Wednesday, July 27, 2011

HOW TO SPEND THE SUMMER

HAIL, PELICUS!

THIS WEEKEND

Saturday, July 30:
Marin Highlanders HS Sevens in Corte Madera

Sunday, July 31:
Treasure Island Touch Tournament at Sheeran Field

NEXT WEEKEND

For the USA Rugby Club Sevens Championships (men and women) at the SF/Golden Gate facilities August 6-7, we could use a few more volunteers to help out with AR, In-Goal and Fourth Official duties.

With two tournaments going on, it’ll take about twenty people in toto to fulfill these obligations and we are a little short. Please reply if you haven’t already, if you could help out either or both days.

CH-CH-CHANGES

Reno Sevens, originally July 30, CANCELED

Samoan Flag Day fifteens tournament, was August 6, now August 13 in San Francisco

Bloomfield Cup (fifteens), originally August 5-6, now Labor Day Weekend

Fiji Day Sevens at SFGG, originally October 7-8, now October 14-15

PALO ALTO SEVENS SERIES SWAN SONG

The third and, unfortunately, last iteration of this year’s Palo Alto sevens was played this past Saturday.

The event got off with a bang: the first kickoff at 8:43 AM hit the cheating referee directly in the nose when the kicker switch-footed it to the ‘weak’ side. Bruce Carter blew his whistle and stopped the clock with two seconds having elapsed, reassembled his wits, and went with another kickoff rather than a scrum for ball hitting the ref.

Soon sideline calls for a blood sub were heard as a trickle of claret appeared. Of course, those calling were merely jealous referees who wished they’d been able to get a game kicked off early!

Lots o’refs!

Phil Akroyd, Rich Boyer, Bruce Carter, Mike Gadoua, Rhoan Laymon (PNW), Tony Maphosa (PNW), Stephen Moore, Craig Parish (PNW), Edward Parkin (AZ), Eric Rauscher, Bruce Ricard, Brad Richey, Lee Salgado, Pete Smith, Bjorn Stumer, Chris Tucker, JC Van Staden, Scott Wood, Tom Zanarini.

Also on hand to assess Sevens competency for the next day’s course were Mike Malone and David Williamson, assisted part-time by Parish and Carter.

It was as perfect day: sun, Sevens, camaraderie and a post-match picnic. Who needs to go home?

IRB REFEREEING SEVENS COURSE DEBUTS

The IRB introduced a course for Sevens referees late last year. It had been taught once previously, by Mark Aitkenhead and Dana Teagarden in Germany, and this past Sunday it was rolled out at the Doyle Family Clubhouse at Stanford.

Bruce Carter, Mike Malone and Aruna Ranaweera were fortunate to have a roomful of fifteen knowledgeable, eager and attentive students. Tim Day flew up from SoCal pre-dawn to join the group, having worked a qualifier tournament down there on Saturday.

We now a corps of formally-trained folks to help with AR and In-goal duties for the club sevens championships coming up. Tim Day and Tony Maphosa will be flying back to join us, and they will be joined by visitors LuAnn Campbell and Ann Kristoffersen.

INTERNATIONAL HOSTING

Four Japanese, two referees, a manager and a SO, will be spending the first week of August in San Francisco prior to the big Sevens weekend on Treasure Island.

They will be staying in the financial district of San Francisco. If you’d like to squire them around, show them your favorite vista or take them to your favorite restaurant, we are sure that would be much appreciated.

If you have depended on the hospitality of strangers on exchange before, you’ll know what a wonderful part of our game it is. And if not – then you have a chance to pay it forward.

Let us know if you can help, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, August 3-4-5.

THIS WEEK’S PHOTO
New Grizzly
Phil Akroyd receives his Grizzly from David Williamson in recognition of having attained the Territorial Panel this past season.

HAIL, PELICUS!

For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris

Thursday, July 21, 2011

TOUR DE JULY

HAIL, PELICUS!

TWO BUSY WEEKENDS

Lots of busy weekends coming up! We could use fifteen or so July 30-31 (in Reno, Corte Madera, San Francisco) and thirty or more August 5-6-7. Note the fifteens being played on Friday, August 5.

Let us know your pleasure. IF YOU ARE A NEW REF – this is the time to get going!

