Kevin Kitto was born on April 29, 1946, in New Zealand, where he grew up in the Naenae community of Lower Hutt. He began playing rugby at the age of seven and continued through his youth and into senior club rugby with the Naenae club. He arrived in the United States from New Zealand in 1973 and immediately became involved in the rugby community, joining the Queen City RFC in Denver, Colorado. He coached the Eastern Rockies Select Side from 1975 to 1978 and the Western Rugby Union from 1976 to 1979, while also serving as a selector for USA Rugby during that same period.

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In 1979, Kitto relocated to Florida, where he spent the next four decades building and managing rugby in the Southeast. He served as President of the Florida Rugby Union from 1979 to 1983, and later as Treasurer from 1996 to 1998 and Secretary from 1998 to 2000. He became Manager of the USA Rugby South Panthers Men’s side in 2002 and was elected President and Director of Rugby of USA Rugby South in 2005, a position he held until his death. In that role, he led USA Rugby South teams in international competition across Mexico, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Jamaica, Cuba, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, the Cayman Islands, and Barbados through the Rugby Americas North competition. USA Rugby South under his leadership was the only team from the United States competing internationally on a regular basis in the region.

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In 2020, Kitto co-founded the Panther Rugby Academy, a verified National Development Program, and served on its board. He was active in bringing World Rugby under-19 RAN competition events to the United States on multiple occasions. Kevin Kitto passed away on February 27, 2025. He had been continuously active in American rugby for more than 46 years.

USA RUGBY SOUTH PANTHER ACADEMY is excited to announce their continued partnership with The Sharks Academy in South Africa (https://sharksacademy.co.za/)
As part of this partnership, Panther Rugby Academy will award up to two 4-week scholarships to attend the Academy in the summer of 2027. The scholarships will cover the fee for the Academy. The fee includes meals, accommodations, transport to the airport, and South African experiences like safari and surfing. The players selected for this scholarship will have to be able to get to Durban, S.A., and back, as well as bring some spending money. Additionally, the award winners will have to have the prerequisite Passport for travel and plan to be there for 4 weeks.
This incredible opportunity to experience international Rugby at the highest level (training and playing Rugby in South Africa) comes from a generous donation by one of our Panther Families. This opportunity is currently being offered to High School Boys born in 2006-7. Check out our BRAG Sheet Page for a review of last year’s award winner’s trip!

We run NDP test and ID camps with both skill sessions and typically scrimmage-based assessments.  From these camps, we offer the opportunity to compete at regional, national and international tournaments. Our annual Panther 15s Camp and International Rugby Tours are dedicated to advancing the Rugby experience for all our Panthers.

The Panther-Shark Scholarship Committee has selected two young men to represent the Panthers in South Africa at the Sharks Academy in Durbin.

Elijah Baumann (TN) and Elijah Capiro (TX) were selected from multiple highly qualified applicants for the award.  Our BOD and Committee could not be prouder of the final selections.

Both Elijahs have been members of USA Rugby South Panther Academy for several years and played with our Elite teams for multiple events.  We have witnessed their growth both on and off the pitch with both the Panthers and their home programs.  Leaders with their respective Youth Clubs (Baumann with the Raptors of TN and Capiro with the Woodlands of TX), these two young men are incredible athletes and ambassodors for Rugby in their communities.  We cannot wait to see what all they learn, take away from, and bring back home to us from Durbin, S.A.

Congratulations Elijah Baumann and Elijah Capiro!!