Project Rugby Case Study: Callie Radford

Our Chiefs Community team caught up with Callie Radford who developed skills and confidence from our Project Rugby programme.

"I first encountered rugby in Year 7 when it was introduced as part of our PE curriculum. At that time, I wasn’t particularly interested in the sport—football had always been my main passion, and I wanted to focus on that. However, my perspective on rugby began to change in Year 9 when we had a new PE teacher, Miss Woods, who played rugby herself. Around the same time, we were fortunate to have Tom and Ebony, two friendly coaches from Exeter Chiefs, come to our school to run rugby sessions every week during our PE lessons.

"Tom and Ebony’s enthusiasm for the sport was infectious. Their energy and passion made each session enjoyable, and they quickly showed me just how fun and rewarding rugby could be. With their coaching and the support of Miss Woods, I began to appreciate the sport in a way I hadn’t before. What started as a sport I wasn’t fond of soon turned into something I genuinely looked forward to each week.

"Encouraged by Miss Woods, Tom, and Ebony’s inspiring coaching, I started playing rugby outside of school, joining Topsham Rugby Club. I also began attending after-school rugby sessions regularly, and over time, rugby became an important part of my life. The sport has improved my fitness, developed my teamwork skills, and allowed me to build new friendships with teammates.

"Balancing football and rugby has sometimes been challenging, but I’ve found that each sport complements the other. They push me to be better and have taught me valuable lessons in discipline, resilience, and teamwork. Rugby, in particular, has become a sport I truly enjoy and look forward to playing, both in school and outside of it, thanks to Tom, Ebony, and Miss Woods."