ATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE, Fla. -- For U.S. Space Force 1st Lt. Sara Scrapchansky, serving as a range operations commander and representing the Department of the Air Force on the rugby field may seem like two very different roles. But for Scrapchansky, both demand the same qualities: teamwork, quick decision-making and the ability to perform under pressure.
As a ROC for the 1st Range Operations Squadron, Scrapchansky is placed among the key decision-makers responsible for ensuring the safety and success of space launches.
Before a launch can proceed, range personnel must ensure several conditions are met. Weather must be acceptable, surveillance areas must be clear, airspace and sea space must be safe, and tracking systems must function properly to monitor the rocket and ensure it stays on its intended trajectory.
“We take all of those components and let the launch provider know that they are good to launch commercial and government assets into space,” Scrapchansky said.
Away from the range, Scrapchansky found herself taking on a different kind of mission.
She earned her spot as one of just 15 players selected for the 2026 Department of the Air Force Women's Rugby team.
A former soccer player, Scrapchansky discovered rugby during her freshman year of college after an upperclassman suggested she give the sport a try.
“I didn't even know people played rugby in the U.S.,” she recalled.
What began as an unexpected introduction to a new sport eventually developed into a collegiate rugby career that included multiple trips to national championships.
Her selection to the DAF women's rugby team is among her most recent achievements.
“I think my biggest accomplishment is making the Air Force team,” Scrapchansky said. “I feel like I never realized it, but that was the culmination of events in my rugby career.”
The team brought together women from across the Department of the Air Force and from a variety of career fields, ranks and stations. The roster included active-duty, Guard and Reserve members, with players traveling from across the continental United States and overseas locations including Mildenhall and Korea.
For Scrapchansky, one of the most notable aspects of the experience was the opportunity to meet people she otherwise might never have encountered.
“You get to meet everyone from every career field, every rank that still wants to play rugby,” she said. “You share that in common.”
Across the 15 players, only two came from the Space Force. Scrapchansky and 2nd Lt. Trinity Bohaty, who is stationed at Vandenberg, California. Coincidentally, they both work on launch-related missions, giving the Guardians another connection beyond their shared love of rugby.
The team came together for a two-week training camp before competing in the Armed Forces Women’s Rugby Championship. In sevens, teams compete with seven players on the field, creating a fast-paced game that requires players to make decisions quickly and capitalize on opportunities.
The team ultimately placed third, defeating the Coast Guard team 36-0 and the Marine Corps 22-0, then tying Navy 12-12. A close 21-19 loss to the Army team sent the team into a consolation match against the Marines, where the Air Force team prevailed 12-10.
For Scrapchansky, the experience was about more than the final standings.
Playing alongside service members from different backgrounds reinforced lessons she had already learned through military service.
“The range as a whole is essentially one big team,” she said. “They all have parts to play, and they all have different roles to fulfill to function like a team sport.”
The consequences, of course, are different. On the rugby field, a poor decision might cost a team a game. On the range, decisions can have much more serious implications because ensuring public safety is a no-fail mission.
The similarities between the two worlds extend beyond decision-making. Both require individuals to trust their teammates and execute their responsibilities for the good of the larger team.
That perspective has also shaped how Scrapchansky views her military service.
She met service members with vastly different stories, career paths and levels of experience during her time on the team.
“I think that all around my time on the field has made me realize how amazing the military is and just how it offers such a wide variety of opportunities for people,” she said.
For Scrapchansky, representing the Department of the Air Force was especially meaningful because military service had been a goal long before she commissioned.
“I knew that I always wanted to serve in the military,” said Scrapchansky. “I kind of had an inkling that this is what I was going to do when I grew up.”
With her father serving in the Navy, she grew up wanting to follow in his footsteps. She ultimately entered the United States Air Force Academy in 2020, just months after the establishment of the U.S. Space Force and commissioned as a Guardian in 2024.
At the time, she was studying systems engineering and became increasingly interested in space through school projects and research.
“I started doing more projects and doing more research into rockets and all this other space stuff,” she said. “And then I realized that that's what I was interested in, and I wanted to pursue it as a career.”
Her path eventually brought her to the Eastern Range, where she now helps enable launches into space.
For Scrapchansky, the opportunity to incorporate her favorite sport into her career is something she does not take for granted.
“For my career to finally culminate in getting to play a sport that I love, while doing a job that I love, for a mission that I've always wanted and then ultimately to just be able to serve in the U.S. military, I think is amazing.”
Her advice to other service members considering trying out for a Department of the Air Force sports team is simple.
"If you’re considering joining a team as a service member, 100% do it,” she said.
Even if an athlete does not make the team, Scrapchansky said, there is still something to gain.
“You have absolutely nothing to lose by throwing your name in the hat,” she said. “Worst case, you get a ‘no, try again next year’, and it gives you something to work towards. And best case, you make the team and meet some incredible people and build some community.”
For Scrapchansky, that community is ultimately what makes the experience so valuable. Rugby gave her an opportunity to compete at a high level, but it also connected her with fellow service members from across the Department of War.
Whether she is on the field or the range, the mission remains rooted in the same principle.
Every individual has a role to play, but success depends on the strength of the team