Gonzaga: A leadership Laboratory

It's a sunny Wednesday afternoon in Washington, DC. The city buzzes with its usual sounds, but on a rugby pitch in the heart of the city, something special is happening.

About 60 boys gather on the field. Some walk in confidently, chucking rugby balls back and forth. Others look a bit nervous, eyeing the oval balls with curiosity. There's lots of talking, laughing, and boyish good-to-see-you back slaps.

A whistle blows, and everyone gets serious. Teams form quickly, and soon they're playing touch rugby. If you're driving by, it might look like a normal after-school practice.

But look closer, and you'll see something unusual.

The coaches aren't running things. Instead, the older students are in charge. They're picking teams, setting rules, and helping the new kids. The coaches are there, but they're standing back, observing.

This is Peter Baggetta's leadership laboratory.

For Baggetta, Head Coach of Gonzaga's rugby program, this weekly game isn't just about playing rugby. It's part of something bigger – a program that's not just building a team, but creating leaders.

"In the fall I meet with our leadership group - older, experienced players," Baggetta explains. "We read, we have speakers, we have discussions. Then I turn them loose to practice the things we talk about in these meetings."

This approach forms the foundation of what Baggetta calls his leadership laboratory. At the heart of this program is a leadership team composed of experienced older players. This isn't your typical group of team captains; these young men are embarking on a journey of personal and collective growth that extends far beyond the rugby pitch.

So, how’s this approach working out? Pretty dang well. Gonzaga has been the crème de la crème of high school rugby for several years now. Their most recent success coming in the form of a 6th national title (in the last 10 seasons) in June 2024.

This championship team boasted some exceptional talent. Several seniors from this team were arguably the best at their position in the entire country: Kieren Downs (Fly half), Kimani Laumoli (Lock), Steele Dombo (Center), Andrew LaFrankie (Flanker), and Brody Johnson (Center), to name a few.

These guys made dominance look effortless; always calm, clear-headed, technically excellent, physically imposing, and above all, they were the leaders this squad needed.

If you watched Gonzaga play last season, you might think, "Well, they just won the athlete lottery this year." And you'd be partially correct - each of these young men has immense talent that would make any head coach green with envy. But you'd also be missing a crucial piece of the puzzle: It wasn't simply athletes that helped bring this team another national title. It was leadership within their locker room AND a program designed to cultivate those leadership traits.

This cultivation of leadership doesn't happen by accident. It's an intentional process that begins long before the first official match of the season. In fact, it's happening right now, on this sunny Wednesday afternoon, in what looks like a simple game of touch rugby.

Let's take a look at that game again:

There’s a smorgasbord of talent levels out there - with this being an introduction to the sport for many younger players. This gives Baggetta’s coaching staff a chance to see how their leadership team implements the lessons they learn during their meetings: How do they regulate their emotions? Do they display patience with the younger guys? Do they calmly and confidently articulate objectives?

With this information, Baggetta and his coaching staff can help guide the leadership team to become exactly the type of leaders that this season’s team needs.

It also promotes continuity between seasons. The leadership group may not be conscious of it, but they are handing down the torch of Gonzaga excellence to the younger players through their example.

This focus on leadership and culture gives Baggetta confidence that the program will stay strong, even when top players graduate. When asked how he'll replace the talented players who just graduated, Baggetta didn't hesitate: "We can replace great players because of our culture and development."

On a wall in Baggetta's office, there's a board showing the names of the great players from past seasons. It's not just for show - it reminds current players of the legacy they're part of. As Baggetta puts it, they believe: "I'm the next guy up and I need to drive that legacy."

As the touch rugby game ends, someone driving by might just see a normal practice wrapping up. But for those who know Gonzaga's rugby program, they know that something bigger is happening. On this field, young men aren't just learning rugby—they're developing leadership skills that will serve them well throughout their rugby careers and beyond.

By focusing on creating leaders, not just athletes, Gonzaga rugby is likely to stay strong for years to come. They're not just playing for today's trophy; they're building a culture of excellence and leadership that goes beyond any one season or group of players.

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Ipse, Chief Rioter