KIRK “NED” ARENS

Today’s post is yet another example of two former UNL ruggers honoring the USA.  While Kirk “Ned” Arens and Greg Kratz never played together and are separated by multiple years in age, their affinity and passion for this country, coupled with the game of rugby, are what links them together.

Ned started his freshman year when he met another rugby legend, Greg Homolka, who lived on the same floor in the dorms.  Ned played rugby for the University of Nebraska between 1989-‘95 when he graduated with a degree in Food Science. Ned started his career as a flanker but quickly switched to anchoring the front row as a hooker for most of his career.  He started working for ConAgra Foods and moved several times over the next five years. Ned coached rugby for a year at River Falls, WI where he was a better “party game teacher” than he was a coach. Ned played for teams in Minneapolis, Easton, PA, and ended his career in Columbus, OH where he was labeled “The Wolf.”  

Ned has three children, Greyson 24 who is teaching in Ralston Middle and High School, Tucker 21 who is  a member of the Coast Guard on the USS LSD Comstock, and Cooper who is a freshman of Millard West High school where he is taking honors and AP classes and plays on the Lacrosse team. 

As a side note to this write up… including his son Tucker’s military service, Ned’s sister was a Marine while his nephew is currently in the Air Force.  To that end, he decided to pay his respect to these family members, as well as others who have served this great country via running the Marine Marathon, a feat that he has accomplished four times.

In preparation for the 2016 race, he regrettably decided to take off “two years of running and only train once with a three mile jog!” recalls Ned.  However, “It is such an honor to run it, especially at mile 12 as it marks the ‘Memorial Mile’ that has photos and names of the fallen warriors.”  Despite his lack of training, he proudly exclaimed, “I finished that Fu@#$^.”  

Ned shared soberly that, “I would be lying to say there were not tears in my eyes as I passed the pictures of the fallen and witnessed so many runners stop and salute those deceased Marines.  It was so inspiring!”

Ned is remarried to his wife Amy who has a son Trevor 22 who studies computer science at UNO and Libbey 19 who studies human resources in Omaha.