Nakato Myers is a committed rugby player with a deep passion for the game and a keen skill for collaboration. As she approaches her freshman year of college, she prepares to play rugby on Dartmouth’s NCAA D1 team.

Having started her rugby career as a Rattlesnake in the Raleigh Rugby Football Club during her elementary school years, Nakato has since played for a variety of teams. Now, Nakato plays center, wearing the number 13 jersey, for the Raleigh Cobras (Raleigh Rugby Football Club). Oftentimes, Nakato also competes for Atlantis or North Carolina Youth Rugby Union (NCYRU) when she travels for tournaments. 

Nakato’s parents, Sunny and Isaac Myers, introduced her to the sport in second grade: “My mom and dad were my first ever coaches, and have supported me the most throughout my rugby journey … It’s a different perspective when your parents coach you.” 

Nakato’s father, Isaac Myers, started playing rugby in 1999 at NC State. He met Nakato’s mom, Sunny Myers, through the Raleigh Rugby Football Club, and they later founded Raleigh Youth Rugby Club where over 160 players now play.

Nakato’s father has watched her grow throughout her entire rugby career. “On the field, her strengths are her rugby IQ, her speed … [She is] an all around good rugby player; a good tackler, good passer, good at running lines and changing angles to evade defense,” says Isaac Myers. “She’s striving to be the best at it that she can be … [Rugby] is her passion, her favorite thing to do.”

“[My favorite part about rugby is] traveling and the community. Rugby is like a family,” says Nakato. Over the past 11 years, Nakato has traveled to compete in Charlotte, NC, California, Utah, and even to other countries, including Germany. 

In addition to traveling for competitions, Nakato has attended three USA Rugby high performance training summer camps, one of which being at the U.S. Olympic Rugby Training Center, where she competes in both sevens and fifteens. Sevens are fast-paced 14-minute games of rugby where each team has seven players, leading to an emphasis on speed and strength; fifteens are 80-minute games with teams of 15 where endurance and strategy are vital.

“It’s a really good learning experience … I wanted to go there to learn, and have the opportunity to compete at the highest levels … I really enjoy going to these camps and having to fight for my position,” says Nakato.

These camps can lead to future competitive opportunities. Nakato explains, “If you go to these camps, you are then in a pool of players that [scouts] will be looking at and keeping up with to select teams for things like the World Cup and the Olympics if that’s what you’re striving for.”

Nakato hasn’t been on her rugby journey alone. Her twin brother Wasswa Myers has been by her side since birth and even played rugby on the same team with her for years. As both her brother and her teammate, he has witnessed her passion and skill grow over time. “She applies lessons she learns from rugby, like teamwork and accountability, to her everyday life,” says Wasswa. “She’s a big supporter of her teammates and their own pathways in life.” 

Faith Holleman, a friend of Nakato since first grade, further attests to her impressive work ethic and notable kindness: “[Nakato] is so kind to everyone [and] she’s very locked in all the time.” This dedication is evident in her daily 1-2 hour workouts, even over the summer.

Having been scouted by many prestigious colleges, Nakato ultimately committed to Dartmouth. “It felt the most like home … I just like the environment [and] the team, and I really like the field,” says Nakato. “At Dartmouth, it’s a different caliber and … they have a good balance of focus and fun.” Nakato plans to major in biological sciences while playing on the women’s rugby team. 

Nakato always strives to be the absolute best she can, whether it is in her morals and kindness, or in her work ethic and drive. We are proud to call her an Enloe Eagle. We at The Eagle’s Eye can’t wait to see what Nakato accomplishes in her collegiate endeavors, and we wish her immense luck in the rugby season starting this March!