Lessons From the Rugby Field
In 2012, Chilean adventurer Rodrigo Jordan returned to the summit of Mount Everest, 20 years after becoming the first Chilean to reach the “top of the world”.
While he is known for his achievements both as a climber and as a businessman, he believes many of the lessons he learned in life came from the Rugby field.
Below is an excerpt from an interview between Daniel Boyle and Rodrigo Jordan, where he talks about his time as a rugbista.
DB: The Grange is often known as a sporting school – how did your education affect where you are now?
RJ: I played Rugby. I was pretty good. Not the best, but I was on the first team. There is something about rugby specifically that has helped me a lot. Especially the British culture through rugby that is really carved in to your mind. That it is the team who wins matches. In Rugby especially, nobody is going to score a try through individual brilliance, you have to work together.
Then there is the “third half”. You have tough moments on the field, then drink cocoa afterwards. When you grow older you have a beer.
There are all these concepts about team play, fair play, about giving it hard to your opponent, but not hating him, because you are friends off the field.
The song of the school talks about the lessons we learned, and that the most important ones were one the field.
That helped me developing my world of social skills. The Grange is very demanding intellectually, but it also helps build your social skills.
Students that are prefects are supposed to be role models on how to behave how to lead. Sometimes that gets distorted.
The idea of team spirit also really helped me. There is something about the educational system of the public schools in England that I like.
Photo: Vertical
About the Author
Daniel Boyle Founder of @sportslashlife. Australian living in Chile. Freestyle footbag player and passionate sports fan.
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