From Field to Front Office: Angela Smarto’s Trail in Women’s Rugby

Angela Smarto’s rugby journey began with a spontaneous decision on a college campus. She originally missed out on the Penn State Blue Band, leaving her with free time as a freshman. This unexpected gap led her to attend Rookie Rugby Day, where she discovered her passion for the game. This decision sparked what has become a multifaceted and impactful rugby career spanning playing, coaching, refereeing, and eventually steering the future of women’s college rugby.

Throughout her time as a player at Penn State, Angela won three national championships, a testament to her competitive drive and skill. Her competitive streak continued as she joined the Pittsburgh Angels, later merging to form Pittsburgh Forge, where she added two more championships to her accolades. But beyond her personal achievements on the field, Angela’s commitment to creating opportunities in rugby saw her taking up executive leadership roles. Her year as match secretary, which involved a highly competitive four-hour voting process, convinced her that she could make a more profound impact off the field. This realization marked her pivot into rugby administration. Upon joining the Angels in September, they won nationals in November, and then she was immediately “voluntold” to be fundraising chair because “You’re from Penn state and you know how to do stuff.” So PSU gave me the foundation to make an immediate impact on the Angels. By 2018 she ended up being the last president of the Pittsburgh Rugby Club and the first president of the Pittsburgh Forge. She would never brag but she coined the Pittsburgh Forge name. She started off her career with a bang but played her last game in the first Forge season unceremoniously in a motley B side just so she could wear the new kit once. The most defining achievement of this period was successfully leading the merger and maintaining the club’s stability through its critical first year.

Angela’s professional journey has been defined by over a decade of expertise in teaching and student support, a background that informed her long-term commitment to rugby administration. For five years, she served as the Director of Women’s Rugby at National Collegiate Rugby (NCR). During her tenure, she spearheaded massive expansion efforts, successfully recruiting over 200 teams to the original base of small schools associated with NSCRO and significantly broadening the landscape of collegiate sport.

In an effort to provide structured support for clubs that were often overlooked, Angela created the Growth and Development Director role. She viewed this innovation as a long-overdue necessity for the sustainable health of underserved teams, focusing her vision on increasing accessibility and fostering environments where every team had the resources to flourish.

Beyond logistics and growth, Angela remained a vocal advocate for the core values of the sport, even when it meant speaking out against her own organization. She prioritized the safety and mental health of young athletes over organizational politics, most notably during the backlash regarding transgender inclusion policies at NCR. Angela expressed deep grief over decisions that excluded players from the community, stating that her primary concern was protecting athletes from isolation and ensuring that the women’s rugby community remained a place where everyone belonged.

Throughout her career, Angela found her greatest fulfillment in contributing authentically to the sport. Her work remained rooted in the values of service and shared success, ensuring that her impact on the game was measured by the people she brought into the community rather than the organizations she served.

As a coach, Angela recalls leading the ARU Select Side Bears with two close friends, Rebecca Trapp and Kiyomi Knox. This experience remains a cherished memory, one filled with camaraderie and growth. Her coaching philosophy is centered around understanding the team in front of her, emphasizing respect, clear communication, and fundamentals over shortcuts. Angela’s advice for young players and coaches is straightforward: “Respect opponents because, without them, you don’t play. Rising tides lift all ships.”

Angela has also found a niche as an announcer and commentator, a role she cherishes for the chance to blend her teaching skills and love for rugby. To her, every game is an opportunity to contribute, educate, and celebrate the game’s growth. Her passion shines through in her commitment to rugby’s evolution in America. Angela envisions a future where rugby becomes even more skilled and fast-paced, and she hopes to ensure that the sport’s infrastructure and leadership can support this shift.