Coaching Staff

Charlton Scullard
Backs Coach
SA Rugby

Ryan Kilpatrick
Assistant Coach
Pt. Loma RFC

Ray Lee
Backs Coach
SJSU RFC

Coaching Philosophy
by Mike Annab
I am constantly amazed at the Lord's splendor, and delight in the relationships created through my work and participation in "valley life" here at Valley Christian Schools. I came to Valley in 1997, married my wife, Kristin, who has taught 1st grade at Valley Christian Elementary School since 1995, and have been blessed to be a part of the many wonderful things God has done here at our school in my role as Director of Technology for VCS.

I have had a passion for rugby since my first game in 1994, when I decided to go out for the SJSU rugby team. I found that I was well suited for the variety of skills needed to play the game, the extremely high level of fitness required, and the fast movement of the game. Another aspect of rugby that fascinated, and attracted me to the game, was the fraternal-nature of the rugby community. The closest I have come to experiencing anything like it is through VCS and my church, a sense of "brotherhood" that is so prevalent, I have actually been given a shirt off a stranger's back simply because we had RUGBY in common. It occurred while I was on a hike in a remote part of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. I was on a steep portion of a trail when I hear someone calling out to me, "Hey, you play rugby?" As I looked back to see 3 muscular guys walking my direction, my first reaction was, "How does he know I play rugby?" Then, I realized I was wearing my SJSU team T shirt, so I responded, "Yeah...you?" What followed were introductions, hiking together to the top of the trail, and the traditional swapping of team T shirts, a confirmation of the establishment of a bond, and a reaffirming of rugby comeraderie inherent to the game and its players. This is simply one aspect of a very complex yet simple game to learn and play.

This is only our 2nd year in existence, and we are entirely in a developmental phase. In this stage, we are building excitement about the sport, and our team in hopes to develop returning players, and attract new players. Keys to our success this year depend on building a strong foundation in smart rugby play, emphasizing speed and tactical ability, and improving fitness throughout the season. We also hope to bring new players to the sport, and we would very much like to keep VC rugby populated solely with Valley Christian students. This is challenging since our enrollment is so limited and our athletic programs so diverse. There does not seem to be enough young athletes to go around. Although we have barely enough players to field a full side this year, those who have committed seem to be very enthusiastic and consistently come to practice. This is the only true way to learn the game.

The rules are modified at the HS level, such as restricted scrum movements, modified scrums, and specialized lineout rules. Each rule is created to facilitate safety and seem to not effect player enjoyment of the game. As coaches, our number one goal is to facilitate safe play by equipping players with excellent information, coaching, training drills, strategy, and fitness. We also attempt to coordinate with other coaches to ensure that "A" side teams do not compete against less experienced "B" side teams whenever possible, and until the later portion of the season.

Rugby community, fellowship, fitness, and intelligence are all key components to creating a coaching environment where players learn, enjoy, and continue on with rugby for years to come. Rugby truly is a life long sport that can accomodate players of all ages and abilities. Rugby is definitely "the sport played in heaven."