Serevi™ has announced that longtime New Zealand 7s Coach Gordon Tietjens will return to participate in the June 6-10 Serevi™ Academy alongside host and Serevi™ co-founder Waisale Serevi.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Gordon back to the Academy in year two” said Serevi. “Gordon’s coaching resume – complete with 9 of 12 IRB Sevens Series Championships -- is second to none. His ability to mold up and coming young players is legendary. His intensity is contagious and his attention to detail inspiring. Academy participants are in for a treat.”

Says Tietjens, “I’m thrilled to return. I love what Wais and his team are doing to grow rugby in North America, which I believe to be a vast untapped frontier in a rugby sense. Though the sport is clearly less developed in America, the athlete pool is sensational. I am confident that through their passion and professionalism, the Serevi team will help elevate the game in advance of the 2016 Olympics and bolster the number of quality players flowing to North American national teams.”

This year’s Academy is priced at $985 per player, which covers programming, room & board on the University of San Diego (USD) campus. The Academy targets players on the cusp of national team play and focuses on core rugby skills, nutrition and mental & game preparation. Emphasis is placed on fitness, skill building, nutrition and proper recovery. Athletes do a mix of gym work and running in the early mornings and typically complete morning and afternoon field sessions, during which they are supported by a physical therapist.

About Serevi™ and Waisale Serevi
Headquartered in Seattle, Serevi™ is focused on growing the game of rugby in North America and beyond. Serevi™ offers on-field programming for coaches and players through the youth to elite spectrum. It also offers casual and performance rugby apparel to players and fans of the sport. Waisale Serevi played both XVs and 7s for Fiji over a much-lauded 21-year international career, during which he led Fiji to the 7s World Cup in both 1997 and 2005. More information is available at www.serevirugby.com.