THE BEST RUGBY PITCHES IN THE NEW MEXICO!

The Municipal Recreation Complex (MRC) is the culmination of fifteen years of organizing, planning, designing, and implementing the development of a true public multi-purpose recreational facility to serve the residents of the City of Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, and the many visitors which come to Santa Fe annually to experience the many wonderful outdoor activities which the area offers. It also represents the fulfillment of the dreams and aspirations of the many citizen volunteers, city and county staff members, and elected officials that believe such a complex could be built and worked tirelessly to assure its completion.

The project was initiated by City Council action in 1987 through a resolution endorsing a joint application to be filed with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the lease of federal lands. The application was filed in 1988 for recreational and public purpose use. Following the creation of a selection and feasibility task force in 1990, the city approved a series of contractual agreements to evaluate water issues, demographics, and feasibility.

After an analysis of available sites, the BLM site was approved as the preferred location and a lease agreement was executed with the BLM. In 1994, contracts were awarded for design and project administration. The first series of bonds was issued in 1996 to fund the first phase of the Municipal Recreation Complex construction. The construction contract was awarded in 1996 with initial construction completed in 1997. The second series of bonds was issued in 1998 to complete the project. The golf course and sports complex were opened in 1998.

This was followed by the completion of additional amenities to the MRC including the rugby pitches!

EARLY ANASAZI RFC HISTORY

Submitted by Larry Smith via email, 6/24/22

“The first Anasazi match was against a team from Ottawa at the High
Desert Classic in 1981, in the "match before the finals." I played #8,
Herb Howell was scrum half, Pete Seitz and Chic Kelty were the props,
and I cannot recall the various Santos and Aardvarks who filled the
other ranks. The result was a 31-31 tie.

“Rich Seca, a former ASU linebacker, played against us Santos in the
famous Santo match versus Scottsdale in Phoenix. He founded a Phoenix
old boys side with whom we Santos had a home and away series in the
early Anasazi days. Rich phoned me to ask if he could rename the
Phoenix team as the Anasazi as he was reorganizing it as an over 40
side. I told him that using the Anasazi name was out of the question.
As a result we agreed that we would form a Arizona/New Mexico over 40
side and that would be named Old Southwest. Subsequently Old Southwest
(including several Santos) played a series of matches versus Canadian
over 40s sides. Notable Santos in that endeavor were Mike Morris, Hans
Paap, Chic Kelty, and Jim Mokres.

“Later Rich Seca organized two United States v. Canada over 40s matches
in which Rich played strong side flanker, I played #8 and Chic played
tight head prop. Your may remember the Hendrix twins from the Los
Angeles RFC. They were the second row tandem in those two epic Canadian matches.”

The Anasazi have made several appearances in New Mexico, including versus Priest Valley of British Columbia, as well as tours to Aspen Ruggerfest, Galveston, San Francisco, Arizona, and Who Remembers Where else . . .