Sunday, August 27, 2006

PELICAN PLUNGE

HAIL, PELICUS!

OCTOBER 28 CONFERENCE AND AGM

The annual pre-season NCRRS referee conference and Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday, October 28.

Please set this day aside on your calendars. The meeting will be from 9 – 3, with lunch provided. Its location will be announced shortly.

PELICAN REFEREE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER ANNOUNCED

We are proud t o announce the appointment of David Williamson as the first RDO for the NCRRS.

Last season, David auditioned for the role by performing it very well indeed: he arranged for two nationally-known sports psychologists to speak to us, coached referees week in and week out, and was responsible for the success of our June conference in San Jose.

One of his first duties will be organizing the program and selecting speakers for the October 28 meeting.

If you would like to speak to the society at this meeting, or at one of our monthly meetings, please get in touch with him.

The Society will also be sending David to the Elite Referee Invitational Camp in Chicago in early September. This assembly will include the RFU’s Referee Coach Award program, which is for local and territorial RDOs.

NorCal referees are very fortunate to have so many talented and tireless people working on their behalf and helping them improve.

We hope that each referee reading this will make a corresponding commitment to focus on the upcoming season with a re-doubling of effort. This should include fitness, knowledge of the Game, knowledge of the Law, and emulation of the attitudes and manners that we see when the best referees in the world do games on satellite TV or the Internet.

And get a coach! It’s up to you to build a relationship with a more-experienced ref that lends itself to positive coaching.

REPORTS FROM THE NCRFU AGM LAST WEEK

A well attended NCRFU AGM was held at the SFGG clubhouse on Treasure Island. After the President’s report, the board’s slate of nominees was elected without opposition.

New Business:
The newly named Sacramento Lions (formerly West Sacramento) were voted in as a full member of the Union; congratulations.

Then two new clubs presented their case for probationary admission into the league as D 3 teams – welcome to both East Palo Alto and Mendocino.

Lamorinda/Diablo Gaels would like to enter an U23 team into the college D2. They've got good structure organized between the two club structures. This program will help to retain players who go to JCs in the East Bay and should be pretty valuable.

The new coaching certification program from USAR was described; SF Fog volunteered to host a clinic in NCRFU (probably November 4th, 2006). Note to all coaches: any existing USAR coaching credential will expire in the fall 2008 and will need to be replaced by certification from the new program. Details (there is an on line prerequisite) at www.usarugby.org, there is also a clinic in Long Beach on September 23/24.

PCRFU President Frank Merrill gave a brief report on the function of the territorial union.

After the meeting adjourned, the teams huddled in their league groupings to discuss their schedules. There will be 7 teams competing in D1 on a home/away schedule with the only full bye weekends being Feb 10/11 (San Diego 7s) – note this is the weekend BEFORE the 3 day weekend for President’s day – and then the weekend of April 7th (Easter). D2 will consist of 5 teams competing home and away and the D3 will consist of 3 pools of 5 teams competing home and away with the top teams advancing into an 8 team playoff for the PCRFU playoff spots.

Rugby World Cup Qualifier – October 7th at Stanford 2pm USA will play Uruguay in the second leg of the repechage to enter the RWC. Admission to his event will be free of charge.

Please make sure that accurate and up to date contact information is listed on www.pelicanrefs.com; send changes to contactinfo@pelicanrefs.com.

Northern California Rugby Football Union
2005/2006 President’s report

Thanks are due to several long term members of the exec; John Coppinger (now VP for PCRFU), Ann-Marie Henning (US U23 Women’s program director and oversight of PCRFU Women’s playoffs), Matt Eason (remain involved with DC and youth), John Riddering (short timer).

Success on the field:

Congratulations to all the teams for getting their games played in a bad weather season; many thanks to Hayward and Bill Dent for coordinating an all-weather field plan – we didn’t have to watch soccer being played while we were rained off fields.

7 National Championships for:
Berkeley All Blues, Women’s D1 club;
Cal, Men’s D1 collegiate;
Stanford, Women’s D1 collegiate;
UC Santa Cruz, Women’s D2 collegiate;
Mission Men’s D3 club;
Jesuit Tier A HS; Vacaville Tier B HS.

