Aldridge’s passion for rugby helped start program at UNA

Caleb Aldridge helped bring rugby to UNA and is also a member of the rugby team. The rugby team will be back in action Nov. 12 at home.

Caleb Aldridge, 22, discovered rugby when he was a freshman at Freed-Hardeman in 2008. After transferring to UNA in the fall of 2010, he started the first rugby team at UNA.

Aldridge, who graduated from Hubbertville High School in Glen Allen in 2008, was introduced to rugby while he was attending Freed-Hardeman. When he transferred to UNA, he was disappointed that there wasn’t a rugby team.

“I guess it was about a month into school, I realized how much I missed playing,” Aldridge said.

That’s when Aldridge decided he wanted to start a rugby program at UNA. Though he originally was just hoping to find a few guys interested in learning about the sport, he found many guys that were interested in playing.

While Aldridge was starting the UNA rugby team, he met Eddie Roberts, who said he was interested in coaching the team. Roberts, who played rugby at Tennessee Tech University, is the former rugby coach of Lee University.

Roberts said that Aldridge is “a tremendous young man,” and because of his leadership, Roberts expects the rugby program to continue to do well after Aldridge graduates.

“If it wasn’t for (Aldridge), the team wouldn’t be there,” Roberts said.

Aldridge said that Roberts has been instrumental in finding a field for the team to play on. Because of Roberts’ communication with city officials, the team is able to play at Veterans Park in Florence.

Aldridge is currently recovering from an ankle injury and has been unable to play for a couple of weeks. Rugby, he said, is a much more demanding sport than other more traditional sports.

“I’ve played football and baseball, and rugby’s a lot more wear and tear week in and week out,” Aldridge said.

Because of his injury, Aldridge was unable to play Oct. 15, when UNA rugby played against Freed-Hardeman, his former school.

During his free time, Aldridge likes to hunt deer and duck and go fishing. The biology major said he loves being outside, and he’s been hunting and fishing for as long as he can remember.

He chose to come to UNA because it was a good fit for him at the time. Being a larger school than Freed-Hardeman, UNA offered more academic programs. Also, the school is closer to home for Aldridge.

“It had everything but rugby, and I had to add (it) on,” he said.

Now that UNA has rugby, Aldridge is feeling at home. He said he loves North Alabama and thinks that Florence is a great town.

The Rugby team will play on Nov. 12 at home at Veterans Park in Florence.