On a cold Oct. 5th morning, a group of Dalhousie University rugby alumni gathered to watch a tripleheader of the current rugby teams. The alumni were connected not by discipline or year of graduation, but by one sport whose community proves to be stronger than ever.
The players walked onto Wickwire Field with their success, not celebrated by their players alone, but by years’ worth of returning Dalhousie rugby alumni. This weekend marked their first annual alumni event.
At the event, students reconnected with past teammates, alumni watched familiar jerseys sprint across the field and emotions ran high as players relived the memories of years past.
Shane Brandstetter saw this event as highlighting core values of the team.
“Seeing the boys that graduated decades ago still sharing that brotherhood together emphasizes what Dal Rugby is as a club,” said Brandstetter.
A similar sentiment was shared by alumni. Many of them, now deep into their professional career, wanted to reiterate the importance of team sports when in university.
“Balancing sports and academics is tough, but don’t forget to enjoy it while it’s happening,” said Aidan Chisholm, one of the most recent to join the alumni pool, completing his undergraduate degree in 2022.
As new and rekindled friendships sparked, some students sought to understand what this alumni weekend could do to aid them in their university career.
Brandstetter saw this opportunity.
“It was great speaking with the lads,” Brandstetter said. “Gaining new relationships for potential business opportunities further down the road.”
As the days passed following the alumni weekend, both players and coaches reflected on the experience and what it has done for the team.
The team’s president, Patrick Spiteri, saw the weekend as more than just your average alumni event. He argued the event was vital for the future of his team.
“Rugby’s been one of the best parts of university for me and it will be great to relive these times in the future,” said Spiteri.
As the cost of running such programs gets higher, club sports struggle to keep up with their varsity counterparts. To tackle this, Spiteri sees the alumni community as a major player in the fight for fundraising money. Still, Spiteri thinks the most important aspect of the event is that it keeps former players connected to the team.
What surprised Chisolm the most was the age range of alumni that attended the alumni event, with some graduates going as far back as the 1970s.
An astonishing 41 year spread of team alumni came to support Dal Rugby, some flying from as far as Whitehorse, Yukon to relive their past in the most supportive way.
Alumni were asked if they saw any benefit to other student bodies organizing similar events. 2
Many recommended that others follow suit, citing the relationships formed from such communities.
“[It’s] great to see old friends for anybody,” said Chisholm.
Following the success Dalhousie Men’s Rugby experienced during their first annual alumni weekend, all eyes look to the future.
Organizing this year’s event was Eric Fekete, a 2019 graduate. He said he felt a wave of nostalgia when watching the games on Oct. 5.
“It is important for grassroots communities like sports clubs to give back to their own,” said Fekete.
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