Coaches Bio

Coaches for 2023 Season

Mission = 1- to provide our players and parents with the most positive sporting experience possible thru the legendary rugby ethos
Game played to the Laws, but within the spirit of the Laws = PRICELESS

Through discipline, control and mutual self-respect, a fellowship and sense of fair play are forged, defining Rugby as the Game it is.

Toby Dickens

Girls Varsity HS Coach (L200)

Toby Dickens- "Not" Broughton Head coach and RedHawks Varsity, JV and 9th Grade HS Coach (L200)

Coach Dickens played 15’s Rugby in college. He went to the University of Portland to play Baseball, however, after the fall season he joined the Pilots Rugby squad and never looked back. He experienced some success while playing at Portland. He was named most valuable player in in the States largest 15’s tournament. He still has no idea why?! He was also asked to tryout for the Northwest collegiate all star team……..

He attended NC State the following year to play for the Wolfpack the following four years.

Then, he began coaching 6 years ago for the Raleigh Redhawk Youth team when his son and two daughters started playing. He began his coaching career coaching the U-12 boys tackle squad with the two best coaches in the State, Dave Krosner and Andy Thomas. Then, he went on to coach the boy’s high school sevens squad with another excellent coach, Alex Alverez, that posted a 37 game win streak. In addition, he coached the Broughton’s Boys high school team with yet another awesome coach, James Roberts and Dave Kroner to bring home the Boys Single High School State Title.

Currently, Toby is coaching the newly formed Redhawks Girl’s Highschool Rugby team

David Krosner

President and HS Varsity and JV Coach (L300 and Level 1 Referee)

Dave is one of the three co-founders of the Raleigh Redhawks, is currently the President of the Redhawks and co-head coach of the Redhawks’ high school boys teams.

Dave is a USA Rugby level 300 coach.

Dave played rugby for 15 years (way back when). He was player, captain and coach of Illinois State University’s Men’s Rugby Club. After college, for ten years he played for the Milwaukee Rugby Football Club, which was at that time a perennial power in the Nation at the highest level of Rugby. With Milwaukee, Dave had the honor of playing in four National Men’s Rugby Club Final Fours, and two National Championship Finals—unfortunately, finishing second to the OMBACs from California in each of those Championship Games. At the all-star level, Dave played for the Illinois Select Side, the Wisconsin Select Side, the Midwest Under 25 Select Side (back when the U.S. was divided into four territories for Rugby—the Midwest, the East, the Pacific and the West), and the United States Maccabi team. During his playing days, he had the pleasure of playing on tours of Canada, England and Uruguay, in addition to traveling all over the United States.

Dave was out of the game for almost 20 years when his son and Andy Thomas’ son became teammates on a Carolina Junior Hurricanes travel ice hockey team. While their two sons became friends, so did Andy and Dave and they quickly realized they were both former rugby players. One thing led to another and Andy convinced Dave and one other hockey Dad, John Adams, to start the Redhawks. (Rumor has it that Dave really didn’t understand what Andy was suggesting at the time—given Andy’s strong Welsh accent and rapid fire, non-linear delivery—but when Dave found out what Andy had in mind, it was too late—the dye was cast!). So Dave, Andy and John founded the Redhawks back in 2011 and Dave has been coaching (and loving it) ever since. (Rumor also has it that once Dave understood that Andy was convincing him to form a Rugby Club—Dave agreed but said he would only coach—and should never be asked to get involved on the administrative side of running the Rugby Club. But Andy knew a sucker when he saw one—and Dave has served as the President of the RedHawks since 2015 and, beginning in 2021, is now also one of five individuals on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Youth Rugby Union—the union that is the controlling body for youth rugby in all of North Carolina!)

With Dave, Andy and John’s help—the Redhawks commenced play in 2011 with several ice hockey players, some wrestlers, some football players and some other athletes obtained from the Boys and Girls Club. Back then, we practiced once a week and basically started with one U12 team. But that first season, the Redhawks finished as State Champions at U12 Touch and Tackle rugby, starting an expectation of excellence that has led to significant growth of the Club and multiple State Championships throughout our various age brackets as well as innumerable tournament championships. But more importantly, what was started was a Club where we could all learn and embrace the ethos of Rugby—hard work, dedication, self-sacrifice, teamwork and respect for yourself, your teammates, your coaches, your opponents, the officials and all others involved in this great game of Rugby we all love. All while having an absolute blast!

in 2018, Dave also had the distinct pleasure of being one of 35 US coaches selected to attend an all-expenses paid trip to London through USA Rugby and the English Rugby Premiership league for 8 days of intensive learning from various professional rugby coaches affiliated with the London Harlequins, Sale Sharks, London Irish and Saracens where Dave was not only taught by some of the best rugby coaches in the World but also was exposed to those four professional rugby clubs so was able to see first hand how a top-tier professional rugby club operates and coaches its players.

