Balancing schoolwork and rugby

Grace Mahaffey, sister of player Will Mahaffey, authored this work for her journalism class. It is posted here with her permission.

The members of the USC club rugby team are tackling more than just opponents on the field. They are pushing through scrums, tackles, and the weight of their college coursework.  

For most college athletes, maintaining a balance between academics and athletics is a constant struggle. At the University of South Carolina, members of the men’s rugby club are learning how to manage both the difficulty of college coursework and the demands of one of the world’s most physically taxing sports.  

Through conversations with players Matt Morrow, AJ DeAngelis, Gavin Curran, Connor McPhail, Jamie Franchock and Josh Cancro, as well as head coach John Roberts, common themes came into focus. It became evident that while rugby adds structure and purpose to their college experience, it also introduces unique challenges that force time management skills.  

John Roberts explained how the coaching team offers support when it comes to students adjusting to a busy schedule. Roberts emphasized the understanding that his players are here primarily to get an education, and while their commitment to the rugby program is important, it is also crucial that they stay in the good graces of the University. Even Roberts himself must adapt to a busy schedule during the school year.  

“It sometimes creates some time challenges when you’re doing all those things and coaching the team too, but that’s okay. That’s what I bought in for and I love my job, and I love what I’m doing. Not only just building up the young men and our performance on the team, but also building out a really professional, forward-looking and strategic organization,” said Roberts.  

When asked about the hardest part of being a student-athlete, many of the players said finding a routine and managing a schedule was a struggle.  

Curran, a sophomore sports management major, shared his experience with being a student-athlete.  

“Getting wrapped up in both my schedules [rugby and being a student] combined causes me to forget about things because I’m so busy. It is important for me to set my priorities and not overbook myself,” Curran said.  

Many other players like Cancro and Morrow agreed.  

McPhail, a sophomore finance major added during his interview that players who hold an officer position in the program take on a much heavier workload. They do more than just practice, travel and play.

Players like Will Mahaffey work in partnership with the coaching team managing communications through email and social media, which makes finding a work balance even harder. Coach Roberts reinforces the idea to his team about the importance of managing challenges.  

“Stress and pressure are not bad things. Handling the pressure and learning to balance your workload is just part of growing up, and college is all about growing up,” Roberts said.  

Despite the athletes having packed schedules, most still claim to have enough free time to do things they enjoy. DeAngelis, a junior sports management major, for example, spends most of his free time hanging out with his teammates. Cancro, a sophomore accounting and finance double major, enjoys watching TV shows with and getting ahead in his studies and upcoming assignments.  

The Rugby Program runs year-round, from fall up until the end of April. Sophomore and mechanical engineering major Franchock finds that rugby adds structure to his life. He believes his academic performance would be different if he were to not be involved with the sport.  

“Honestly, I think my grades would be worse, because being on the rugby team and being on scholarship keeps me focused and I have to strive to meet the expectations that are set for me,” said Franchock.  

In 2023, Bulelani Mlakalaka, a student at University of the Western Cape analyzed and conducted studies in their master’s thesis about rugby players' perceptions about academic and athletic commitments. Chapter four of the thesis proves the point that student-athletes face challenges.  

“The academic success of student-athletes is influenced by several factors, including integration into the academic community, involvement in the athletic community, and support from institutional resources,” Mlakalaka said. 

This study as well as the experiences of these rugby players reveal that support and balance is required to succeed as a student-athlete at USC.  

“Our program has a really supportive culture. It emanates not just from the coach, but it comes from our players. It comes from our parents and our alumni too. We all support each other. Everyone is caring for the guy that plays next to them, you know,” Roberts said.   

It goes without saying, the USC Men’s Rugby Club demonstrates a high level of commitment—not only to their sport but to their education. They offer strong examples of dedication in the face of challenge every day that they hit the field.