Not every rugby story begins with love at first tackle. In fact, one of the top collegiate rugby players in the game, Spiff Sedrick, regretted her first practice. Fortunately, the Salt Lake City native gave the sport a second chance, and a network of supportive, motivational coaches and teammates enriched her career. Today, the Life University backs captain and graduating senior processes her final college season with maturity, gives sage advice to her teammates, and looks ahead to her future rugby self.
Sedrick is a former gymnast and transitioned to volleyball when she entered high school in 2012. A teammate mentioned that her sister’s rugby team was on the verge of folding, so in the spring of freshman year, Sedrick attended her first Herriman rugby practice.
“My very first practice I got laid out flat on my back in the first contact drill and I questioned why I had even shown up,” the 22-year-old recalled. “For some god forsaken reason I came back the next day. It was somewhere between then and my first game day that I learned to love it.”
Sedrick learned the game through Herriman’s Joe Hoff, her first coach, and uncles Roy Afo Manuma and Max Poasa, who convinced the center that she could thrive in rugby. In-state, she went on to represent the Utah Vipers, Utah Cannibals and the Utah Lions Rugby Academy.
“All of the teams I’ve played for led me to where I am today, the Utah Lions being a huge part of that with all their connections and opportunities that they give their players to express themselves on a big stage,” Sedrick lauded. “I loved playing with the Lions Academy. The organization is rooted deep in great families like the Barnes, the Swapps, and the Cresslers, all of which care so much about their athletes and their plans on and off the field. We were so taken care of by the coaching staff. Everyone had the same goal and we grew so much together.”
Sedrick lent special thanks to Lions (and favorite) coach Orlando Pulou, who “invested so much time and energy into my development. I owe that man more than I could ever give back.”
She played alongside fantastic young talent and became part of an unforgettable trio with Charity Tenney (Lindenwood University) and Kat Stowers (BYU), two of her favorite teammates to date. She featured at important, visible 7s and 15s tournaments, as well as overseas events like the United World Games, which the Lions won in 2016. Sedrick’s smooth speed, calm demeanor and uncanny eye for the seam did not evade scouts for long. She entered the USA Rugby pathway through the High School All-Americans (USA U18s) and went on to to represent the U20s and U23s. Collegiate recruiters also noted her name.
“The day before my high school graduation I had no plans of going to college. I just didn’t want it that badly,” the Class of 2016 graduate recalled. “But through so many people that supported and continue to support me today, opportunities kept coming up and I kept saying yes.”
Sedrick was considering her options in fall 2016, when Life University coach Ros Chou called on Thanksgiving. An offer was made, papers were signed a week later, and Sedrick moved to Marietta, Ga., in January 2017.
“Signing with Life was a pretty impulsive decision,” Sedrick explained. “I hadn’t done any research, hadn’t been on a visit, hadn’t talked to any of the girls, I just took a leap of faith and it ended up working out for me.
“My first game was after less than a month of practicing with my new team,” she recounted those early days. “I didn’t even know I would be starting varsity until the day before the game when the roster came out. Because coach Ros put that confidence in me from the jump, I adopted that confidence in myself, too. I was excited to play with so much talent and I really wanted to see what I could bring different to the team.”
Sedrick responded well to that baptism by fire and recalls that first season fondly. She flourished in her role as a dynamic playmaker and applied that upward pressure to better an overall team performance.
The Running Eagles build diverse schedules that cover a lot of ground both geographically and competitively. Sedrick distinguished herself in a program that continues to produce USA Eagles, and helped Life into the top tier of the DI Elite and USA Sevens CRCs.
Meanwhile, she continued to work through the USA age-grade pathway.
“I was first introduced to the Hawkeye program by Emilie Bydwell the end of my freshman year of college,” Sedrick described the 7s initiative that targeted collegians with Team USA potential. “I flew out to train every camp week that HSBC [World Rugby Sevens Series] season and then that summer I stayed on campus [in Chula Vista] with about 10 really talented girls while we trained on a similar schedule to the senior side.”
Those 7s assemblies connected Sedrick with players who developed into some of her favorite teammates, including Emily Henrich, Cassidy Bargell, Sui A’au and Kayla Canett.
Sedrick debuted for the USA Falcons at the 2020 Los Angeles Invitational, joining capped Eagles, USA 7s residents and fellow Hawkeye graduates en route to the Women’s Elite title. Again, she distinguished herself, showing poise in the middle of the field, getting those line-breaks and chasing down and cleaning up missed tackles. She drew inspiration from co-captains Alena Olsen and Kasey McCravey, as well as new teammate and USA 15s Eagle Sarah Levy.
“Playing in LA was such a crazy weekend,” Sedrick enthused. “I played all four years of high school in the [LVI 7s] and enjoyed the last three years as a fan so to play in a tournament identical to that felt like a blast from the past but with a lot more pressure. That squad was so amazing and I’m so grateful for all the trust those girls had in me.”
Unfortunately, Sedrick’s career at Life didn’t have that same full circle feeling. After suffering an injury junior year during the 2019 DI Elite semifinals, the star center missed out on the national championship against Lindenwood – a great game that forced the Lions to put in a come-back performance en route to the title. She rehabbed for six months and came in senior year as the backs captain.
“We all came into this season with our own intentions,” Sedrick summarized senior year. “I went back because I had unfinished business. I didn’t want to end just ‘satisfied’ with my performance. I wanted to close out my time at Life with work that I could be proud of doing.”
In the run-up to the 2020 DI Elite playoffs, Life packed its February with games. In particular, a 3-0 road trip against the South All-Stars, Capital Selects and Penn State built excitement for the impending semifinals. The team also beat UCF in two games and then the Austin Valkyries while Sedrick was in Los Angeles with the Falcons.
And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and that was the end of spring 2020 rugby.
“[A]s much as it sucks we can only control the controllables,” Sedrick noted. “We’re allowed to be angry, disappointed, or heartbroken. We’re also capable of being grateful. Grateful for the memories, experiences, relationships and support.
“To my fellow seniors, I know it isn’t fair but the only way out is through,” the captain continued. “Put courage over comfort and dive headfirst into whatever you’re doing next. There’s no reason to hold back. To those fortunate enough to have more games on a college pitch, do your best and nothing less than that. The time you have is not a right, it’s a privilege.”
Sedrick’s body of work, including that of her truncated spring, placed the graduating senior on the nominees list for the annual MA Sorensen Award, which acknowledges the top women’s rugby player in the college game. Vote here.
Sedrick is now back in Salt Lake City and on track to graduate with a degree in biopsychology and cum laude honors. She’s still training and reorganizing her rugby schedule due to the pandemic, and still looking to pursue the sport at higher levels.
“I’m grateful for my time at Life and everyone who has had a hand in influencing my game,” Sedrick summarized. “I’m honored to have been given a platform by Coach Ros and USA Rugby to express myself. The faith and trust they have in me has carried me through times I didn’t share that same confidence. It’s taken a village to get me here and I’ll always play in honor of them.”
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