Saturday, July 30:
Marin Highlanders HS Sevens in Corte Madera

Sunday, July 31:
Treasure Island Touch Tournament at Sheeran Field

Friday-Saturday, August 5-6:
Bloomfield Cup, men’s and women’s fifteens played in the South Bay

Saturday-Sunday, August 6-7:
USA Rugby Club Sevens Championships at Sheeran Field, men and women
Need 16-20 Assistant Referees

INTERNATIONAL HOSTING

Four Japanese, two referees, a manager and a SO, will be spending the first week of August in San Francisco prior to the big Sevens weekend on Treasure Island.

They will be staying in the financial district of San Francisco. If you’d like to squire them around, show them your favorite vista or take them to your favorite restaurant, we are sure that would be much appreciated.

If you have depended on the hospitality of strangers on exchange before, you’ll know what a wonderful part of our game it is. And if not – then you have a chance to pay it forward.

Let us know if you can help, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, August 3-4-5.

COLLEGE ALL-AMERICANS

When James Hinkin sent my phone a video of the final score in San Diego on Saturday, July 9, and I realized that the All-Americans had beaten the New Zealand Universities team so soundly, I immediately took Wednesday afternoon to be able to drive down to Santa Barbara for Paul Bretz’ second match in the series. Pete Smith was to be one of the ARs and they obviously needed a fourth official! It’s not often that we beat a team wearing silver ferns.

It was a perfect day for the drive: California clear once I got away from the Monterey Bay, a straight shot down 101 from Salinas to Goleta, about 225 rugby miles for the expense ledger.

The Pelicanmobile has died an ignominious death. Although running without hiccoughs, cancers were growing. My mechanic (and after what I’ve paid him over the years, I think I can claim ownership) said it had a transmission ground down almost to sand, a stuck intake valve on the turbo, and brakes pads whose continuing functioning could not be explained on the basis of their appearance.

The butcher’s bill was going to be 15-20K. This was a car with 160,000 miles. I found a sucker – I mean a restorer – who took it off my hands, full discloser included, for five hundred bucks. I told him that because the tank was full, he was getting better than a ten percent discount.

So I inherited my wife’s small, black SUV, as generic a vehicle as might be found on the highways. It does have two advantages: I don’t need a bike rack as there’s room inside, and it has satellite radio.

Two hundred and twenty-five miles is not enough to find all the stations you like, much less listen to them.

At any rate, I arrived at Harder Stadium at the same time as Tim Day, the second AR, as both teams sauntered up.

I renewed my acquaintance with Peter Tiberio, the try-scoring fiend from U of A, whom I met on the Grizzlies sevens tour to Fiji in January. Peter was to score the decider that evening on a signature intercept.

Pete and Paul arrived, preparations were completed, and they kicked off with maybe fifty people watching who weren’t either directly involved in the game or with the women’s Nations Cup also being played on campus.

It was a good game, a defensive battle, and the All-Americans pulled it out in the second half, winning the series. It was well worth watching to see how far our domestic game has come since I’ve been chasing the oval ball. College players who look like athletes! They used to look like pre-weight-room-day frat boys.

We all hoped for a bigger crowd at Stanford for the third game.

SATURDAY AT STANFORD

Festivities began at 10 AM with graduation ceremonies for the Elite Rugby Camp that had been taking place under the guidance of Matt Sherman, with help from Chris Clever, Matt Hawkins, Stanford Dallen and other stalwarts of the college and Sevens games.

This was followed by scrimmages involving the boys, who came from as far away as Sweden and Hong Kong.

ELITE GAME: GREY 44 – White 29 Referee: Bruce Carter
ARs: Ben Bravo, Matt Eason
This was better than the average high school game and with a bigger crowd. Had I known the quarters would be interspersed with a separate game for the younger campers (in which young Bravo played), I would have laid on a second referee.

Talk about tired! These kids have been drilling all week and were ready to run.

Nice to see Matt Eason’s son JR well-grown-up.

Then it was time to partake of the Land Park contingent’s picnic in the grove for the main event.

