Tuesday, November 02, 2010

THE USUAL

HAIL, PELICUS!

FORMER FLOCK MEMBER GAINS ALTITUDE IN NEW ENGLAND

“To: Anna McMahan
I am delighted to tell you that the Northeast RRS Evaluation Committee has promoted you to the Territorial Panel of Referees.

“Congratulations. This is the result of a lot of hard work on your part, and we are looking forward to much more of the same in the future.

“All the best,
Peter Watson”

THE UNUSUAL

We've had several long moments of non-silence for the San Francisco Giants this past three weeks.

What an autumn!

THE USUAL: NOT REMOTELY ENOUGH REFEREES THIS WEEKEND

Friday, November 5:
Two referees needed for games at Stanford, 5 and 7 PM

Saturday:
Men’s Slugfest at UC Santa Cruz. Games all day on two pitches. One ref so far.
Four-team short-game round robin in Turlock (just south of Modesto). No refs so far.
Several other games that need refs including Stanford and two in Reno.

We’ve got a tournament in Redding with three refs. Even though it’s two pitches, that’ll have to do.

Sunday:
Maritime Academy intra-squad game at 3 PM

Your assignments officer and re-assignments officer are both in Columbus, Georgia, and will be refereeing the Armed Forces Championships at Fort Benning the next four days. If you respond with availability YOU WILL GET AN ASSIGNMENT.

MATCH REPORTS

Fresno State 5 – SIERRA COLLEGE 74 Referee: Bruce Carter
It was a perfect day to drive over the Pacheco Pass, a World Series of a day: a bright sunny sky over smiling hills. In the Central Valley, cloud-shadows danced across recently-baled cotton and fit-to-be-trod-upon grapes were sagging the vines.

We had seventy-plus at kickoff on Halloween Eve.

The referee drove 150 miles, the visitors 190. Young legs proved to be more resilient out of the cars in the early minutes as Sierra set their point-a-minute pace immediately.

This official did a game three weeks previously in Reno when Sierra beat a senior men’s club, using pace and doggedness. They have twin brothers who are not to be tackled. (More information would be provided but the View Club Rosters portion of www.USARugby.org hasn’t been working.) We can safely predict a good season for them in the college ranks.

Fresno State is a new side, of which we can never have too many.

Seconds: Fresno State 12 – SIERRA COLLEGE 22 Ref: Carter
Each squad needed only to recycle four or five players to fill out two sides. We had a front-row clinic and then proceeded with full scrums in safety.

STANFORD TENS
Report by Eric Rauscher:
Stanford 10s, overcast with patches of rain and sun
I ended up doing four games. Games were 24 min, no half, started and stopped by an air horn.
Cal GSB 5 – STANFORD GSB 26
Stanford just out-played Cal. Both teams displayed decent skills and drive, but Stanford came out on top.
EPA BULLDOGS 57 – Stanford GSB 7
The Bulldogs were defiantly dominant. Stanford scored by a little chip kick forward into goal which was pounced upon by a teammate
EPA BULLDOGS 57 – Cal GSB 0
The Bulldogs were again dominant.
EPA LADY RAZORBACKS 10 – Chico 7
My closest game of the day. Chico played well with a converted try, but EPA had two unconverted. All in all a fun day with 5 new refs showing up, three of whom were ladies.

Fog 15 – SAN FRANCISCO STATE 25 Referee: Bryant Byrnes
Moist early days rugby on TI (after some mucky nonsense at the Baracus 10s). The sides wished 20 minute quarters and who was I to argue?

At the end of three quarters, SFSU 15 and Fog 15. Both sides then substituted. This is not your father's SFSU. Probably 30 strong, they are stout and fit. And the Fog were their usual high energy selves. Their coach is now Kathy Flores; welcome back to the Bay Area.

BARACUS TENS
Report by Ray Schwartz
Jeff Ferguson had taken the Level 1 class at Bellarmine High two weeks ago, and got to ref his first matches. Like so many of us at the start, he has a long way to go! I watched him a bit, shared some training techniques and ref philosophy, and believe I was able to sell him on the opportunity in front of him. He appreciated the honest assessment I offered him.

I challenged Fergy to stop playing (or at least play less), to focus on his fitness (adding it would serve to improve the home life with his wife Heidi), and start reffing as many games as he can fit into his schedule. He lives in Berkeley, attends seminary school in Marin,... I mentioned lots of midweek youth and high school games need his help, and how his becoming a ref will only compliment a desire to professionally serve others as a mentor.

I invited Fergy to attend the next KOT (Jan 28/29/30) in Sacramento. Don Whidden (Alberta) will lead a ref training session, focused on getting newer refs more comfortable with the task at hand, and along with Kat, Josh Tameifuna and Peter Simpson (to name a few ref coaches) will be ref coaching all weekend at the KOT Sat and Sunday, to back up the training session Friday. Sounds as though Ed Todd will join us as well!

I'm starting to build a list for this Friday session and weekend long tourney. A formal announcement (promoting the KOT Ref Development Program) will go out shortly to all NorCal clubs (focusing on youth and high school sides), as well as to all Ref Societies across the US, once again inviting other refs to come in and help with the KOT. 96 sides are once again expected to compete in Sacramento at the KOT!

I offered they are doing the right thing providing leadership in supporting the ref coaches and the KOT RDP, and added that good ref coaches just do not grow on trees. But we have a good, growing pool of younger local refs in and around Sacramento (Tucker, Akroyd, Androvich), and we will continue to grow that pool.

But this conversation was coincidental with the Level 1 Ref Class scheduled for Sacramento being cancelled due to a lack of numbers. Not good.

UC DAVIS 38 - 5 Humboldt Referee: Phil Akroyd
Davis were in control all the way. Even though they are down on bulk and power throughout the team, they did enough to execute moves and win enough set-piece ball to see off a less experienced travelling team. Humboldt scored on a break-away; Davis mixed it up with tries from backs and forwards. Not a bad pre-season game.

BEEP TEST FOR ASPIRING REFEREES

If you are interested in taking the beep test for fitness level measurement the morning of the AGM meeting, November 13 at Treasure Island, please contact Dave Williamson to confirm.

This is strongly encouraged for anyone who would like territorial assignments or who hopes to receive national appointments this year or in the future.

HAIL, PELICUS!

For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris