What got you interested in rugby and why did you join the Crusaders?
I was never a contact athlete. Baseball was my sport growing up. My attempts at football were an epic failure. I stopped playing ball and started marching with the band in high school. The whole idea of playing rugby came to me when a friend asked me to do the founding paperwork for the Crusaders. As I was writing the documents, I started watching it on YouTube and thought “I can do that!” and that’s how I came to play with the team.
What position(s) do you play?
Lock/second row after a horrible year playing wing.
How long have you played rugby?
On and off for six years.
What do you do for a living?
I work as a Fraternity and Sorority Advisor at Lindenwood University.
What’s a fun fact about you?
I’m adopted. I have not met my birth parents nor do I really have the desire to do so. My parents (the ones who adopted me) and my family are more than I could have ever dreamed of having and it is because of them that I am the man I am today. I am also a classically trained musician.
What’s your favorite thing about rugby?
The camaraderie. It is not something that I ever saw on the ball diamond. The fact that both teams go out together after each game is a beautiful thing.
If you are going to Bingham, what are you most excited about?
Unfortunately, I cannot attend due to previous engagements. However, Bingham is an amazing event that brings together ruggers from around the world to spread the love of the game and the ideals of equality. Seeing teams coming from parts of the world that are less than welcoming of LGBT people, it shows that there is hope for the dark corners of the world where hate resides and that we are going to shine a light on those places and banish hate from our minds.
Overall, how has rugby affected your life?
It has helped me find a love for a sport that I was lacking all growing up. Though I enjoyed playing baseball I was never very good at it. Rugby provided me an opportunity to have an athletic outlet that am marginally decent at playing. Also, it has brought a large amount of general fun and enjoyment to life.