Al Caravelli

Last updated
Al Caravelli
Date of birth1959 or 1960
Place of birth Queens, New York
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight155 lb (70 kg)
UniversityUCLA
Occupation(s)Software sales and
rugby union coach
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half, Wing
Teams coached
YearsTeam
2000–2005
2000-2005
2006–2012
2012-		 NYAC
Dir, US 7s Women's
Head Coach, US 7s Team
Philippines sevens
Correct as of Feb 13, 2012

Al Caravelli (born 1959 or 1960 in Queens, New York) is head coach of the Philippines national rugby sevens team. He was head coach of the United States national rugby sevens team from 2006 until 2012. [1]

Contents

Caravelli inherited a team that was on a 30 game losing streak. [2] The US national sevens team improved steadily on the IRB Sevens World Series circuit under Caravelli's leadership, improving from 15th during the 2006-07 season to 10th during the 2010-11 season. [3] Caravelli managed to transform the US team into a legitimate IRB Sevens World Series contender in his first few years. [4] Following several strong performances in several tournaments during 2006-08, in 2008 the US team was promoted to "core" status as one of the 12 teams competing in all events on the IRB Sevens World Series. [5] He is the winningest USA coach in history, by percent and record. His is the only USA coach to have a winning record against Canada and Argentina, both Pan-Am and World Series rivals. [6]

Caravelli led the US team to its first ever Cup final in an IRB Sevens World Series event in Adelaide in 2010. [7] Caravelli guided the national team to a bronze medal at the 2011 Pan American Games. [8]

Caravelli becomes Philippines head coach in August 2012. [9] He stopped coaching the Philippines in 2013.

U.S. national team

Caravelli leveraged the increased exposure of rugby's planned return to the Olympics in 2016 by overseeing a transition in the U.S. national team from amateur to professional status. Caravelli had set the goal of professionalizing the U.S. team, stating that his number one objective in improving the team was getting a full-time squad that would have more time to train together. [10] Caravelli was a key part of U.S. 7s rugby winning a grant from the USOC that allowed the U.S. to contract with 15 professional full-time rugby players for the U.S. national rugby sevens team. [11] Caravelli’s goal for the U.S. national team was to win a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics. [12]

Caravelli recruited for new talent for the U.S. national team. Caravelli attended the National All Star 7s Championship, scouted for players at the various domestic sevens competitions, and also scouted at regional open try-outs. [13] Caravelli was the longest tenured coach in U.S. history for rugby sevens, and at the time of his departure had more wins than any other U.S. national team sevens coach.[ citation needed ]

Philippine national team

In August 2012, Caravelli took over the coaching of the Philippines national rugby sevens team. Three months later, he guided the Philippine team for a berth in the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow.

Previous playing and coaching experience

Caravelli played several sports in his youth. Caravelli played varsity football as a freshman at St. Francis High. [2] Caravelli began playing rugby in his sophomore year of high school. Caravelli attended UCLA on a soccer scholarship, and played for UCLA when they won the NCAA championship in 1985. [14] Caravelli played rugby with several clubs throughout the US, including the Los Angeles Rugby Club.

Caravelli took up coaching, when he retired from playing, in part because his father advised him he would make a better coach than a referee. [15] Caravelli was the Director of the US Women's sevens program (2000-2005) and coached with NYAC (2000-2005) prior to becoming head coach of the US national team. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

USA Rugby National governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States

USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. Its role is to serve as "the national governing body charged with achieving and maintaining high levels of quality in all aspects of rugby." USA Rugby is responsible for the promotion and development of the sport in the U.S. and promotion of U.S. international participation.

USA Sevens American rugby sevens tournament

The USA Sevens is a rugby sevens tournament held annually during March in the United States. The USA Sevens is the largest annual rugby competition in North America, drawing over 60,000 fans, and is broadcast live in the United States by ESPN. The USA Sevens was introduced in 2004, originally in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California. The event moved to San Diego in 2007, and from there moved to Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas in 2010. It then spent the entire decade of the 2010s in Las Vegas before returning to Carson in 2020. The USA Sevens tournament features 16 teams representing countries from every inhabited continent, including the host, the U.S. national team.

The United States national rugby sevens team competes in international rugby sevens competitions. The national sevens team is organized by USA Rugby, and the team has been led by Head Coach Mike Friday since 2014.

Asia Rugby Administrative body for rugby union in Asia

Asia Rugby, formerly the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU), is the governing body of rugby union in Asia under the authority of World Rugby. Founded in 1968 by eight charter nations, the Union today has 34 member unions in countries across Asia, stretching from Kazakhstan to Guam.

Spain's national rugby sevens team is one of 15 core teams participating in all ten tournaments of the World Rugby Sevens Series, having qualified by winning the 2017 Hong Kong Sevens qualifier tournament. Spain participated as a core team in the 2012–13 IRB Sevens World Series, but was relegated the following season.

