From being persuaded by her sister to give rugby a go, to discovering a place where she can switch off from the noise of everyday life, Kayleigh Angell has certainly found her feet at Eastbourne RFC.

At 38 (although she'll insist you shouldn't ask!) but feeling 18, Kayleigh is still relatively new to the game, having played for just over a year. A winger with plenty of competitive spirit, she's already become part of the Eastbourne rugby family, with her sister's persistent encouragement proving to be the nudge she needed to get started.

And it seems she hasn't looked back.

When she's not chasing down opponents on the rugby pitch, Kayleigh has more than enough to keep her busy. She's a science teacher at a local SEN secondary school, mum to two daughters and stepmum to another two. Add in trips to the gym to lift heavy things, walking her little Frenchie and the occasional victory over her partner at pool, and there's not much spare time left!

But rugby has quickly become something special.

"I love playing rugby because I'm super competitive. Rugby also helps me to switch off from all the noise of life for 80 minutes and I can just be me, not Mum, not Miss, just Kayleigh."

It's that opportunity to step away from the everyday that Kayleigh clearly values, alongside the challenge of learning a new sport and pushing herself to improve.

Despite only being at the club for just over a year, she's already found a real sense of belonging.

"I love playing for Eastbourne because it feels like home. It is such a supportive and challenging environment, everyone wants you to be the best player you can be and will do everything they can to help you get there."

That sense of community is something she feels makes ERFC particularly special. Everyone supports one another, but there's also an encouragement to keep improving and to challenge yourself.

"I've only been playing just over a year, but I've always felt like I belong there. It genuinely feels like a little rugby family."

And when it comes to inspiration, there's one player who stands out. England's Ellie Kildunne is Kayleigh's favourite, admired for her speed, ability and personality. In fact, she's a big part of the reason Kayleigh was inspired to start playing in the first place. Given the choice of playing alongside anyone in the game, past or present, Ellie would be her number one pick!

Match days are another highlight, with Kayleigh loving the energy around the club and the atmosphere that builds ahead of kick-off. Her pre-match fuel might raise a few eyebrows, though: protein porridge with egg whites. It might sound questionable, but Kayleigh insists it's delicious and keeps her going for hours.

Away from rugby, there's plenty more to discover. She has a childhood photograph featured in a published book called The Secret Sussex Resistance which was written by her dad, Stewart Angell. And most randomly, she can write upside down and backwards – a talent that could come in surprisingly handy in the classroom!

Ask her to describe herself as a player and she'll give you three words: competitive, speedy and stubborn. We suspect those qualities come in rather useful out on the wing!

Supporting the women's game

For this latest player feature, we're delighted to bring Ginger & Sanders back into the spotlight. Having already supported several of our women's players, their continued backing is a great example of the local businesses helping to build and strengthen women's rugby at Eastbourne.

It's support that goes beyond an individual sponsorship, helping players feel valued and encouraging more women to get involved in the game.

We're hugely grateful to Pete Sanders and everyone at Ginger & Sanders for continuing to get behind the team and play their part in the club's growing women's rugby journey.

And as for Kayleigh? After just over a year in the game, she's clearly found her home at Eastbourne. We look forward to seeing plenty more of her speed, competitive spirit and stubborn determination on the wing!