Name: CLOAKING

President and founder

Mark Griffin is a pioneer in the field of sports-themed youth development with a specific passion for using rugby as a vehicle for social change. As a past USA National Rugby Team player Mark has recently held two professional national leadership positions in rugby: one as the President of Play Rugby USA; the other as the National Youth and High School Director for USA Rugby - the National Governing Body for Rugby in America.

Mark founded Play Rugby USA in June 2003 as a wellness and prevention resource for America’s urban youth with a philosophy of “developing youth through rugby.”  As President Mark has combined his passion for youth development and entrepreneurship with an intrinsic ability to establish buy-in with key stakeholders at multiple levels. The creation of strategic and sustainable partnerships has thus become a core component of Play Rugby USA’s success, which combined with a winning team of outstanding professionals, passionate coaching staff and dedicated volunteers this has placed the program at the forefront of youth development in its key markets served. Since the programs’ inception to New York City schools in 2006 it has grown to serve over 12,000 students in 200 sites with the budget increasing 600% over the same period.

Name: CLOAKING

Role: Director of Programs

Bio: Joined Play Rugby USA in 2006 after moving to New York to play rugby with New York Athletic Club. Now manages all program related aspects of Play Rugby, plus responsible for game development, events and player retention. Enjoys a bit of coaching from time to time as well.

Favorite Player: Will Genia - go the Wallabies!

Name: CLOAKING

Role: Director of Coach Development

Bio: Joined Play Rugby USA HQ in New York in October 07 from Northampton, England, to help grow the after school programs in the city and develop relationships with new program partners. Now responsible for sourcing and training new youth development mentors on how to deliver our curricular.

Favorite rugby player: Jonny Wilkinson

Name: CLOAKING

Name: CLOAKING

Role: General Manager for NY Rugby Operations

Bio: Joined PRUSA in July 2010 after relocating from Australia and engaged as Development Manager to help fund raising efforts for New York and also assist in the expansion of PRUSA to other cities.  More recently appointed General Manager for NY Rugby Operations.

Favorite Rugby Player: Ken Catchpole

Name: CLOAKING

Role: Director of West Side Sports Leadership Academy

Bio: Joined Play Rugby USA in September 2010 as director of the Sports Leadership Academy at Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School in Manhattan, a program designed to provide enrichment, education, and leadership opportunities to youth and the community. Brian was previously director of rugby programs at KISS tribal school in Bhubaneshwar, India, and has played and coached in the US, Fiji, and New Zealand.

Favorite rugby player: Anyone who had mutton chops playing in the 1970's.

Name: Kip O'Rourke Brown

Role: Sports Leadership Academy Community Director

Kip joined the team in March 2011 and is serving as the Sports Leadership Academy Community Director for 2 Elementary schools in Manhattan and Harlem.  Kip is leading the development and implementation of the elementary SLA model, which will launch in October 2011.  He joined the rugby community in college while playing for the UCSB Gauchos

Favorite rugby player: Courtney Lawes

Name: Dr. Gregory S. DiFelice, MD

Role: Medical Director

Dr. DiFelice joined Play Rugby USA as the Medical Director in Spring 2011. Dr. DiFelice is a board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in Sports Traumatology and Joint Reconstruction.  He practices at both the Hospital for Special Surgery and the New York Presbyterian Weill-Cornell Medical Center, and continues to remain heavily involved in the medical treatment and direction of the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) Rugby team. He has also been recently named as the Medical Advisor to the US Super League, America’s top rugby competition. He has brought this wealth of experience to helping ensure the safety of all Play Rugby USA's players!

Having been involved in rugby for twenty years as a player and doctor, Dr. DiFelice is an avid rugby supporter. In his playing days, he was a stand-out center for the NYAC (US Super League Champions 2005, '08, '10) for 10 years, and helped the team gain entry into the US Super League.  Dr. DiFelice went on to play for the United States at the World Rugby Classic in 2001. In addition, he has been the Medical Director for the NYAC RFC since his playing days.

For more information, please visit his website at:  www.nyrugbydoc.com or at www.hss.edu

Name: CLOAKING

Role: Executive Director

Name: CLOAKING

Role: Director of programs, Los Angeles

Dallen's role in LA is to help develop new relationships with after school partners and nurture the existing ones to help give as many students as possible to try rugby and the positive character traits it can teach. Dallen came on board in the fall of 2011, immediately after his return from New Zealand with the men's USA Rugby team at the Rugby World Cup where he was team media manager. He also brings a wealth of rugby knowledge and experience to this role having played 7s for the USA national team 54 times and has coached some of the US premier college and club sides.

Favorite Rugby player: