Before the US, Jamie Berrisford was playing National 1 in Scotland. Good level. Plenty of promise. But no academy pathway. No clear road forward.
So he made a decision:
“I still wanted to pursue rugby seriously… when I missed out on opportunities in Scotland, I thought it could be great to play rugby somewhere else.”
That “somewhere else” became Life University in Georgia, one of America’s elite rugby programmes.
Where the Standard Is Set
Jamie arrived expecting to dominate. He was wrong and grateful for it.
“I thought I’d go over there running through everyone… but going to a D1 programme, you’re never the best player on the team.”
Instead, he found something more valuable: an environment obsessed with improvement.
Two national championships.
Recognition as an All-American.
And a deeper understanding of the game than he ever imagined.
“I came back a lot bigger, stronger, more confident.”
That’s what the US system does. It forces standards into you. You either rise or you don’t last.
The Commitment Most People Never See
This is the part most players never understand.
The schedule at Life wasn’t just full - it was relentless. The strength sessions. The film reviews. The heat. The accountability.
At Life, every player had a responsibility: to themselves, to the programme, to the standard.
Jamie describes it plainly:
“It was difficult. You’re tired. You’re sore. Some days you don’t want to go. But you’re held accountable - your teammates rely on you. You can’t hide. You have to turn up.”
This wasn’t just physical conditioning.
It was character conditioning.
The real work was in the daily discipline: doing the reps, making the session, showing up when you didn’t want to, choosing the harder option again and again.
Accountability That Stays With You for Life
Jamie will tell you the hardest parts of his experience wasn't the matches. It was everything before them.
The early alarms. The late nights. Being thousands of miles from home. Seeing your friends back in Scotland living an easier life. Choosing to stay the course anyway.
That’s where the accountability lived.
And it’s what has shaped him long after leaving Life University.
Whether it’s his rugby career, or his role guiding the next generation at FirstPoint, the same mindset carries through:
Do the work. Hold yourself to a standard. Be the person people can rely on.
That’s the part of America he brought home with him.
The Hard Part Nobody Talks About
There’s honesty in how he describes leaving home:
“You’re gonna miss home, your friends… the comforts.”
Every big leap demands something from you. You sacrifice comfort for possibility. Certainty for growth. Familiarity for a chance at something bigger.
But the trade pays off.
Jamie returned not only a better athlete but with better career prospects.
He’s now Head of Rugby at FirstPoint USA, guiding others down the same road.
For Anyone On the Fence
His advice to young rugby players is direct:
“Give it serious thought… not many people get to do what you’re going to do.”
Rugby is now one of the fastest-growing college sports in the US. The facilities are world-class. The programmes are expanding.
And with the 2031 Rugby World Cup coming to America, the timing has never been better.
If you’d like to speak with someone about rugby opportunities in the US, or want to understand if the pathway is right for you, register your interest today.
