Former USA coach Kathy Flores was the inspiration for trailblazer, Karameli Faaee.
Karameli Faaee could hardly have had a better coaching role model than the late Kathy Flores, who coached USA from 2002 to 2011 and played in the first Women’s Rugby World Cup in 1991.
Until her death at the age of 66, following a battle with cancer, Kathy mentored Faaee, passing on her passion for coaching and improving players.
“Kathy became a mentor, who encouraged me to dive into coaching immediately after playing,” Faaee told World Rugby.
In 2019, Faaee made history by becoming the first woman to coach in men’s professional rugby in the United States, when she was appointed Assistant Coach of Rugby United New York.
Now Head Coach of New York Rugby Club in the Women’s Premier League, and Head Coach of Premier Rugby Sevens, Karameli’s passion for coaching is infectious.
“I realised I wanted to be a coach when I recognised how much joy I felt sharing knowledge and supporting my team-mates,” said Faaee.
During her time in the Gallagher High Performance Academy, Karameli was struck by the representation from different parts of the world and it inspired her to share her own experiences with other participants on the programme.
“It was an amazing experience. I’ve taken so much away from my time in the Academy. It was invaluable to build more connections, be proactive and intentional about reaching out to these other coaches and listen to their stories and learnings.”
“I’m excited to see what’s next for the sport and how women’s visibility evolves in these high performance roles”.