Your Scrumhalf Connection - Women's Rugby Blog

10 years would have been an amazing record, not that nine years isn't pretty damn impressive. New York played hard and was able to upset the reigning champs. Nice work ladies!

From USA Rugby:

11-12-2006 - NYRC WINS FIRST WOMEN'S TITLE, STOPS BERKELEY'S QUEST FOR 10 STRAIGHT
BOULDER, Colo. – The Women’s New York Rugby Club won its first National title today at USA Rugby’s Division I Women’s Club Championships in Orlando, Fla., beating the reigning champions, the Berkeley All-Blues, 22-17, and stopping them from winning their 10th-straight championship cup.

“I think the difference in our team this year, compared to the last few years, is that our athletes have finally learned to trust each other and the team set up,” Head Coach Drew Fautley said. “That is something that assistant coach Chris Ryan and I really take pride in – keeping the entire team involved and making sure that all the players really know their worth. We aren’t about winning at all costs; we are focused on making the team better as a whole.

“Since the time that I started with this women’s club nearly 10 years ago, the team has been working towards this moment. And, to win now, against Berkeley, as they were vying for their 10th championship title in a row, is truly outstanding,” he added. “It took two phenomenal matches, against two remarkable opponents, but we finally pulled it off.”

Third-seeded New York faced No. 2 Minnesota Valkyries on Friday in the semifinals, and for the first time since 2002, actually moved on to the finals, beating the Midwest powerhouse by 17. They met Berkeley today in the final match of the Championships and hit the ground running, scoring the first 17 points to go into half leading 17-0.

The All-Blues finally found some offense in the second half, scoring their first try 50 minutes into the match, and again ten minutes later to remind New York that they weren’t going to take this one lying down. NY returned the favor 10 minutes later to put another five points on the board, and the game-ending try by Berkeley brought the score to within one try, but it proved in vain since NY was already celebrating their hard-fought victory.

“This was really such a team effort,” Fautley said. “But I have to mention lock Katie Brethel, captain Annie Collier, our MVP Hedwig Aerts and scrumhalf Lee Knight for all putting forth a memorable effort. As well as our flyhalf Kristin Baja, who played 60 minutes of this match after suffering a shoulder injury against Minnesota.

“I also have to give Berkeley credit,” Fautley added. “They are fierce competitors and kept us on our toes until the very end.”

In the earlier DI Club Championship matches, Minnesota beat Atlanta 34-0 for third place. Beantown battled through a nail biter to beat the Twin City Amazons, 11-10 to take home the plate, while the Washington Furies took it to Keystone, winning 13-3 to secure seventh place.

Bad Sportsmanship:

While we were in South Carolina for Sweet 16s one of our girls got seriously raked in the bottom of the ruck. She vividly remembers being "walked on" in the bottom of the ruck.

The referee said that he didn't see it, and no one on the DC Furies would fuss up and say they did it.

Not sure how you missed it ref...and I know why you don't want to pony up...cause the picture says it all. Keep your boots away from faces please ladies!!

Our T-hall is a trooper though, the next pic is of her that night dressed up for Halloween. She would have been perfect as a zombie...however was a Valkyrie. She even wore the costume home on the plane...or tried to, they made her take it off at security.

USA Rugby and T-hall's BLACK EYE: From Jen Joyce:
This isn't a big deal, just kind of a cool story. As most of you heard this weekend, I was all excited because I ended up with a little black eye in Saturday's game-which was nothing compared to the glorious TIFFANY! Anyway, I was all excited because I typically don't bruise (even after breaking my nose several times in the past). So even though I felt my face crack Saturday, I was left with a bruise that Steph called "tiny", but I was happy with it. Then, I was hit again Sunday and ended up with a really pretty black eye by Sunday night.

So yesterday I flew to New York for a meeting with the USA rugby board and new president to come up with the strategic marketing plan for the business and high-performance programs. On the flight to NYC, I forgot about my eye and blew my nose, which made a HUGE air bubble and it looked even MORE swollen and gross.

So yesterday morning I get to the meeting and the guys were like, "What happened?" When I said that it was sweet 16s, it was like it registered for the first time that women do, indeed, play rugby. Once I described Tiffany's injury and how she was booted, and then told the story of Meg being prone to facial injuries, they were all about using this as a marketing tool. So, end the end, the board decided to use the "two faces of women's rugby" as a marketing tactic. So they want to shoot pictures of a female rugby player who has a black eye-from one side, showing the beauty, intelligence and professionalism of the female athlete, and from the other side, showing the black eye [and all of the strength, aggression, and intensity of the high-impact of women's rugby].

Thanks,
Jen Joyce

2 NEW BLOGs! Put Me in Coach! and a U19 Girls Rugby:

Put Me in Coach! Check it out here...it looks really promising!

U19 Girls Rugby Blog.

Women's D1 Rugby National Championships:

Check out the website.

