Decades of Dedication: Don Becker and UW Rugby

By T.J. Brugger

Since its inception in 1962, until the start of the UW RFC in 1977, the Wisconsin Rugby Football Club club was made up of both students and non-students. Starting in about 1975-76, a public concern arose regarding non-students participating in on-campus club sports. Because of this, the WRFC needed to leave campus and began playing on different fields around Madison before eventually settling in Cottage Grove. Don Becker had been playing rugby on campus since 1971. He followed the club off campus to continue playing. When games were scheduled between the city club and the UW club, Don played for the “city club.”   While in law school – fall, 1979, through spring, 1982 – he played with the WRFC. Reggie Tate coached the UW team in the mid 1980’s, however tragically passed away. Don stepped in and coached for two years, until his duties as an attorney and a new father required him to step down from coaching. He yielded the position to Stu Pippel.

As a player, Don played loosehead prop at first. There was a need for a front row position and, without realizing what was involved, Don would fill that gap for one season. Then he played flanker, until the first XV needed a hooker for the Big Ten Conference tournament at Michigan State.  Don remained a utility player and would switch between flanker and scrumhalf for the rest of his career.

As a player, Don enjoyed playing for the WRFC, as well as on sides representing the Wisconsin Rugby Football Union (WRFU) and the Midwest Rugby Football Union (MRFU).  On the WRFU side, he joined other players (Stu Pippel, Phil Callen and Bob Freed) who would later also coach the UW RFC.   Highlights of his playing career include victorious club matches against the Chicago Lions and Palmer College, tournament wins by the WRFU and several years of MRFU games, including, in 1977, playing for the MRFU along with Bob Freed, against the London Welsh (the best club in the world at that time), and coming away with a win!   

As a coach, the focus was always the players. Don loved the enthusiasm and the confidence the athletes brought to the game. Many had never played or even seen rugby before, yet they were great athletes and smart kids who gave it their all.  As a coach, Don says, “rugby is a decision-making sport, evaluate and move,  evaluate and move”. He enjoyed the experience and helping others to enjoy a sport he dearly loves. He would always stress to his players “don’t chase anybody away from rugby” and would structure his practices to be a good workout and focused on making the time worthwhile.  (All of his players would never agree with everything which happened at a practice.)  Victories were team wins.  Losses were coaching failures.

Among the many coaching highlights, Don enjoyed coaching the UW RFC to its first victory over the WRFC, the team for which he played, in a game under the lights at Breese Stevens field.  In addition, as the coach of the Midwest RFU Under 25 squad, Don had the pleasure of selecting six UW players to the squad which won the Under 25 National Championship held in upstate NY.   Don assisted coach Lisa Riehl with women’s rugby and Skip Heffernan with men’s rugby from time to time, as his schedule permitted.

For advice to current players, he stresses “you get out what you put into it.”  It’s a great sport if you put your all into it. You’ll have friends for life and memories for life”. For general advice he says to “never start a fight, only finish them”. In life and in the game, playing cheap will not reap good rewards. He remembers a time playing with the Midwest RFU team that illustrated this the best. He was hidden in a lineout and after coming away with the ball quickly handed it to a prop. An English prop on the opposing side reached out and grabbed Don in a sensitive area (even though he did not have the ball) in an attempt to intimidate him. Don (having both hands free) quickly responded and sent the English prop to the bench. Never start a fight, finish them when needed.

Thank you, Don, for your continued support of the club and your guiding leadership as coach! Your time in helping with this article is greatly appreciated!