Player Profile: Robert Figley

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Figley sprints downfield in a game for Fort Hunt.

Grade: 12
Sport: Rugby

Q: How long have you been playing rugby?
A: I have been playing rugby for around seven years, but I have been around the sport my whole life.

Q: What team and league do you currently play rugby in?
A: I play for the Fort Hunt Warriors. We play in the Mid-Atlantic Premier League and the Rugby Virginia League.

Q: When did you start playing rugby?
A: I started playing tackle rugby in the sixth grade.

Q: What made you want to start playing rugby?
A: My dad has been playing rugby since he was in high school and still plays today. He is the reason why I started playing.

Q: What is the most challenging aspect of rugby?
A: The most challenging thing about rugby is having to tackle guys that are a lot bigger and older than you.

Q: What other sports do you play and which one is your favorite?
A: I play basketball, golf and also swim in the summer. Basketball is probably my favorite sport.

Q: How do you prepare for rugby in the off-season?
A: The only off-season for rugby I have is in the winter. I play basketball during that time and also lift weights to stay in shape and keep my strength up.

Q: Is it difficult to balance school, rugby and other sports you play?
A: It isn’t too hard to balance school and rugby for most of the year but in the spring it gets a little hard because I’ll usually have conflicts with major tests and tournaments that I have to miss school for. Golf is easy to balance with my fall practice and basketball happens in the off-season so it isn’t hard.

Q: Have you committed to play rugby in college and where?
A: I have committed to play rugby at the University of Arizona this fall.

Q: What are your future goals for your rugby career?
A: I hope and will work hard to start and to be selected for their sevens team at Arizona. I also will work to be selected for a men’s junior All-American tour next year.

Q: What do you usually do to prepare for a game?
A: I usually prepare for games by listening to music and watching some game film. When I get to the field, I usually go through a thorough warm-up and prepare myself for the game mentally.