Alexma Chocoza and Daniela Castro-Alvarez are unique UCLA Students. As Women's Club Rugby players and Competitive Sports employees, the two have the ability to see UCLA Club Sports through two complementary lenses: from inside the office and as a part of the action.
The teammates began to work for competitive sports during their first quarter on campus, but are both relatively new to the sport of rugby, having joined this past fall quarter following convincing from their now fellow teammates.
In discussing her time working for UCLA Competitive Sports, Daniela, a 3rd year Economics Major, indicated that in addition to the overall benefit of the position in that she hopes to one day embark on a career involving sports recreation "simply because of the supportive environment it provides to those involved (from athletes, to coaches, to other community members)", she adds that "personally, comp sports has become a major part of my life, my coworkers are my friends and serve as a great support system for matters both inside and outside of work". In regards to rugby, she links her quarter-long experience to a plethora of improved life-skills including accountability, organization, and time management.
Over the course of her time at UCLA, Alexma, a 4th year Chicano/Chicana Studies Major contemplating a minor in education, has worked her way up from an on-field official to an in-office supervisor for Competitive Sports. She explains that "work barely even feels like work! I've formed so many relationships/friendships throughout the department which make coming in for shifts something I look forward to". Despite entering UCLA as an intended bio major, along with Daniela, she also now intends to establish a career in recreation. A multi-sport athlete in high school participating in water polo, volleyball, tennis and basketball, she had been intrigued by rugby ever since the beginning of her time at UCLA, but being busy with extracurriculars and academics, she was only now able to find time to squeeze it into her schedule. Alexma has enjoyed the concept of how in rugby, as she says "you often get pushed down, but you always have to quickly get back up". The little everyday push, she explains, is very relevant to everyday life in asking: "what am I capable of?" and "what determination and direction do I need to get there?".
Both Alexma and Daniela referred to the Scrum by the Sea Tournament hosted by UCSD as their favorite rugby related memory to date. Each indicated that the back-to-back-to-back games from early morning to late afternoon served not only as a nice bonding experience between teammates, but the continuous intensity and wear and tear served as a solid introduction to the sport as a whole.
Alexma and Daniela have certainly established a solid foundation within UCLA Club Sports through both their on and off field pursuits, and it will certainly be exciting to see where their journeys will take them in the next couple of years!
