete in the Americas Pacific Challenge with the USA Selects this year. Vavao returns this year to continue his journey through the program.

Players for Winter Camp were selected from high school, college and club programs across the United States, The Eagle Eye Scout Network, and National Development Programs, as well as USA Rugby’s Academy Program, Opportunity Days, and Talent ID Days.

For more information about pathways programs and to nominate an athlete, visit pathways.usa.rugby.

For a contact list of Eagle Eye Scouts in each region, click here.

“We’re excited to revive our winter assembly this year after not being able to assemble last year," said Brendan Keane, Men’s High Performance Pathways Manager. "There is an interesting mix of players that include some returners from previous Junior National Team assemblies and competitions, as well as others who have only recently come on the radar.

 

“Combined with what we learned in our camps from the summer and the Academy this fall, our aim is to go into 2022 with a good understanding of the needs and talents of the players currently in the pathway as we begin a new year of identification and development. We are also enthusiastic about the staff we have coming in for the camp, many of whom are new to the Junior National Teams on the back of the COVID-19 shutdown.

 

“For the first time, we will have all the age-grade programs in one place at the same time. This will allow us to work together on our collective vision to play at the next level while developing athletes and offering them an opportunity to express themselves as rugby players.”

 

STAFF

 

Huw Bevan | Head of Performance

Brendan Keane | Men’s High Performance Pathways Manager

Shawn Pittman | USA Eagles Forwards Coach

Todd Thornley | Head Coach - USA Men’s U23s

Elvis Sevealii | Assistant Coach - USA Men’s U23s

Liam Gardiner | Performance Analyst - USA Men’s U23s

Kyle Sumsion | Head Coach - USA Men’s U20s

Colton Cariaga | Assistant Coach - USA Men’s U20s

Phil Terrigno | Performance Analyst - USA Men’s U20s

Dom Wareing | Head Coach - USA Men’s U18s

Ollie Kilifi | Assistant Coach - USA Men’s U18s

Ethan Pougnet | Performance Analyst - USA Men’s U18s

Janie Kluempers | Athletic Trainer

Josh Werk | Athletic Trainer/ Strength and Conditioning

 

 

Men’s Winter Camp 2021 Roster (U18, U20, U23)
PLAYER NAME	CLUB	U18, U20, or U23
Michael Amberg	United States Military Academy	U23
Brendan Amiatu-Tanoi	Alaska Youth Rugby	U18
Sone Aupiu	Belmont Shore	U18
Chris Aurich	Clemson University	U23
Dante Bandoni	Arkansas State	U23
Deacon Behnam	Penn State	U20
Judd Berman	San Diego Mustangs	U18
Dominic Besag	Danville Oaks	U18
Christopher Biagi	Back Bay	U18
Orrin Bizer	Life University	U23
Daniel Bray	UC Santa Barbara	U20
Jacob Broselle	University of Arizona	U20
Jack Brown	University of Arizona	U20
Ian Bullock	Germantown	U18
Padraic Casey	San Francisco Golden Gate	U18
Isaiah Caver	Herriman High School	U18
Owen Clarke	Staples HS	U20
Oliver Cline	Saint Peter's School, NZ	U18
Evan Conlon	Lindenwood University	U23
Tomas Edmeades	Vienna, VA	U18
Riley Elliott	San Diego Mustangs	U18
George Engels	Staples HS	U18
Andrew Farrington	Central Washington	U20
Shane Fata	Newbridge College, IRE	U20
Maika Finau	Kahului Warriors	U18
Dylan Fortune	Cathedral Catholic HS	U18
Ernest Freeman	University of Arizona	U20
Kyle Fulton	University of Arizona	U23
Matthew Gelhaus	Kutztown University	U23
Michael Ging	Rockaway Youth Rugby	U18
Nathan Gould	United States Military Academy	U20
Collin Grosse	United States Military Academy	U23
Louis Gryspeerdt	Old Glory DC Academy	U23
Jonathan Haley	United States Military Academy	U23
Thomas Hannon	Royal Irish	U20
Nick Hardrict II	Lindenwood University	U20
Brandon Harvey	Cardiff Metropolitan University	U20
Doyle Hedgepeth	Queens University	U23
Ethan Howard	Davenport University	U23
Mosese Kauvaka	Utah Valley University	U23
Kaipono Kayoshi	Saint Mary's College of California	U23
Karl Keane	Saint Mary's College of California	U23
Riley LaDuque	United States Air Force Academy	U23
William Laino	United States Military Academy	U20
Spencer Layne	Carlsbad Thunder	U18
Luke Leddy	Eastside Lions Youth Rugby Club	U18
Nathan Leff	JSerra Catholic HS	U18
Dylan Liskey	Vienna, VA	U18
Calvin Liulamaga	Central Washington University	U23
Chance Loudenback	Seattle Vikings RFC	U18
Gabe Mahuinga	Brigham Young University	U23
Alejandro Martinez Tapia	Lindenwood University	U20
Sy Mendenhall	St. Bonaventure University	U20
Finlay Mitchell	Charlotte Cardinals Rugby Club	U18
Hunter Modlin	Saint Mary's College of California	U20
Christiaan Mosconi	United States Military Academy	U23
Braemar Murray	Sedberg School, UK	U18
Siaosi Nauer	Lindenwood University	U20
Jeremiah Noaese	Tacoma, WA	U20
Sean Nolan	Davenport University	U23
George OíBrien	University of Arizona	U20
John O'Toole	Penn State	U23
Roan OConnell	San Francisco Golden Gate	U18
Gottlieb Opperman	University of Notre Dame	U23
Charles Overton	Penn State	U23
Penisoni Panuve	Kahului Warriors	U20
Liam Parker	Carlsbad Thunder	U18
Alexander Patolo-Aumua	San Diego Legion Academy	U20
Lucas Pattinson	United States Military Academy	U20
Julian Roberts	Life University	U23
Trenton Rogers	Kutztown University	U23
Rand Santos	Life West/Unt'l School of Manila	U18
Reed Santos	Babson College	U23
Ryan Santos	Harvard University	U23
Dalton Slaughter	University of Arizona	U20
Corbin Smith	Fairfield Rugby Club	U18
Seth Smith	West Houston Lions	U18
Vladislav SOTNIKOV	Lindenwood University	U20
Riordan Sweet	Naples Hammerheads	U18
Caden Syddall	Herriman High School	U20
Tavius Sykora-Matthess	Iowa Central Community College	U23
Jackson Tankersley	Gonzaga HS	U18
William Tenney III	Brigham Young University	U23
Chad Tinney	Lindenwood University	U20
Aisake Tukuafu	Herriman High School	U20
Colin Turner	Davenport University	U23
Eduan Van Heerden	Lindenwood University	U20
Ethan Van Tonder	Grand Canyon University	U20
Tiai Vavao	Central Washington University	U20
Quinn Vorster	Wando High School	U18
Thomas Wagner	San Diego Mustangs	U18
Asher Webb	Lindenwood University	U20
Logan Weidner	Brive, FRA	U20
William Whiteside	Lindenwood University	U23
Larry Williams	United States Military Academy	U23
Solomon Williams	Carlsbad Thunder	U18
Maxime Wilson	Rugby HTX	U23