Upon leaving school he became a member of the Old Boy association Instonians and a regular player for their rugby team up until his mid-thirties.
The original part of the modern-day club, it started play in the Ulster Junior League in season 1919-20, and produced play of sufficient quality to merit immediate election to the Ulster Senior League for the following season.
West was a member of Instonians in 2003 and in 2004 he moved to Bangor Cricket Club where he was the team's professional player for two seasons.