For Kelly Lehmann, rugby has always been more than a game—it’s been a source of strength, discipline, and connection. As a coach and mentor, Kelly wants to help teenagers find their footing on the field and in life.

But beneath his confident exterior lies a personal battle he has fought since childhood: literacy.

Kelly struggled with reading and writing throughout his life. Like many who face literacy challenges, he carried the fear of being exposed, of others discovering what he couldn’t do. Despite this, Kelly never let it stop him. He excelled as a team leader, became a bank manager, and eventually founded his own trucking and transport company. He built his success on determination, interpersonal skills, and the same principles he taught on the rugby field: perseverance, strategy, and teamwork.

Now, Kelly wants to combine the two things he loves most—rugby and empowering others—to help people overcome the fear of being exposed as illiterate. “I’ve lived that fear,” Kelly shares. “But I also know what it feels like to tackle it, to face it head-on and break through.”

In his new program, Tackling Literacy, Kelly merges rugby’s physicality and teamwork with practical literacy training. Participants not only learn to read and write better but also tackle the emotional barriers holding them back. The tackling bag exercises serve as a metaphor and a tool, allowing participants to physically confront their fears and emerge stronger.