9 others Round of 16 or better;
SFGG RSL quarters;
Hayward Men’s D1 semi;
Olympic Club Men’s D1 round of 8;
UCD Men’s D1 college R16;
Humboldt Men’s D2 college semi;
Chico and Cal Women’s D1 college R16;
SFGG and O Club Men’s 7’s.

Hosted Churchill Cup and RWC Qualifier

Safety protocol; good first year; Disciplinary Committee activity was down with a generally reduced level of severity; players, coaches, spectators and referees were better able to enjoy the games.

Reminder – each team needs to INSPECT the other team’s ID cards (Tana Umaga seems to have played for a couple of local teams last year). NOT ref’s job; fake cards are liable for protest. Card may be any size; business card size easy and portable but a binder with sheets OK too.

Challenges:
Couple of specific incidents but much better than previous years. USA Rugby revamp and PCRFU issues continue to be a concern.

With the changes in USA Rugby there are a number of different voices in the public arena. In a few cases some of these voices could be described as provocative or worse; could we all remember that we all live in a glass house and that there should be a level of decorum in public statements.

Treasurers report:
Matt Eason sends his regrets; his return from vacation was delayed by mechanical problems. He reports that the finances are in good order and that he will address the details with the incoming Treasurer. There are a few collection issues

D1 issues/concerns – SFGG in league?
[Editor’s Note: this point would seem to have been rendered moot by the subsequent announcement from SFGG of Ron Seddon as the dedicated coach of their D1 side.]

May 12th/13th round of 16 playoff, location TBA
Weeks-long gap from CR1 to 16?
Weeks-long gap from D1 to CR 1
Preplan travel with Travel corp?

If no gaps (requires SCRFU agreement on CR 1) then start Jan 6; if a bye week before CR1 or before USAR 16 then 2 games will be needed in December (if a 7 or 8 team league, moot if a 6 team league).

For Pete Dubois / Kirk Khasigian

Youth dues – fund all-stars? Collection issues?

CLARITY AT LONG LAST:
THE LEGENDARY FORWARD PASS VIDEO FROM AUSTRALIA

This was sent to me from “David”, forwarded from YouTube. I do not know which David it was, but he has been unanimously acclaimed by the entire Senate.

I first heard about it in the 1980s when I started refereeing. It was described to me as, "an Australian video where they show a series of passes that look perfectly normal. Then they superimpose lines on the field and you can see that the same passes travel forward while in the air."

Over the years I have tried to find this video, or even to find someone else who had seen it. I did begin to wonder how the technology to 'superimpose' lines on the field had been available that far back, and so it began to seem like an urban legend.

After a dozen years of hearing about it, thinking it was a myth, I met someone who had actually seen it: Bob Woerner. Everyone else who had described it only knew someone else who had seen it.

Now I've seen it for myself!

THIS VIDEO SHOULD BE WATCHED BY EVERY REFEREE, EVERY PLAYER, EVERY COACH AND EVERY RUGBY FAN ALIVE.

It is seven minutes short and a low-density stream. Your computer and connection are up to the task.

It presents the information in such a manner as to be incontrovertible. The bottom line: whether a pass TRAVELS forward in the air is COMPLETELY IMMATERIAL in determining whether it was THROWN forward. A forward pass by a player in motion can only be determined by watching the motion of the hands relative to the body as the ball is released.

The phrase I use when refereeing and explaining no-calls on ‘forward passes’ is: the passer is not responsible for the wind, the bounce of the ball, or his own forward momentum. He's only responsible for how it leaves his hands.

The graphics are somewhere between Pong and Pac Man. The enlightenment they provide is ineffable and priceless.

Click here: Rugby Union "Forward Pass" video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgMlDy2jP9s

HOW STUPID CAN WE BE?

Let this website be an example to anyone who uses the Internet or any other public medium to ‘promote’ our sport. And this is meant to recruit HIGH SCHOOL players!

We are not going to apologize for calling your attention to some nimrod’s act of idiocy. Let that person anonymously change the damned thing:

http://www.oakcrestfarms.com/redbirds06/hs_rugby.htm

Let us hope there really is such a thing as the power of the press.

THIS WEEK'S PHOTO
Lovely_Waterfallette
Last week, as in so many weeks that the Senate does not find itself running around a rugby pitch, we adjourned to Yosemite National Park.

It is well-known that therein lies the greatest collection of waterfalls on the face of our friendly, warm, blue orb. They thunder and they awe, they dance and they sing. They lead us to dream, to wonder, to introspect and to catch glimpses of greater things.

