Stories

Newly Improved Rugby Fields Dedicated to Beloved Coach and Stalwart Alum Volunteer
By Larry Hertz Photos by Stockton Photo, Inc.

A large crowd gathered at Vassar’s newly renovated rugby fields on September 21 to celebrate the donors who funded the project and witness the dedication of the fields at the The Preserve at Vassar. The fields were named in honor of longtime Coach Tony Brown and Vassar alum Charlie “Bear” Williams ’80, a supporter of the program for more than 40 years.

A person speaks at a clear podium with a microphone, pointing with one hand and holding a phone in the other. They wear a light gray “Vassar Rugby” polo shirt and a black cap with red and white embroidery. The rugby field extends behind them, bordered by goalposts and tall trees under a partly cloudy sky.
Vassar Head Rugby Coach Tony Brown expresses his appreciation for the newly renovated fields at The Preserve at Vassar at a dedication ceremony on September 21.

Speakers at the event included Brown and Williams; President Elizabeth Bradley; Michelle Walsh, Director of Athletics and Physical Education; members of the Office of Advancement; and donors Philip and Ann White P’25, parents of rugby alum Danny White ’25. They were joined by a host of alums, faculty, staff, parents, and friends of the rugby program. Danny White is a third-generation Vassar grad whose grandmother, Frances Hamilton White, graduated in 1956.

The Whites’ gift funded the following improvements to the fields:

  • total resurfacing and resodding of both fields,
  • installation of irrigation systems to maintain grass on fields,
  • new goalposts for both fields,
  • addition of electrical lines to fields to allow for the installation of a new scoreboard, and
  • installation of water lines to facilitate hydration stations for the student-athletes.

Philip White said he first became acquainted with Coach Brown when Danny was injured during the semifinals of the national Final Four in their sophomore year. “Despite all the demands of preparing for the finals the next day, Tony took the time to call us after the game and talk to us about Danny’s injury,” White said. “We were really impressed that he would spare some time to help put our minds at ease and talk to us not only about the injury but tell how us much Danny had added to the team that year. And more importantly, he told us how much more confident and buoyant Danny had become over the course of the season.”

A large group stands outdoors on a grassy field under a bright sky. In the foreground, two people pose closely together—one in a blue long-sleeve shirt and sunglasses, the other in a gray “Vassar Rugby” t-shirt holding a brown paper bag. Behind them, attendees stand and sit casually, many smiling or watching something out of frame. Trees form a green backdrop along the horizon.
Donor Philip White P’25 and rugby alum Danny White ’25 share in the festivities.

The following season, Philip White had heard from Danny and other players about how deeply committed Brown is to the rugby program and to the College. “He is the coach we all wanted when we played sports as kids—a coach who demands excellence and self-sacrifice, fosters a team ethos of selflessness, engages on a human level with each player, and teaches with humor and passion,” he said.

The Whites first met Williams on the sidelines at a game and learned a lot about the history of Vassar’s rugby program. “He talked to us about the success of the program under Tony’s tutelage and how ex-students far and wide are still deeply connected to the program,” Philip White said. “Bear is just a wonderful person, and his volunteerism and his infectious spirit really impressed us.”

A crowd stands outdoors on grass, clapping and smiling. In the center, a person in a white quarter-zip pullover with a maroon “Rugby” logo raises both arms joyfully. People around them, some wearing sunglasses and Vassar-themed clothing, join in the celebration. The background includes trees and people partially visible in athletic uniforms.
Longtime rugby supporter Charlie “Bear” Williams ’80 reacts to the news that the practice field is being named in his honor.

Later, the Whites approached Brown and asked how they could assist the program, and a plan for renovating the fields was hatched.

Speaking at the dedication ceremony, Ann White said rugby had been a “cornerstone of Danny’s Vassar experience.” She called Brown “the coach I wish I’d had when I was a kid” and described Williams as a volunteer “who won’t let the flame of rugby go out. He’s on the sidelines on weekends and, during the week, he’s mentoring the players for their post-Vassar lives.”

Elizabeth Bradley, a person with long gray hair, stands behind a clear podium with a microphone, holding a white rugby ball printed with red text. They wear a dark blue blazer and a pink knit shirt. Behind them, a rugby field stretches out with goalposts, short green grass, and a row of players standing near the edge. Trees line the background under a lightly overcast sky.
President Elizabeth Bradley presented the Whites with a ball signed by the team as a token of their appreciation for the upgraded fields.

Brown thanked the Whites for their generous gift. “Through your generosity, you have validated this experience, and improved it, and it is a gift that will keep on giving,” he said. “Past, present, and future generations of Vassar rugby players will derive real joy from your gift, be it through pride in such a beautiful venue, the successes of the teams, or a safer student-athlete experience.”

President Bradley presented the Whites with a ball signed by the players. She noted that the women’s team had won the national championship four times and was Vassar’s most successful athletics program. But she added that sports at Vassar are about more than winning championships. “Athletes have to learn how to hustle when they are truly exhausted and to lose gracefully and win gracefully,” she said.

A group of people in red and gray athletic uniforms stands clapping near a rugby field. One person in front wears a “Vassar Rugby” polo and black cap, also clapping. Additional people, including someone in a maroon cardigan holding a tablet, are visible to the right. Trees and open grass form the background under a bright sky.
Members of the men’s and women’s teams joined Brown at the ceremony, then went out onto the new fields and dominated their opponents.

The day concluded with dominant performances by both teams. The men’s squad scored 17 tries and kicked seven conversions to rout Montclair State, 99–10, while the women overwhelmed Fordham, 119–5.