All Americans 20 – NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITIES 23 Referee: Joe Androvich
ARs: Pete Smith, Tom Zanarini
Fourth Official: Preston Gordon
Scoreboard: Bjorn Stumer
The stands were full and the fence at the north end of the pitch was elbow-to-elbow. In that, it was a proud day for NorCal rugby.

Tiberio scored another delightful solo effort to give the home boys a lead in the second half, but they couldn’t keep it due to repeated penalties, and penalty kicks, for destructive work at the breakdown.

There was nearly a miracle finish, as the AAs took the ball down the pitch, side to side, through well over a dozen phases only to be pushed into touch a meter or two short.

Great stuff!

DUNSMUIR SEVENS AND OLD BOYS FIFTEENS
Location: Dunsmuir City Park, Dunsmuir, CA
Referees: Scott Wood, Lee Salgado, Sean Peters
Report by Scott Wood

Teams: Shasta Highlanders, Chico Mighty Oaks, Highwaymen, Mendocino Steamdonkeys, State of Jefferson Elite Rugby Club, Oregon Institute of Technology

I woke early Saturday morning, packed my kit, tent and cooler into the trunk, kissed wife and daughter and took off down the road. Due to the wet winter, spring and part of summer, the tomato harvest has been pushed back. While this may be a bane to those who gain livelihood from the product, it's a blessing in that the juice-spilling tractor trailers are not trawling the interstate.

With some practice, Nirvana is reached thanks to mind-numbing miles staring through the windshield. It is after that point that one can contemplate the co-existence of pavement and rice fields. Given the time needed to travel from Stockton to Dunsmuir, if you put you mind to it you may be able to calculate pi out 15 or 20 decimal places. Or consider the significance of the square root of 2 (it is equal to the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs of length 1) and how long it took someone to figure out its "quick" approximation 99/70.

But I digress...

Unfortunately the better part of the drive is also the shortest. I arrived in Dunsmuir to find the teams ready for action. Lee Salgado and Sean Peters readying for action. Lee got the first match, I took the second and Sean (chicken hat firmly ensconced) finished out the rotation.

This was a 15s-styled 7s tournament. The teams rarely play 7s but had some athletes (and youth) willing to pour on the speed when necessary. I refereed four matches featuring five of the six teams. State of Jefferson is a newly-formed NCRFU club with a handful of experience and a fountain of heart, passion and willingness to learn.

Shasta 7 Highwaymen 40 NB: A Highwaymen player killed the ball but I didn't penalize him because it was literally dead. He stepped on it while trying to clear a ruck and it exploded. Fortunately, Joe Leisek was not present for he would have an idea of what to do with the deceased ball...
Highwaymen 17 Chico 24
Highwaymen 27 Jefferson 0
Ukiah 24 Jefferson 12

There were 11 or 12 matches then we got ready for some OB 15s. This was originally slated to be Shasta/Chico Old Boys versus Reno Old Boys; however, the only ROB to appear was Maka Pateta. So Shasta/Chico, oldest player = 52ish, decided to take on State of Jefferson Elite Rugby Club, oldest player was almost 34 (although one prop looked like a close relative of Mike Comstock). This was a fun match with experience being used in moderation. Jefferson scored first and Shasta tied it up near the end of the half. Two more tries by Shasta in the second period sealed the deal.

Many of us who stayed Saturday night did so at the Lake Siskiyou Camp-Resort. A nice place. They have a little restaurant/bar where I sampled Weed Ales "Jalapeno Weed". I love heat but not in my beer, although I would consider using it as a marinade. I'd write more about the evening but you had to be there.

SUNDAY, JULY 17

The final weekend (of three) of the NCRYA Summer Sevens took place in Dixon.

Nine referees made light work, four games each: Eugene Baker, Rich Boyer, Bruce Carter, Rod Chance, Mark Godfrey, Stephen Moore, Anthony Nguyen, Lee Salgado and JC Van Staden.

Anthony is a middle-schooler from Sacramento who is very keen. You might have seen him running the line at the PCIT or the Palo Alto Sevens. Now some of us have seen him refereeing and can safely say that he’s on his way.

The tournament is run hooter-style, which keeps the trains on time. We heartily support such endeavors.

If you have a 1:20 game, you can wander off, take a nap, go to the store, and know that the appointed time will be kept – as long as the refs hold up their end of the deal.