In addition to serving as the Club’s President and co-head coach of the Boys High School Teams, over the years Dave has coached every age bracket of our Club—Touch, 5/6, Middle School, High school girls and since the 2017 season, High School boys. In addition to being a Level 300 Coach, Dave is also a USA Rugby Certified Level 1 Referee. But more than that—he is a great guy—just ask him!

Andrew Thomas

Varsity and JV High School Coach (L300 and Level 1 Referee)

Andrew is one of the co-founders of Raleigh RedHawks’ rugby. He is current vice president of Raleigh Redhawks and a varsity coach with High School Rugby team.

Andy is a level 300 USA rugby coach and has a level 1 referee certification from USA rugby.

As a coach Andy coaching philosophy has been influenced by Jack Rowell, Brian Ashton, Peter Williams, Dave Krosner and Joe Ehrmann. He believes in a game-based development learning and believes a role for a coach is to develop people of compassion and integrity who will be responsible and change the world for good. This dictates all his decisions, and he urges parents and players to hold him accountable to this purpose. As a youth coach, it’s important you know why you’re coaching and to let this guide your decision-making process.

Andrew has a vast and varied experience of coaching and playing. As a player, he played for English national division champions, Bath Rugby Football Club. Prior to joining Bath, he spent a season at Maesteg RFC. In Wales he had representative honors at Schools, District, County (undefeated in 9 years), Regional and trialist.

In athletics Andy represented the County of West-Glamorgan in the Welsh cross-country championships as well as representing the county in track and field at 400 and 800 meters.

During his internship at East Carolina University, he was offered a walk on position at East Carolina University football team as a punter/kicker and special teams. During this time Andy had his first coaching experience with East Carolina University Rugby Club where he was an assistant backs coach. That year ECU beat NC state in the college conference finals (1993).

It took Andy 15 years since leaving United Kingdom to get reengaged in “the game they play in heaven”. Andy convinced Dave Krosner and John Adams “in Wenglish dialect” to form a youth rugby club in the Raleigh area. The club in the inaugural season became State Champions at U12 and U10 in 2011. Now the Varsity club has been nationally ranked for the last 5 seasons and is the ONLY club that competes at the national level in the triangle. The RedHawks has also been selected as a National Development program (NDP) and the only club in the state that develops athletes following the USA National Development Program. Andy has coached every age bracket at the Club from Touch, 5/6, Middle School, High school girls and since the 2015 season High School boys. In 2018 the Varsity team won the state Club D1 Championship. Andy also coaches with the NDS Panther Academy (Formerly known as USA Rugby South Panthers). At the academy level he has coached the elite 7s at Tropical 7s and Salt Lake City and 15s at the Rugby America North tournaments (RAN).

Andy is also a past Board Member with Raleigh Youth Hockey Association, Triangle Figure Skating club and has coached several CASL junior soccer teams. He also is certified Positive Alliance Coach.

Player:
Bridgend and District Schools 1986-1991
Nantyffyllon RFC (1988-89)
Mid Glamorgan County 1987-1991
East Wales (1988-1990)
Welsh Schools 1990
Maesteg RFC 1989-1992
Bath RFC 1993-94 and 95-1996

Coaching:
Raleigh RedHawks 2010- Present
Panthers Rugby Academy (USA South Panthers) 2018- Present
East Carolina University 1994/95 (Conference Champions)
NC State University Assistant Coach2014-2015
State Champions D1 Varsity HS 2018
State Champion Middle School 2014-2018
Raleigh RedHawks JV RCT Team 2018 (3-1 Loosing to NC in Final)
North Carolina Middle School Coach RAST 2014 and 2015

Professional & Certifications:
USA Rugby Certified Level 300
IRB Level 2 Coach
Level 1 Referee (2016)
Director of Rugby Raleigh RedHawks 2010-present
PCA Double Goal Certified Coach 2010
IRB Rugby Ready Certification 2010
IRB Strength and Conditioning Certification 2010
Concussion Protocol Trained 2012/2018/2020
World Rugby Laws 2020, 2018

Andy belief of RedHawks’ Overall Style:
We will seek to play at a high pace, playing an expansive game focused on moving the ball around the field and attacking from yellow and green zones. We will seek to limit opposition opportunities for possession and scoring through tactical decision making, positioning, and continuity. The core principle behind the way we want to play will be to develop into thinking rugby players and a creative thinking team that can react to a diversity of situations and play positive, physical, attacking rugby.

