Justin Green
Rugby has always been in my blood, but I never knew it. Tough tackling and wild characters – that was just the Green family, and growing up in Alaska.
As a kid my parents sent me to one of England best schools, St Lawrence College, to learn good manners, the Queen’s English and rugby. I learned from a Welshman, Ian Gollop, and Mr Jones our English rugby coach, starting first at prop and then moving to flanker. I learned the meaning of driving hard, getting low, and producing results. Together with Nidal Ramini, Giles Taylor and Engin Tan Narin, our Turkish hooker, and then with a school exchange program that added South Africans Greg Turner, Grant Morris, and Eddie Woods, I fell in love with the international melting pot and realized that rugby was indeed a beautiful game.
Growing up (my friends could question whether I have done that) only deepened the love of rugby and my ability to start dreaming. But first a brief stop in Washington on my way back to Alaska, to attend the Washington State University for 5 years. You guessed it – to play rugby and get a first class degree in something or other. Together with Coach James McDonnell and Captain John Sjolund, we took WSU to the West Coast NCAA championship and many a story along with it.
Back in Alaska I knew I had to bring this home with me. I wanted to give something back. Playing for the Spenard Green Dragons under captain John Bodick with Jon, Norm, Doug and Tony in my spare time – I begged, borrowed and stole to build a successful business in Alaska Demolition using my rugby team as employees . All for one purpose. To build Alaska’s first and only rugby facility at the Alaska Mountain Rugby Grounds, and host international sides from around the world.
Hiking the hillside back then along with Cam Vivian and founder of the Alaska Rugby Union in 1973 William Tucker, I asked them if they could imagine the likes of Richie McCaw, Joe Rokocoko and Jonny Wilkinson practicing here one day. Their stunned silence said it all. They knew it would happen too. Just like I did. They just didn’t say it at the time.
Its taken a while, but there’s still plenty of rugby in this old rugger yet. Now its time to give back. I invite you to experience Alaska, the great outdoors, and the Great Northern rugby Mecca that is the Mountain Rugby Grounds.
Time to Play
