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“Knowledge is meant to be shared.” This is what Kasey McCravey responded when I asked her how she decided to get into coaching after retiring from playing rugby at the highest level for our USA National Team. She didn’t hesitate in her answer, and I could tell that this has become a core value in how she shows up in the world every day. Kasey went on to say, “If you gain knowledge and then don't pass it on, it becomes rather useless.” She credited all the teammates, mentors, and coaches she’d encountered along the way with being an integral part of what enabled her to cross over from softball to rugby and play at an elite level, and she felt it was her obligation to pass on all that knowledge they’d poured into her to educate the next generation of rugby players. Her words made me smile for a few reasons.
I started coaching rugby in my late twenties while I was still playing and living in Seattle. Our local club ran a youth rugby program, and the Director needed some additional help for the upcoming season. I agreed to come on board because I’d always been grateful for how many people had played a role in teaching me the sport and all I’d gained on and off the field in my personal development. The opportunity to finally give some of that back and pass along the knowledge I now had was super appealing. We started kids in the program at three years old, learning the basics in a non-contact format. It was exhausting, and I know that all of you out there with toddlers understand why. We created game after game after game that incorporated the skills, and these kids just never ran out of energy. It was one of the most gratifying coaching experiences I’ve ever had because there’s nothing like seeing a kid trying something for the first time and being fearless in the pursuit of nailing it despite failing again and again. They were relentless, and they were unstoppable once they finally figured it out. It gave me so much hope for how big rugby could be in the US as more and more kids are introduced to it at a young age, and it solidified my desire to coach for a very long time.
Kasey’s comments also made me smile because I’d heard similar thoughts from other elite athletes as they reflected on how they reached the pinnacle of their careers and what they were doing now to pass on that knowledge they’d gained from so many others who were willing to take the time to share. Many have gone on to coach as professionals, and some are volunteer coaches for their kids’ teams. The consistent theme across all these conversations has been a deep desire to give back and pass on some of what they each gained from their sport.
We have a core value here at The Next Playbook to Teach and Be Taught. I remember the first time I heard the phrase from Hilton Schlosberg, President of Monster Energy, as he was speaking at a gathering, I attended to talk about lessons he’d learned in starting and building a business. This concept that we all have something to share and something to learn from one another is key to his approach to building culture, and these words summed up so succinctly how I felt and why I work as an athletic and leadership development coach. Kasey’s answer echoed this belief that we all have something of value to pass on.
So, what lessons have you learned, and what knowledge do you have to share? I invite you to figure it out and then find ways to pass it on!
-Derika
P.S. To hear the full conversation with Kasey, join us at The Next Playbook Podcast and sign up for our Newsletter to hear about new posts. You can also follow us on social media via Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
“Knowledge is meant to be shared.” This is what Kasey McCravey responded when I asked her how she decided to get into coaching after retiring from playing rugby at the highest level for our USA National Team. She didn’t hesitate in her answer, and I could tell that this has become a core value in how she shows up in the world every day. Kasey went on to say, “If you gain knowledge and then don't pass it on, it becomes rather useless.” She credited all the teammates, mentors, and coaches she’d encountered along the way with being an integral part of what enabled her to cross over from softball to rugby and play at an elite level, and she felt it was her obligation to pass on all that knowledge they’d poured into her to educate the next generation of rugby players. Her words made me smile for a few reasons.
I started coaching rugby in my late twenties while I was still playing and living in Seattle. Our local club ran a youth rugby program, and the Director needed some additional help for the upcoming season. I agreed to come on board because I’d always been grateful for how many people had played a role in teaching me the sport and all I’d gained on and off the field in my personal development. The opportunity to finally give some of that back and pass along the knowledge I now had was super appealing. We started kids in the program at three years old, learning the basics in a non-contact format. It was exhausting, and I know that all of you out there with toddlers understand why. We created game after game after game that incorporated the skills, and these kids just never ran out of energy. It was one of the most gratifying coaching experiences I’ve ever had because there’s nothing like seeing a kid trying something for the first time and being fearless in the pursuit of nailing it despite failing again and again. They were relentless, and they were unstoppable once they finally figured it out. It gave me so much hope for how big rugby could be in the US as more and more kids are introduced to it at a young age, and it solidified my desire to coach for a very long time.
Kasey’s comments also made me smile because I’d heard similar thoughts from other elite athletes as they reflected on how they reached the pinnacle of their careers and what they were doing now to pass on that knowledge they’d gained from so many others who were willing to take the time to share. Many have gone on to coach as professionals, and some are volunteer coaches for their kids’ teams. The consistent theme across all these conversations has been a deep desire to give back and pass on some of what they each gained from their sport.
We have a core value here at The Next Playbook to Teach and Be Taught. I remember the first time I heard the phrase from Hilton Schlosberg, President of Monster Energy, as he was speaking at a gathering, I attended to talk about lessons he’d learned in starting and building a business. This concept that we all have something to share and something to learn from one another is key to his approach to building culture, and these words summed up so succinctly how I felt and why I work as an athletic and leadership development coach. Kasey’s answer echoed this belief that we all have something of value to pass on.
So, what lessons have you learned, and what knowledge do you have to share? I invite you to figure it out and then find ways to pass it on!
-Derika
P.S. To hear the full conversation with Kasey, join us at The Next Playbook Podcast and sign up for our Newsletter to hear about new posts. You can also follow us on social media via Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
