“Saturday is rugby day,” is the climactic verse of a rugby song traditionally shouted by the players after every match, never forgotten by serious ruggers. Passed down over years, such call-and-response songs are one of many long-held rugby customs as important as to the sport as the matches themselves.
On Saturday, May 14, members of Drexel’s Rugby Club and their alumni honored another rugby tradition: the annual alumni game, where Drexel ruggers and alumni compete against each other. This year’s game, a tradition going back as far as anyone can remember, marked the 30th anniversary of the club’s inception and a new chapter in building a team alumni association.
“I look forward to seeing all the guys,” said Michael Ruggieri (BS mechanical engineering ’10) when asked why he comes to the annual event, a sentiment echoed in some form by every alumnus in attendance. “It’s nice to see where alumni have gone, but it’s also nice to see where the club is now.”
The sun was bright and warm in the early afternoon when Ruggieri kicked off to the undergrads to start the match. A sizable crowd gathered to watch, including the Drexel women’s rugby club and alumni, who had played their game earlier that day. Jerseys from years past fit the men tighter then they remembered.
“I love the sport. Nothing better,” said Scott Minor (who played rugby at Drexel in 1988 while enrolled in business classes), still finding his breath after subbing out of the game in the first half.
Turning back to his teammates on the pitch, the 51-year-old shouted, “Let’s go, alums.”
In 1986, Minor was one of the Drexel students whom Tim O’Hara ’89 invited to a room in Matheson Hall (back when it existed) to form the Drexel Rugby Club. Nine other founding members were at Vidas Athletic Complex on Saturday, including Andrew Rosenberger ’87 (who also suited up and played for the alumni), Steve Takoush- ian ’87, Steve McDonnell ’98, Mike Romano ’89, Dino Vassilakos ’95, Joe Tallant ’90, Kevin Coan ’87, Marty Stenson ’87 and Chris Manz ’87. These days, instead of battling on the rugby pitch, their friendships regularly bring them together for more leisurely activities like poker.
Scoring was balanced and both teams played respectable, clean defense.
After the shrill of the final whistle, players huddled with hands raised to give customary cheers for the alumni, Drexel rugby and the game’s referee. Their spent bodies then trudged toward the goal posts and formed long rows, ascending in height, for the ceremonial alumni game portrait. Despite the bumps and bruises, smiles came easy for the players as they posed for photos taken by friends and family.
Afterward, the current team made its way to the field house patio to grill burgers and hot dogs, while the alumni stayed back for official business.
The “official business” this year consisted of uniting decades of Drexel rugby tradition by electing the first alumni association’s board of directors. Men were nominated and appointed — often unanimously — to fill the roles of president (Stan Bojko ’01), vice president (Dipin George ’09), director of – finance (Ian Wright ’16), director of fundraising (Denny Henderson ’04), director of events (Ruggieri), director of communication (Luimbe Domingos ’00) and director of alumni relations (coach Michael Burch ’03).
After elections, it was time to get to the grill. Some alumni were there with children of their own. One brought his daughter, a current student at Drexel. Players and alumni reminisced together after the game — the social element of the sport, like singing silly songs together, was still well preserved.
If you tried asking which side won, most wouldn’t know the answer. That’s not really what this game is about.