October Alumnus of the Month: Ron Storey

Our October Alumnus of the Month is Ron Storey.

WHEN DID YOU PLAY FOR MICHIGAN?

I lobbed up in Ann Arbor in the summer of 1971 after living happily in Paris (playing for an Exiles club).  In fact, things were so good that I felt that if I didn’t get out and see the world, I’d be there for the rest of my life, going native with une Parisienne like many teammates did. So, after quitting la Bourse I found myself at a loose end and decided to catch-up with an old college friend who was on a post-graduate course at Michigan. I can’t precisely recall, but I probably saw a Michigan Rugby T-shirt on the Diag which intrigued me.  Rugby was the last thing I expected to be doing Stateside.  However, I went on to enjoy some great years with UMRFC, playing with all the people that Rory O’Connor (good centre!) recently named in his nice August Alumni piece. I played for two and half seasons.

WHAT POSITION DID YOU PLAY?

Mostly at No. 8, which was my preferred position.  I had a great engine room afore me with Quint Lawson and Jacques Passino.  Occasionally, and if needs be, I found myself in the second row with one of the aforementioned, or probably Gary Becker.

WHAT WERE YOUR MEMORIES OF YOUR TIME WITH UMRFC?

If I remember the winter came on pretty quickly that first year or seemed to, and after years of playing French rugby “with the sun on my back”, some of the blasted landscapes of the Mid-West came as a bit of a shock.  Was it Purdue, Wisconsin, or Notre Dame which seemed to be particularly cold?  No. It was probably Davenport Iowa, where we took our painful annual lesson from the back-straighteners of Palmer College. But we never failed to take our medicine, or give it out, cheerfully.  The Third Half, home or away was usually undertaken with purpose and intent, leading to some, no names (and certainly not me!) ending up “Overly Tired and Emotional” – as Australians so picturesquely describe this condition. We seemed to play a good deal in Toronto in those days – and what a miserable town it was then. State off-licenses, nothing open late or on Sundays. Couldn’t wait to head back down 401. (I’ve done a full 180 on Toronto now.  Love it. A city, like Sydney, which has been saved by its immigrants).  We used to rush back from Toledo or Bowling Green across the Ohio state-line too.

ANY TEAMMATES YOU PARTICULARLY REMEMBER?

After circa 50 years (Gulp!) Rory’s piece did help to put some names to some faces.  Vern Plato was special, kindly took me to Oregon with him, and Terry Larrimer was a fine captain.  Walt Holloway, of course! I was grateful to Vern and Terry for providing emergency shelter on South Ashley when I faced a sudden LENHO (Landlord Enforced New Housing Opportunity).  Quint Lawson introduced me to baseball and his hometown Tigers.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE SINCE?

After Michigan, I was still intent on studying at the U of Life, by returning to Paris then working in Spain.  I then blithely set out to hitchhike to Australia.  As one does.  I got through Communist Eastern Europe, Turkey, Iran, and Afghanistan before the world fell out of my bottom in Delhi. Maybe this was the discharge I needed to get serious by making a career in publishing – first with Bantam Books, and then with TIME Magazine in London, Amsterdam, and Sydney.  I ended up with The Sydney Morning Herald, with and for whom I had an association with for the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987, and its return to Sydney in 2003.  Ditto Sydney Olympics 2000.  I met and married Janneke in Amsterdam, and after many happy years living in Sydney, although now being a naturalized Australian, we have retired to Janneke’s hometown near Maastricht.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Sitting in front of the computer, as one does these Covid days (groan), I have been idly googling (U)MRFC.  Why? Because it has been a surprise and regret that after being involved with clubs in Britain, France, Ireland, and Australia, uniquely, I no longer have any contact with any of Les Anciens of Michigan.  Where are (we) now?

ANY FINAL THOUGHTS?

Yes. In my opinion, and happily in my experience, no matter what your rugby ability – always loved the T-shirt “The Older I Get, The Better I Was” – or the standing of your team, by extension you’ve joined the best bloody club in the world. GO BLUE!

Congratulations to Ron as our Alumnus of the Month for October 2020!