The R7CC 7s in Atlanta, May 14-15 is talking a lot about improving the athlete experience, and much of that has to do with some fairly basic, but important details.

Those details are things like: How do we get around? Where do we train? What medical care is there?

None of this is particular sexy, but it's enormously important to the players and teams.

The Athlete Experience at the USA Rugby 7s Collegiate Championships might well be a massive step forward in addressing these and other issues.

The Owl's Nest

The tournament, of course, is based at Kennesaw State University, and KSU sports teams are The Owls. The Owl's Nest is the support building, the hub, of sports recreation at KSU. It has a weight room and rooms for training and stretching. It has team meeting rooms. This will be where teams can retreat between games. The teams will have their own space in which to relax and recharge and pre-game meeting rooms during tournament time.

In addition, teams will have access to medical staff and there will be chiropractic and physical training care within the facility.

This is certainly a step up from a tent city. It's a way for organizers to give the players professional-level support throughout the competition.

Before the Games

Teams will have access and transportation to training fields during the week leading up to the games.

The University also has its own physical fitness complex—the Dr. Betty L. Siegel Student Recreation and Activities Center—complete with a pool, track, cardio equipment, and weight training. This available during event week for practice

Full access to Physical Fitness Complex – Pool, track, cardio equipment, weight training.

Teams already will have meeting space at their accommodation—R7CCs: Where the Athletes Will Stay and Why That's Important —and will also be able to prepare in more ways than just running sessions on the fields.

Food

The KSU dining halls will be where students eat during the week, and then during the tournament food will be catered at the event.

Now, we're not just talking about any old college cafeteria food. The dining experience at KSU is more like an expanded food court or food hall, with a variety of different kinds of foods from different stations available to the players. The food will also be prepared with the idea that these are athletes being catered to, athletes who need nutritionally balanced fuel for the event.

Who's Playing in the R7CC Gold Divisions?

A Big Stage

With about 60 teams expected, there's not enough time for every game to be in the main stadium or on NBC's coverage. But every team has the opportunity to be there. A percentage of all brackets will be in the stadium, and every final will be held in Fifth Third Bank Stadium.

The rest of the event carries with it more of the festival feel 7s tournaments all over the world have, with seven fields in action over two days, and fans able to see whichever field and game they want.

That's what we have learned about what the teams and players will experience over and above the high-level competition.

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