RUGBY COLORADO
About Rugby Colorado
Rugby Colorado is committed to fostering a community dedicated to growing the sport at all levels through innovative programing, community engagement, and support for our players, coaches, and volunteers. We aim to inspire and develop athletes of all ages through the values of respect, community, and passion.
BOARD MEMBERS
BOARD PRESIDENT
SHANE DOYON
Shane has over 20 years of experience in the fire service and is a battalion chief for a fire department in Northern Colorado. He is also a successful entrepreneur, having owned multiple small businesses throughout his career. Shane is currently enrolled in a Master of Science program in Leadership and Human Resource Development at Louisiana State University. Before this, he completed his B.S. in Fire and Emergency Services Administration at Colorado State University in 2013. He is certified as a Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Shane also runs the health and fitness program at the fire department.
Shane participated in football, baseball, and wrestling in his youth. He became engaged in rugby when his sons started playing in 2015, and he has since become a level 200 coach that has helped with the Larimer Knights and now Fort Collins Hammers. He loves the culture around rugby and how inclusive of a sport it is.
Shane is married to his wonderful wife, Katie, and very proud of his three sons, Blake, Cole, and Gavin. All three play rugby at the TRY and HS levels. He enjoys spending time with them and staying active.
VICE CHAIR
COLIN O'BRIEN
Colin O’Brien is a senior product management professional, with 20 years working in a variety of business roles at Boeing (and subsidiaries), and retired loose-head prop with many stories about times he “took three against the head”.
An alumni of the University of Plymouth (UK), Colin has a background in engineering and I.T., but has been working in the aviation sector for the last 25 years. He is currently responsible for overall product strategy for Boeing’s next generation flight planning and operations solutions.
Colin has been involved in rugby in Colorado since 2016, both as a coach and administrator for the “Try” club Parker Wolfhounds, and also as an assistant coach with Titans (Legend) High School boys.
SECRETARY
KELLY ABBOTT
Kelly has spent over 30 years working with at-risk youth in the behavioral health and juvenile justice systems. She is currently working in public safety engaging in system improvement and policy work to improve outcomes for the youth of Colorado.
In addition, she works to administer grant funding to local law enforcement and community-based organizations to support public safety initiatives.
Kelly grew up in the northeast and moved to Colorado in the early 90’s. She was initially introduced to rugby during college and enjoyed watching her friends play. Her two sons started playing rugby at five years old. Her youngest plays for the Glendale Youth Rugby Team and will soon transition to high school rugby.
While her children participated in “TRY” she appreciated the positive culture and grew a connection to the rugby community. Kelly joined the Rugby Colorado Board to become more involved with growing youth rugby and creating more rugby opportunities across the state. She brings her knowledge of organizational structure, strategic planning, grant funding, and building community partnerships to the organization.
TREASURER
CHAD MANN
Chad is a Level 3 certified Coach, and was on the staff of the Monarch High School Girls program from 2018 through 2022. Chad has recently become Head Coach of the Boulder Rugby Football Club High School Girls Team. In addition to coaching high school, Chad has coached Try, summer camps, been on the Staff of an international high school match against New Zealand, and has led teams in national 7s tournaments. He has coached players who have signed rugby scholarship offers from Brown, Lindenwood, Lander, and Central Washington.
Chad has been on the Board of Rugby Colorado since 2020. He developed a love for rugby while living in Australia, and was lured into coaching by his two daughters. His Wife, his Son live in Erie, Colorado. Professionally, Chad works in pricing for Oracle.
LEGACY DIRECTOR
HUGH MILLER
Hugh began his rugby career in 1990 at the University of Rhode Island. He continued to play at Arizona State University from 1992-1995, then at Grad School at University of Northern Colorado from 1995-96. In 1997 he formed the Highplains Scorpion Men's Club in Greeley and also Slaughterhouse Youth Rugby team that began his coaching career.
