Gary Giepert
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Gary started playing rugby in the spring of 1981 at LSU. His first practice was a Thursday and was asked to start his first rugby game at wing at Spring Hill college in Mobile on that Saturday. He played 5 years with LSU moving quickly from wing to center to loose forward where he would play the majority of his career.
He played some with the LSU law school team which fellow NORFC Hall of Fame member, Tim Falcon, and he formed.
Gary moved to Baton Rouge RFC where he played for two years and where he had the privilege of playing with US Rugby Hall of Famer Bob "Big Red" Causey.
In 1983 he was selected for the Eastern Rugby Union U-23 team. That started his long stint of playing for the ERU (playing for the ERU through the mid 90's) both as an under 23 and a senior ERU player, captaining the ERU on a few occasions.
In 1985 he was named to the U S All American team.
In 1985 he was also selected to the Jr Eagles and toured Europe with the Jr Eagles playing in Paris, Brussels, Heidleburg and Amsterdam. The U S Jr Eagles went 5-1 on that tour.
In 1986 he was again selected for the Jr Eagles and played against the full Japanese side on their tour of America in Dallas. He met life long friend and fellow NORFC Hall of Fame member Bob Olsonoski, a fellow teammate for the Jr. Eagles.
Gary graduated from law school in Jan 1988 and moved to N O and started playing with NORFC which had already merged with Crescent City . For many years he was the treasurer and match secretary. He captained the team in 1989.
Beginning in 1994, he was selected for Team America and played with them in Bermuda World Rugby Classic against N Z, South Africa, the British Lions, Argentina, Canada and France. On finals day in Bermuda if your team had been knocked out, you could be picked up by teams in the finals or consolation match. Gary was fortunate enough to play with France captained by Phillipe Sella and with Canada twice. Gary played with Team America in Bermuda for 7 years. Ken Macaulay, a Scottish National player, picked up a game with the US on finals day and he and Gary began a life long friendship.
Once his competitive playing days were done, Gary began organizing the Vieux Garcons or the NORFC Old Boys.
Gary organized the following NORFC Vieux Garcons’ tours:
VIEUX GARCONS TOUR DATES
1995 Aspen
1998 Savannah
St Patrick’s Day Tournament
2000 Bermuda Tour
played British Royal Army
2002 Scotland Tour
played North Berwick Puffin Gannets, Sterling RFC, Scottish Classics
2003 Natzhez Tour
played Jackson RFC
2004 Cayman Island tour Cancelled due to Hurricane Ivan
2005 Cayman Island tour Cancelled due to Hurricane Katrina
2007 France/ Italy Tour
Played Grasse RFC, Florence RFC
2009 Seattle/Victoria Tour
Played Seatac RFC, James Bay Ebb Tide
2011 Bermuda Tour
2013 Ireland Tour
played Wanderers RFC, Garryowen RFC, Galwegians RFC
2014 New Orleans Tour
2015 Key West Tour
played Ft Lauderdale
2017 Aspen La Exile Tour
2019 New Zealand Tour
In 2002, when his son Jonathan was a freshman at Br Martin he formed and began coaching the Br Martin Rugby Club and helped form the Louisiana High School Rugby League, for which he has served a commissioner since its inception in 2002. He has coached both of his sons Jonathan and Stephen at Br Martin and continues to coach Br Martin Rugby to this day.
Gary was one of the inaugural inductees to the NORFC Hall of Fame with Bob Markel, a fact that he holds as a true honor; by to be put in same rugby class as Robert Markel.
After being started by fellow Hall of Famer Mike Kerrigan, Gary has taken over the organization of the annual Hall of Fame Dinner.
Gary has great memories from playing rugby, coaching rugby, and traveling for rugby. He holds the memories of striving for excellence with teammates, competition against familiar faces, teaching young players the sport he loves dear, but the friendships he has made through rugby he holds as more precious than anything.
He met his wife, Kay, his freshman year at LSU, before he began playing rugby and she has stayed with him despite all of the time he has devoted to rugby.
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