Andy fundamentals:

Player “Centric”
A united “TEAM’ approach. We are a team in everything we do.
Close linking and interaction between forwards and backs.
All players, regardless of position, to develop multi – skills. Everybody will pass and catch.
Eighty percent attention paid to fundamental skills.
First option is to keep the ball in hand.
Foundation of set defensive and attacking patterns.
Encourage innovation and creation.
COMMUNICATION: we will always communicate with each other, calling plays (players) and calling for the ball.

Quotes:
“Do your Best” John Wooden “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

“Attitude is a choice” Pat Summitt

Adrian Laros

Varsity and JV HS Coach (L200)

Ivan Morton

Middle School Coach (L200 and IRB referee L3)

Ivan Morton- Middle School Director and Coach (L200)
Former player with over 50 years of playing experience. Captained Raleigh Vipers. Level 3 Referee and Level 2 Coach.

Andrew Wharton

Under 10 Coach (L200)

Andrew Wharton (L200)
Former Raleigh Vipers rugby player and Level 200 Certified Coach. Raleigh RedHawks Men’s team plater and Tobacco Road Old Boys.

Myles Harmer (L200)

U10 Coach

Edit this text to make it your own. To edit, simply
click directly on the text to start adding your
own words

Guest Coaches:

Nese Malifa

Guest Coach

Valenese Malifa (born 10 September 1985, in American Samoa) is a former American rugby union fly-half. He has now turned his career to professional coaching in the US for Major League Rugby. He assisted Atlanta’s team, Rugby ATL, from 2018-2020 and has since moved to Dallas to coach the Dallas Jackals in their inaugural year. As a professional player, he was a member of the United States national rugby union team from 2007 until 2012, and competed in three Rugby World Cups including participating with the squad at the 2007 Rugby World Cup

Shalom Suniula

Guest Coach

Shalom Suniula (born June 5, 1988) is an American Samoan rugby league and rugby union player for the Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby (MLR).
He previously played representative level rugby league for the New Zealand Junior Kiwis national rugby league team, and at club level for Souths Logan Magpies, and representative level rugby union (RU) for the United States Eagles XV's, USA Sevens, and at club level for Belmont Shore RFC, as a scrum-half, or fly-half.
Along with his brothers Andrew and Roland Suniula, Shalom has played for the United States national rugby sevens team in the IRB Sevens World Series since 2008, along with USA Eagles XV's team.[1]
Suniula is a talented play maker who is known for his dangerous side step

Craig Everett

Guest Coach

Craig is currently a coach with Cardiff Blues and Welsh Exiles. He is the former coach of Monmouth Schools and Monmouth Men's Division champions He has also represented Wales at U21, played professionally for Cardiff, Carmarthen Quins, Aberafan, Scarlett’s and Worcester Warriors. He is a back row forward who will complement greatly the coaching staff. In addition to being an active player, he is also a Welsh Rugby Development officer, responsible for the development of the players and the game for the Welsh Rugby Union.

Andre Snyman

Guest Coach

André Snyman was born in Newcastle, Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa on 2 February 1974. He attended Dannhauser Primary School before finishing off his schooling at DundeeHigh School. During his school career, André represented the province of
Kwa Zulu Natal in athletics as well as the province of Northern Kwa Zulu Natal in rugby – attending the U16 & U18 Craven Week in 1991 and 1992.

While studying at, and playing rugby for the Pretoria Technikon, after graduating from high school, André was chosen to play rugby for the Northern Transvaal province U21's team in 1993. John Williams, the then coach of the Blue Bulls franchise, spotted André playing for the U21's and selected him to play for the Blue Bulls in the Centre position. This was the start of a very illustrious professional
career for André which saw him play for the Blue Bulls from 1994-1999, the Sharks franchise from 2000-2003 and being capped for the Springboks on 38 occasions between 1996 and 2006.

Two horrific ankle injuries in 1999 and 2000 respectively, prevented André from achieving his ultimate goal in his career and that was to represent South Africa in the Rugby World Cup tournament. However, during his 10 year career span with the Springboks, André remained a stalwart in the Centre and Wing position scoring 50 points for the Springboks. He will be most remembered for his hat
trick of tries in the test against Tonga in Cape Town in 1997; and his break-away, “under the poles”, try against England during the test at Twickenham, in November 1997.

It was also during 1997 that André represented South Africa at the IRB 7’s World Cup in Hong Kong, narrowly losing to Fiji in the Final. It was the British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa later that same year that André classifies as one of the highlights of his career. Despite losing the Test Series 2-1, André scored a try in the last Test of the Series to help secure the Springboks only win of the series.

