Meet Avery Watts | Founder & Director of South LA Soul & P.E. Teacher/ Athletic Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Avery Watts and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Avery, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
This idea came to me in college while in my dorm room. I played rugby at Cal State Fullerton, and while it was a great time, absolutely an experience I would do the exact same way 100 times over, there was a disparity in where the players who had prior rugby experience were coming from.

It is as simple as this: kids in the hood were not playing rugby.

I sought out to solve this problem by creating the Soul Athletic Club, which is the non-profit behind the team, The South LA Soul Rugby Club. We seek to bridge the gap of access to rugby by providing the sport and the opportunities that come with it in the section that most of my current teammates grew up in.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am currently a P.E. Teacher and Athletic Director at The SEED School of Los Angeles County.

Getting to where I am today was not the most streamlined experience that I have had. When I graduated from CSUF, I began my job search and landed a P.E. Teaching job, but the learning curve was steep, especially with a new generation of students. In order to further legitimize my career as a teacher, I enrolled in a teaching preparation program at CSULA, which meant classes, more money out of pocket, and less time. I have reached the end of the program, but the journey was arduous.

I overcame these challenges through nothing but grit. There were times when I was looking to completely change careers and leave the education profession behind, but what brought me back was my first chance to be an athletic director at my former school, and seeing the change in students when they were given the opportunity to participate and compete in new sports or their favorite sports.

A lesson that I have learned is self-preservation. The power that you have to say no to something that you either do not want to do, or do not have the capacity to do. This feels like a superpower when you finally gain the confidence to do it. Taking care of yourself has to be the most paramount in everything that you do. If you cannot take care of yourself, your future partners, customers, etc. will not be convinced that you will take care of them.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Visit: Manhattan Beach
Los Angeles Athletic Club – Gym
Six Flags

Eat:
Gyu Kaku
H&H Brazilian Steakhouse
Louisiana Fried Chicken (Crenshaw/ Slauson)
Simply Wholesome
Caveman Kitchen
Queens Wharf

Drink:
Three Weavers Brewery
Escala

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to shoutout Stuart Krohn for the work that he has done in producing a rugby program through ICEF charter schools, and exposing us to this amazing, global game.

Website: southlasoulrugby.com

Instagram: avejwatts