Rugby: Playing, Managing, Coaching - A Treat with Snacks
Snacks was appointed to the Head Coach role at UM Gophers Rugby in 2019.
Sean Lindersmith, aka “Snacks”, currently serves as head coach for the University of Minnesota Gophers Rugby, Sports Management Contractor for USA Rugby Events, Liason Officer for the New Zealand All Blacks Sevens. He is a US Coast Guard veteran, former USA Eagles National Team Manager, and has head coaching experience at the high school rugby and university rugby levels, as well as formal training in the United Kingdom. His playing experience includes time with Old Mission Beach Athletic Club, San Diego Old Aztecs, US Coast Guard Selects, Mid Northern Rugby in Auckland NZ.
He was selected for the Premiership Rugby Scholarships Coaching Tour in 2019.
Like many American rugby players, Snacks was a former American football athlete growing up and was not introduced to rugby until adulthood, first playing the game in 2001 during his time in the US Coast Guard. Being a strong and sizable athlete, Snacks performed well as a dynamic prop, gaining interest from select sides after acquiring a few matches at the top level of American rugby prior to the professionalizing of the sport. “I was trying to crack into the highest levels for about 8 years at OMBAC and I was burnt out. I played some really great rugby with names like Chris Wyles, Todd Clever - US rugby legends. I wasn’t prepared for the next level up but ultimately I wasn’t having fun and I was getting what I wanted out of my time with rugby. So I made the switch to play with the Old Aztecs in 2009.”
Snacks went on to serve in leadership roles with the Old Aztecs and was selected for the Old Aztecs “Team of the Decade” for 2010-2019 seasons.
Snacks pictured here suited up for the Old Aztecs, breaking out of tackle.
Pictured coaching the US Coast Guard Sevens program at Rugby Town Sevens, 2014.
“2009 was a pivotal year for me overall. I was dealing with a lot of anxiety and was really angry with myself. I didn’t really know what to do because, at the time, I didn’t even know what feelings I was experiencing or how to even understand them. I remember this one time, I had hit up Taco Bell after a game and I was holding this drink in my lap. I went to lean over and grab a taco out of the bag and the drink just spills all over my car, all over my food, all over me. I was still sitting in the parking lot at this time! I remember kicking the door of my car open, I took my drink and threw it at a tree, I threw the bag in a push…It was kind of at that moment I realized that I had to do things differently. Two days later, I get a call asking to help out at St. Augustine High School Rugby. That same week, I got asked to step into the Forwards Coach role at the University of California, San Diego women’s program. I shit you not. They weren’t connected, either.”
With rugby still in its infancy of professionalism in the United States, most coaches (particularly in the youth clubs), tend to be players as well. Splitting his time between the Old Aztecs, Saints Rugby, and UCSD Rugby, Snacks went from potential retirement from the game, to full immersion into the sport.
Since beginning his coaching career at Saints and UCSD, Snacks has spent time coaching with San Diego Young Aztecs Rugby, US Coast Guard Rugby, University of Minnesota Rugby, and more.
Just one year prior to 2009, Snacks was selected to serve as Liason Officer for the New Zealand All Blacks Sevens team for their tours in the United States. “My first week working with the All Blacks I didn’t sleep at all, I lost like 12 pounds - I was a stressed wreck. Meeting legends of the game like Gordon Tietjens, Tomasi Cama, and more, I was a nervous muppet! But like, doing that, I realized that there was this whole other side of rugby that I didn’t even know existed. I should have known from being in the military. The same concept applies - it takes 3-5 people to get one player on the field, or one serviceman into battle. Just like playing and coaching, I dove right in and got my first job working USA Rugby events in 2012.”
Since that first management role, Snacks had stints managing San Diego PRO Rugby, Team USA Rugby, and Minnesota Youth Rugby.
Snacks described the apex of his managerial career as the USA Eagles vs New Zealand All Blacks at Soldier Field in 2014.
Bringing together the concepts of playing, coaching, and managing, Snacks had this to say:
“Until recently, I was very much a ‘control everything’ kind of coach and manager. It was the same thing when I played - control the pack, control the scrum, you control the game. If I knew then what I knew now, things would be very different. Blow the whistle, no dropped passes, and strive for perfection. That was the mindset - don’t let chaos ensue. That includes emotion as well - don’t show too much passion, keep everyone on an even keel. I realized that I’m an emotional, enthusiastic, passionate, human being. I’ve been told that it could be difficult to match my intensity and I took that as I need to stay way lower instead of bringing people up with me. I’ve learned that I gotta let chaos happen - dropped balls, last minute changes, etc., because things don’t always go according to plan. On and off the field. If I don’t prep enough, then I have failed as a coach, as a manager, as a player. Experience is important - the good and the bad. If you haven’t prepped for what could go wrong, then you haven’t prepared enough.”
On top of coaching and managing, Snacks also runs his own podcast: Snackscast
He can be found on Instagram here and his podcast account here.