ATAVUS Academy Opens in Minneapolis and San Diego

“ATAVUS (atavus.com) has launched its two newest ATAVUS Academy locations in Minneapolis and San Diego to provide sustained, year-round player development. Initially both locations will focus on women’s (18+) programs, designed to parallel the USA Rugby Women’s development pathway and scheduled to complement rugby schedules in the Midwest and Southern California. During each eight-week Block, ATAVUS coaches including USA National Team coaches Pete Steinburg (San Diego) and Martha Daines (Minneapolis), and USA’s Women’s 7s Assistant Coach Richie Walker (San Diego) will provide weekly on-field technical and tactical development critical for athletes to succeed at elite levels of the game.

“Players that want to play at an elite level need to seek out the best support possible. ATAVUS Academies are a great way for a current or aspiring eagle to maximize their potential,” said Pete Steinburg, USA Rugby Women’s 15s Head Coach.

Built to provide year-round, elite level training alongside an athlete’s team play, the Minneapolis and San Diego ATAVUS Academies are comprised of eight week Blocks. ATAVUS is currently placing athletes into Block 1 from October 26^th through December 14^th, and Block 2 from January 18^th through March 7^th, with training occurring once a week in the evenings.

Block 1 is intended to prepare the athletes for National All Star Competitions (NASC), Premier League and Division 1 club rugby, and competitive collegiate rugby, while Block 2 coincides with preseason for collegiate and USA Rugby’s spring rugby. During each Block Academy athletes will also receive tiered strength and conditioning programming support and testing, as well as on-field speed sessions.

“Our Academies deliver the rugby tools necessary to play elite-level rugby, enhancing the players’ understanding of the international game, and developing the skills and physical strength necessary to compete at the highest levels,” said Emilie Bydwell, Head of Rugby Programming at ATAVUS. “We enjoy working alongside Pete and his team of coaches to help grow and strengthen the USA player pool.”

Academy athletes receive ATAVUS apparel, a HUDL account for ongoing access to video analysis of training sessions and ATAVUS led webinars, and a subscription to Volt Athletics online strength and conditioning. In Minneapolis, ATAVUS has partnered with The Laurus Rehab and Performance Center, providing Academy athletes with guidance and exclusive discounts on high-performance strength and conditioning.

ATAVUS’s first Academy has been operating in Seattle since 2013, with more than 25 women and men participating in ongoing player development and strength and conditioning. Current USA national team pool players Emilie Bydwell, Ryan Carlyle, Oli Kilifi, Jope Motokana, Emily Prentice, Lou Stanfill, Tim Stanfill, Kelsi Stockert, Shalom Suniula, and Matt Trouville train year-round at the ATAVUS Academy Seattle.

All participants in ATAVUS Academies also have the opportunity to be selected and play as part of the ATAVUS All-Stars to provide competitive opportunities in rugby athlete development. The 2016 ATAVUS All-Stars schedule includes:

• Las Vegas Invitational (7s) / March 3-4 / Men & Women
• Las Vegas Invitational (7s) / March 3-4 / Boys & Girls
• British Military Tour (15s) / June / Women
• U20 Ontario Tour (15s)* / July / Women
• Serevi Rugbytown 7s / August / Men & Boys

*event to be confirmed

Athletes interested in participating in the ATAVUS Academy in Minneapolis, San Diego, or Seattle can find more information and pricing at the below links or by contacting the appropriate ATAVUS team member:

• Minneapolis: atavus.com/atavusacademyMN, Ben Landry, ben.landry@atavus.com.
• San Diego: atavus.com/atavusacademysd – Hannah Lockwood, hannah.lockwood@atavus.com.
• Seattle: atavus.com/atavusacademyseattle – Shawn Pittman, shawn.pittman@atavus.com.

About ATAVUS
ATAVUS is an ancestor from which character is inherited, passing along Rugby while instilling values in every player. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, ATAVUS is relentlessly driven to breed character, develop skills and champion Rugby in the USA and beyond. The company builds and executes sustained, progression-based programming that provides coaching inclusive of any age, skill set or gender. Programs includes the year-round ATAVUS Academy, the USA Rugby Academy Powered by ATAVUS, customizable “Powered By ATAVUS” consulting services, and international programs with key partners including the worldwide HSBC Rugby Festivals. ATAVUS also provides a brand identify, through social media and apparel, for the Rugby community that helps raise the level of noise around the sport in the U.S. For more information on ATAVUS, including upcoming player and coach training sessions visit ATAVUS.com.”

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