Your Scrumhalf Connection

by Kirstin Hartos

SAN DIEGO, California (January 25, 2010) – The San Diego Surfers Rugby Club proudly presents the 27th Annual Champagne Classic rugby tournament. The Champagne Classic is the West Coast’s premier women’s rugby tournament, and will be held on March 6 & 7, 2010 at NTC Park. The 2009 National Champion Surfers will host up to 20 women’s teams from all over the United States and Canada, competing in multiple divisions. This year’s tournament marks an exciting change in location to the newly renovated facilities at NTC Park and Liberty Station in Point Loma, adjacent to the tournament hotel and social. Teams already registered for the tournament include:

Club

• Belmont Shore
• Berkeley All Blues
• Boulder Babes
• Canadian Caribou
• Canadian Kodiaks
• Coast Classic
• Dirty Chickens
• NorCal Triple Threat
• San Diego Surfers
• San Luis Obispo Beaches
• Santa Monica
• Stanford
• Tempe

Collegiate

• Claremont
• Rugby Canada U18
• Blackdoodles
• University of California – San Diego
• Utah State University
• Utah Valley University

For more information or to register online, go to www.sdsurfersrugby.com/champagne_classic.html.

Registration fees:
• $450/club and $350/collegiate through February 5th; click here to register online:
http://www.active.com/framed/event_detail.cfm?CHECKSSO=0&EVENT_ID=1802532

Prizes:
Team prizes are awarded to Champagne Bracket 1st and 2nd place, Chablis 1st place and Collegiate 1st place.
MVP prizes awarded for Club-Tight 5, Club-Middle, Club-Backs and Collegiate overall.

More about the Champagne Classic – The Champagne Classic is the Surfers’ biggest annual event and also serves as the club’s primary fundraiser. As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the Surfers are always looking for sponsors and donations from local businesses and individuals to help cover our operating expenses (including equipment, uniforms, travel expenses, field rental, etc.). Anyone interested in advertising in the tournament program, making a tax-deductible donation to or sponsoring the Surfers should visit our website at www.sdsurfersrugby.com or e-mail the Surfers at SDSurferRugby@gmail.com.

About the San Diego Surfers – The San Diego Surfers are the only women’s rugby club in San Diego, and originated as “Ombush” (part of OMBAC) in 1975. The club changed its name to the Rio Grande Surfers in 1980. In 1997, the club applied for non-profit status and officially changed its name to the San Diego Surfers. In 2009, the Surfers won the USA Rugby Division I National Championship in 2009, and finished 3rd at the National Invitational 7s Tournament. The Surfers have previously finished 10th (2008) and 12th (2007) at the USA Rugby National Championships. For more information about the San Diego Surfers or the Champagne Classic Tournament, visit www.sdsurfersrugby.com.

Directions to NTC Park (2335-2455 Cushing Road, San Diego, CA 92106) – From I-5 South, or I-8 West, exit Rosecrans St. and continue onto Rosecrans St. Turn left at Roosevelt Rd., then turn right at Cushing Rd. The park will be on the left.

Your club is invited to participate in the 30th Annual “Throw Me Something, Rugger!” Mardi Gras Women’s Rugby Tournament!  Attached is a flyer with all the information you need about it.  Please note that the tournament coincides with President’s Day Weekend (Feb. 13-14, 2010) this year, so many have the extra day to stay through Monday. We’d love to have you!  Please let me know at your earliest convenience if you plan to come.  Thanks!

2010 Mardi Gras Tournament
February 13-14, 2010

The tournament will feature college and club brackets, with a minimum of three games for each team.

The entry fee is:
$300.00 if received by January 1, 2010
$350.00 if received by January 15, 2010
$400.00 if received after January 15, 2010
Please call or email Karen Dicke (kdicke@halfmoonsrugby.org or 504-812-5742) for the mailing address.
The Endymion parade will roll on Saturday night.
That weekend is also President’s Day weekend.

Tournament Hotel
A block of rooms have been reserved at the La Quinta New Orleans Westbank (504-368-5600) for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. The cost is $90 per night. Say that you’re with the Women’s Rugby Tournament to get the rate. The block expires January 22, 2010.

Karen Dicke
Tournament Director
kdicke@halfmoonsrugby.org
504-812-5742

Also, this year the Women’s Rugby Foundation will be hosting their Habitat for Humanity build again:

Habitat for Humanity Link: http://www.uswrf.org/2009/mardiGras2009followup.aspx
Tourney Link: http://www.halfmoonsrugby.org/

Calling all Ruggers!