Too many times the hooter sounded – and then the captains came together for the coin toss. No matter whether it has started or not, that game is going to end sixteen minutes later and the lost playing time – that’s going to be on the ref.

We have often wondered two things: why no summer sevens in Sacramento, where there are a ton of players, and why no high school sevens, the kids having no reason not to be playing? Thank you to Rob Salaber for filling this need with this fine young tournament.

Saturday, August 20:
Sacramento Lions Sevens – two pitches, all day

Saturday, August 27:
Peroni Tens at Danny Nunn Park in Sacramento

Saturday, September 11:
Tri-Tip Sevens in San Luis Obispo

THIS WEEK’S PHOTO
Three Refs
At the NCRYA Sevens in Dixon, Eugene Baker, Anthony Nguyen and Mark Godfrey enjoy Sevens in the sunshine.

HAIL, PELICUS!

For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

LET THE LAWN MOW ITSELF

HAIL, PELICUS!

SATURDAY, JULY 16

We’ve got two refs for the old boys and sevens up in Dunsmuir. That should do it – thanks to Scott Wood and Lee Salgado.

Referees are needed at the For Pete’s Sake Sevens in Santa Rosa. If you can help out, please let us know.

If Sevens isn’t your thing, Joe Androvich will be refereeing the All-Americans’ game with NZ Universities at Stanford, 1 PM. All of the officiating positions have been assigned by USA Rugby, so you’ll need to buy a ticket.

SUNDAY, JULY 17

This weekend will feature the last iteration of the NCRYA Sac Valley Sevens, with youth and high school teams competing on three or four pitches.

Your scribe finally gets to attend this time, although stories of referees doing nine games apiece have him hoping for some help.

REO NEEDED

David Williamson is stepping away from the position of Referee Education Officer that he has so ably filled for these past several years.

The Pelican flock has been fortunate to have such a dedicated and innovative person in a position to help so many of us.

This means, of course, that there are shoes to fill.

Please consider: would you be willing and able to organize our monthly meetings? That is the heart of the position. We have plenty of good speakers who need only be invited and given a stage. The format of the meetings would be...yours to determine.

If you’ve been awaiting an opportunity to give back, to help out, now is your chance.

Contact David Williamson if you’d like to know more about his perspective on the position, or Bruce Carter if you’d like to consider raising your wing.

PALO ALTO SUMMER SEVENS

Forty-two teams competed last Saturday, a modern-era record at this event.

The Flock was up to the challenge. Six, seven or eight games each: Bruce Carter, Mike Gadoua, Preston Gordon, John Pohlman, Bruce Ricard, Lee Salgado, Scott Wood

Three or four games (had to leave early): Phil Akroyd, Tony Levitan, Tom Zanarini

One-game critical fill-ins: John Coppinger, Rich Boyer

Anthony Nguyen and Ben Bravo ran the line for probably fifteen games each.

In one of the newest and best traditions of the Game, Mike and Bruce got the first two games kicked off a full half-hour early. We’re there; the teams are there: time’s a-wastin’!

SFGG brought a side with as many as five different starters from the team that won their own tournament the week before, and went unbeaten. The Sac Lions and EPA were also quite good. These teams are presumably going to be in Salt Lake City this weekend for the Pacific Coast championships.

It was a glorious day! With forty teams’ worth of fans and family members, a pop-up tent city appeared, interspersed with beach towels and blankets making an irregular but colorful grid. Even before someone began strumming a ukulele, it was like a perfect day at the beach.

(For those outside of Northern California – you don’t go in the water at the beach here, even in the summertime. You hang around and hope the fog doesn’t roll back in too soon. The ocean here is the same temperature all the year around, the current dropping down from Alaska. Not for nothing was the wetsuit perfected in Santa Cruz.)

Report by John Pohlman:
I arrived at the Palo Alto 7's around 8:30AM to a pretty packed Mayfield Sports Complex.

Bruce and Mike were already getting the first games of the day organized. Scott, Danielle and Baby GemMa were awaiting their assignments.

John Tyler was organizing the games for the day. John said he had 40 teams signed up. Two fields with each team guaranteed at least three games.

This would lead to close to 60 games played. I think I refereed 6-7. Most who stayed for the whole day did at least 6 each.

