STEVE LICHTER

Steve Lichter played loose head prop between the 1990-91 seasons. Often seen as a front row twin to Merkpipe, “911,” “Licht,” or “Lichpipe” joined the team at the same time as Merkpipe.  As fate would have it, Licht only played for a short time for the UNL club and one match with Lincoln City before a car accident ended his rugby career.  

This turn of fate didn’t hamper his love for the game or the brotherhood he developed with his teammates as he went on to lead the team off the field serving as the president of the club and the resident medic using Vaseline to close cuts during matches and putting Merkpipe’s shoulder back into place on multiple occasions.  

His fondest memory was the tournament in Okoboji where Rosie save Ratt from drowning at the bottom of the ruck by pulling Ratt’s head up out of the water by his hair.  Licht went on to support USA Rugby as a Youth Development Officer for several years where he was part of the group that developed Youth Touch Rugby with the support of the Omaha GOATS.  He also had a turn as a forwards coach for the UNL Club where he soon discovered he was “likely the worst forwards coach the team ever had.”  Thankfully, Steve met his wife at the same rugby party where Merkpipe learned to do naked beer slide chair bowling.  Steve and his wife Shelly have been married for 30 years and live in Omaha where he owns an engineering company.  The couple has one son.