A Ruffians Game Coached by Gentlemen

We are a volunteer coaching staff and would appreciate any coaching assistance.

Coach Brock Ellwood is the head coach and is responsible for the backs.   A former wrestler/judo player, he found those skills useful in his transition to rugby after college. After starting out with the Grand Rapids Gazelles, Brock played for the Queen City Frogs (Cincinnati), Stamford (Stamford, CT and not Stanford University) Wombats, Connecticut Yankees, New Haven Old Blacks and the Connecticut Grays.  He was also a member of the New England Rugby Football Union Referee Association and has a Level I coaching certification. 

He is employed as a systems engineer by Shoplogix, a leading provider of real-time shop floor execution solutions.  He has a BS in Engineering from Duke University, a MS in Management from Purdue University, and a MS in Information Technology from Carnegie-Mellon University.

Coach Ellwood is married to Maggie and has two children, both FHC grads. 

Coach Jim Sunter assists with the forwards. Jim's rugby career started while he was in the Air Force where he played for clubs in Montgomery, Alabama, Wright Patterson AFB; and Dayton, OH. After leaving the Air Force and moving to Grand Rapids, he played for three seasons with the Grand Rapids Gazelles. He began coaching Forest Hills in 2004 and has his Level I Coaching Certification.

He graduated from the University of Illinois with a BS in Aeronautical Engineering and  currently works at GE (formerly Smiths Aerospace) as a Senior Project Manager.

Jim is married to Sharon (who he met at a rugby party) and has two children at FHC.

Coach Pat McRae assists with the forwards.  Another former wrestler,  his past clubs include  Hampstead RFC - London, England,  Traverse City,  Thunderbird RFC (Phoenix),  Tri-City Barbarians (Midland),  New Orleans RFC and the Washington Irish RFC (Washington, DC). 

He has a BA in Russian & Eastern European Studies from University of Michigan and an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management.   Current job is U.S. Foriegn Service Officer, U.S. Dept of Commerce on domestic assignment as International Trade Specialist at the U.S. Export Assistance Center, Grand Rapids.

His son Rory is a sophomore at FHC Central and plays for Forest Hills.

Coach Scott Specker assists with the forwards.  Yet another former wrestler, he played in the front row while Central Michigan University.  He worked in the restaurant business managing over 41 different properties and opening 9 locations.   Scott now runs a foundation assisting those with substance abuse issues. 

He graduated from CMU with a BS in Human Resource Management.  

Scott is married to Julie and has four boys (two playing for Forest Hills), 18, 16, 13 and 7.  

Coach Daniel Call assists with the backs.  A Forest Hills Central grad, Daniel also plays for the Calvin College Rugby Football Club.