Pathways to Excellence
We provide opportunities for promising players to improve their skills through scholarships, awards, and Pathways Grants for domestic and international player development.
The Graham Downes Development Grants and Pathways to Excellence High Performance Grants provide promising players the opportunity to grow as players, on and off the pitch, at domestic and international rugby academies.
Awarded Grants
The Foundation, for another year, has provided high school scholarships to two promising student/athletes, Connor Bender and JW Sarkees, to attend Nelson College, an all-boys high school in Nelson City, New Zealand. Nelson College is the oldest state secondary school and the school where rugby in New Zealand was started.
Through a $5,000 grant, over three months, from US Rugby Foundation, The Foundation has agreed to fund the building of website features on the PNW website. These features will include a build-out of their Hall of Fame, an e-commerce shop, and other content additions.
The Foundation provided high school scholarships to two promising student/athletes, Oliver Kirk and Max Doerfler, to attend Nelson College, an all-boys high school in Nelson City, New Zealand. Nelson College played in the first-ever rugby match in New Zealand and its highly acclaimed rugby program continues to this day
Excellence in the News
Meet Pathways Recipients
The US Rugby Foundation strives to give every athlete the opportunity to achieve excellence. Two recipients of scholarships through the US Rugby Foundations Pathways of Excellence, Oliver Kirk and Max Doerfler, have reached the end of their term with Nelson College. Hear how these young athletes handled their time in New Zealand and strove for excellence.
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Meet Pathways Recipients
The US Rugby Foundation prides itself in opening pathways to excellence for as many athletes as possible. 2023 Pathway Recipients, JW Sarkees and Connor Bender, are about to enter their first term at Nelson College through the Pathways to Excellence program. Learn more about these athletes and their drive for excellence.
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Grant Recipients
Stories That Inspire
Meet a Pathways Recipient
With generous support from the Graham Downes Development Fund and the Pathways to Excellence Fund, U.S. U18s player Damian Morley spent over three months playing rugby at the world-renowned Stellenbosch Academy of Sport in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
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Don’t take our word for it. See what people are saying.
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We Need Your Support
With additional funding, the Foundation could send more promising players to develop their skills through domestic and international rugby academies.
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