OUR STORY
IN 2012, MICR CO-FOUNDERS SHANE YOUNG AND DEVIN O’BRIEN MOVED TO MEMPHIS TO BECOME TEACHERS.
As first year Teach for America Corps members, they were struck by the dramatic lack of resources and opportunities that existed for their students - both during and after school - so they decided to start a rugby team.
Few had heard of rugby when they held their first interest meetings. As teachers, they decided to build a mandatory study hall into their team culture, and to base their coaching on values they wanted to see translate into their classrooms.
After seeing dramatic academic and behavioral growth in their students, and feeling the impact of holding students accountable for their success in a whole new way, one team grew into two, then three, then four.
Bylaws, 501(c)3 status and a board of directors, were never in the plans back in august of 2012 - only a desire to invest in great kids that deserved better than the hand they were dealt.
From 2012-2017, MICR scaled as a grass-roots, volunteer organization, adding at least one new program a year and reaching over 300 student-athletes across the city. In 2017, MICR hired Shane as our first full-time employee and in 2018, Andrea Wensits became the second member of our full-time staff and established our Alumni Services.
Today, MICR has been recognized as national leaders in Sport-Based Youth Development and as a best-in-class model catalyzing the growth of poverty fighting urban rugby programs across the country.