Great turnout!

The primary challenge is with only two fields and three games played per field an hour. Many teams would be playing once every three hours or so.

Lots of good rugby. Eight wowen's teams. At least twelve high school teams. Twenty men's sides split into two divisions.

I got out around 7:00PM, a solid ten hours of rugby 7's. One more round in two weeks. Come out and catch the fun.

TODD PHILLIPS MEMORIAL GAMES
July 9th, 2011 at For Pete's Sake in Santa Rosa
Report by Cary Bertolone:

Faded Roses 7 – Clowns/Belmont Shore/Kansas City Blues 7
Referees: Bruce Bernstein/Cary Bertolone

All I know, is there were some huge men on the pitch, playing with focus, determination and power, all in the name of their fallen hero, Todd Phillips. Todd had played for all of the teams represented and his legacy is nearly unmatched. He has friends from all over, and to show their respect, they flew in from many states to play in this game. Many had won the Natl Championship together, with Belmont Shore, and there were plenty of 6ft 6 inch, 300 lb men slamming players. Fortunately, for Rosa, their team was stacked also. They had help from Petaluma, Olympic club, Ukiah and Vallejo, but most were Rosa boys that played tough.

I reffed the second two quarters and was very impressed with the high level of play. Both teams had numbers and substituted freely, keeping the entire game at a fast pace. I can only say I was proud to be a part of such a high caliber game, such a driven group of friends and such an emotional, first class banquet, all in the name of a fallen hero, Todd Phillips!!!

Report by Ray Schwartz:
The Todd Phillips Memorial Celebration, the First Annual "ToddyFest," was a big success.

Those who could get away early gathered for wine tasting on Friday, July 8th, with over 30 making it to Rodney Strong in Healdsburg, CA, by 3:30pm. The spread laid out by (winery owner and original BATS & Eagle flanker) Tom Klein's staff was amazing and complete unexpected. The wine, as expected, was fabulous! Speeches began at 4:30...before leaving close to 6, we collected a massive bottle of Meritage for the Silent Auction to come the next night.

The weekend's "core" events were held Saturday, July 9th. For Pete's Sake, Santa Rosa, CA, saw one full match played at a very high level. It was all over too soon for most. We had in fact hoped for twice as many players, but quality prevails over quantity every time! We then enjoyed a banquet at the nearby DeTurk Round Barn in the evening.

The game featured older players (averaged close to 40 yrs of age) but also had several youngsters. The local Faded Roses played a combo made up from teams Todd had played for: the Speed Freak Clowns, Columbia Outlaws, St. Louis Bombers, Zingari (So. Canterbury, NZ), Edmonton Nor'westers, Belmont Shore, the Unicorns and Cal State Fullerton (where Toddy coached).

Just as Toddy would have played it himself, no holds were barred. No missed tackles and fierce contests at every ruck... this was not your father's old boys match!

The match ended a 7-7 tie, with the Fadeds scoring first under the posts; the Combo Team Toddy later scored in the corner and slotted an amazing conversion. Several former Internationals and National level all-stars played in the match, as well as several starters from the recent Div 1 runners-up O Club. Watching #8s Super Dave (SoCal, Unicorns, Belmont) and Sione Takataka (Tonga, BATS, Hayward, Clowns) battle it out in the first half was worth everything.

This was a world class destination in every way. The For Pete’s Sake field and pavilion (named after Fallen Rugger Peter Eiermann) was a magical place to spend the morning. We featured a "bounce house" for the toddlers and a nice spread for lunch after play, helped greatly by Faded's own Chris Curtis. The weather was sweet and slightly warm. Light breeze and not a cloud...

Willie Moore, former director of the old Golden Gate Tourney, made his first ever pilgrimage to see For Pete's Sake. Willie and Peter had been teammates w/ the old BATS. After the Golden Gate Tourney had sadly folded, Willie donated $10,000 the Tourney had raised, earmarked to help boost youth rugby in NorCal, to For Pete's Sake. The Golden Gate monies were, in fact, the first dollars collected in a cause that would need nearly $600,000 to complete.

