An Alaskan Legend... and I don't mean Christopher McCandless

Allen Rooney has not always been a typical, easy going, laid back So Cal lad that we have all grown to love. Of course I am kidding, as we all know Allen to be an intense competitor who demands that players play with passion, commitment and a ruthless devotion to “executing perfect rugby.” He also expects the same during the after party. Allen grew up in Wrangell Alaska. It is a small town of just over 2000 people. Like so many other males in this area, Allen spent much of childhood around fish, guns and boats. However, by the time he arrived in high school, his passion became wrestling. Allen honed his skill while at Wrangell High School and then went on to wrestle in college at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington.

Allen began his rugby career with a slow build into the raging inferno we know today. While at CWU, Allen devoted much of his training to wrestling, but from 1987-88 found time each spring to play a little rugby. It wasn’t until the CWU Rugby Team reformed (and apparently this new and improved club got the stamp of approval) that Allen began to think seriously about rugby. In 1989, his wrestling eligibility over, Allen took to the pitch full time and hasn’t really looked back. Little is known about what kind of player Allen was during this time…or how he learned how to play hooker with such skill and excellence. Whoever taught him how to do what “he does” probably takes a solid gold dump every morning with angels singing to him while he wipes. We do know that his College coah, Bryan Eglet was his first mentor and that he respects anyone that maintains posession. Much like Jesus’ adolescence, Allen’s rugby life has little documentation until the late 90’s. In 1997, Allen left the great northwest, and settled into a little town just east of Pasadena called Azusa (everything form A to Z in the USA.) His only plan was to find a rugby club and see what happened. I suppose Allen could have gone to a lot of other rugby clubs…I am sure that with the Internet not being invented yet (as reported by Chris Angelica)…there were several clubs he could have picked. But Allen found his way to Victory Park and made an immediate impact…with a power step I am sure. Allen came to Pasadena Rugby with an impressive physical aptitude. However, he credits Shawn Kingston (Pasadena RFC Coach) with being, "the coach that tought him the most about play on he field."

Allen was an immediate leader on and off the field. His fierce competitive nature and vocal pursuit of “perfect” rugby, while at times intimidating to newcomers, lights an inner fire to achieve a single-minded goal…make Pasadena’s forwards the best pack each and every year. He has often succeeded. His second year, 1999, Allen was awarded MVP, Best Forward and Coaches Award. It was around this time that we became familiar with the, “oh Jesus ruck.” In 2000, 2001 and 2002, Allen was again voted Best Forward by his peers. In 2005, his play over the years was recognized when he was given the Jeff Evans Golden Spike award as the player who upholds the traditions and values of an “Old School” rugby player, thus solidifying his status as a Pasadena Rugby Legend.

Allen leadership can be seen off the filed as well. He has been elected by his peers captain several times (both at CWU and with PRFC) and was overwhelmingly elected President of PRFC in 2003. Allen is fond of saying that he was “the most loved, but least active President in Club history.” While the jury is still out on how “active” of a president president he was, he did bring back a certain sense of legitimacy and accountability to the position that had strayed in years past. Possibly his greatest accomplishment, and in true Allen fashion…a simple but profound gesture…was awarding engraved pint glasses to Men of the Match for both teams. This recognition of MOTM is a long-standing tradition, not only with PRFC, but also with nearly every type of organized team sport known to man. It is also very rewarding to hear other teams praise the recognition of receiving this award from our team.

Allen’s unique sense of “rugby: rights and wrongs” is observed in the retelling of his most memorable game with the PRFC. In 2000, we were still in Division II and struggled at times to play well. We had a great bunch of guys that were good rugby players. We could never quite put a complete game together for a win. On a hot Saturday afternoon, the North County Gurkhas were visiting our field near the Rose Bowl. The Gurkhas always had a strong pack that played well with tactical precision and control. At the end of the first half, Pasadena found itself in a 33-0 hole. Pasadena slowly clawed its way back behind the rucking and running of Allen Rooney. Allen defines personnel success on a rugby pitch, not by the tries he scores or the long runs he had, but by the amount of times he maintained possession of the ball in a tackle and how many times he was able to steal the ball from his opponent. Against the Gurkhas, Allen was perfect in his goal to retain possession every time. He put on a clinic on stealing balls in free play and (as we are accustomed to seeing) stole many scrums. At the end of the day, Pasadena prevailed 35-33. Allen was named Man of the Match… despite another player scoring three tries. I believe that this was the first time Pasadena heard the now infamous phrase, “any monkey can fall over the try line.”

Allen takes great pride and is known for his “claw of death” (applied to many opponents chest and an occasional neck) and for maintaining possession. It should be no surprise then that he shows great disdain and, well… seems pretty pissed off... with his “knock-on” in the game against Mission in South Carolina. In his own words, “It [the knock] was so recent and important. Scoring that try could have changed the tempo of the game, so I have to live with that every day.”

When not on the rugby pitch, Allen is probably doing one of 5 things: teaching, shooting, making bullets, watching the history channel or cackling. I am pretty sure there is a 6th thing, but I don't feel too comfortable speaking about it. Allen is an elementary school science teacher and by all accounts (from non-rugby informants) his is a very good teacher…brilliant even. Many don’t know, but he is also credentialed to teach Special Education. Must be why he is so good at explaining things to the forwards. In addition to his obvious passion for rugby, Allen can often be seen loading up his ’45 and heading into the foothills…to a shooting range practicing for his competitions. Allen is an excellent marksmen and anyone brave enough to journey with him up the mountain, to a very secluded shooting range, will find that he is just as facetious about shooting and shooting etiquette as he is about rugby.

I have played with Allen for close to 10 years. I have had the distinct pleasure of going to Missoula Montana for Maggotfest with him several times. The most enjoyable of those trips was the time Allen, Aston and I drove from Seattle to Montana. It was as if Allen became stronger and more powerful the farther north we went. Anyone who has witnessed Allen in Missoula knows what I am talking about. He was charming to the ladies and they responded with…affection??? Yes. Allen is, without a doubt, the best hooker I have ever played with. I have seen him play flanker a few times…even scrum half…. Did I mention he is a great hooker?

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