David Kinyon

1965 - 1969

Scrum half/Fly half/hooker

Biography

I grew up in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. I brought that rugby experience to a 2 year old rugby club on the UW campus. Favorite moments include being selected to play in the first (and only) annual Rugby Corn Fest held in Iowa; Being featured in Sports Illustrated in the "Faces in the Crowd" section

Please share a fun fact about you or your favorite rugby memory.

I do not have the body to play front row but I had to tackle when I had to tackle. So when there was an inside center from Palau, with a big body, and who ran with knees very high, and whom I had to tackle, I learned how to evade the tackle rule that you could not ankle tap, I disguised the ankle tap by using my body to hide the tackle from the referee.

Is there a specific achievement or contribution you're especially proud of from your time on the team?

I received the trophy from Sports Illustrated

What have you been up to since graduating, or how did rugby impact your post-college life?

I did not drink beer before I started playing rugby. I do now. Between graduation in 1969 and now I became a carpenter working in residential construction, married, and love hiking (particularly in places like the Rocky Mountains. Rugby, on and off the field, taught me to be gracious but resolute

Who were your most influential coaches or teammates, and why?

Jeff Wyman, from England, became a close, long term friend. He took over hooking so I could go into the back line.

What advice would you give to current or future rugby players at UW-Madison?

This is a game that will create long term friendships. Enjoy the time, learn from the experience, and don't carry grudges.