DAN NELSON

***Bio taken from Dan himself***

I had never heard of the sport of Rugby before I started playing in 1973 or ‘74. Jim Cunningham Introduced me to the sport. I quickly learned it was intense fun. A wonderful sport. As a player, captain, coach, and referee for over 25 years there were many, many great moments. And so many stories…

I wore #2 for most of my playing years. In my first season after one match on the B-side, I read the USARFU Law book and played for the first team from then on. Lesson learned.

I was a player and occasional coach for UNL Rugby Club between 1974 –‘84 and when a large bunch of us UN players migrated to the Lincoln Rugby Football Club, again I was a player, a captain, coach, and referee.  Occasionally in the mid-70’s I would be asked to play for the first Omaha Rugby Club as 1st side Hooker for their road trip tournaments. This was all before the GOATS Rugby Club was established.

In the late 80’s I played for LRFC, refereed matches, and played or refed alumni games. I don’t recall the year that Bill McVicker persuaded me to coach the LRFC, but he did. As the years progressed, I had begun refereeing more regional matches and tournaments in Omaha, Kansas City, Topeka, Tulsa, Chicago, Vermillion, South Dakota, Des Moines, Iowa. And places in between. During those years, I attended the first three USARFU National Rugby Referee Schools in 1986 (Tulsa), 1988 (San Diego), and in 1990 (Tulsa), and established the Great Plains Referee Society.

In 1989 I received the “UNL Rugby Club Outstanding Alum” Award, which was five years after the Lincoln Rugby Football Club presented me with its “Leadership Award.” There were many UNL Rugby graduates playing for the LRFC during those early years. We brought the fun. And some talent too!

To my knowledge, I’m the only person to receive either of those awards. Were they discontinued? Someone correct me if there have been others. Undoubtedly there are others more deserving Alums, and the “UNL Rugby Club Outstanding Alum Award” also deserves to be continued. 

As testimonial to my being a player, Bill Swearingen referred to me as “a game changer” among other things, while Bill McVicker called me a “Legacy character” of the UNRFC. I have been called worse by my opponent’s. But we always shook hands at the end of the match.

I really loved the sport of rugby and all the friends I made during those years as they were some of the best years of my youthful life …before my lovely wife and children entered my life.

Miss you J.C.

Long live the forwards!