Some Team Pictures:

Colorado State University 2006 Team Picture

Texas Sate University 2006 Team Picture

Austin Valkyries at a Wedding!! 2006

We picked up the bus last week and here are some pictures of the adventure!! (Click on any image to get a bigger version!)

First we have Jonathon and I waiting for the bus to be unlocked. My hands are in my pockets because it was surprisingly cold that morning!! I love how the front of the bus is square it makes it look FIERCE!!

The next pic is what you see when you first enter the bus. On the right we have the mini kitchen! This includes running water to the small sink, cabinets, overhead shelving, microwave and a little fridge! Very cute!

Next pic is of Jonathon and I sitting at the small card table. This would be an area for eating, reading, working, playing card games (poker!!), bullshitting or whatever. Its a cute table and holds 4 comfortably.

Finally we have the shot from the back of the bus, notice the bench style seating...we have talked about a few renovations for this part...including fluffier pillows and benches, possibly adding a platform to make the whole back a HUGE bed, or adding bean bags for comfort.

And if you were wondering what Jonathon was looking at....its our very own beaver bus toilet! Very strict that this is a #1 toilet only!!! No rule-breakers or you will clean it!! Also there is a rumor that this can be used as a shower in times of emergency.


Then there is a cute pic of Jonathon and I sitting in the driver's seat. Notice how BIG the steering wheel is!

And last but not least is a pic of the Beaver Bus parked at the House of WAM!! It fits perfectly in the driveway! Parked a little crooked, but we will work it out.

Thanks for taking a tour with me!

Some GREAT pics from the High Desert Tournament a few weeks ago. Use the dropdown menu to access the pics.

High Desert Pictures

Buy Nothing Day.

From Adbusters.org:

Every November 25, for 24 hours, we remember that no one was born to shop, we make a small choice to participate by not participating. We call it Buy Nothing Day, and judging by the huge successes seen all across the globe last year – with thousands of activists and fed-up citizens taking part in dozens of countries – this year’s festival of restraint could be the biggest yet.

If you’ve never taken part in Buy Nothing Day, or if you’ve taken part in the past but haven’t really committed to doing it again, consider this: 2006 will go down as the year in which mainstream dialogue about global warming finally reached its critical mass. What better way to bring the Year of Global Warming to a close than to point people in the direction of real and effective alternatives to the unbridled consumption that has created this quagmire?

From Wikipedia:

Buy Nothing Day is an informal day of protest against consumerism observed by social activists. It was founded by Vancouver artist Ted Dave and subsequently promoted by the Canadian Adbusters magazine. Participants refrain from purchasing anything for 24 hours in a concentrated display of consumer power. The event is intended to raise awareness of what some see as the wasteful consumption habits of First World countries. Activists may also participate in culture jamming activities like the Whirl-Mart and other forms of radical expression. It is also used to protest materialism and bandwagon appeals.

In the United States and Canada, supporters demonstrate on the day after American Thanksgiving. This day, often called "Black Friday," is one of the busier shopping days of the year (though not in Canada, but the date remains there to synchronize events). In other countries the demonstrations occur a day later.

Since "Buy Nothing Day" occurs the day after American Thanksgiving, and the meaning of Buy Nothing Day is to resist mindless consumerism, some people have viewed Buy Nothing Day as an opportunity to expose the "hypocrisy" of the Thanksgiving weekend. Since Thanksgiving has always had an emphasis on friends, family and community, while the day after Thanksgiving has more recently had an emphasis on consumerism and shopping, "Buy Nothing Day" may be seen by some protesters as a way of reclaiming the 'original meaning' of Thanksgiving: encouraging friends and family to socialize instead of encouraging individual income-earners to spend their money.

Of course, others include the material provision associated with the annual harvest in their Thanksgiving, and welcome the pre-Christmas sales as an opportunity both to provide for the needs of those they love, and to give generously rather than keep what they've earned to themselves. On their view, merchants provide valuable goods and services, a sale day serves both buyer and seller, and the Thanksgiving to Christmas season presents both a temptation to materialism and an opportunity for the proper enjoyment of material blessings coupled with a special effort to ensure that the poorest are not excluded.

Critics of "Buy Nothing Day" point out that consumers would simply buy more the next day instead, rendering their protest pointless. However, participants argue that this is false.

9am: ROAD TRIP!!!!

Traci, Ros, Steph and I made the two hour trip to College Station, TX this weekend to watch Texas A&M play Texas Tech. The trip of course starts late...but after everyone gets picked up...we begin the search for healthy fast food. This can always be a challenge, but Steph had her eyes on this morning and spotted an AWESOME Mexican restaurant. They gave us HUGE orange juices...that really turned out to be Sunny D. Yummy.

(I tried to find a more recent pic of the Aggies, but couldn't....so here ya go. Spring '06)

So we roll up to the pitch and they have just kicked off, and Texas A&M has just put one under the posts. From the time we park the car, walk across the street they have already put another try on the scoreboard. So Ros and I run over to the TX Tech coach and ask if they want any whores (we brought our kits!). They are down to 13, so we boot up and get on the field by half.