Yet some are rarely seen and not even named. This wonderful watercourse, poetry in motion, is a few miles upstream of Illouette Falls. Previously it had no name. We dub it: Pelican Plunge.


HAIL, PELICUS!

For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

AN ESSAY ON THE MODERN GAME

HAIL, PELICUS!

OUR CHANGING GAME

The Game evolves.

Evolution, as opposed to revolution, occurs incrementally and usually slowly enough to escape notice.

Anyone can pull out their 1973 Barbarians – All Blacks video and see the changes that have crept into our code. The longer the time interval, the more evident they are.

This writer recently had the disappointing experience of watching a videotape of a game in which he scored three tries. In memory yet green even twenty years on, this had been a game with dynamism and flow.

Alas, magnetic traces on videotape are less susceptible to subjective and favorable alterations than neuronal traces in the cerebrum.

In truth, by contemporary standards the game would be considered to be a dog’s dinner at best. It was the kind of game a twenty-first century referee would complain to the appointments secretary about. The lineouts were chaos personified; the up-and-under was the primary offensive ploy; tackle ball was never secured and usually buried but not to worry! – the referee allowed plenty of time for the players to eventually produce it, just in time for another pop kick to the box so someone else could be piled high upon.

As recently as the late eighties, a tackled player could not properly lay the ball back; much less keep a hand on to steady it for arriving players. As recently as the early nineties, teammates in the lineout could not touch each other until the ball was caught. As recently as ten years ago, scrums formed up as far apart as they wished and crashed together at a mutually-agreed upon moment – the referee had no part to play in the engagement at all.

Some of these changes are imposed on the game by changes in the Law. Others are the result of coaching and playing innovations.

When innovation is occurring, referees need to be attuned to the direction the game is going and interpret the Law accordingly until, if need be, the Law can be re-written.

One such evolution is occurring at present.

Highly skilled, fit and motivated players wish to get back onto their feet after a tackle as rapidly as possible; certainly faster than a referee’s five-syllable thought of ‘immediately’.

What has been happening occasionally in the upper strata of the Game the past couple of seasons is the following:

Two opponents are running fast and meet at an angle. Blue tackles Red, who has the ball. They hit the ground having positioned their bodies so that their feet are quickly under them. Blue gets to his feet as fast as if he’d landed on a trampoline. But so does Red. It looks like their momentum has brought them back to their feet, as if they’d bounced off the ground.

In fact, they get up so fast they never become separated. Blue still has his arms around Red and Red still has the ball.

Those who are fortunate to be refereeing in matches of such skill levels play on from this situation. Arriving players generally form a maul and no-one gives a second thought that there should have been a whistle.

By the time the referee could have formulated the syllogism, ‘Blue tackler did not release after the tackle, Red ballcarrier did not release the ball but simply got to his feet with it, ergo I should blow the whistle and penalize…? ’, everyone else on the pitch is carrying on playing rugby while the coaches and spectators are happy.

This situation is the result of increasing situational awareness, strength and skill levels. Players are so keen to get onto their feet immediately that, in essence, the tackle is not consummated.

When his happens in the middle of the pitch nobody even remarks on it. Tackler and tackled player both go to ground and then pop back up.

But the situation has now penetrated in general consciousness as a result of an NPC match this past weekend.

One of these pop-up no-tackles happened a few meters out. The resulting maul was driven over the line by the attackers, where the ball was forced by the original ballcarrier and a try was awarded.

This brings up a 'larger' issue, which is the evolution of refereeing the tackle.

Not so long ago, we refereed the Tackle and then the Ruck, positioning ourselves and thinking accordingly.

Then, a few years ago, we realized that the players’ and coaches’ approach is in terms of winning the Collision before the tackle. That affected not only our positioning at tackle but also our mindset, the priorities we would assign to various players for compliance. (Basically, whoever's going backwards has to release first, be it tackler or ballcarrier.)

More recently we've realized that there's another wrinkle, the Contest for the ball after the tackle. Players, coaches and spectators don't want an instantaneous whistle; they want instantly-arriving players to have a brief interval to sort it out for themselves. (Andre Watson, in his autobiography, called this 'letting it breathe'.)

