Blaine Scully on the Evolution of a Leader

The Highest Level Podcast with Evan Burk

Blaine Scully is a recently retired professional and international rugby player. His comprehensive leadership experience includes being captain of the United States Rugby team from 2016-2019, co-founding the US Rugby Players Association, working as a broadcast analyst with NBC Sports, and advising a number of sport technology companies.

In this conversation, Evan Burk talks with Blaine about the foundation for success that was built in college at the University of California, the great team cultures he experienced in his professional rugby career overseas in the UK, and how he developed from a star player into a team leader on the US National team.

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Topics Discussed:

2:00 | Being a multi-sport athlete growing up

4:30 | Learning to play rugby at an older age

9:15 | Cal Rugby building the "Foundation" for Blaine as a player and person

11:20 | Blaine's leadership education and the "Constant Performance Improvement" at Cal

16:00 | The journey of transitioning into professional ruby in the UK

19:30 | Playing for two historic pro rugby clubs

23:00 | Co-founding the US Rugby Players Association

25:30 | Blaine's evolution as a leader

31:00 | Being strategic with your voice as a leader and empowering others

32:15 | Commonalities in the 4 organizations he played for

34:45 | Gratitude for the journey and "the uniqueness of the experience"