Kirt Soukup - HOF Class of 2025

By T.J. Brugger

Kirt Soukup played for the club from 1985 through 1986. He began college at the University of Wisconsin-Steven’s Point participating in Cross Country. After transferring to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he sought out a sport that combined endurance and cross country and found rugby. Prior to starting with the club, he dedicated a summer to training to be in the best physical shape for the sport of rugby. In his advice to current players, he says, “the fitter you are, the easier it is” and encourages players to train as much as possible to be in peak form for the sport. At UW, he played primarily flanker and went to the Daytona Beach Tournament on tour in 1987. Although Kirt was never an officer, he was a selector with leadership responsibilities on and off the field. At the time he began his career, collegiate rugby was a catalyst for more serious play at the men’s club level. The UW club always had its roots in building strong foundational play which gave him the needed experience to excel after he completed his time as an undergrad.

After graduating he continued to attend UW-Madison as a graduate student. As graduate students are ineligible for higher competition play at the collegiate level, he joined the Wisconsin Rugby Club, played loosehead prop, and was Captain for the 1987 season. He would continue to play rugby and after playing for WRC during his graduate years joined the Chicago Lions and then the Milwaukee Rugby Club. Later in his career, he would come back and play with the Wisconsin Rugby Club once again. He participated in the National Club Championship tournaments held in San Diego in 1997 and 1998. In 1998, he was a member of the team that proudly won the National Championship.

Kirt always strived to play at the highest level and played for many years with the Wisconsin Rugby Union, Chicago Area Rugby Football Union and Midwest Territory select sides. He imparts some advice to the current players, stressing the importance of being physically fit for the sport. Kirt also encourages the current players to enjoy their time at UW-Madison and with the club. For general life advice, he says “it’s the hard that makes it great, if it is worth doing it's worth doing it well” Thank you, Kirt, for your words of wisdom and taking the time to do this month’s alumni corner. The club extends warm congratulations on your selection to the Hall of Fame Class of 2025. We encourage everyone who is able to come to Cottage Grove in August and help congratulate Kirt on his induction