So - the refereeing of the Tackle/Ruck is evolving into refereeing the Collision/Tackle/Contest/Ruck (or Maul, if the contest is won by a player on his feet).

This brings us back to the issue at hand - the players who pop up before either of them has released. Both of them are saying: we don't want a ruck, we want a maul.

Refereeing this as 'not a tackle' is in the interests of continuity. It is also in the interests of playing the game the way players and coaches want to play it, and the way the fans want to see it.

Not applying tackle law to this situation is safe, it is productive, it's good rugby and we get to keep the whistle in our pocket one more time.

Our Game evolves. We are so lucky to be such a vital part of it.

NCRFU AGM MONDAY EVENING

Don’t forget the Annual General Meeting of the NCRFU, 7.30 PM, Monday, August 21, at the San Francisco Golden Gate clubhouse on Treasure Island. Food will be provided for the first 40 people.

The agenda for the meeting is as follows;

1. Report by the President and Treasurer on the 2005/2006 year
2. Election of officers for 2006/2007
3. Review of the membership status of probationary member, West Sacramento
4. New business, including the admission of new member clubs

After the conclusion of the AGM, the Men's Clubs will meet to discuss the structure of the Men's Club competition.

D1 clubs should be ready to discuss the PCRFU playoff structure and the possibility of Haggis playing as a guest in NCRFU (under all NCRFU protocols etc).

The nominated slate of officers for 2006/2007:

President: Giles Wilson
Vice President: Kirk Khasigian
Treasurer: Pete Dubois
Secretary: Katrinka Blunt
Scheduling Secretary: Steve Siefert

Nominations will be accepted from the floor as well.

With respect to new member clubs, admission to membership is by the vote of the member clubs at the AGM. A new club must be nominated and seconded by member clubs. Typically, prospective clubs are asked to explain (i) the reason for forming a new club, as opposed to joining existing clubs, (ii) its organization, finances and field situation, and (iii) why it thinks it can fulfill its obligations to the NCRFU.

Every club should send a representative to the AGM.

Proxies are acceptable. Proxies must be in writing and name the club giving the proxy, the name and position of the person signing the proxy on behalf of the proxy giving club and the person to whom the proxy is given. Writing means ink-signed originals, faxes or printed emails. The chair of the AGM will rule on any disputes regarding proxies.

FLASHBACK

This is, as we used to say, too awesome.

Somebody has made a ‘music video’ by combining the last 25 minutes of Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 classic 2001: A Space Odyssey with Pink Floyd’s also-classic ‘Echoes’ from their 1971 album Meddle.

What’s the opposite of déjà vu?

If you have a cable modem, sit back and relive this experience for the first time:

Click here: Pink Floyd Echoes Music Video with 2001 A Space Odyssey - Google Video

THIS WEEK'S PHOTO
flock_of_pelicans
You don’t see this everyday! Look closely – these are not birds of a feather, yet they are flocking together!

Pelecanus occidentalis, in the foreground, are ‘our’ pelicans, the Brown Pelicans of coastal California. They prefer seafood and choose their habitat accordingly.

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, the White Pelicans afloat, inhabit inland lakes all over North America. Some of them do winter near the Gulf Coast, hence this happy concatenation on the inland waterway near Galveston, Texas.

Thanks to Vera Green of Scottsdale, Arizona, who is aware of our interest in these avians, for sharing this delightful moment.

HAIL, PELICUS!

For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris

POULTRY IN MOTION

HAIL, PELICUS!

QUINCY ALL-STAR WEEKEND CROWNS THE HIGH SIERRA

Report by Scott Wood:
Another fine afternoon in the high Sierra as the Sierra All Stars (nee PAXO Old Boys) faced off against the Nevada Old Boys (NOBS). This was one of the coolest days (94F) in the twelve-year history of the gathering in Quincy.

NOBS had more youth--average age would have been under 35 but Fred Forrester pulled the average well into Old Boy territory.

I looked forward to this match for the past month. Always an enjoyable and extraordinarily scenic journey shared by S.O. With kickoff scheduled for 4:30, we started right on time at 5.

Three chukkers of varying length were played (longer when Fred was in--at his request). Two items of note: First, I've never seen so much kicking in an Old Boys match, and Second, unlike previous years of relatively silent players, the chirping was at an all-time high (no names mentioned but at least one person should consider revisiting the Laws and discussing continuity and materiality with others in an objective manner).

