Tuesday, August 07, 2007

RUGBY NEVER STOPS

HAIL, PELICUS!

UPCOMING EVENTS

August 11-12:
The USA Rugby Sevens Club Championships
Paul Bretz will be the lead referee for this event. Hayward, SF/Golden Gate and the Olympic Club will be among the sixteen teams vying for the title.

August 18:
Tens Tournament at Treasure Island, hosted by the All Blues
We are told this will be played on one pitch. Three or four referees will be needed. Let us know if you would like to help out.

Santa Barbara Sevens: SoCal has asked for referees to help with this event. It is played in a lovely setting and would make a nice weekend trip. We can put those interested in touch with the appropriate folks.

September 1-2:
The Biggest Little Rugby Tournament in the World:
The newly-reborn Reno Tournament (fifteens) will be played the first weekend in September. Hotel rooms will be available for refs. Sign up now!

September 8:
Tri-Tip Sevens in San Luis Obispo
NorCal refs are always welcomed at this delightful tournament. Please let us know if you’d like to make the trip down to the Central Coast.

SEVENS CONFERENCE

Nineteen people attended Pat McNally's sevens talk Friday at the Golden Gate clubhouse.

For a meeting starting at 9:30 on a Friday evening, such dedication speaks well of the Society, as well as the three All Blues players in attendance.

Pat reviewed his experience in his first year as Sevens referee development officer for USA Rugby, and presented a talk on the differences between refereeing Sevens and fifteens.

This visit to the Pacific Coast wrapped up a summer tour of all seven territories for Pat, with the club and all-star nationals to follow.

What a lucky fellow!

FINAL ITERATION OF THE PALO ALTO SEVENS FOR 2007

The final day of the Palo Alto series is always bittersweet for those in attendance.

After we turn the corner into August, dawn tarries and dusk steals the shank of the afternoon. Europeans might consider this the peak month for summer vacation but Americans, forward-looking and industrious, are preparing themselves and their children for back to school and thinking more towards the autumn.

NorCal rugby beats with the same pulse. When Palo Alto ends, the dog days begin.

At no time is this feeling more evident than when the final try is scored on the playing fields of Cubberley and the shrimp are on the barbie. Drinks and memories are shared around while the heat of the day lingers like an old friend.

PELICANREFS VII VICTORIOUS

The SLO women’s team drove up to Palo Alto, only to find no other women’s teams entered. (The tournament was short-handed, competing with the Midnight Sevens in Vegas and the Samoan Flag Day tournament in San Francisco.)

The Pelicanrefs flew to the rescue, taking off their watches and losing their whistles for two games against the women in pink of tackle Sevens.

After scoring on the kickoff and again soon thereafter, the refs managed only a tie as the women came back in the second half.

In the re-match, a reverse pattern applied: the refs were down two tries before running out winners.

PELICANREFS ANNUAL CONFERENCE, AGM AND BOARD ELECTIONS

Our annual pre-season conference will be held at the Golden Gate clubhouse on Treasure Island on Saturday, October 13.

Mark your calendars now. David Williamson is planning another cohesive syllabus for referee training for the 2008 season which will begin on this day.

We will also have our Annual General Meeting and election of a new two-year Board of Directors.

The current Board is Bruce Carter, Joe Leisek, Dixon Smith, Pete Smith and Scott Wood. If you are interested in standing for election, or wish to put another up for election to the Board, the process is informal: it needs only nomination on the day and support amongst the voting members.

EXCHANGES ANNOUNCED

Aruna Ranaweera will be going on the Aspen exchange next month. We are certain that he will represent us well.

THIS WEEK’S PHOTO
No Losers
When Sevens is played, everyone wins.

HAIL, PELICUS!

For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris