One Rugby Shirt Changed Everything: Jack Goss - HOF 2026
By T.J. Brugger
Jack Goss launched his rugby career with UW-Madison in the winter of 2012. He had been a tri-sport athlete throughout high school and continued to be active throughout his first year of college. However, at the beginning of his second semester at UW, he wondered why he was training. One day, at the SERF, during a workout, he saw a future teammate wearing a rugby shirt. He knew of rugby as his father had played first in France, then at MIT, then in Texas. After a conversation with future teammate Rob Gorowsky, Jack attended practice and a 14-year rugby career was launched.
Jack was part of a very successful string of years for the club. As a winger, fullback, and flyhalf, Jack helped the club win two Big Ten 15’s championships and one 7’s championship. The 7’s championship was a qualifying match for CRC’s, which gave the club and Jack the opportunity to play in a premier 7’s tournament. In addition to those tournaments with Wisconsin, Jack would make two USA rugby appearances in College Station and Denver.
Jack remembers one of his first matches with the Club. They were playing out in Cottage Grove, and his father was in attendance. At that point, Jack was still new and had not really met his teammates nor his coach, Skip, at the time. His father asked him who the coach was, and Jack was unsure, save for his name: Skip. After a moment, his father figured out he had played with the same club as Skip in Texas, and two old teammates were reunited.
Off the field, Jack was a back selector for the club. During his junior year, he was elected to be the fundraising chair. At that point, the club worked in concession stands and had some smaller fundraising events. However, Jack is proud of the fact that the scope of the fundraising chair was expanded to include community service. That year, the club volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and helped at local food banks. Additionally, under the direction of Bruce Hill, the club sent players out to help coach youth flag teams. Shortly after his time, the club elected to have a separate volunteering chair. It was Jack who paved the way for the club’s dedication to both the rugby and greater Madison community.
Jack was instilled with a love of 7’s at UW. He accredits his passion to the coaches, particularly Coach Scooter, who pushed him to play in the CRC’s and USA Rugby tournaments. Jack cherishes his time at those tournaments. He fondly remembers the team that played in the BTU Championships in Rockford, Illinois. It was a dominant team. Jack is grateful for his lifelong friends from the team, both those he is still close with, and those he only occasionally connects with. While on the team, he met his friends who would become part of wedding parties, the godfather of his daughter, roommates, and friend he will have for the rest of his life.
Jack was part of the Ireland, Texas, and France tours as a player. He also participated in the Australia tour as an alumnus. In France, Jack vividly remembers the bench clearing brawl which took place at a match. After he had been dump-tackled, another teammate had intervened in a way which led to both benches clearing. However, once the match was over, both sides continued into the evening with libations and camaraderie. On the way to Texas, the team stopped to play the Oklahoma Sooners. It was the coldest match he ever played. It was not snowing, but the freezing rain soaked everyone to the bone leading to a miserable win over the Sooners. It was an awful, muddy match, with little offensive movement and the majority of the game being played at the gain-line. As the fullback, Jack remembers walking off the field, freezing, with a clean jersey.
Jack still plays rugby with the Milwaukee Rugby Club. After college, he would play in Berkley, California, Brussels, Belgium, Illinois, Ohio, and Washington D.C. While playing for a club in Geneva, Switzerland, he won two Swiss national title (15s and 7s). His career as a biomedical engineer has taken him across the U.S. and the world. Each move has brought with it new teammates and experiences.
Jack would like to reiterate how grateful he is for the teammates who have become lifelong friends. Furthermore, he is grateful for the coaches who pushed him and took the time to teach him the fundamentals of a game which has shaped his life. It was those fundamentals which propelled him forward in a continuing rugby career.
Thank you, Jack, for taking the time for this article and your continuing support of the club!
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