A Family Affair for Mental Health: Jerry Bruix-Fleming Named MVP at Guinness World Record Rugby Event

Heading into his sophomore year with WWU Men's Rugby, Jerry Bruix-Fleming just added an unforgettable chapter to his rugby story, and he did it an ocean away from Bellingham.

This July, Jerry traveled to England to take part in LooseHeadz's 24/7s Challenge, a rugby sevens match built to do something rugby has never done before: play continuously for longer than any match in history, all in the name of mental health awareness. Held at Sandbach RUFC in Cheshire, the event brought together players, officials, and volunteers from across the rugby world for a grueling, rolling-substitution marathon that ultimately shattered the previous record, with both the men's and women's matches reaching a provisional 28 hours of continuous play, a new Guinness World Record. The challenge also raised more than £68,500 for LooseHeadz, rugby's mental health charity, whose mission is to place a mental health champion in every rugby club in the world.

For Jerry, the trip carried extra meaning. His father, Eric Fleming, Referee Chief in Washington state and a longtime supporter of the WWU program, was on the pitch too, serving as one of the match officials rotating through the 28-hour event. Father and son, both giving everything to a cause built around player wellbeing and mental health, standing on the same field on the other side of the world.

And Jerry didn't just survive the marathon. He was named Tournament MVP.

It's the kind of honor that speaks to who Jerry is on and off the pitch, someone willing to push through exhaustion for hour after hour, in a match built entirely around showing up for others. It's also a reminder of the values that run through WWU Men's Rugby beyond the results column: resilience, community, and a program culture where mental health is treated as seriously as the scoreboard.

Congratulations to Jerry on an incredible individual honor, and to the entire Fleming family for representing WWU Rugby on a global stage, in support of a cause that matters.

Follow LooseHeadz's 24/7s Challenge on Instagram @looseheadz for more from the event.