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Rugby Olympian from Henrico hosts clinic in Glen Allen

,   and  Lauren Jones, Special to the Citizen
2 min read
Cheta Emba (right) talks with a rugby player. (Courtesy James River Women’s Rugby)

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Henrico County native and Olympic rugby star Cheta Emba hosted her inaugural Full Send Aerial Academy Rugby Clinic earlier this month in Glen Allen as part of the nationwide Parity Week initiative. Held in partnership with Parity and Gainbridge, the camp attracted female athletes eager to develop their rugby skills and gain confidence in their athletic abilities. 

Emba, a graduate of Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School who grew up in Glen Allen, started playing sports at a young age. 

“I’ve always been an outdoorsy kid,” she said, reminiscing on her early days playing recreational basketball and soccer. “I owe a lot to the Richmond Kickers and the youth organizations for encouraging me to keep playing.” 

Emba took her athletic talents to Cambridge, Massachusetts and played Division I soccer at Harvard University – and it was there that her passion for rugby began. 

“I had no idea that there was a tradition of rugby in Richmond until I got to college,” Emba said. “The people in rugby are incredible, and the sport has such a rich tradition.” 

Since then, Emba’s rugby career has skyrocketed. Emba is a key member of the U.S. Women’s National Rugby team and competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“The Olympics are one of the pinnacles of sports,” Emba said. “It was such an honor and a blessing to be able to represent my family, my country and my teammates.” 

However, Emba’s path wasn’t always easy. Growing up she had to navigate a lack of access to female-centric sports programs and sought out opportunities whenever possible. 

Cheta Emba (right) provides direction to a rugby player. (Courtesy James River Women’s Rugby)

“I grew up trying to find opportunities to play wherever I could,” Emba said. “If that meant showing up and playing at a younger boys’ practice or finding a way to get a ride to go train at a more competitive area, play in more competitive matches, I did what it took.” 

As part of the Parity Week initiative, Emba was committed to addressing these challenges head-on by hosting a camp that encourages young female athletes to discover their potential both on and off the field. This initiative has awarded $150,000 in grants to 21 organizations dedicated to supporting girls and women through sports and education, honoring Billie Jean King's legacy in promoting gender equality in professional athletics. 

“I wanted to not only lean into elevating the opportunities for girls and women in sports, but also challenge what we think the ceiling is or the limit is to what they can do,” Emba said.

Emba was joined by Sam Pankey, another professional rugby player who previously played for James River R.F.C. Starting her rugby career earlier than Emba, she reflected on the power of confidence and encouraged young girls to get involved in sports. 

“I never had the notion that I was less than as a girl,” Pankey said. “Confidence is key to excel in sports.” 

Emba and Pankey both agree that while progress has been made, much more work is needed to elevate women’s sports. 

“I think something that we're still trying to work against and that Parity Week is a huge supporter of is increasing access,” Emba said.