Mentorship and Joy Balance Experience and Rookies on USA 7s Team

01.27.2026Eagles

Try time for Kristi Kirshe at the Perth 7s. Photo Mike Lee KLC fotos for World Rugby.

Author: Alex Goff

The USA women’s 7s team is quite young, and while they performed well in the first two SVNS tournaments of the World Series, there is always the danger of a dropoff as they aren’t sneaking up on teams anymore.

The consistency of performance is part of what Head Coach Emilie Bydwell and captain Kristi Kirshe have talked about when they discuss the idea of beating the best teams on the circuit. They always say it’s not just about beating New Zealand and Australia on occasion, but beating them consistently.

Sam Sullivan goes in for the try at the 2025 LA 7s. David Barpal photo.

Veteran mentorship is critical here, and so the return of Sammy Sullivan has an influence on everyone.

“Sammy brings power pace and just a whole lot of energy,” Bydwell told GRR. “When she came onto our team, she was [only] with us for three or four months before she was playing every minute of every game. She's just somebody that has so many amazing physical attributes that that really transfer well to 7s. Just the intensity that she plays at and the competitiveness that she plays at, she just really elevates that energy in training that we're looking to bring to playing.”

Stephanie Rovetti, Spiff Sedrick, and Sammy Sullivan show their bronze medals at the USA vs Canada match in 2024. David Barpal photo.

Playing as a forward or as a back, Sullivan is effective. She will be more of a forward in Singapore and Perth, but that’s because of this current team’s overall speed. And she can be a mentor, too.

“She's looking forward to connecting with the younger players and learning about them and who they are as people,” continued Bydwell. “And I think that's something that she's really excited about, because she's also a really great leader.”

For Kirshe, the role she and Spiff Sedrick have had in leading the younger players into the rigors of being on the SVNS circuit is energizing. She has to get the young players prepared for how tough playing on the SVNS circuit is, but, she adds, it’s also really fun.

“It is a very tough job, but it's also a very fun job,” Kirshe told GRR. "And I think that, honestly, that is something that these younger players have really reminded me about? I think after being on the Series for so many years, so much of it becomes getting used to it. But on our first trip, the 18-hour flight, the the kids were just so excited. They're chatting the whole time like they can't believe that they're going on tour to another country. And it kind of brings that excitement and that joy and just reminds us all that, like, this is supposed to be fun.”

Ariana Ramsey and Sariah Ibarra work in tandem at the 2025 LA 7s. David Barpal photo.

Seeing the SVNS circuit through the eyes of debutante players is refreshing for the mentors.

“I think we've created such a great culture in this program that everyone knows that work ethic is the barrier to entry. You're not going to be in this program unless you're willing to work your butt off. And I think that everyone here has gone through that combine process and has really understood that. And so it's not something that I feel like that we need to teach them. But we’re there to lead by example and show them what being a professional looks like, day-in and day-out. But I think that they’ve brought that work ethic from the day.”

It’s that combination of work ethic and taking joy from the game that ensures success.

“I think that combination is really great for us as a group,” said Kirshe.

Singapore 7s USA Women Pool Games:
Friday, Jan 30
USA vs Japan 10:04PM ET

Saturday, Jan 31
USA vs Fiji 1:30AM ET

USA vs Australia 5:18AM ET