Shane Young

Shane Young co-founded Memphis Inner City Rugby (MICR) after graduating from Florida Gulf Coast University with a degree in political science in 2012. After graduation, the New Jersey native joined Teach for America in Memphis as an urban educator, where he spent 7 years teaching English as a second language to elementary and high school students. 

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In his first semester teaching, felt he needed to help his students grow outside the classroom through the sport, so MICR was born. Over the next 12 years under his leadership, MICR raised millions to serve 3,800 students and hired over 120 alums to coach and mentor students in the program. In the process, Young became an industry leader in leveraging sport to disrupt youth poverty. In 2022, he co-founded Urban Rugby America to help scale the historic success of MICR in cities across the country. 

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Young’s hard work and leadership has been recognized throughout his career through numerous awards including:  Top 40 Under 40 by Memphis Business Journal; Change Maker Award from Leadership Memphis, Visionary Award from the Tennessee Department of Public Health, Reducing Racial Inequalities Through Sport Award from Beyond Sport, and the Athletes in Excellence Award from Foundation for Global Sports Development.

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When he was 12 years old, Young was introduced to rugby through the Morris (NJ) Lions. When his family moved to Naples, Florida, he, his father and brother founded the Naples Bears Rugby Club so they would have a place to play. Young recruited future USA Eagle Cam Dolan to play with the Bears. Young played scrum half for the USA U-19s under Paul Barford and competed in England on one tour.