“When you don’t know what to do,
go forward.”
- Stacy Mancuso, Doylestown Rugby U19 Head Coach
Hi beautiful human!
My name is Dana, and I am the founder and coach at Go Forward Fitness. That over there is me (peace sign up), in 2011 after my first rugby rain game.
It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with rugby, it’s applicable life lessons, and the incredible community it led me to. As a 13 year old I was afraid of lifting too much in fear of appearing “too manly,” I was embarrassed of my broad shoulders and would try to hide them behind sleeves. But once I started playing rugby I realized my broad shoulders are AWESOME. My confidence in myself and my body grew. And now, you’ll rarely see me in anything but a sleeveless tank.
My rugby roots are with the Doylestown Rugby Club.
“Go Forward” was inspired by my coach, Stacy Mancuso. Stacy was, and continues to be, like a mom to all of her players. She always encouraged us that when faced with adversity the only way to go is forward. As I was about to step on the field at my very first game she calmly reminded me, “when you don’t know what to do just go forward.”
College led me to the Claremont Foxes.
Like many women’s rugby programs, my college team was underfunded, without access to a strength and conditioning coach nor a trainer. But, also like many women’s rugby programs, we had a load of love for the game and for each other.
Rugby Life Lesson #1: Resilience
“Dana is many things on the rugby field—an enthusiastic leader, a threat both on her attack and defensively, a supportive teammate, a playmaker who creates opportunities—but more than anything else she is always positive. I’ve seen her cry more times of happiness and laughter than of sadness. But in that moment, I saw devastation on her face. Rugby is ingrained in Dana’s identity and this was heartbreak.”
- Abby Power, Claremont Foxes Rugby
Just before my senior season began I tore my second ACL at Club 7s Nationals. I had torn my other ACL 3 years earlier during my freshman year. It, for lack of a better word, SUCKED. Unable to play my favorite game, depression hit hard. But, I was incredibly dedicated to my come back. I did my physical therapy everyday and even made myself turmeric lattes desperately hoping it would help with the swelling. I was looking to expedite my recovery process in any and all ways possible. Five months and 28 days later I was back on the rugby field, just in time for playoffs with the Foxes. I thank rugby for my grit during that time. As the saying goes, fall down 7 times, stand up 8.
10 Months Post ACL Surgery I was named a Collegiate All American.
Thumbs UP.
From Passion to Purpose
I was sitting on my flight home from Collegiate All American Camp reading Jen Sincero’s, You are a Badass, when I was prompted to write about things that gave me the most joy. It was simple; rugby, lifting, and growth.
AH HA! That’s when it hit me.
Reflecting on my collegiate rugby experience I realized I had missed out on opportunities to prepare for rugby properly through prehab exercises, proper strength and conditioning plans, speed and agility training, and an organized progression plan.
In college I was a very dedicated gym goer but since my team didn’t have access to a trainer, my “strength and conditioning” routine consisted of the latest fitness instagram workouts… which I later learned was not effective in improving my rugby game.
The game and it’s players deserve more. I founded Go Forward Fitness to give back to the game that has taught me and continues to teach me life’s most valuable lessons of resilience, confidence, growth, and support.