1968 - 1972 Alan Osur

Coaching History

Men's Assistant Coach

Fall 75 to Spring 77

Men's Head Coach

Fall 68 to Spring 72

Fall 78 to Spring 80

Women's Head Coach

Fall 77 to Spring 80

Fall 94 to Spring 07

Short Biography

Alan was admired by all for his passion for the game. He would continue to play when he could, well into his 60s. In the spring of 77 when Alan took the field with his old team, the Denver Barbos, against the cadets, instead of tackling him, they held him up and promptly took him to the biggest mud puddle on the pitch where he got a thorough dunking.

THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS

Short Biography

Alan Osur, Ph. D (history), BS (computer science), Maj (ret), Tenured Associate Professor and Deputy Department Head, USAF Academy Department of History

Alan was the force behind getting rugby as a club at the Air Force Academy and served as their first coach. He was also the force behind getting women's rugby started at the Academy and became their first coach. He is the most successful women’s coach since the beginning of the Air Force Academy intercollegiate rugby programs.

Alan began his rugby journey while stationed in England in the mid 60s, playing his first game for Shelford. He returned to the Academy as Director of US History and Associate Professor of History, but quickly began his quest for rugby. Teaming up with a few cadets, in 1968 he started the Academy’s intercollegiate rugby program. Years later, during his second Academy tour in 1977, he started the women’s intercollegiate rugby program. Under his leadership, these programs flourished and he has coached them to earn 17 Western championships, 8 final four appearances, and competed in 4 National Collegiate Championship games coming away as National Collegiate Champion in three.

Alan also served as the Western Collegiate women’s competition committee chairman, and at the national level, was active as the chairman of the USA Rugby Collegiate Committee, which began the Women’s All American Program. As chair, he ran the All American selection process for 12 years during which time he was elected as the Collegiate Director to the USA Rugby national board for a 2 year term. Here he originated and implemented the National Women’s College Development Camp in 1996.

As a player, Alan was always ready to put on the cleats. His play was intelligent and crafty, and he took every opportunity to take advantage of his skills and athleticism. To quote a former player: “When he ran with the ball, I swear his feet never touched the ground; he'd kick or pass it, always damn near perfect”

The impact of anyone's accomplishments is rarely noted, but there is no mistaking that Alan's accomplishments are widespread. A lasting legacy, ripples upon ripples that would not have happened were it not for Alan Osur.

Many a cadet would not have continued at the Academy were it not for the balancing effect of the game and Alan’s leadership. Just one of many quotes, from Laura MacDonald, 2002 and USA Eagle: “Alan was a huge part of my rugby career.. he taught players discipline and professionalism/class when on the field. My success in rugby started at the AF Academy because of Alan's dedication to his athletes. I could never say thank you enough to Alan for the long practices in hail storms, kicking practice in blizzards, and for the best AFA memories I have! …it was Alan's mastermind that opened the door of opportunity for me”

From a long time player who has started many a team, is a successful administrator, coach and recently head of the entire rugby programs at Colorado University, '71 grad Sean said, “In 1968 when we started AFA rugby I remember his leadership…. Coach Osur is still one of the finest officers, leaders and men I have ever known, either inside the AF or in civilian life.”

Many players went on to play, some at high levels, and a few represented our country on the rugby field in international play.

Many created rugby teams across the US and abroad, scores of teams that have provided thousands upon thousands of athletes the opportunity to play and enjoy the camaraderie of our sport.

Many of Alan’s charges have passed the rugby infection to their offspring. One of our past Rugby Alumni board members, Melissa Bauman Phillips, was a member on Alan’s 1994 National Championship team. She returned to the Academy a decade later to contribute and serve as the team OIC, but claims her first rugby influence came from her father, David Baumann 71, who was also coached by none other than, Alan Osur.

Alan started both teams and the list of AFA rugby graduates gets longer every year. The list of individuals who attained recognition on the field also continues to lengthen, and the impact on our service and country's representative teams continues because Alan Osur saw fit to start the program.