In 1999 Hugh moved to the Evergreen area and began teaching at Platte Canyon High school and formed Bailey Youth Rugby/PAC girls and boys teams. He also continues his playing with the Denver Harlequins, Gentlemen of the Blue Goose Rugby Club of Breckenridge, Classic Eagles and Misfits travel team. In 2010 he along with two other rugby dads created Mountain Youth Rugby TRY program for 5-15 years olds in the Evergreen/Conifer area.
Hugh joined the Rugby Colorado Executive Team in 2013 and became President of the Board in 2014-18 and continues on Rugby Colorado's Executive Board. He has a wife and two boys that have been playing rugby since they were 4 years old. Professionally Hugh has been a high school social studies teacher since 1997.
AT-LARGE MEMBER
DARBY SARASON
Darby grew up in the mountains of Colorado and has lived here her whole life. She loves the state and all that it has to offer. Darby found the rugby community through work in the mental health field and was drawn to the positive and connected community environment.
Over the last 20 years Darby has worked in the mental health field with at-risk youth, adults, and organizations. She currently runs a private mental health practice specializing in trauma and suicide prevention. She has spent much of her career working with organizations to design and implement mental health support systems and programming.
Initially, Darby worked with Rugby Colorado to implement programming and provide administrative support. During the pandemic, she transitioned to the Board of Directors to remain involved with the organization. She enjoys the challenges of a non-profit organization and believes that the rugby community is worth investing in.
Girls Rugby Development Committee
JEN SCHWAB
Jen started playing rugby when she was 15 years old with the first Fort Collins Youth Rugby Girls Team in 2000. With FCYR she had the honor of winning two Colorado State Championships and two National Championships! Jen played rugby in college with Baylor University and then the University of Colorado at Boulder after transferring her sophomore year. She was a member of the Eastern Rockies Rugby Union select side team my last two years of college, and a captain her senior year. Jen was also a member of West Regional Select Side Team her last year of college.
At CU Boulder she was nominated as Club Sports Female Athlete of the Year and selected as a USA Rugby Second Team All American. After college she played for the Glendale Raptors and eventually had to retire from playing rugby.
Years later once of her students was playing rugby for the Fort Collins Hammers and she convinced Jen to come out and start helping. She has been helping with the Hammers High School Girls Team since 2017, and became head coach in Spring of 2020.
She has three young children who participate in TRY Rugby and she helps out with their teams. Jen says "I am proud that the Hammers High School Girls programs is one of the longest running girls programs in the state with a rich history of success. We have been at the forefront of bringing 15s rugby back to Colorado for the ladies for the past two years and I am excited to see rugby grow for young women in Colorado!"
Community Development Committee
ROB QUICKFALL
Rob was born and raised in South Africa where he played rugby from a young age through to high school and then on to club rugby with Villagers Rugby Club. He also played briefly in Dubai for the Dubai Exiles and in Florida for the Boca Raton "Buccaneers" Rugby Club. He moved to the UK in 2005, where he coached youth rugby at Rutlishians Rugby Club. Here his daughter also play and has recently relocated to Colorado with this family. Rob is currently coaching for Glendale Youth Rugby.
Rob has over 17 years of experience in hospitality operations. He started a hospitality consultancy and procurement company in the UK. After the Covid 19 pandemic, Rob diversified and entered into the realm of waste management and environmental solutions. He looks forward to helping grow youth rugby in Colorado and building a greater sense of community.
Community Development Committee
BRETT HANN
Bret started playing rugby in 1986 at age 22. He played club rugby The Denver Barbarians, but also had stints with Santa Fe Santos, Des Moines, and George Mason University. Currently, he plays with the Kansas City Blues Brothers for Aspen Ruggerfest O55s.
Bret has coached for the Denver Lions TRY team, SWARM/Westside/Arapahoe girls team, and currently is coaching with North High School in Denver.
Bret's overarching interest for rugby in Colorado is to build structural relationships between clubs: youth, high school, college, adult, to better use our scarce resources through cooperative relationships.
