Rugby Americas North (RAN) has successfully launched their Youth Leadership Academy (YLA), an innovative program designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders within the rugby community across North America and the Caribbean. After reviewing 19 Participant and 25 Mentor applications, the following were selected to the RAN YLA’s inaugural cohort:
2026 Youth Leadership Academy Participants:
Brynnley K. – Canada
Javan D. – Cayman Islands
Joshua W. – Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
Muna O. – Canada
Vivien B. – United States
Valeria P. – Mexico
2026 Youth Leadership Academy Mentors:
Annie Kennedy – Canada
Carlos Alberto Cordero Genis – México
Hannah Nitz – United States
Kanisha Vincent – Trinidad & Tobago
Kyle Antoian – United States
Lauryn Bons – Canada
The RAN Youth Leadership Academy’s intent is to provide youth rugby athletes ages 16–18 with the opportunity to develop essential leadership skills that extend beyond the playing field. Through mentorship, education, and hands-on experience, participants will engage in a dynamic learning journey focused on leadership, business acumen, and program delivery – culminating in the design and implementation of a capstone project that addresses a specific need within their rugby community.
“I've experienced firsthand how rugby can open up many doors on and off the pitch,” said Canada’s Annie Kennedy. “Even as a younger mentor, I felt like I could add value to this program by leveraging my professional experience in sport development and education with my personal experiences in rugby with the RAN YLA cohort. I know my younger self would have loved to experience a program like this!”
The Academy kicked off earlier this year, and participants have been taking part in online workshops, one-on-one mentorship sessions, and leadership development modules including Understanding Leadership Styles, Communication & Team Dynamics, Project Management, Networking, and Measuring Impact. Each participant will design and implement a capstone project that creates real-world benefits for their rugby community – from growing local participation to improving access, inclusion, or visibility.
“The exchange of ideas among people of different ages and countries enriches the variety of solutions we can offer to the diverse situations of rugby in our nations. Rugby has been an important part of my life since university, and for that reason I want it to continue and grow with the contributions of each of its members, including myself.
“'Former rugby players’ do not exist,” Genis reinforced. “There is always something you can do."
The program will conclude in early August with a graduation event to follow in Queretaro, México alongside the 2026 RAN Men’s U19s XVs Tournament. Participants will get to present their projects, celebrating their achievements and showcasing their impact across the region.