Please forward this on to your teams to discuss and let me know if you are interested.  Chicago Women and Madison Women are putting together teams to go to the Mardi Gras Tourney this year as well as volunteer for the Habitat for Humanity project that is on its 4th year.  We were hoping to encourage other higher competitive teams into sending a group as well.  Habitat is Feb. 11th & 12th and the tourney is the 13th and 14th.  Monday is President’s Day as well so many may have off already.  I also have the hotel block info already.  Please let me know if you are interested in sending a team, otherwise if you have a partial team I will organize efforts to put together a full team granted the tourney fee of $300 is covered.  Thanks so much and hope you are all well!  Corrie

30th Annual DC Ruggerfest

Save the Date!  April 24-25, 2010

Mark your calendars now for the DC Furies 30th Annual Ruggerfest Tournament.  There will be social and competitive brackets, with a mix of club and college teams.

Early:           By January 31                              $350 one side; $600 two sides
Regular:      By April 15                                    $400 one side; $650 two sides
Late:            up until week of tournament     $450 one side; $700 two sides

Registration is now open for DC Furies Ruggerfest!

To register, please complete the steps below by stated dates:
Complete Online Registration – http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dGhLTFFqU2RNQUxIdmoyUGZyNGhZd1E6MA

Early Registration: By January 31 – $350 one side; $600 two sides
Regular Registration: By April 15 – $400 one side; $650 two sides
Late Registration: up until week of tournament – $450 one side; $700 two sides

Complete Invoice and Mail with Payment – must be postmarked by stated dates to receive pricing above

Complete Waiver – to be turned in at the tournament captain’s meeting

Complete Roster – to be turned in at the tournament captain’s meeting

The invoice, waiver and roster will be available at www.dcfuries.com/ruggerfest.shtml.  We will send reminders as we get closer regarding the waiver and roster.

College/Club:
American University
Austin Valkyries
Brooklyn
Pax River
Maryland Exiles
Maryland Stingers
Morris
NOVA
Village Lions
Catholic University
Beantown
Philly
Monmouth
Drexel
Princeton

Territories:
MARFU Senior
South Senior

We look forward to seeing you in April!

Amy Shopkorn
Ryan Whited
Co-Chairs Ruggerfest 2010
ruggerfest@dcfuries.com
http://www.dcfuries.com/ruggerfest.shtml

Dear Coaches and Players,

Please forward this message to your team and teammates or anyone we may have missed!

With the Holidays quickly approaching, we wanted to make sure that EVERYONE is aware that their have been some changes for the upcoming “Forwards Clinic” on Jan. 23rd

First~ Price reduction! We are able to reduce the price due to changes with the facilities.
Players: $15 per session or $25 for both
Coaches: $30 per session or $50 for both

Second~ We want to see EVERY PLAYER in the area, that wears a 1- 8 on their back available to participate in this clinic.
SCHOLARSHIPS are now available! *contact Shawn Loudenback for details.

Third~ there will be T-shirts for the first HIGH SCHOOL TEAM TO REGISTER!

Registration: http://www.huskyrugby.com/Clinics.htm

The University of Washington Men’s Rugby Club is pleased to host technical clinics for both players and coaches. The session will focus on coaching the scrums and lineouts safely and effectively and to better learn basic offensive and defensive strategies in and around the set pieces.

Coach of the lineout session will be Luke Gross, former US Eagle and the most capped
international player in US history.
The scrum session will be led by Bill LeClerc, USA Rugby Men’s National Team Scrum Coach and ex-US Eagle prop.

For attending coaches, EACH session will provide 5 credits in the USA Rugby Coach Certification Program.

Time: Saturday, January 23, 2010

High School
(Boys/Girls)
Collegiate
(Boys/Girls)
9 AM – 1PM

SCRUM SESSION
w. Bill LeClerc
2PM – 6PM

LINE OUT SESSION
w. Luke Gross

Senior Clubs
(Men/ Women)
LINE OUT SESSION
w. Luke Gross
SCRUM SESSION
w. Bill LeClerc

Location: Magnuson Park (both rugby field and classroom)
7400 Sand Point Way in Seattle

Cost: Players = $15 per session, discount to $25 for both
Coaches = $30 per session, discounted to $50 for both

Coaches and players are strongly encouraged to attend together for full benefit. Space is limited in both sessions and will be granted strictly on a first come/first served basis.