Alan's players have also gone on to coach, both back at the Academy as well as other teams, some at very high levels (Air Force teams and Combined Service teams and even other country’s teams have been led by graduates of Alan's program)

Alan was also a very competent referee, and later became a mentor for young referees. With the help of Colorado Referee Guru Jim Russell, he has influenced in a positive fashion more than one referee. In fact, one of Alan’s players went on to lead and develop a national referee training scheme which stands today as a standard requirement for every referee in the US.

You can’t get very far in this world without having some organizational capabilities, and Alan showed us the way. In fact, (and with a little help from Terry Fleener, ex USA Rugby Executive) some of Alan’s ex-players ended up in the administration of civilian and military club, Unions, Service and Combined services rugby, the later with the goal to get rugby into the Department of Defense as a recognized sport. That was a coordinated team effort by many, to be sure, but our rugby grads played a pivotal role and made it successful: rugby is now a fully recognized sport by the DoD. There are Interservice championships held annually that present opportunity to many of our AFA and graduate players, and we have had grads in residence at the Olympic Training Center in California where the official Air Force duty was to train and compete for a spot on our National Rugby Team.

After graduation, scores of rugby players, both those whom Alan coached or those who experienced the program he started, went on to become leaders in their own right: Colonels, Generals, CEOs, physicians, fighter pilots and astronauts, most of whom attribute much of their success to lessons learned on the rugby field

Just a few comments about Alan Osur the person..

Again quoting from a grad: “I don't think I ever heard him swear, except for during a couple verses of "Inverness". In fact, I don't really much remember him drinking lots of beer at the parties afterwards. But he was always there...

"Al could always either put you in your place, when your head was too big, or cheer you up when you were immersed in beating yourself to death out of self-pity. His criticism was concise, to the point, and highly motivational. Call him a role model, an icon or a personal hero. He was, and is a fixture; one of those rare people who can do, and who can inspire others to do, things that are almost impossible for mere mortals"

When Alan retired from his IT job in 2006, he decided to apply for a civilian position in the Academy’s History Department. He was already the head coach of the women’s team when he applied. In his cover letter, there were several paragraphs about how he was academically suited, actually over qualified for that position, but he said these words which puts things into perspective for us: "As head coach I am in many ways a military training instructor since rugby is an integral part of the cadets’ military training, serving as a hands-on environment for teaching leadership, team work, and self-discipline. As their rugby coach, I helped many cadets with research and writing projects, similar to what I did when I was on the faculty. In spite of our success on the field, I do not believe that record is my most important accomplishment. Instead, what I was able to develop is a TEAM where the players enjoy being with each other, enjoy playing rugby, and enjoy being part of the Academy. My motivation helps players graduate with a positive attitude toward life and the Air Force."

Modest and short sighted, Alan only claims influence on cadets, but as the above stories tell, the ripples of his personality and persistent passion for our game are ripples that have spanned to shores far far away from the foothills of Colorado. He has had a profound impact on each of the grads he made contact with and through them, literally tens of thousands others who would not have rugby opportunity were it not for Alan Osur.

Recently honored with a Lifetime Rugby Achievement Award, the inscription states, “The Father of USAFA Rugby. An accomplished Historian and published Professor at The USAF Academy in a career that spanned six decades! As Rugby Coach, you won three national championships in a career spanning five decades. You have enriched the lives of thousands of young men and women.”

Alan and his wife, Lisa, currently reside in Colorado Springs, CO.

  Grads and Guests in attendance at the official naming of the Alan Osur Perpetual Fund For Women's Rugby

Left to Right: Victoria Whittaker Huss (04), Tru Eyre (79), , Skip Shackelford (prior coach), Fred Cunningham benind Alan Osur, Michell Ruehl Von Hofe (03), Andi Vinyard (96) in the back in the t-shirt. In front we've Mel Cunningham and next to her is Tracy (Dupree) Coyne from the class of 96. I'm not sure her husband's name behind her. In the A-jacket Nikki Jansen (06), Next to her is Angela (G-unit) Hodgen Hearn (06), Judy Shackelford and Alan's wife, Lisa.