Q&A with Taking Flight Rugby Winner Darrin Curle

Taking Flight Winners James Saddler (Left)
and Darrin Curle (Right) with USA Eagle Zack Test (Middle)

In the second part of a special report for A Rugby Life, Bakline's Rob Schnabel catches up with the Taking Flight rugby's 2nd inaugural winner Darrin Curle to chat about the Serevi camp and his experiences over the weekend

Rob: What was your experience being at Infinity Park?

Darrin: Infinity Park was awesome. It was lovely to see a field and stadium like that dedicated to just rugby! It is a great environment and was lots of fun. The facilities are great and it’s a great example of how the game is moving forward in America. It’s an inspiration for me to keep playing the game.

Rob: Being in the camp and watching the tournament.

Darrin: The camp was great all the coaches where very friendly and knew what they were doing. They were willing to take you aside and comment on something you were not doing correctly and giving tips on your game. I was able to spend some one on one time with most coaches which was great and very helpful with focusing on smaller aspects on my game. It was lovely watching the tournament and being able to learn while I watched that level of rugby.

Rob: What was your reaction when you realized you won?

Darrin: I was so excited and happy. I had put so much into my rugby this year and it made all the hard work and effort pay off. I was like “no way! “ I went around telling everybody and explaining it to everyone. It was just pure joy and excitement. It was just unbelievable to think that Santi, Ben and Serevi where going to be there to coach us up.

Rob: Towards the end of the camp, how it was taking part? Beneficial? Improvements?
Darrin: My game defiantly improved, such as my kicking game that I learnt more on when I had some one on one time with Santi. But it’s more than that. It was great making new friends and contacts with the rugby world. Being able to spend some time with and meeting Santi, Ben and Serevi was an unforgettable experience. I will defiantly take what I learnt at the camp and apply it to my game here in Coos Bay. 

Rob: What are your future rugby ambitions?
Darrin: Playing for my country and being able to represent America is my dream. 2016 Olympics is what I’m focused on and is what I’m shooting for. The whole experience in Denver helped my take one more step towards my dream.

You can check out Darrin's winning entry over on Youtube and to learn more about the Taking Flight Rugby Program, head on over to takingflightrugby.com