Known for his enthusiasm, personal touch and ability to get people to work together, John Roberts joined the University of South Carolina as the institution’s first paid coach in November, 2021.
In doing so, he stepped away from a successful 25-year career in higher education marketing and communications to pursue his passion: rugby coaching and mentoring.
At USC, Roberts is back where that passion was sparked. He began playing rugby for the Gamecocks in 1987 when a rugby player (the late Warren Motley) spied him playing touch football on the Horseshoe and invited him to practice.
A 1990 graduate of the University of South Carolina with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications, Roberts launched his career as a newspaper reporter and is a gifted writer, administrator, storyteller and magazine editor. He earned a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration and worked in advancing roles at Furman University and Piedmont University.
While at Furman, Roberts founded the Furman rugby team in 1998 and developed it into one of the nation’s top small college rugby programs. He compiled a career record of 188-64-1 and guided the Paladins to three national Division III championships, five South championships and two Southern Rugby Conference titles. In 2016, his Paladins were Division II national finalists.
While guiding the Paladins, he helped raise nearly $500,000 for the program while serving as an unpaid volunteer coach. In recognition of his role as friend, mentor and coach, the trustees at Furman named the Furman rugby pitch John S. Roberts Rugby Field in 2009. Roberts was honored as Recreational Sports Coach of the Year five times and made rugby one of the most popular spectator club sports for students, who often fill the stands for home games.
In doing so, he stepped away from a successful 25-year career in higher education marketing and communications to pursue his passion: rugby coaching and mentoring.
At USC, Roberts is back where that passion was sparked. He began playing rugby for the Gamecocks in 1987 when a rugby player (the late Warren Motley) spied him playing touch football on the Horseshoe and invited him to practice.
A 1990 graduate of the University of South Carolina with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications, Roberts launched his career as a newspaper reporter and is a gifted writer, administrator, storyteller and magazine editor. He earned a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration and worked in advancing roles at Furman University and Piedmont University.
While at Furman, Roberts founded the Furman rugby team in 1998 and developed it into one of the nation’s top small college rugby programs. He compiled a career record of 188-64-1 and guided the Paladins to three national Division III championships, five South championships and two Southern Rugby Conference titles. In 2016, his Paladins were Division II national finalists.
While guiding the Paladins, he helped raise nearly $500,000 for the program while serving as an unpaid volunteer coach. In recognition of his role as friend, mentor and coach, the trustees at Furman named the Furman rugby pitch John S. Roberts Rugby Field in 2009. Roberts was honored as Recreational Sports Coach of the Year five times and made rugby one of the most popular spectator club sports for students, who often fill the stands for home games.
Through the years, Roberts opened Furman’s rugby facilities to many events and teams. Furman hosted USA Rugby’s Fall Championship series for many years. Numerous South championships, men’s games, camps and high school games have been held at Roberts Field, making it one of the most popular rugby venues in the South.
Roberts’ contributions to the game go well beyond Furman and USC. He played for men’s teams in Augusta and Greenville. A lifelong ambassador for the sport, he served as coach of the Palmetto Collegiate All-Stars for three years. In 2011, he founded the Southern Rugby Conference and served as commissioner from 2011-14 and 2017-18. From 2010-13, he coached a high school team (the Greer Spartans). His high school coaching record is 34-18-1, with eight of those losses coming during the team’s inaugural season. In 2018, he was inducted into the Greenville Rugby Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to the Greenville Rugby Club, a program he re-formed in 1994, after it had been inactive for three years.
Following his retirement as coach of Furman Rugby Program, Rich Cortez, then USA Rugby’s Collegiate Director said: “John Roberts has been a great friend of USA Rugby for many years. Moreover, he espouses the values of rugby that we all hold so dear—integrity, passion, discipline and respect. With patience and persistence and a good dose of humor, John has helped many a player through adolescence to maturity in facing the challenges of the sport and whatever obstacles may await them in their daily lives. USA Rugby wishes John well in his future endeavors while knowing that Furman will miss him very much. USA Rugby also appreciates Furman University for allowing us to be part of the Roberts era at the university.”
Roberts and his wife, Brandi, live on Lake Hartwell and reside part-time in West Columbia. They have five adult children.
Roberts’ contributions to the game go well beyond Furman and USC. He played for men’s teams in Augusta and Greenville. A lifelong ambassador for the sport, he served as coach of the Palmetto Collegiate All-Stars for three years. In 2011, he founded the Southern Rugby Conference and served as commissioner from 2011-14 and 2017-18. From 2010-13, he coached a high school team (the Greer Spartans). His high school coaching record is 34-18-1, with eight of those losses coming during the team’s inaugural season. In 2018, he was inducted into the Greenville Rugby Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to the Greenville Rugby Club, a program he re-formed in 1994, after it had been inactive for three years.
Following his retirement as coach of Furman Rugby Program, Rich Cortez, then USA Rugby’s Collegiate Director said: “John Roberts has been a great friend of USA Rugby for many years. Moreover, he espouses the values of rugby that we all hold so dear—integrity, passion, discipline and respect. With patience and persistence and a good dose of humor, John has helped many a player through adolescence to maturity in facing the challenges of the sport and whatever obstacles may await them in their daily lives. USA Rugby wishes John well in his future endeavors while knowing that Furman will miss him very much. USA Rugby also appreciates Furman University for allowing us to be part of the Roberts era at the university.”
Roberts and his wife, Brandi, live on Lake Hartwell and reside part-time in West Columbia. They have five adult children.
