Rugby has always been more than a sport to me—it is family. With 13 years of experience, I have had the privilege of playing on many teams, each with that same feeling of connection and support that comes from being part of something bigger than yourself. Coming from a large family as the eldest of ten siblings, I carry that sense of responsibility and togetherness onto the field. Every practice and every game, I pour my heart and soul into the team, knowing that my teammates are pushing alongside me, sharing the same love and dedication for the game. The bond extends beyond the pitch. Meeting opposing teams, engaging in friendly rivalry, and sharing meals after games all reinforce the sense of rugby as a global family. Currently, I am playing overseas with Ennis RFC in Ireland. Though we come from diverse backgrounds and I am not an Irish native, the team welcomed me immediately. After just one game, I felt fully embraced as part of their family. Rugby has provided me with lifelong friendships and experiences I will always cherish. In 2025, I also had the honor of coaching at a university level. The players I coached made me feel as though I was part of their family, reinforcing that my role in rugby extends beyond playing, coaching, supporting, or spectating, I am always embraced by this unique community. Rugby has also taught me resilience through loss. After high school, I joined the ORSU WPL team alongside a few other Rugby Oregon graduates. That year, my teammate and friend Gabrielle Williams, who was only 18 at the time, passed away unexpectedly from health complications. This was the first time death felt real to me. Seeing her in an open casket at her funeral was incredibly difficult, but what struck me most was looking around the room and seeing who had come to support her. It was the rugby community, players who had been with her in high school, teammates from ORSU who had only known her for a few months, and even those who had played against her. Rugby showed up for her, and we all shared the pain and the loss. Seeing older players and mentors hold me and support Gabrielle’s family was the pure embodiment of what family in rugby means to me. Rugby family is about showing up, supporting each other, loving each other, and feeling the loss when someone is gone. After her passing, I never took rugby, or life, for granted. I think of her often and what life would have been like if she were still here, but I also carry her spirit and the love of our rugby community with me every day. That is what rugby family truly means. Rugby is my passion, my support system, and my inspiration. It has shaped me into a leader, teammate, and mentor, and it continues to guide my dreams. I hope to pursue a PhD after completing my master’s degree while overseas, and receiving this scholarship would allow me to continue my education while contributing to and growing within the rugby family that has given me so much.