July Alumnus of the Month: Stu Roche

Stu Roche is our July Alumnus of the Month!

When did you play?

I played at Michigan in 2010 while on study abroad from Loughborough University, UK. I only had 4 months stateside so joining UMRFC was a no-brainer. 12am-2am practices, intrasquad 7s, and the 2010 winter tour to the Bahamas punctuated a memorable semester with the team.

What positions did you play?

My father’s Irish genes confined me to the role of scrum half for the first 12 years of my playing career. 140lbs—soaking wet—led me toward an escape and evade style of play. Arriving in the States in 2010 my playing positions became more varied, most often scrumhalf, flyhalf, and inside center.

What got you started?

I began playing rugby in 1999 at age 9 in Stamford, England. Attending a British boarding school, it was essentially a right of passage. In the fall we played rugby, winter was field hockey or football (not a fan) and spring/summer was cricket. I remember my first year playing, it seemed the jerseys were made in one size…made to fit the largest on the team. Being the smallest on the team, mine resembled something of a night gown reaching my knees and weighing a few hundred pounds when it rained…as it seemingly did every practice. Rugby has taken me around the world, touring South America with my high school in 2007 and onto Michigan in 2010. I’ve always loved the deeper lessons learned while playing rugby. I’m preaching to the choir here, but it’s a special sport. I’m not sure of any other that compares when it comes to developing respect and gratitude for others.

Any honors or awards?

Nothing to write home about. Played with the Selects and the Thunderbirds between 2010-2012 on a number of occasions, a few 7s season MVPs here and there. Would have enjoyed a punt in the MLR or PR7s if it had come around sooner but that ship has sailed for me now.

What are your favorite memories/teammates?

Nicknames aren’t much of a go-to in British rugby circles. Most go by their last name with a ‘y’ or an ‘-o’ stuck on the end. The UMRFC takes things to another level. Props to the following for welcoming me to the team with open arms in 2010: C-Bass, Brandana, Macabre Mike, Crabdick, Bongo, Boothman, Grimes, Swayze, Spoons, Sauce, Chuck, Dabbler, New Wave, Clark Kent, Bear Jew…the list goes on.

Running from Couzens to Oostie at 11:30pm on a -20F February night, practicing from 12am-2am and trotting right back afterwards. A good story for the grandkids one day. Not a fond memory but a poignant one: breaking and dislocating Chad Kelsey’s ankle with a full field cover tackle during my first hit out with the team. Chad happened to be the starting scrumhalf at the time. Some deemed it a tactical assassination. In any case, the injury appeared under the ‘Crime Notes’ of the student newspaper the next morning. David Perpich constantly shouting ‘He can’t hear you he’s deaf!’ as I loudly trailed Andre Saleh [our deaf player] during my first month of practice.

The entirety of the Bahamas rugby tour. Beautiful country, beautiful people, questionable rugby. Establishing a directed strength and conditioning program, coined ‘Stu-Fit’ by the players, along with head coach Matt Trenary, starting in 2011. Both the men’s and women’s teams bought-in wholeheartedly, consistently turning out 20 players at 5:30am in the IMSB.

The CRC in 2014 was an incredibly rewarding experience. The commitment of that team was something else; some of the more physically and technically talented players UMRFC has seen in the recent decade. Namely, Joel Conzelmann, Sequoyah Burke-Combs, Cole Van Harn, Christian ‘Brahj’ Mentzer, Jared ‘Boz’ Bosma, Matt ‘Kitty Cat’ Kasten along with some international transfers in Lawrence Armitage-Brain and Alex Davidson. Beating Ohio State on national TV with the support of a rambunctious UMRFC cheering section was epic. Still one of my favorite games of any caliber to re-watch.

What have you done since Michigan Rugby?

I currently live in Milwaukee, WI, with my wife, Ariel (UM ’13), our 1 month old son, Jesse, and our sweet-but-psycho dog, Pippa. We upped sticks and left Michigan in 2015 when I stepped into the role as the Assistant Director of Sports Performance at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Here I’m responsible for the physical preparation of the Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse programs as well as the Men’s and Women’s Tennis teams. Neither of us had stepped foot in Milwaukee prior to signing on the dotted line but we’re incredibly grateful for where we ended up. I’d recommend everyone visit Milwaukee, especially during the Milwaukee Barbarians LakeFront 7s tournament which typically lines up with Summerfest. While in Milwaukee I played a few seasons of 7s with the Milwaukee Barbarians but hung up the boots in 2018. Outside of my responsibilities on campus I’m dedicated to improving the front-end landscape for young S&C coaches transitioning from their undergraduate studies into a full time career. This led me to establish My Momentum as a non-profit in 2021, a web-based platform that seeks to support developing coaches by providing funding and resources surrounding their professional development – find more here www.mymomentumpro.com.

How has Michigan Rugby affected your life beyond rugby?

Wherever you go, there’s a Michigan rugger laying in wait, ready to reach out and reconnect. Despite a short playing career with the Maize and Blue, I’ve benefited immensely from this expanding network of good eggs. Please reach out if you’re ever in ‘The Good Land’.

Congratulations to Stu, our Alumnus of the Month for July 2022! All the best at Marquette and beyond!