12 Weeks. Unlimited Upside.
Our Academy introduces motivated rugby athletes to real opportunities in property and casualty insurance. Built for the in-season athlete — 12 weeks, 6 hours per week, fully remote, with full flexibility around training and game schedules. This is a paid internship. You'll get a working overview of both the broker and account manager roles, which are the two paths that define an insurance career.
What It Looks Like:
12 weeks. Paid. 4–6 hours per week — including 30-minute weekly one-on-ones, optional team and client meetings, and zero conflicts with training, games, or life. You bring the time. We bring everything else.
Upcoming Academy Dates
- March 2 – May 22 Completed
- June 1 – August 21 Completed
- August 31 – November 20
2027 dates TBD
Real experience, not making copies
Academy participants are taught intentionally and provided with mentorship and coaching throughout the program. There will also be frequent opportunities to attend meetings with prospects, clients, and carrier partners.
Here’s a sample of subjects covered:
- Policy and coverage types
- Creating SOVs for CRE submission
- Due diligence and policy review methods
- Energy sector risks and strategies
- MSA indemnity and fundamentals
- Building a prospect list and networking
- Managing client renewals and workflows
The Academy requires strong time management skills and a combination of self-study and meetings with others on the Falcon West team. Frequent invitations to client meetings provide real-time understanding and use of learned skills.
By the end of the program, participants have a working knowledge of P&C insurance and real experience they can reference in future interviews.
"Being a part of FalconWest Academy was a great learning experience where I received world-class mentorship and instruction from a team of highly-motivated insurance brokers."
Dustin Braun, Academy 1
"The internship opportunity with Falcon West through the MLRPA has been great! Growing my knowledge and experience in the industry with a successful insurance organization with fantastic people, will help me to be prepared for what comes after rugby."
Bart Vermeulen, Group 2
"Who do we want here with us next year?"
That's the question our leadership team asks every time we get together. We want to grow, but we want to grow the right way, with the right people. Sometimes we get to choose who those people are, and other times we simply get to introduce people to our industry. The Academy is built to satisfy both of those answers.
What are you working toward?
We will sometimes ask applicants, "What are you doing today to prepare yourself for this role tomorrow?"
It's critical to know your personal why for joining this Academy; however, because this isn't a job interview, here are a few things you might consider while answering that question:
- Understand the insurance industry
- Improve your résumé and/or Curriculum Vitae
- Learn how a business works
- For high performers, earn a letter of recommendation
- Join a growing network of alumni
- Future job opportunities
What's the commitment from you?
Everyone who wants to join the Academy must write a short essay explaining why they want to complete the internship. Beyond that, you'll need four to six hours per week to complete the material, 30 minutes per week for a mandatory one-on-one meeting (available between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Pacific), and a commitment to doing the work without AI.
What sets you apart
You're a rugby athlete or a professional looking for your next career. You already know what it means to work when no one's watching. But success off the field takes more than grit. During this internship, we focus on four core traits that define high performers in our business — and how we'll evaluate your progress throughout the program.
Let's start with a phone call
We limit each group to 4 individuals to ensure a great experience for everyone involved. Everything starts with a phone or video call, and participants must be authorized to work in the United States.
Email Peter Brecht to introduce yourself, provide a copy of your resume or CV, and connect on LinkedIn.
Why we hire rugby athletes
Rugby builds the people we want on this team.
The game does not work any other way. You put the group first. You take a hit and get back in the line. You figure it out in real time, with no place to hide. That is not a metaphor we borrowed. It is why we recruit from the pitch.
We look for four things rugby already trained:
Team above self. The work only counts if the people next to you are better for it. Insurance is the same. A file, a claim, a client meeting — none of it is a solo sport.
They figure it out. Give a rugby athlete something they have not done before. They find a way. That is the same instinct we test in the Academy as resourcefulness.
They fail forward, fast. Accountability is immediate. Adaptation is immediate. Get up. That resilience takes other people years. Rugby players arrive with it.
Leaders seen and unseen. The voice in the huddle and the workhorse in the scrum. We need both. The producer who can hold a room, and the account manager who quietly keeps the program from coming apart.
Falcon West has been in this game a long time. Mike Tanghe, our owner, played at USD and OMBAC. Producers on this team include Bill “Chief” Leversee, a US Eagle from 1988–1996, and former US Eagle captain Dave Hodges. Our kids have played. We have coached. We have sponsored sides from U8s through the MLR. The Academy is how we turn that connection into a career path.
We are excited to partner with the 7s program to help current and retiring players in the next stages of their careers and continue to help grow rugby in the US!