While many other University of Memphis freshmen were splitting their attention between classes and parties, Faith Walker had other priorities.
She was coaching her former rugby teammates to a championship game and getting the attention of Nike, which filmed a mini-documentary about her and her team.
After playing for three years on the Memphis Inner City Rugby girls team at Freedom Preparatory Academy, Walker, now a 19-year-old sophomore at U of M, started coaching last year. She quickly learned her new position came with more responsibilities than just teaching the basics of the game.
"It's really different," Walker said. "I go through a lot as a coach. There were a lot of overwhelming times being a full-time student and coaching 26 to 30 girls."
Between a full-time class schedule, readings, homework and studying, Walker leads scheduled practice sessions each week on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. She also works game days, and when her players need it, she's always willing to schedule extra practices.
And when she isn't in class or on the field, she's on the phone with teachers, other coaches, parents and former teammates making sure the girls who need it always have rides to and from games and practices.
Despite the tough moments, she said the dedication her team shows keeps her coming back every week.
"I've gotten a liking for coaching," she said. "Seeing how I can take my girls from not knowing anything about the sport to defeating a lot of people makes it worth it."
Walker spent most of her childhood playing sports. Before rugby, she played basketball and spent four years in karate. While studying martial arts, she routinely won competitions against both boys and girls her age. When it was time to find a new sport, rugby drew her in.
She and her assistant coach Colby McCoy met while playing for Freedom Prep. McCoy said Walker was a standout player, but what really stuck with her was Walker's patience to help the other girls be better and her willingness to see others shine.
"I was always the shy type," McCoy said. "But being with her and coaching with her, I've been able to speak up more ... Faith was a good role model."
McCoy said she is inspired watching Walker juggle life, college and the team all the while putting the girls on the team first and being willing to be vulnerable as a young coach learning how to be a leader.
"I can say that Faith is a strong person," McCoy said. "Last season she was going through some stuff and she fought through it. She made sure she was going to keep coming back to rugby. She was at her most vulnerable state that first season as a first-time coach but she just kept going."
After a year of coaching, Walker said her schedule feels a little less daunting. She recently changed her major from business to sports and leisure management, which she hopes will prepare her for a long coaching career.
"The challenging part is getting things figured out in a small amount of time," she said. "I feel like I'm killing it when we win games ... We've just been working hard. I've just been pushing them hard. My girls want to work. They want to do the hard stuff. When they tell me that, that let's me know that they want to keep going.
"They're after something. They are after a big win."
Desiree Stennett covers economic development and business at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at desiree.stennett@commercialappeal.com, 901-529-2738 or on Twitter: @desi_stennett.
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November 28, 2019 at 10:00AM
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Memphis Inner City Rugby coach Faith Walker inspires players, coaches - Commercial Appeal
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