KEVIN “BABAR” GARNER

Kevin “Babar” Garner was introduced to rugby his senior year of high school by former UNL rugger and then-student teacher, Jim Bates. Jim was an assistant football coach on the Ashland-Greenwood football team (Kevin’s high school alma mater) and encouraged Kevin to give the sport a “try!”
He would go on to play flyhalf at UNL between the years of 1988 – ’92. Other clubs post-UNL include Lincoln City 7’s, Fort Sill, and Babenhausen Germany (military installation club). His favorite rugby memory took place while he was stationed in Germany, and played in a tournament in Vichey, France. The team leaders had Kevin and the squad run a lap as a team around the field carrying the American flag. The reception from the packed crowd was “awesome and made me feel extremely proud,” according to Kevin.
There was also a memorable party at the Malone Center in Lincoln that yielded naked Beer Slides that led to one coed losing her basketball scholarship! He also mentioned the keg in the back of his van on the way to Vail, the old “Buckhorn Roll,” in Wyoming, as well as late-night fireworks at the House of Bung.
He is divorced and has two grown children, Gunnar (son) is 28 and is a sales representative/financial manager with Gorges’ Volvo in Omaha, and Kennedy (daughter) is 26 and a Kindergarten teacher in Fremont.
Kevin served 22 years in the Army serving in Germany, Oklahoma, Kansas, and eventually full- time in the Active Guard Reserve (AGR) in Omaha/Lincoln/Kearney, and retired in 2015. He currently works remotely with the Department of Homeland Security with Citizenship and Immigration Services.