The DeTurk Round Barn, a newly remodeled special banquet hall with 120 years of rich history (former home to SeaBiscuit!), is an architectural gem and served us brilliantly in the evening. Afa Wongking (Faded) prepared the Kahlua Pork, Teriyaki chicken and Sapasooy with love and care. Bill Jereb (Cal State Long Beach, Captain of the Collegiate All Americans) and lovely wife Andrea were the local liaisons who helped Johnny Gilmore (Unicorns), Ray Schwartz (Belmont) and Dude Bernstein (Clowns) pull the event off. Jonny Carter (all three teams) produced a stunning 17-minute long DVD of highlights from Todd's life set to wonderful music. The DeTurk's hi-tech, Hi-Def A/V system was a perfect match. Later, a pub crawl on Rosie the Trolley ensued...

Look for next year's ToddyFest, the 2nd Annual, to be held in Columbia, Missouri, on or about April 7th, 2012. We hope to grow the scope of the event and rotate it to SoCal in 2013. Monies from the 1st are still rolling into the 501(c)(3) (we take checks, cash...!), but it appears we have successfully raised over $5,000 towards helping build a trust fund for Todd's soon-to-be 3 year old son Zealon, and what a wonderful kid he is!

Perhaps more importantly, we brought many old and new friends together, and have forged a promise to carry on having fun and working for this wonderful cause... just as Toddy would do it himself!

Please revisit http://toddsphillips.com/ and ... until further notice,

Celebrate Everything!

Saturday, July 23:
Palo Alto Summer Sevens

Sunday, July 24:
North American debut of the IRB Refereeing Sevens course
At the Doyle Family Rugby Clubhouse at Stanford

Saturday, July 30:
Nevada Sevens in Reno
Marin Highlanders HS Sevens in Corte Madera

Sunday, July 31:
Treasure Island Touch Tournament at Sheeran Field

Saturday-Sunday, August 6-7:
USA Rugby Club Sevens Championships at Sheeran Field, men and women

Saturday, August 20:
Sacramento Lions Sevens – two pitches, all day

JUST ADDED:
Saturday, August 27:
Peroni Tens at Danny Nunn Park in Sacramento

Saturday, September 11:
Tri-Tip Sevens in San Luis Obispo

THIS WEEK’S PHOTO
Lost AR
The Fallen Assistant Referee succumbs to ten-plus hours of action at the Palo Alto Summer Sevens while Mike Gadoua packs down a scrum in the background.

HAIL, PELICUS!

For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris

BUNNY HOP?

HAIL, PELICUS!

REO NEEDED

David Williamson is stepping away from the position of Referee Education Officer that he has so ably filled for these past several years.

The Pelican flock has been fortunate to have such a dedicated and innovative person in a position to help so many of us.

This means, of course, that there are shoes to fill.

Please consider: would you be willing and able to organize our monthly meetings? That is the heart of the position. We have plenty of good speakers who need only be invited and given a stage. The format of the meetings would be...yours to determine.

If you’ve been awaiting an opportunity to give back, to help out, now is your chance.

Contact David Williamson if you’d like to know more about his perspective on the position, or Bruce Carter if you’d like to consider raising your wing.

SFGG SEVENS

SF/Golden Gate hosted a Sevens tournament on Saturday, July 2, in order to dry-run their organization for the nationals coming up in a month, as well as to provide some good competition for the aspiring teams of the NCRFU.

Teams included: SFGG Black, SFGG Green, Sac Lions, San Mateo, EPA Razorbacks, Samoa United A and B, River City and Santa Rosa.

Referees were: Bruce Bernstein, Bruce Carter, Mike Gadoua, Eric Rauscher, Bruce Ricard, Lee Salgado and Mose Timoteo.

Mose played in six games, including the final, and very-capably refereed two more. He had the knack. If Mose ever gets tired of starring on the top super-league in the nation, he has a second rugby career waiting.

The Sac Lions went through the preliminary rounds dominating, with the only unblemished record. (SFGG Black and EPA had no loses but tied each other.)

In the first semi-final, the Razorbacks beat the Lions with Lee Salgado refereeing. Then SFGG Black took down Santa Rosa, with Bruce Ricard handling the whistle.

Final: SFGG BLACK 17 – Razorbacks 10 Referee: Mike Gadoua
ARs/IGJs (rotation): Carter, Rauscher, Ricard and Salgado

This was a re-match of the pool game which Eric Rauscher refereed to a draw.