Following the Old Boys chukkers, a cherry tree was planted at the entrance to the Feather River College Sports Complex in honor of Officer Rich May.

We returned to the pitch for two 10-minute halves of young boys and girls touch rugby. It is warming to see so many generations in one place enjoying the greatest game on Earth.

Many thanks to Frank and Clarice Merrill for opening the home for good times and food to be had by all. Remember, the older we get, the better we were.

NATIONAL SEVENS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Report by Paul Bretz:
This past weekend the national 7's was held in Ferndale Washington. The referees included Mitch Damm from Houston, Tim Luscombe from Colorado, Chris Henshall from Pennsylvania, myself, and Pat McNally.

The tournament marked an end to Pat's refereeing career, as he had previously announced this to the panel. Prior to Pat's final match the announcer told the crowd that this was his final match. Players and spectators gave Pat a standing ovation. I personally have never seen this before and it was a wonderful tribute to one of the USA's better referees. The previous night at a dinner hosted by the Chuckanut Bay Rugby Club the panel paid tribute to Pat by giving him a National Jersey signed by all of the panel referees.

The tournament itself was wonderfully run and well organized.

If you ever get a chance to travel to Ferndale to referee take the opportunity. The field itself is in great shape and is overlooked by Mt. Baker. The Pacific Northwest Referee Society provided touch judges and did a good job.

Bay Area teams Olympic club and Golden Gate were playing. In pool play Golden Gate went 1win and 2 losses but was able to move into the cup competition thanks to a point differential that favored SFGG. Olympic went 1 win, 1 tie, and 1 loss. O Club ended the day with a win over Lehigh Valley to enter the semi-finals of the plate competition.

On Day 2 Golden Gate got beat by eventual champions OMBAC and then eventual Cup champions Oxy Old Blue from Southern California. Gate won their last match of the day beating Daytona 29-12. O Club won the Plate, beating PAC 33-0 and then Coralville Reefers 32-19.

NCRFU AGM ANNOUNCED

[NorCal referees are encouraged to attend the Union AGM out of interest.]

The 2006 Annual General Meeting of the NCRFU will be held 7.30 PM, Monday, August 21, at the San Francisco Golden Gate clubhouse on Treasure Island. Food will be provided for the first 40 people.

Agenda:
The agenda for the meeting is as follows:
1. Report by the President and Treasurer on the 2005/2006 year;
2. Election of officers for 2006/2007;
3. Review of the membership status of probationary member, West Sacramento; and
4. New business, including the admission of new member clubs.

After the conclusion of the AGM, the Men's Clubs will meet to discuss the structure of the Men's Club competition.

D1 clubs should be ready to discuss the PCRFU playoff structure and the possibility of Haggis playing as a guest in NCRFU (under all NCRFU protocols etc).

The nominated slate of officers for 2006/2007:
President: Giles Wilson
Vice President: Kirk Khasigian
Treasurer: Pete Dubois
Secretary: Katrinka Blunt
Scheduling Secretary: Steve Siefert

Nominations will be accepted from the floor as well.

With respect to new member clubs, admission to membership is by the vote of the member clubs at the AGM. A new club must be nominated and seconded by member clubs. Typically, prospective clubs are asked to explain (i) the reason for forming a new club, as opposed to joining existing clubs, (ii) its organization, finances and field situation, and (iii) why it thinks it can fulfill its obligations to the NCRFU.

I hope every club sends a representative to the AGM as it really is the way that clubs participate in the running of the NCRFU.

Proxies are acceptable. Proxies must be in writing and name the club giving the proxy, the name and position of the person signing the proxy on behalf of the proxy giving club and the person to whom the proxy is given. Writing means ink-signed originals, faxes or printed emails. The chair of the AGM will rule on any disputes regarding proxies. A form of proxy is attached (as a Word file) for use by clubs unable to attend the meeting in person

Thanks and I hope to see you all on 8/21.

Giles Wilson
President, NCRFU

SANTA BARBARA SEVENS?

A few referees may be needed to help out at the Santa Barbara Sevens on August 26. If you would be interested, please respond. We will be asked to send only a certain number; it will not be appropriate for you to simply show up (except for Aruna, who is a legacy at all Santa Barbara events!).

THE EAGLES’ LOSS IS OUR GAIN

By losing to Canada on Saturday, the Eagles now enter a repechage round, playing Uruguay here and there.

