Terry Burns
Terry’s introduction to Monmouth RFC came when the team was still part of Brookdale Community College. As an editor of the college paper, The Stall, she dutifully covered the team’s ups and downs thanks to a steady diet of stats provided by Brookdale Community College faculty member and rugby enthusiast Doug Coil. When Terry’s pals Mike Fitzpatrick, Bob “Burt” Reynolds, Mike Henry and Billy Schweitzer joined the club in the late ‘70’s, she began attending matches on a regular basis. Not content to sit idly on the sidelines, Terry started helping out with whatever needed doing off the field, eventually becoming the club’s secretary, and the union’s first female officer. Working with then team President Frank Fischer and Match Secretary Brian Harris, Terry arranged hosting for international teams visiting Monmouth, was instrumental in convincing officials of the Monmouth County Parks System to allow Monmouth to use Thompson Park as its home field, and was privileged to be part of the first Monmouth Invitational Rugby Tournament in 1978 at Middletown High School, an event best remembered by Terry for the all-nighter spent silk-screening the event’s coveted souvenir T-shirts….and the excellent sevens play.
When Tim Welter returned from a tournament in New Orleans in 1977 with tales of women’s rugby teams, Terry began gathering recruits for a Monmouth Women’s side. Prospecting prospects from the ranks of area soccer, field hockey and track teams, Terry regaled her rookies with the speed, action and excitement of the game, saving the contact part of the story until the first practice. Nurtured and supported by contributions from Mike Fugee, Carl Hamm, Tim and Kevin Welter, Mike Liscovitz, and many more from the men’s sides, The Monmouth Women’s Rugby Football Club fielded its first 15 against the Montclair College Women’s team – and lost. That match, and the wonderful women of the first Monmouth Women’s side, remains Terry’s proudest and favorite club memories.
Depending on fitness and who was available, Terry played prop, hooker, second row, and for one miraculous stretch, number eight.
Other high points in her rugby career were representing Monmouth along with Sue Castner as part of the Jersey Tomatoes, a select side which played in the Nationals in Boulder Colorado, and appearing in an exhibition match before an Eagles versusBeavers game in Towson, MD. And who could forget the unforgettable parties at the Red Roof, The Spy House, and JP Maloney’s, where the Monmouth men made certain the women were treated like ladies, and Terry defeated the West Point chugging champion in back the days before the academy admitted women.