It was a bit of a reunion: three of the Razorbacks’ players have appeared for Golden Gate in the past year, but played at fast-forward and full-contact nonetheless.

Both of these teams, along with Sac Lions, should have their sights set on the PCRFU championships in Salt Lake City July 16.
NCYRA SUMMER SEVENS
July 3rd, Dixon CA
Report by Chris Tucker:

Pelicans Present: Jeff Richmond, Rich Boyer, Rod Chance, Ray Schwartz, Nick Boyer, Chris Tucker.

Snow up in the mountains blocked the road to the trailhead Caroline & I were supposed to be using for our backpacking trip, so instead we did a couple of day hikes and behold! Sunday opened up. Just what I needed, 9 games of 7s in 98 degrees. Good conditioning. Tip o' the hat to Jeff Richmond who was the other workhorse on the crew -- he must have done a similar number of games to me. Remaining refs were either coaching or playing, and fitted their games in to give us a breather every now and then.

The setup is on two pitches, with 3 divisions -- 2 varsity and a girls division, each with 5-6 teams from around the Bay. All was organized and efficient, with games starting on time and finishing on the sound of a hooter. Props to Rob Salaber and the rest of the Dixon staff for putting on a fun event.

The games themselves showed considerable variance in style, with some clearly still mentally playing 15s, with plenty of rucking and a lot of needless kicking away of possession. But it's also clear that these players are beginning to get it, and the better teams (Islanders, Motley alumni, CK McClatchy) are showing decent structure going forward, if not yet quite figuring out the defensive aspects. But this is likely their first season playing 7s, so there's plenty of time.

Generally good fun all round, another great addition to the calendar. Those available on the 17th should definitely consider going (take a cooler.)

Saturday, July 9:
Palo Alto Summer Sevens
Todd Phillips Memorial at For Pete’s Sake
--Old boys fifteens, two or three games

Saturday, July 16:
Dunsmuir Sevens and annual Old Boys match
For Pete’s Sake Sevens
USA College All-Americans vs. NZ Universities at Stanford, Referee: Joe Androvich

Sunday, July 17:
NCRYA Sac Valley Sevens – youth and high school, in Dixon
--Need about a dozen refs

Saturday, July 23:
Palo Alto Summer Sevens

Sunday, July 24:
North American debut of the IRB Refereeing Sevens course At the Doyle Family Rugby Clubhouse at Stanford

Saturday, July 30:
Nevada Sevens in Reno
Marin Highlanders HS Sevens in Corte Madera

Sunday, July 31:
Treasure Island Touch Tournament at Sheeran Field

Saturday-Sunday, August 6-7:
USA Rugby Club Sevens Championships at Sheeran Field, men and women

Saturday, August 20:
Sacramento Lions Sevens – two pitches, all day

Saturday, September 11:
Tri-Tip Sevens in San Luis Obispo

THIS WEEK’S PHOTO
Happy Sponsor
Three Bruces and friends accost the Nesquik Bunny at Sheeran Field Saturday:Bruce Bernstein, Eric Rauscher, Bruce Ricard, Lee Salgado, Bruce Carter.

HAIL, PELICUS!

For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris

Friday, July 01, 2011

SEVEN SELECTEES

HAIL, PELICUS!

REFS NEEDED

Prepare to celebrate the Glorious Fourth of July by refereeing this weekend:

Saturday:
SFGG Nestle Nesquik Sevens at Sheeran Field, beginning at 9:30 AM. We have three referees so far. At least a couple more would be ideal.

Sunday:
Youth and High School Sevens in Dixon, starting at 9 AM. Same drill: three refs so far, several more needed – this one is played on three pitches.

Let us know if you can help.

ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET

At our annual season- (never-) ending soiree, Pete Smith announced the Pelican Awards:

Rookie of the Year: Stephanie Bruce
Most Improved: John Coppinger
Ambassador of the Society: Aruna Ranaweera
Pelican of the Year: Phil Akroyd
Bryan Porter Award: Mike Malone
Scriptoris Award: Eric Rauscher
AR of the Year: Tom Zanarini

Congratulations to all. The trophies are stylish and handsome, deserving to be displayed either in the rugby room or the main room of a home.

