Jeremiah Wright
Dec. 29, 1979 - Sept. 28, 2002

   

by Dave Wheelock, rugby coach

Jeremiah Wright was born on December 29, 1979 in Walsh, Colorado. The only son in a family of six, Jeremiah grew up in Raton, New Mexico, and graduated from Raton High School before entering New Mexico Tech to study mechanical engineering. He was involved in cutting-edge research for the Petroleum Recovery Research Center at the time of his death on September 28, 2002, at the age of 22. Jeremiah was also the captain of the NMT Rugby Football Club, and led a combined team of student and alumni players on their March 2002 tour to Ireland. The day Jeremiah died, he scored a try in the waning moments of the team's narrow win over the New Mexico State University Rugby Club.

Jeremiah was our captain.

Not because he coveted the honor or status, but because his teammates demanded he assume the role. Jeremiah was not one to boss people around; in fact, from my perspective as one-half of the captain-coach relationship, my first impression was that Jeremiah was too laissez-faire in his approach. He was just too nice, too soft-spoken, to get the guys to do what needed to be done right now.

Some in the game will argue that to be a rugby captain one must be hard on one's teammates. They must respect, even fear, you if you are going to get them to do, under pressure, what you judge is needed at any particular moment of the fray. Jeremiah was not this type of leader. Jeremiah led from the front. And because of his quiet, unassuming way, it took most of last year for me to see his effectiveness. But those on the field with him were more in touch. While I appreciated a player who quietly and repeatedly did the basics correctly, who did the hard tackling his center position demanded without complaint, who set up others to score through his own exhausting work rate, they saw someone who reflected who they were, or wanted to be: intelligent, brave, strong, hardworking. And modest.

More and more I found myself using Jeremiah as an example when I wanted to show the players how to perform a rugby skill. When I addressed the lads, scanning the circle for understanding, always I would lock eyes with Jeremiah, quietly yet intently soaking everything in. I eventually realized that here was the best kind of captain, a student of the game whose influence flowed from the carrot and not the stick.

The rest of us in the team were aware that Jeremiah was flourishing as a budding engineer. I will have to let others speak of this, however, for in the absence of any kind of self-congratulation, this part of his life remained in the background whenever we got together on the field. Jeremiah was all about concentration.

And the pursuit of excellence. When I reported to Tech for this fall semester, hoping to find our ruggers preparing themselves for the impending season, Jeremiah was the first player I found downstairs in the weight room. (Perhaps incidental is the fact that he was working on his leg strength as I had specifically asked all players upon leaving in the spring, but I think not.) In his own words on a player information sheet Jeremiah submitted as a freshman, he said he wanted "to be the best athlete I can be". In reflecting now on who Jeremiah was, I realize he achieved excellence as well as anyone I have met.

More than this, Jeremiah was big brother to his teammates. They held him in a kind of respect that needed few words. But of course, even big brothers can stand only so much. None of us will ever forget the day in Socorro when the boys allowed the other team an easy score. As our fellows stood along the goal line awaiting the conversion kick, the sound of Jeremiah's bellowing echoed across the field as he blistered his boys' butts. Play picked up a bit after that.

Folks get pretty close on a rugby team. Each member finds out what everyone else is made of, real fast. Fatigue, pain, and the fear of both are unavoidable. There is an unspoken understanding among teammates and opponents alike of who makes the grade, and who excels. Jeremiah earned this respect not only from his peers, but also from referees and coaches who saw him play. And most of all, he earned our love.

Today I am sad, but I am glad I got to participate in Jeremiah's team. He touched us all with his ability, his dignity, and his integrity. He had so much to give, and he gave it freely. We just didn't know he had so little time to give it.

Dave Wheelock, coach
NMT Rugby Football Club
October 1, 2002