15 | Blaine Scully on the Evolution of a Leader

Written By Evan Burk
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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.

Find this episode for free on your favorite podcast player.

Tune into this episode to hear:

  • 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"

Learn more about Blaine:

Learn more about Evan:

 
Evan Burk

Evan Burk is a speaker, former NFL coach, and podcast host who uses the sports world as his backdrop to engage audiences with thought-provoking lessons of leadership, team-building, and creating championship cultures.

Evan Burk is not your typical football coach. Despite not playing football beyond high school and no network in the coaching profession, Evan's unlikely football journey began as a 4th grade coach, where he quickly worked his way to the NFL in just 6 years, and included coaching for teams such as the Miami Dolphins, UCLA, and SMU.

After spending fifteen-plus years working with the highest-performing athletes, coaches, and teams on the planet, Coach Burk uses his unique football coaching background to teach people how to utilize the same strategies in business and life that elite players and teams use to perform at a world-class level.

Evan received his B.S. in business management from the University of Colorado, and his Master of Liberal Studies degree from Southern Methodist University. He also hosts his own weekly sports leadership podcast, The Highest Level, where he reveals how championship team cultures are built and the keys to leadership excellence at the highest level.

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