The home match with the USA will be at Stanford on October 7.

FEATHERED INTRUDERS

Thanks to David Williamson for this tip:

This link has several pelicans joining in a Masters Swimming Competition in Alameda--photos 19, 20, and 21 of 31.

http://extras.insidebayarea.com/ot/gallery/news/swimfeat081206/photogallery.swf?source=rv

THIS WEEK'S PHOTO
A_Home_in_St_Ives
As I was going to St. Ives
I met a man with seven wives.
A lovely cottage by the shore
They dwelt within; all eight, no more.
No kits, no cats, no sacks, but still:
Some Pelicans upon the sill!

HAIL, PELICUS!

For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris

Monday, August 07, 2006

SEVEN AND SEVEN

HAIL, PELICUS!

FRIDAY: SAMOA FLAG DAY SEVENS

A sevens tournament was held in conjunction with the annual Samoan Flag Day festival in San Francisco at Golden Gate Park.

Flag Day honors the political relationship of American Samoa with the United States, of which it is a Territory. The flag of the United States of America was first raised there in 1900.

After a cricket match concluded, the pitch was freed up for the Sevens artists to take center stage. Five teams competed in a round-robin format: San Francisco A and B, Santa Rosa, Hayward and Utah.

The last three all finished 3 -1. The order of finish was determined by point differential with the following results: Hayward, Utah, and Santa Rosa.

Referees on hand for the festivities were Bruce Bernstein, Bruce Carter, Isaac Caselis, Mike Gadoua and David Williamson.

SATURDAY: MARIST AIR PACIFIC SEVENS IN PALO ALTO

The final iteration of the Tonik Palo Alto Summer Sevens for 2006 was played last Saturday at Greer Park. The Diablo Gaels took home first prize and $3000.

Fifteen Pelicanrefs were in attendance. With Paul Bretz and Pete Smith occupied elsewhere, everyone essentially moved up two notches on the assignments tree, providing some great opportunities for some deserving referees.

David Williamson refereed the women’s final, won by the Grizzlies 36 – 0 over Los Banditos, a thinly-disguised SoCal Griffins side. The Banditos were captained by Sarah Davis and cheered on loudly and proudly by her father, our own Sam Davis.

John Pohlman had the high school final, with East Palo Alto defeating Peninsula Green 19 – 14.

Jim Crenshaw did a masterful job with the mile-a-minute open division final between Diablo Gaels and Las Vegas. With Vegas having won the purse here four weeks previously, visiting expectations met local-team pride.

It was tied 12 – 12 at the half, with most of the tries being via long distance. Diablo then opened it up in the second half to win 26 – 17.

Probably the most remarkable try of the summer season was scored by Mone Matangi.

Matangi received a pass out wide on the left on the far side of midfield. He had to beat one defender to make the tram tracks and head upfield, which he did with surprising ease for such a big man. The next Vegas player, covering across, forced him to make a high-speed, right-angle, right-hand turn, which brought him within the twenty-two but also within the pursuit lines of three of the Blackjacks.

The first two hit him, high and middle – and he continued to advance the ball with two accomplished rugby players doing their best to bring him down, carrying them along with him, slowing to a stagger as the arms got around his thighs.

About two meters out all momentum was lost and so too, it seemed, was a chance to score an epic try. However, the third arriving defender’s impact knocked Matangi down but actually provided the impetus which put his upper body over the line, where Jim Crenshaw was waiting with his feet in the frame and his whistle at the ready.

THE BEST SUMMER SEVENS IN THE USA

The Palo Alto tournament, thirty-five years on, continues to improve year after year. This writer has missed only a few of the four-times-a-season event since moving to California in 1980 and can say without reservation that this year was the best in his experience.

It’s not just that the two ‘money’ tournaments offered more cash than any other tournament in the USA, but also that the level of organization and the commitment of the teams continues to increase.

All four weekends found the nine AM games kicking off at nine AM – on multiple pitches. This alone puts this tournament in a class by itself!

We are so lucky.

THIS WEEK'S PHOTO
Six_Pelicans

JC Van Staden, Jim Crenshaw, Dixon Smith, Tony Latu, John Coppinger and the Whirligig Pelican close out the Sevens season at Greer Park on August 5.

HAIL, PELICUS!

For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris