Monday, April 13, 2009

Ashley English


Ashley English at the 2006 World Cup
Photo: Bill English

Name: Ashley English
Hometown: Oakland, CA
Current Club: Berkeley All-Blues
Former Clubs : Carleton College
Years in Rugby: 14

I love rugby because it has given me success and confidence, which I have been able to apply to other areas of my life. When I graduated from college and came to play for the Berkeley All-Blues, I was a nervous wreck for several months. I was surrounded by international all star players who had just won their third National Championship, and I was just a little rookie from a tiny college in Minnesota.

To make matters worse, they asked me to play a new position: fullback. Playing fullback requires being able to perform under pressure, to catch high kicks, and to make try-saving tackles. Unfortunately, being nervous made me play horribly. I think I dropped more balls during my first few months with the All-Blues than I have in the 10 years since!

Ashley, USA v. Scotland, 2006 World Cup
Photo: Bill English

I am so fortunate that our coach and veteran players saw my potential and were patient with me. The turning point came when one of my experienced teammates invited me out to practice early one day to help me work on my kick receiving. She had complete confidence in me, which helped me relax, and I was very successful at practice that day!

Thanks to my teammates’ and coaches’ faith in me, my confidence and fullback skills skyrocketed over the next few months. I was the starting fullback for the All-Blues’ fourth National Championship victory that June, and have since played fullback for several All-Star teams, including the USA Women’s National Team.

Being able to overcome my nerves and fear of failure on the rugby field was a turning point in my rugby career, and it also helped me be more confident in my ability to succeed in other areas of my life. I truly love rugby!