I'll give you the ending first...76-0. BUT!! The score was 48 or so to 0 at the half, so we managed to slow those girls down! It was a hard fought battle, and Texas A&M is great at creating those overloads, and eventually we couldn't stop them. But we held them to less trys than in the first half.

So a shout-out to Tech and their hard work. They are a young team that shows alot of potential. Get ball-hungry girls and NEVER leave a mate alone. Always find her. As always Texas A&M is a great program and always perform well. Good luck next week against those crazy EUI bitches. Yes I said bitches.

I HATE SCHOOL!!! Ok, sorry had to get that out...argh, well I'm doing a presentation on Youth Rugby growing in the US and found some AWESOME posters! Check them out!



Just click on the image to get a larger view.
They also have a GREAT Spectator's Guide that is graphically enhanced. Check it out here...

Rocky, Shalay, Jonathon and I picked up the bus this morning...its so exciting!!! It's a huge school bus that has been converted into an RV. It has bench seating, row seating, plenty of room for storage, a toilet, fridge, cabinets, microwave, running water and more!!

We are already talking about painting one side with the Valkyries colors, one side the Huns colors and the back will have the BEAVER on it. It needs some decorating tips, but that is why we have the amazing talent we do on our team. We have seamstresses, painters, carpenters and even a mechanic!

We have like 12 people committed to the BEAVER TOUR and I am so very excited! I will keep you posted with renovation pics!

And here is the fantasy route we are thinking about taking....thanks to Mapquest's new Road Trip Tool. (I KNOW! I KNOW! Google Maps...but they don't have this tool!)

I am proud to post this email...the Satiated Beavers (Austin Valkyries 7's team) is taking a 7's tour in June 2007.

Check out the bus we just had donated!! It's so sweet! It needs some work, but we are excited!!

Valkyries,

Here is the big announcement: We are planning a BEAVER 7s TOUR of the WEST and
SOUTHWEST for Summer
2007 and all Valkyries are invited.

As I begin to seriously put together a beaver bus tour of the west coast for 2007, I'd like to get a head count of those *seriously* interested in:

1. Playing competitive 7s rugby
2. Traveling for ~10 days in mid- or late-June *see note below*
3. Camping and sightseeing on our way to the West Coast
4. Partying in the beavermobile with the hottest ruggers in the country

The very tentative plan is to travel in the tour bus to the Vegas 7s tournament, head over to
LA and San Diego areas for round robins with local teams and then make our way home, maybe via carlsbad caverns. Along the way we can visit wineries, historical markers, bars and night clubs, and even the world's biggest thermometer, whatever strikes our fancy... and doesn't delay too much from our itinerary.

----
So if you want to donate to our cause, schedule a game, or whatever...leave something in the comments or visit the Austin Valkyries website.

I don't know how to start this post. If you have been reading my blog for the last month you know everything has been about Sweet 16s. I have seriously slacked on my college coverage of local teams in the area. Sorry guys.

We trained, trained, strategized, ate, slept, dreamed, visualized, felt, and wanted that weekend in SC. As I walked away on Sunday afternoon with various bruises and mentally exhausted it still hadn't hit me. The season is over. No Florida, no nationals rugby.

I know it may have been to much to want or desire, but we wanted it. A young Valkyrie team with rookies, new players, new positions, new ideas and we thought we had it all. And I am here to tell you that we DO have it all. We are a great team that works hard on and off the field.

We just couldn't get it together in South Carolina. Maybe it was the storm that blew through Friday night that took our hopes with it. Saturday we played the Furies and we played our hearts out. We were a little slow to wake up but then got it rolling. I remember at halftime thinking this is a good game! But then realizing that we hadn't scored a single point. We spent the whole game in their end and just couldn't capitalize.

We lost 27-10.

As I stood in the circle holding my mates...I saw tears in all our eyes. Our souls fell out our bodies and fell onto that pitch. Walking away from that field was one of the hardest things I have ever done. All that work and we couldn't make it happen.

Saturday night was almost surreal, I wanted to badly to be alone and be able to digest thoughts, feelings...I tried to walk around outside but it was all interstate and no green grass to lie in. So I grabbed my notebook and snuck around trying to find somewhere. I finally found a spot and let it all spill out onto that paper. My hopes, dreams, thoughts, loves, aspirations...all came spilling out.

I thought I was ready for Sunday and I thought we were ready as a team. We played well but couldn't make it happen again. We lost 5-7. I missed the kick by inches and we lost the game. When the whistle blew I fell to the ground and all I remember is Meg and Traci holding me up. I sobbed and let all my emotions be shown. All of our hard work...all the time, money, etc...the sacrifices as a team, individuals...it was to much.

As I was walking to the car that afternoon...I knew I was supposed to be where I was. What if we had gone to Nationals? Would I be ready as a player? Would we be ready as a team? We had only played THREE upper-level matches this season. Were we really ready?

I guess we will have to wait for next year. Thanks for the ride Valks. Lets go camping!!