After two hugely successful Coach Education Tours of the US in 2009, where over 200 coaches, including High School, Club, Collegiate, Super League, USA Age Grade, Collegiate All Star, and Women’s National Team, and Men’s National ‘B’ Team Coaching Staff attended 5 courses from Vermont to Georgia to California, Coach Education Staff at the Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) will be conducting  a NEW and updated 2-Day Advanced Coaching Course at Georgia Tech University, Mid-Town Atlanta GA on the 16^th and 17^th of January, 2010.

By way of introduction, the QRU is the largest Sub Union in the Southern Hemisphere, servicing an area of 1.1 million square miles (4x the size of Texas), comprising an even ratio (1:1) of population distribution between regional and metro areas (population 3.6 million).  Comparatively, NSW has a population of 7 million 75% of which is spread over 9000 sq miles.  Despite the tyranny of distance, over the past 6 years, the QRU High Performance and Coaching and Development Departments, utilizing an even mix of players and coaches from regional and metro areas, have consistently produced the most successful elite player and coach development programs in Australia.  Specifically, the QRU Elite pathway has achieved the following:

· Won 5 of the last 6 Australian Schools (Year 17 & 18) Championships including the last 4 (2006 – 2009)

· Won the 2008 Australian Year 16’s Championship with both Queensland (Qld) teams (1 & 2) contesting the final

· Won 3 Trans Tasman Championships (Qld, ACT, NSW (Aust), Canterbury, Wellington & Otago (NZ))

· 12 of the 26 players selected in the 2009 Australian U20 Squad, just under half of the current Wallaby squad (14 of 32 players), and just on a third of Australia’s professional player pool (45 of 132 players – 4x Provincial Squads of 33), were developed through the QRU Elite Player Development Pathway.

The QRU’s flagship – “the Qld Reds”, competes internationally in the Super 14, and currently consists the youngest and least experience in the Super Rugby Competition, averaging across the squad less than 20 games of Super Rugby experience.  Comparatively, the 2009 Super Rugby Champions – the Northern Bulls averaged 35 games).  With the new appointment of one of the World’s best coaches and ‘Ruggamatrix’ favourite – Ewen McKenzie, all pundits, including Wallaby Coach Robbie Deans are predicting that the Qld Reds will be the biggest improvers in Super Rugby over the next 5 years.

The new and updated 2-Day Advanced Coaching Course has been designed utilizing over five years of experience conducting player and coach development in the United States, the experience and expertise that has significantly contributed to the above-mentioned triumphs, and will present evidence based coaching techniques used successfully and effectively at Super Rugby, Super 14 Academy, International Seven’s, Regional Academy, Australian Rugby Championship, Age Grade National Championships and Premier Rugby levels.  Different from the first course, the new course is workshop and case study based, looking at giving coaches an opportunity to experience and develop high level player and team profiling skills, which will allow them to develop effective playing an strategy which are culturally specific and relevant to the group they are coaching.  Further to this coaches will be given opportunity to further develop their technical recognition and programming skills as well as session execution, with feedback from the course facilitators and participants.  Finally participants will be taken through a process that will allow them to analyze their strengths and weaknesses as a coach and develop an individual personal development plan moving forward.  Essentially this course is a MUST for any coach at any level, that desires to further develop their craft, and provide a program and framework that is specific to the group that they are coaching.

Further the QRU also produce a variety of coaching resources/ aids. These cover many game facets and are some of the highest quality coaching resources available in World Rugby. By attending a Qld Rugby Coach Education Camp you will have access to and receive a selection of these.  A comprehensive list can be found by clicking on the following link:  Resources.

A draft program which includes hyperlinked session outlines and summaries, including biographies of the two presenting instructors can be found at the following link – 2-Day Coach Ed Program.

Registration for the program is 100% secure and entirely online and can be found at http://www.qru.com.au/rugby_education/coaching/usa_rugby_courses,67050.html.  Essentially just click on the link and follow the instructions all the way through to payment.

As a bonus – the Georgia Rugby Union is offering a $100 refund of the cost of the course, which is currently set at USD200 per participant.

Any questions, please don’t hesitate to email myself, otherwise we look forward to seeing you on the 16^th & 17^th of January, 2010.

Regards

David Hanham