Josie Ziluca was tough to pin down in 2019. If the former San Diego resident wasn’t coaching the High School All-Americans (HSAAs), then she was linking up with multiple internationally touring select sides, or heading east to New Jersey to take over the Princeton University women. When not behind the whistle, Ziluca was training with USA Touch, or managing the Women’s In Rugby nonprofit, or consulting players and coaches worldwide for rugby and strength-and-conditioning programming. And on one Wednesday in August (“All of my weekends were booked!”), Ziluca eloped, to add a personal highlight to an already momentous year. And yet somehow, there are still milestones to achieve.
“I have been forging my own coaching path, but it really wouldn’t be going anywhere without the help of some galvanizing individuals,” Ziluca named Emilie Bydwell, Martha Daines, Chris Brown, Michaela Staniford, Hein Kriek, Julia McCoy, Orene Ai’i, Peter Walters, Emil Signes, Richie Walker and Dana Creager as inspirational guides. “These people, in their respective positions, have the capability to cause healthy, positive change in players and programs. I have some lofty goals for myself in this self-crafted coaching path of mine. I won’t be able to get there alone and it will take some time, but I’ll get to where I need to go at the time I need to be there.”
Photo courtesy Tournoi des Capitales
2019 began with an unexpected opportunity. Atlantis, for which Ziluca is Director of Girls High School rugby and U18 head coach, opted out of the LVI 7s, but SoCal high schoolers Abby Fearey and Kate Buzby indicated that there was interest for a representative team in Las Vegas. So Ziluca formed the Redshirts, populated it with high-achieving players, and won the LVI U18 Elite division.
Atlantis went on to win the Tropical 7s in Orlando (although USA 15s captain Kate Zackary stepped in as head coach while Ziluca was at USA Touch camp) and the North American High School 7s Series. Ziluca was a natural choice then to lead the North American Lions to the Paris World Games in September, and then returned to Atlantis for the New York 7s (Atlantis won the U16s under coach Kate Flanagan and the U18s were runners-up).
In addition to France, Ziluca also traveled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to represent the USA at the FIT World Cup; served as head coach for the USA Schools U15s team, powered by Rhino Rugby Academy, at the Portugal Rugby Youth Festival; returned to the Barbados World 7s with a senior ARPTC team for a first-place trophy; and spent time in Canada with the Boys’ and Girls’ High School All-Americans.
Photo courtesy Tournoi des Capitales
During those summer assemblies with the USA Rugby age-grade programs, Ziluca served as physical performance coach for both teams, backs coach for the girls, and helped with tour management for the boys. Ziluca rejoined the GHSAAs for the 15s Winter Camp and game against the Canada U18s in late December.
“The women’s game needs more female coaches, but I’d like to say the same about the men’s game as well,” Ziluca considered the importance of coaching men. “It’s important for players to experience different coaching methods, so I believe that the men’s game should be utilizing more women’s coaches. I enjoy coaching different players, different learning styles, and different goals. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all method for the coaching process. I have a framework to my process, but the magic is in the adaptability and movement within that framework based upon the players’ capabilities. I have a very holistic approach, where honesty, connection, and the idea of play are keystones.”
Ziluca is a staffer for American Pro Rugby Training Center’s adult and high school programs, scouts at RCTs for All-American talent, and has also found time to play rugby. She played a couple of 7s tournaments for the San Diego Surfers before relocating to New Jersey, and after representing Team USA’s Women’s Open team at the FIT World Cup in April, Ziluca helped San Diego Galaxy at USA Touch nationals in October.
“This was a six-day tournament in some of the hottest weather I have ever experienced,” Ziluca reflected on the quadrennial tournament in Kuala Lumpur. “We played against some Australians and New Zealanders who may see the HSBC 7s series in the future. Those two teams are consistently competitive on a world stage due to their background in touch rugby. I’m excited to see the game of FIT Touch grow in the U.S. Not only is it a great conditioning tool, but also a stellar teacher for manipulating space and ball handling/movement. Union players just need to know that it is a different sport than rugby, different movements down the field, but the skills used are transferrable.”
Photo courtesy Tournoi des Capitales
Ziluca is also involved with Women In Rugby (WIR), a 501 (c)(3) organization that formed in 2017 and has grown to worldwide recognition. While in Canada with the Boys’ HSAAs, Ziluca remotely conducted WIR’s first public event with USA Rugby. A grassroots campaign raised $3,000 for the USA Women Eagles at the 2019 Super Series assembly.
“I am honored to be at the helm of this growing organization,” Ziluca explained. “The aim is to support all of the USA Rugby women’s programs, identify areas of the world where women are suffering from injustice and help to inject rugby to cause positive change, as well as holding programs and organizations accountable for their equity in the sport of rugby. The organization is young, but growth is happening, and there are some big things to come!”
With 2020 underway, Ziluca is focusing on Princeton’s 7s season as well as the Tigers’ spring break trip to Paris. The year will bring more opportunities and necessitate more calendar management, but Ziluca is seasoned and knows scheduling rest is equally as important.
Photo courtesy Tournoi des Capitales
“What coach isn’t exhausted!? It’s our duty to give our energy to our team. We ask our players to give everything they have in trainings and in matches, why wouldn’t coaches do the same,” Ziluca closed. “I enjoy filling my day with all the coaching responsibilities for the given time of the camp, tour, or competition, but when it has concluded I allot time for myself. I have to reset in order to maintain my energy output in these events. During a game and some trainings, players have their central nervous system firing at the highest level; afterwards they must take the steps to get their body and mind to stop firing and recover as quickly as possible.
“If a coach is in a season or a string of tournaments, then it’s imperative to find time for yourself,” the coach continued. “A coach’s energy output is paramount and if there isn’t time to recover that, then their process isn’t sustainable. When I’m traveling to other parts of the world for rugby coaching, if I’m able, I’ll stay in the location for a few days to explore. Traveling is the world’s best educator. Other ways I regroup are trail running/hiking, painting, reading, finding myself on a remote beach, and spending time with family. It’s usually within that reflection and regrouping time that I have discoveries which get incorporated into my coaching process.”
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