NEWS

NOMINEES | 2024 S. MARCUS CALLOWAY COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD

Named for the late S. Marcus Calloway, former chairman and majority owner of Rugby ATL, the 2024 S. Marcus Calloway Community Impact Award will be awarded to the player who shows passion, excellence, and integrity on and off the field, inspires others to action, shows strength in character, aids those less fortunate, and embraces the core values of rugby, while displaying solidarity, discipline, and respect.

The chosen athlete strives to inspire action among his peers, shows strength in character, comes to the aid of those less fortunate, and thoroughly embraces rugby’s core values, all while displaying solidarity, dignity, and respect.

The winner of this year’s S. Marcus Calloway Community Impact Award will be announced during the Championship on August 4, 2024.

Jake Turnbull – Anthem RC

Non-profit choice: Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation

Jake captained Anthem RC, a young and inexperienced team, maintaining high morale and energy despite a challenging season with 16 losses in 18 weeks. Jake maintained his confidence and leadership in what was an otherwise difficult season, looking forward to the 2025 season and what he is helping build at Anthem RC.

Charlie Abel – Chicago Hounds

Non-Profit Choice: Paws Chicago

As the rugby coach of the South Side Irish rugby team, Abel has become a community leader. He has achieved on-field success and positively influenced his players. The South Side Irish Rugby Club doesn’t have the financial backing of some other clubs in the area. Many of these players come from difficult backgrounds. As their coach, Charlie consistently acts as a role model and teaches his players about life and rugby.

Sam Golla – Dallas Jackals

Non-Profit Choice: Make A Wish North Texas

After a stellar rookie campaign, he was named the Major League Rugby Rookie of the Year in 2023. in 2023, Golla won his first test cap for the USA Eagles against Romania in Bucharest.

Golla Partnered with Slate River Systems Inc. to create “Sam’s Superstars.” In 2024, more than 160 underprivileged children and their families attended Jackals games on behalf of Sam’s Superstars. They received goodie bags and met Sam after the game to get an autographed poster.

Siaosi Mahoni – Houston SaberCats 

Non-Profit Choice: Ronald McDonald House Charities

Despite being injured this season, Siaosi has been the first to put his hand up. Whether it’s helping with school visits, school charity auctions, grilling for the kiddos at Ronald McDonald House and our supporter groups, or even helping kids with their school projects about rugby, CC is inspirational to his teammates and the entire community.

Rick Rose – Miami Sharks 

Non-Profit Choice: The Malachi House

Demonstrating exceptional dedication to training and community support, Rose motivates teammates and aspiring players while actively caring for and encouraging others within and outside rugby. He shows care and concern for teammates, opponents, and the community, actively supporting and encouraging others both within and outside of rugby.

Ben LeSage – New England Free Jacks 

Non-Profit Choice: Rose’s Bounty

LeSage haHe has been the leader in many player-run endeavors to give back and serve the community. He set up and organized volunteer partnerships with several charities,, including Rose’s Bounty, a food pantry that benefits Veterans. Over the off-season, he received an Award of Merit from United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough for the team’s efforts. 

Ben regularly organized opportunities for his teammates to get involved, such as the rotating group of players who participated in the Prison Book Program, which curated reading lists and supplied books to those in prison.

Harley Wheeler – NOLA Gold

Non-Profit Choice: National Breast Cancer Foundation

Harley Wheeler is a familiar and welcoming presence at youth events, actively participating and motivating others to get involved. His commitment to the community is further demonstrated through his coaching efforts, where he played a pivotal role in guiding the East Jefferson High School rugby team during their inaugural season. Harley’s passion for rugby and his dedication to mentoring young athletes serve as a powerful beacon, showing the profound impact one individual can have. His tireless efforts have inspired countless others to follow in his footsteps, fostering a culture of giving back and supporting the next generation of players.

Calixto Martinez – Old Glory DC 

Non-Profit Choice: Canadian Red Cross for Wildfire Relief Funds

Calixto is enrolled in the Registered Professional Forestry Articling Program, in which he comes home from rugby training and studies his course modules to further his professional career as a Professional Forester at home in British Columbia. Additionally, Calixto was a search and rescue team member while in the Canadian Coast Guard and was involved in missions to rescue those in need off of the Canadian Coast in British Columbia. 

Jason Damm – RFCLA 

Non-Profit Choice: Shriners Hospital for Children

As part of the inaugural leadership team, Jason presented a weekly presentation outlining our Team Values for the 2024 Season to the playing group. Community, Accountability, Respect, and Expression (C.A.R.E Values) were developed by the leadership team and Jason led the charge detailing and explaining to the playing group why those values were selected and how the players can live by and exemplify them throughout the season.

Jason also acted as Vice-Captain and Captain many times throughout the season, leading by example on the field and constantly trying to get the best out of his teammates on the field.

Mikey Te’o – San Diego Legion

Non-Profit Choice: Imagine Rugby San Diego

Leading the program and has positively impacted thousands of budding young rugby players, boys and girls,  across San Diego. His ability to share his love of the game with the youth is second to none, and he believes in the power of sport to create positive change throughout the community. He is a highly valued member of the team and the community, always first to put his hand up to help, and is always there alongside his teammates when needed most. He’s quiet, humble, and unassuming, never puts himself first, and has the respect of all.

He has worked tireless hours within the youth community and led a team through the initial startup procedures throughout 130 schools. He has sat down with these PE teachers throughout these schools 1 on one and explained in detail the Imagine Rugby Program, how it works, and how to coach it, and then been hands-on with the setup and running of these training and tournaments. He has positively impacted roughly 25,000 students across the San Diego District. These kids now have another avenue of sport to pursue that could lead them down a professional pathway in sport. At the same time, he is bringing communities together. His drive for this program shows why San Diego has the highest number of kids playing rugby in the country.

Daniel Kriel – Seattle Seawolves

Non-Profit Choice: Happy Bundles

Kriel, the recipient of last year’s award, is always the first to put his hand up to help with local community events, participating in the Special Olympics Polar Plunge, teaching kids rugby skills in the Run with the Pack sessions before games, and teaches kids rugby skills over a weekend at Starfire and coordinating hospital visits for sick kids. 

Dan Kriel and his wife Candice Kriel founded the non-profit Happy Bundles, after Candice was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer in 2021.

Through the Happy Bundles initiative, the Seawolves organization and players visited a hospital to gift sick kids with toys and activities and sign posters of the players. The Seawolves had 15 players, and our head coach attended in response to Dan’s invitation.

Jeremiah Noaese – Utah Warriors 

Non-Profit Choice: The Lux Mundi Foundation

After a season-ending injury left Jeremiah in rehab and unable to play, Jeremiah spent the entire 2024 season helping the Warriors community team with events and outreach.

Jeremiah was part of a group of players who spent significant time at Primary Children’s Hospital this season. They spent time getting to know the kids and helping them find joy in the hard times that they were going through. Also, after visiting a school for the local Polynesian community, Jeremiah sought to find ways to visit more schools so that more kids could get to know Rugby and the Utah Warriors. He was able to do that this season as he visited multiple schools with the community team and was a part of many outreach assemblies throughout the season.