André took his rugby career to new levels when he joined the Leeds Tykes in England in November 2003. He was one of the highest profile players to ever sign for the club, and during his time with the Leeds Tykes, he did not disappoint, entertaining the crowd with some outstanding performances that made him a crowd favourite and club legend. He helped the team to be promoted to the Premiership in the 2003/2004 season and again in the 2006/2007 season after they had been relegated from the top flight at the end of the previous two seasons respectively.

André announced his retirement from professional rugby in 2007 and played his last professional game of rugby for Leeds Tykes on 22 April 2007. His formidable presence on a rugby field has been noticeably missed since his retirement.

In 2010, Andre started coaching the Durban Old Boys RFC U20s team in his hometown of Durban but was soon contracted by the Glendale Raptors in Glendale, Colorado to help grow the sport of rugby in the City of Glendale and coach their Men’s 15s, 7s and Elite Cup Teams.

Andre joined the Raptors in June 2011 and has enjoyed a very successful career with them to date. The Raptors won the Men’s 15s Division I National Championship title in 2011 and were runner up champions in 2012. The Raptors 7s team secured a spot in the Men’s 7s National Championship in 2011 and are on track to secure a spot in the same tournament in 2013.

Sean O'Leary

Guest Coach

GCU Club Sports is proud to announce that they have hired former longtime University of Notre Dame coach Sean O’Leary as the Lopes’ Head Men’s Rugby Coach. O’Leary will also assist with the operations of the women’s rugby program at GCU. O’Leary becomes the third full-time head coach in GCU Men’s Rugby history.
“Today, GCU gets one of the top leaders and coaches in all of rugby,” said GCU Director of Club Sports Dan Nichols. “Students and staff are going to really enjoy being with him on campus. Coach “O” is a motivator who can elevate those around him.”
The native of Dublin, Ireland, comes to GCU hoping to create a storied tradition for Lopes’ Men’s Rugby, since that’s something he’s already done on the collegiate level. O’Leary began his coaching career nearly 20 years ago, and it took an ‘out-of-the-blue’ opportunity to establish him on the university level. A request just days before the 2003 USA Rugby Collegiate Division 1 National Tournament by coaches and players at Harvard University to help them in their tournament preps helped propel the Crimson from the second-lowest seed in the field to a berth in the championship match. The overwhelming success of that six-week assignment led to O’Leary spending four years building the program up at Northeastern University.
Then in 2007, O’Leary got the job that officially established his reputation on the collegiate level, leading the University of Notre Dame Men’s Rugby program from dormant to skyrocketing powerhouse. Under O’Leary’s leadership, USA Rugby asked the Fighting Irish to join the College Premier Division in 2010; and they became a mainstay at the Penn Mutual College Rugby 7s Championships from the tournament’s inception in 2010 to his departure in 2015. O’Leary also led Notre Dame to berths in United World Sports’ Varsity Cup, and even helped UND begin a women’s rugby program in 2009.
O’Leary then took his talents to the pro level, becoming the head coach of the new Denver Stampede of then then-expansion PRO Rugby North America league. While the league lasted just one season, O’Leary led the Stampede to the league title, and was celebrated in Colorado’s largest city for the way he helped develop interest in the league and the sport, and gave back to the community by stopping in to help Colorado State University’s men’s rugby team with their skills, established the Colorado Rugby Academy, signed on with the nationally respected Eagle Impact Rugby Academy and even became a consultant to Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora after the pro franchise folded. O’Leary has also worked with the USA 17s & U19s from 1999 through 2008, and continues to help develop high school players through his work with EIRA.
O’Leary’s coaching career actually began on the high school level at Boston College High School on the east coast, and it was O’Leary’s BCHS alums that moved on to Harvard that made that fateful call to him in 2003.
O’Leary inherits a Lopes’ Men’s Rugby team that has been a constant in the national spotlight for the last two years. The Lopes reached the D1A Rugby Playoffs Nationals Round of 16 for the second straight season last April, losing to eventual national championship runnerup St. Mary’s College of California. The Lopes finished among the top 15 teams in the final D1A Rugby Poll in both 2018 and 2019.

Dai Morgan

Guest Coach

Experienced Rugby coach with experience coaching in Wales, England, USA and France at all levels.

Former senior Sales and Marketing executive and self-employed Manufacturers Representative in the Paper, Packaging and Jan-San industry.

Always interested in new Coaching or Business projects.

Life is not a dress rehearsal ......