Utah
Why Orem’s Tai Kauwe was the perfect fit for the Utah Warriors
Tai Kauwe, who grew up in Orem and performed rugby collegiately at Kutztown College in Pennsylvania, holds up his new jersey along with his girlfriend Kenzie after he was introduced because the Utah Warriors’ first-round decide within the 2022 MLR collegiate draft, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022 in Herriman. (Sean Walker, KSL.com)
Estimated learn time: 4-5 minutes
HERRIMAN — Tai Kauwe figured he would make his method again to Utah, however not essentially in the way in which he did final week.
The previous Kutztown College rugby standout from Orem was on a mid-afternoon flight from Denver to Salt Lake Metropolis, the place he was going to be the honored visitor on the Utah Warriors’ watch social gathering for the 2022 Main League Rugby collegiate draft.
Whereas there, Kauwe was introduced because the membership’s first-round draft decide, the No. 9 total choice acquired in a commerce with Atlanta that additionally earned salary-cap implications for Utah’s skilled rugby facet. A number of hours later — after dinner along with his dad and mom, two youthful brothers, a sister and her boyfriend, his girlfriend Kenzie and her mom, and three uncles on his mom’s facet, in addition to a handful of workforce and media obligations — he’d be again on a aircraft to rejoin NAV 7s for the Rugby City Sevens match at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado.
It was a little bit of a whirlwind, however one the Nice Grove Excessive alum was more than pleased to undertake as he opens his skilled profession.
“Positively heartwarming for me,” Kauwe advised KSL.com with a little bit of amusing, referencing an inside joke normal supervisor Brandon Sparks shared with season-ticket holders at a draft watch social gathering. “My complete household is right here in Utah, so it is just a little extra thrilling that they’ll come watch me play after the time they missed.
“I did not assume I might come again house to play rugby, however I am glad I’m.”
Kauwe was one among 5 gamers chosen by the Warriors. However the former standout for Utah County membership energy Genesis is probably the one most probably to play vital minutes as a rookie.
The 5-foot-10, 195-pound scrum half who just lately completed his enterprise diploma at Kutztown (whereas additionally successful a Faculty Rugby Championship premier nationwide cup title in rugby sevens this previous spring) is a bodily, athletic specimen, and one whose dimension and pace could possibly be utilized as each a 3rd scrum half and on the wing, Sparks stated.
No matter the place they play him, the Warriors knew early in his coaching for the Collegiate Rugby Protect in Herriman they needed him. The truth that he was from Utah was merely an added bonus.
“We already knew he was a very good participant,” Sparks stated. “However we’re actually large on character right here, and we realized about his background. He was all ‘sure sir, no sir.’ There was a second the place we went out to lunch and we had our coach with us and one of many participant’s wives, and he held the door for each of them after which for everyone us. That is after I knew this child’s received it. That was just a bit indicator that we needed to convey the child again to Utah.”
After a 5-11 document final 12 months within the 13-team MLR, which included wins in three of the ultimate 5 matches, the Warriors retooled with the hiring of recent coach Greg Cooper, a former All Blacks participant and New Zealand youth coach who most just lately hung out teaching in Japan. Additionally they introduced again assistant coaches Robbie Abel and Shaun Davies, the latter a former BYU All-American and USA Eagles scrum half who will show important within the mentorship of Kauwe.
The Warriors need to construct a workforce that represents Utah and one its rising group of supporters could be proud to name their very own, Sparks stated. Bringing house the previous CRC All-Match scrum half is a part of that.
“A variety of begins with the expertise right here taking part in membership rugby,” Sparks stated. “If we need to achieve success, it begins with us creating assets for coaches and gamers. From there, there are such a lot of Utah-based gamers taking part in around the globe and excelling. And we have to convey them again.
“We wish this workforce to be Utah-built. We wish this workforce to appear like the inhabitants of the state, to signify the values of this state, in addition to the Warriors’ values.”
Fellow first-round decide Gabe Kettering, a 6-foot-3 prop out of Lindenwood, was teammates with Kauwe in the course of the Collegiate Rugby Protect all-star sport. However he additionally is perhaps delayed in coming to Utah after taking part in abroad with Trinity Faculty in Dublin, Eire.
Past that, the Warriors used a second-round decide acquired from the NOLA Gold to signal former Tennessee lock Greg Janowick, added Lindenwood prop Sam Buckley within the third spherical, and completed off the draft leaping again in by way of commerce with Austin to chose Central Washington back-row participant John Dupree at No. 33 total.
After studying from Kutztown’s various worldwide roster, Kauwe describes himself as a “self-taught field kicker” who also can play out vast. Watching Utah’s video games on the league’s Rugby Community, Kauwe is keen to get to work along with his new household and to play in entrance of his outdated household.
“I am glad I can come again and play the place my household can watch,” he stated. “I have been gone 4 years in Pennsylvania at Kutztown, and my household did not get to look at me as a lot as I might like. It is a surreal second, however I am blissful to be house and to be part of this institution.”