If you happen to catch a local rugby match you might find it odd to see a 50-something year old man running around with 20 to 30 year old players. The same man has been moving about our campus on crutches for the past few days. At the same time, campus has been abuzz with the new gossip that John Downey, the dean of students at Queens, plays recreational rugby. Can someone his age really play a sport like rugby? I sat down with Dean Downey for a one on one interview to find out the truth.
Queens Chronicle: A lot of people have seen you hobbling around and the rumor is that you play rugby from time to time, is that true?
Dean Downey: Yes, I’ve been playing rugby for many years.
Queens Chronicle: So it wasn’t an injury from street fighting or anything?
Dean Downey: No, if so I lost.
QC: How long have you been playing rugby?
Downey: Since I was 22, right after my undergraduate career, we were seniors in college
when somebody introduced it to me, but we couldn’t get ourselves organized [as] a
team, so I played on the club side after I graduated. I’ve been playing [for] 29 years.
QC: So you’ve developed a real passion for the game.
Downey: From the moment I touched the ball. I knew it was the sport I was destined to
play.
QC: With all your responsibilities as the Dean of Students, when do you find time to
play?
Downey: I always tell people that my priorities in life are to first, be a good husband,
second, a good father, and then third, a good Dean. My wife and children and I have an
agreement that every Wednesday evening, that’s my evening, and I go and I practice.
There’s no day called “Saturday,” it’s called “Rugbyday”… It’s a little weird being older
now; I’m definitely the oldest player on the club, but still they treat me the same. I just
don’t tend to socialize as much.
QC: Tell us more about starting a Rugby club here at Queens.
Downey: Well we haven’t started one yet; my best estimate is that it would take two to
three years to start a rugby club here at Queens, maybe longer. We first have to get a
core nucleus group of students who are here playing club side… the goal is to get
enough people to start playing on campus. If we do that we’ll be able to play other
colleges. If we don’t then it’ll just be nice to introduce young people to the game of
rugby. I do want to mention that there is also women’s rugby, and if women are
interested I would be happy to introduce them as well.
QC: If someone is interested in playing rugby how can they join?
Downey: Well they can contact me (downeyj@queens.edu), and as I mentioned we
practice on Wednesday from 6pm-8pm. I‘m happy to drive people there and back if
that’s what it takes. We have a brand new rugby athletic center about four miles from
campus.
QC: One last question: What about safety?
Downey: I’ve been playing all the time that students have known me, and they’ve not
seen me [walking on crutches until this year]. I’m still playing as a 51 year old man,
[after all].
No comments yet.