Zack Test Rugby player

Zachary "Zack" Test is a retired American rugby union player who played for the United States national rugby sevens team. With 143 career tries in the World Rugby Sevens Series, Test led all U.S. players in tries scored until Perry Baker broke his record in early 2018.

Shalom Suniula Rugby player

Shalom Suniula is an American Samoan rugby league and rugby union player for the Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby (MLR).

Peter Tiberio is an American rugby union player who plays for the Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby (MLR).

Miles Craigwell American National Rugby Team Member

Miles Craigwell is a former international sevens rugby player and college football player. He played for the United States sevens team on the World Series circuit and at club level he played with the New York Athletic Club RFC and with the Seattle Saracens.

Kisi Keomaka "Maka" Unufe is an American rugby union player who plays for the United States national rugby sevens team and the Houston SaberCats.

Rugby sevens at the Summer Olympics

Rugby sevens at the Summer Olympics was played for the first time at the 2016 Summer Olympics with both men's and women's contests. Rugby sevens was added to the Olympics following the decision of the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen in October 2009. The champions for the inaugural rugby sevens tournament in 2016 were Fiji for the men and Australia for the women. Prior to 2016, 15-a-side matches were played in 1900, 1908, 1920, and 1924.

Alexander Magleby is the CEO of the professional rugby union team, The New England Free Jacks. He is a former professional rugby union coach, and former United States national team player and captain.

Philippines national rugby sevens team

The Philippines national rugby sevens team is a minor national sevens side. The 2012 Hong Kong Sevens was their first appearance in an IRB Sevens World Series. They were 1 of 4 Asian teams that qualified through regional tournaments to be included in the 2012 Hong Kong Sevens, it is also a qualifying tournament for inclusion in the 2012–13 IRB Sevens World Series. After the Philippines won third place against South Korea in the 2012 Singapore Sevens Series, they gained qualification to the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow. The Philippines finished third at the 2018 Asia Rugby Sevens Series, and qualified to the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens World Series qualifier. At the tournament, the team defeated Zimbabwe and advanced to quarter-finals, where they lost to Asian rival Hong Kong.

The United States women's national rugby sevens team competes in international rugby sevens competitions. The team finished second at the 2015 USA Women's Sevens, after defeating Russia in the semifinals. They competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The United States national under-20 rugby union team, for sponsorship reasons known as the AIG Men's Junior All-Americans, is the United States' junior rugby team at the national level. The U-20 team has competed at the IRB Junior World Championship and at several IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy tournaments.

Carlin Isles Rugby player

Carlin Isles is an American rugby union player who plays for the United States national rugby sevens team. With 202 tries, Isles is first for the United States in career tries scored, ahead of teammate Perry Baker. Isles has been touted as the fastest rugby player.

Folau Niua Rugby player

Folau Niua is an American rugby union player. He has played fly-half for the United States national rugby sevens team since 2011, and holds the U.S. record for most tournament appearances with over 65 caps.

Madison Hughes Rugby player

Madison John Hughes is an American rugby union player who is the captain of the United States national rugby sevens team. Hughes was named captain of the United States national team at the start of the 2014 Sevens World Series, shortly after the appointment of new head coach Mike Friday.

Kelly Griffin is an American rugby sevens player and Olympian. As a member of the United States women's national rugby sevens team, she won a bronze medal at the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens, and a silver medal at the 2015 Pan American Games. She was also captain of the United States Women's Rugby Sevens team for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The rosters of all participating teams at the men's tournament of the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens.

References

  1. 1 2 "Rugby7.com, "Caravelli in charge of US 7s team," undated 2006". Archived from the original on 2012-07-01. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  2. 1 2 "Hard-way Sevens - The San Diego Union-Tribune".
  3. ↑ United States national rugby sevens team
  4. ↑ codegent Ltd. "News: UR7s meets USA's Kyle Caravelli - Ultimate Rugby Sevens - UR7s". ur7s.
  5. ↑ "Rugby Week, USA Rugby to feature in full IRB Sevens programme, September 23, 2008". Archived from the original on 2010-01-03. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
  6. ↑ IRB Sevens
  7. ↑ Ted Hardy. "USA Rugby Falls to Samoa in Final at Adelaide Sevens". Bleacher Report.
  8. ↑ Rugby sevens at the Pan American Games
  9. ↑ "Philippine Volcanoes for Borneo 7s Named". Philippine Rugby Football Union.
  10. ↑ Rugby Mag, Q&A With Al Caravelli Pt 1, July 11, 2011
  11. ↑ "San Diego residency plan for 7s Eagles". Gainline.us.
  12. ↑ Rugby Mag, "RuggaMatrix America Show 77: 7s Boss Holds Forth," January 15, 2012
  13. ↑ Rugby Mag, Q&A With Al Caravelli Pt 1, July 11, 2011
  14. ↑ All Business, Profits and Passions: Al Caravelli, December 24, 2007
  15. ↑ "Rugby7.com, Caravelli in charge of US 7s team, 2005". Archived from the original on 2012-07-01. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.