Two of these seven worthies were on hand to accept their hardware. For those who weren’t, contact Pete to arrange receipt of your trophies.

Thank you to Bill Yungert of the Marin Highlanders and JC Van Staden of Peltier Station Vineyards, each of whom contributed mightily to the conviviality by donating a case of fine wine.

PALO ALTO SUMMER SEVENS BEGINS

By Eric Rauscher:
More of a reflection than a game report. I did 5 games. Some of them displayed inspired rugby, some were more on the mediocre side. It is still early in the 7s season so we can hope to see improvement. It is other things on that Saturday that stand out in my mind. Getting positive feedback from other refs watching your game or getting pointers on ways to improve your game is a very wonderful aspect to the tournament setting. The ease with which you can both give and get ref coaching is a great benefit to the 7s settings. There is also a great chance for interactions with players off of the field. At one point I has a player come up to me and say "I have seen you around for a while." and proceeded to ask for clarification on the fine points of gaining or not gaining ground when the ball is kicked into touch and how the 22m line comes into play. It is also great to see the camaraderie amongst the players. After one of the coin tosses, the opposing captains gave each other hugs and wished each other well during the upcoming game. It was also great to see a kid (in a high scroll game) run down and attempt to tackle an opponent fully twice his size. I may not be able to remember each game distinctly, but is is these little moments added together which make for a memorable day of rugby.

By Bruce Carter:
Our readers know this is the highlight of the year for your writer, and has been since I moved to PelicanLand in 1980.

My wife enjoys the day watching fast action in the un-Monterey Bay-like warm sunshine. The price she pays: responding to the alarm’s call at 5:30 and being on the road before 6, for we have a standing date for coffee with that other Sevens’ maven, Mike Gadoua, always at 7:30.

We meet at Peete’s near Cubberley even though the tournament has migrated, in homage to tradition. This is conveniently located in the same shopping center with Piazza’s Fine Foods, a wonderful if pricey place to plan and purchase a Sevens’ picnic.

The cheese section alone is worth the drive, and the price of admission.

The day’s initial goal is to be at the pitch with a table between the two pitches secured by 8 AM. And it’s a good thing: at 8:09 all of the tables were claimed.

You may want to read this twice: it has probably never happened before in rugbydom: both first games kicked off fifteen minutes EARLY. This is possible due to the eagerness of the referees no less than the players.

The tournament featured eight HS teams and six women’s, with the remaining twenty being men’s clubs. Far-rangers included Dartmouth, Cal Poly, and the Arroyo Grande youth.

SF/Golden Gate, after taking last summer off, appears ready to challenge for the club title on their home pitch August 6-7.

The referee crew up until 4 PM consisted of: Stephanie Bruce, Bruce Carter, Mike Gadoua, James Hinkin, Tony Levitan, George O’Neil, Eric Rauscher, Pete Smith and Scott Wood.

As this crew departed to get ready for the banquet, the reins were handed to Rich Boyer, Bruce Ricard, Sandy Robertson and JC Van Staden.

The next iteration will be July 9.

Saturday, July 9:
Palo Alto Summer Sevens
Todd Phillips Memorial at For Pete’s Sake
Old boys fifteens, two or three games

Saturday, July 16:
Dunsmuir Sevens and annual Old Boys match
For Pete’s Sake Sevens

Sunday, July 17:
NCRYA Sac Valley Sevens – youth and high school, in Dixon
Need about a dozen refs

Saturday, July 23: Palo Alto Summer Sevens

Sunday, July 24: North American debut of the IRB Refereeing Sevens course
At the Doyle Family Rugby Clubhouse at Stanford

Saturday, July 30:
Nevada Sevens in Reno
Marin Highlanders HS Sevens in Corte Madera

Saturday-Sunday, August 6-7:
USA Rugby Club Sevens Championships at Sheeran Field, men and women

THIS WEEK’S PHOTO
UCB Building
There is a Pelican Building on the UC campus in Berkeley. Who knew?

Here is this year’s Scriptoris Award winner, Eric Rauscher, perched out front.

The building itself has pillars with pelicans making up the design for the capitals.

HAIL, PELICUS!

For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris