Ken Oliver

Rugby Resume

Ken Oliver played for Dry Gulch, serving as club president, captain and coach for many of the years the club was in existence.  Here are a few thougths from his wife, Janice.

“Skip Harrison was Ken’s roommate and was playing for Dry Gulch. He asked him to come out and watch and think about playing. Ken said as soon as he saw his first game he was hooked. Ken loved the sport of rugby and all the friends he met through it.

Anywhere Ken went he was always recruiting players. When we went on vacation, the first thing he wanted to do was find the local rugby team. On a trip to Canada he picked up a game with the Meraloma Rugby Club in Vancouver.

Any of the players with Dry Gulch over the years will tell you that Ken was the backbone of Dry Gulch. His love for the game extended to the players as well. He would do anything for them. I can’t count the number of times he bailed players out of jail, loaned them money, or offered our couch if they had no other place to go. Many times on out-of-town trips there would be no walking space in the hotel room for all the sleeping bodies in our room.  I can’t count the amount of money he spent for the team. If there wasn’t enough in the account, he would buy beer and food for the after game party. He was always buying socks, jerseys, tshirts and hats.

I know that right now he is looking down on what the Memphis Rugby Foundation is doing and the growth of youth rugby with a great big grin on his face.  This was his dream.”   – Janice Oliver