Testimonials

This scholarship would pay for my final month of rent as I finish out the PWR season with the Leicester Tigers. Playing professionally in the PWR has been my dream since my first Eagles tour in Autumn 2018, when Kristine joined us from her season with the Harlequins. Before them, I couldn’t fathom that there was an avenue to play professional women’s rugby apart from the 7’s team. I always dreamed of “going pro” as a child, even believing I could be the first woman in the NFL.

In the years following 2018, I saw many of my Eagles teammates go overseas and flourish in terms of fitness, rugby IQ, and skills, further solidifying my dreams of playing in the PWR. I am incredibly grateful to be finishing my second full season in the league. However, it is financially unviable to support myself on my Tigers contract alone. My Tier 2 Sportsperson Visa makes it so that I cannot seek employment outside of the club. There are extremely limited employment opportunities within Tigers. This past fall, I took a remote, 12-week paid internship. This supplemental income helped me pay for rent and buy nutritious food for fueling and recovery. When my internship finished, the cost of living felt glaring.

My Tigers contract finishes June 30th. I plan to move to Bordeaux next season to play in the Elite 1. I am both nervous and excited to live in a new country, solidify a foreign language, and hopefully pick up some French flair. My only apprehension is the uncertainty, including the gap in playing contracts this summer where I will be without a monthly income (apart from USA rugby).

XV Foundation has already given so much to me and the entire team. Every time the scholarship application comes out, I feel a hesitancy to ask for anything. I, like many women, have been socialized to be grateful for what I get and never negotiate for more. Countless studies have shown that men are statistically much more likely to request a raise. I struggle to ask for more. I must continually remind myself that the XV Foundation’s mission is much greater than myself—it empowers the next generation of Eagles. When I look at my sister, I am hopeful that she will never have to choose between buying new boots or paying for rent. I envision a day that she and her teammates will never have to compromise on their dreams for the sake of their savings. XV Foundation has helped make great strides towards this day. I am grateful for your continued work and hope to contribute to this legacy.

-Emily Henrich

HEAR ABOUT WHERE YOUR SUPPORT IS GOING!

I was doing odd jobs here and there while I was in Ireland playing, but now that I’m back in the states I don’t have a job and I don’t have much of a savings anymore after Ireland. I am going back to Denver after this tour and I’m looking for work in Denver while still pursuing my dream of a World Cup. I might have found a part time job working with kids 2-6 with autism but it doesn’t pay much. Also I’ve also recently switched positions and I’m now competing as a center, which is still crazy to me (grateful is an understatement !! It means everything to me to be able to represent the jersey in a position that brings me life and brings me passion. In order to continue pursuing this passion dream of mine it’d be super helpful to have some financial support. Whatever you can help with would be amazing!

- Saher Hamdan

To start off, I want to say what an honor and a privilege it is to have the XV Foundation and how much support it has given all of us athletes who wear the USA jersey. Becoming an Eagle has been my dream since I was 14 years old. I grew up in Tanzania, so far away from a usa rugby pitch it seemed impossible. And because of the work that Alycia and Kristine (and many others) have done and the generosity of the donors, my dream is nearing reality. I am a recent graduate from Queens University of Charlotte and moved across the country to play for the Denver Onyx and the WER in 2025. I even had the opportunity to go and play in France for 5 months.

These opportunities are incredible but provide little to no pay.

My biggest concern right now is that I need to get a pair of quality cleats. The current cleats that I use right now are not the proper studs to prop at the international level and cause my feet pain. I need to get specialized cleats to both accommodate my position and my foot health. As I also need to pay living expenses (rent and groceries) I have not been able to afford them.

I want to play my best rugby and be the best athlete I can be and with that comes equipment that makes me feel comfortable and confident. A scholarship from the WXV foundation would help make me that athlete. I am eternally grateful for organizations like this and the people who work so hard to make it so these things are even possible.

-Mikaela Hall

AnonYMOUS Responses

My rent at home in Washington is increasing, and I’m struggling to care for myself in England. It’s majority my mom and I covering rent, utilities, and food. She’s diabetic and struggling to pay for her insulin alone. So I’m trying to pick up more hours for my remote job, but it’s very hard for me to commit fully to my family, rugby and work. I feel a bit burnt out.

This would really help with tuition, car insurance, and car payments! Also hoping to find an apartment in Utah after graduation so this would really help start me off!

I am a full time rugby player and unfortunately still do not make a livable wage. I play in England so I am not able to work per my visa which means I rely solely on my contract which is only $200 per month. I essentially end up spending all my money on groceries to keep myself fed.

Thank you for your continued support. I'm still playing over seas at and have just recently started working part time as a grounds keeper at Sale for some extra money, as the money I get for playing is still only paycheck to paycheck for me. It's only part time, so 15 hours a week, but I'm hoping to join an apprenticeship program to become a fully qualified groundskeeper. Receiving a scholarship would help with being able to stay fully focused on rugby and even with having to add on a bit of work. It's still a difficult decision to spend money on high quality boots and the scholarship would go directly to a new pair of moldys and hybrids. It means so much to receive any financial help. I'm nearing the end of my career and I've been thinking about how difficult it's going to be to land on my feet with how low my finances have been since I've been playing rugby, so even the opportunity to save a bit of money instead of needing to spend it would be so valuable. Thanks again for all that you guys do, I hope you see how much we appreciate you guys! Peace and Blessing!

Firstly, I'd like to express immense gratitude for the XVF foundation. I truly commend the invaluable support this foundation provides for the rugby community. The USA Womens Eagles have established values and behaviors we strive to exhibit each day. These values include "excellence" - and I wholeheartedly believe that the XVF foundation helps to foster our excellence and success on and off the pitch. A scholarship from the XVF foundation will be unfathomably helpful in regards to: travel expenses, accommodation, gym membership (training, recovery, rehab), and rugby gear (cleats, tape, lifters).