About Jeff Smolka
When the great coach Tony Ferguson moved to take a new job in Virginia and a dozen ruggers graduated in 1987, the Gamecock Rugby head coaching job fell to me in the fall to become the player coach. We pulled off a 6-5 spring season with a memorable victory over Virginia Tech in my last game.
What started as a player coach in the late 80s turned in to a backs coach in 1997 under Mark Miltner, when I moved back to Columbia after playing for the Greenville Griffins. In 1999, Mark turned over the coaching reins that I lead until to 2001. With a new family, I transitioned to a philanthropy role with the team, helping lead the Carolina - Clemson annual Blood Battle. The rugby team had one of the highest blood donation percentages on campus. We lived the Give Blood – Play Rugby motto. Together, we were able to support U of SC beating Clemson in 14 of the next 19 Blood Battles and changing the Blood Battle rivalry from 4 to 12, to a Gamecock advantage 18 to 17.
In 2006, I came out of my coaching hiatus to help Coach Mason coach and in preparation for starting SC High School Rugby. At Spring Valley High School, I helped Keith Bayer and Mark Morris to the SCHSR finals in 2007 and Commissioner's Cup Championship in 2008. During this time, when Coach Mason took a trip around the globe to see family, I stepped in as interim head coach, leading the Gamecocks back into D1 collegiate rugby with victories over Florida and Georgia.
High school baseball, Scouts, soccer and swimming overflowed at the Smolka household until 2013 when Coach Morris asked me to join the Carolina Rugby Foundation. In 2014, I helped Coach Darnell and Morris coach 7s when U of SC qualified for the Collegiate Rugby Championships. With the Blood Battle meeting on Tuesdays that fall, I was able to come out and work with the forwards as well, which led to the team winning its second SCRC championship. We celebrated the victories by starting the Carolina Men’s Rugby Endowment. In 2015, we added the Jeffery S. Smolka Endowed Scholarship. Since then, 40 scholarships have been awarded enabling Gamecock rugby to attract and retain top notch ruggers. The endowment laid the groundwork for the Carolina Olde Boys to raise the money and hire Coach John Roberts.
With all my kids off to college in the fall of 2021, I dusted off my whistle and joined Coach Roberts' coaching staff to celebrate my 5th decade of coaching Gamecock Rugby. I am currently the backs coach enjoying seeing the team become more competitive however I can help.
What started as a player coach in the late 80s turned in to a backs coach in 1997 under Mark Miltner, when I moved back to Columbia after playing for the Greenville Griffins. In 1999, Mark turned over the coaching reins that I lead until to 2001. With a new family, I transitioned to a philanthropy role with the team, helping lead the Carolina - Clemson annual Blood Battle. The rugby team had one of the highest blood donation percentages on campus. We lived the Give Blood – Play Rugby motto. Together, we were able to support U of SC beating Clemson in 14 of the next 19 Blood Battles and changing the Blood Battle rivalry from 4 to 12, to a Gamecock advantage 18 to 17.
In 2006, I came out of my coaching hiatus to help Coach Mason coach and in preparation for starting SC High School Rugby. At Spring Valley High School, I helped Keith Bayer and Mark Morris to the SCHSR finals in 2007 and Commissioner's Cup Championship in 2008. During this time, when Coach Mason took a trip around the globe to see family, I stepped in as interim head coach, leading the Gamecocks back into D1 collegiate rugby with victories over Florida and Georgia.
High school baseball, Scouts, soccer and swimming overflowed at the Smolka household until 2013 when Coach Morris asked me to join the Carolina Rugby Foundation. In 2014, I helped Coach Darnell and Morris coach 7s when U of SC qualified for the Collegiate Rugby Championships. With the Blood Battle meeting on Tuesdays that fall, I was able to come out and work with the forwards as well, which led to the team winning its second SCRC championship. We celebrated the victories by starting the Carolina Men’s Rugby Endowment. In 2015, we added the Jeffery S. Smolka Endowed Scholarship. Since then, 40 scholarships have been awarded enabling Gamecock rugby to attract and retain top notch ruggers. The endowment laid the groundwork for the Carolina Olde Boys to raise the money and hire Coach John Roberts.
With all my kids off to college in the fall of 2021, I dusted off my whistle and joined Coach Roberts' coaching staff to celebrate my 5th decade of coaching Gamecock Rugby. I am currently the backs coach enjoying seeing the team become more competitive however I can help.
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