So today was day 2 of Ruggerfest (the all-women's rugby tournament this weekend) and it was just as fun as yesterday!! Well, actually slightly less fun, because we only played one game and we lost that, but it was a well-played game and I got to play wing in my favorite back triangle (me and Scrappy on wings, and Petrides at fullback). As I said we lost the game, but we still played quite well, and ended our season on a good note.
After the game was over, I decided to stay rather than come back to campus with most of the team - the Maryland Stingers had invited any of us who could to stay and maybe play with them. I didn't end up getting to play (they needed forwards more than backs, so Keen played while Scrappy and I watched), but it was still really great to warm up with the Stingers, wear a sub jersey, and watch the game. The Stingers are a women's club team that has a really good relationship with AU - that is, half their team is AU alum - so I'm getting to know and recognize some of their players.
Following the Stingers' game, the three of us who'd stayed hung out with Deanna and Maria (two of our coaches who were also there) and watched the final game of the highest bracket.
Then Maria gave the three of us a ride back to campus (after we stopped off at the KFC/Taco Bell combo for food with Primo), and I got back juuuuuuust in time to get to work in the oh-so-exciting library reserves.
And so here I am - hyped up on rugby, beer, and a little caffeine, not too sore yet (thanks to ibuprofin and the sun), avoiding studying for my Japanese oral final tomorrow! Hurrah!
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Mid-Ruggerfest update
Rugby today? SO MUCH FUN! Today and tomorrow (yay! I get to play again tomorrow!) are the last times playing rugby this season (there's the rookie party next weekend, but that's a totally different kind of playing). We're at Ruggerfest, which is an all-women's rugby tournament. Today I got to play all 80 minutes of our two 40 minute games, at wing. I didn't tackle anyone, but I only got one or two opportunities to, and I DID shove four or five girls into touch (that's a good thing). The more I play this sport the more I love it. The newest thing that I love? RUCKING. Oh my god is rucking FUN. Seriously! Running into people with your shoulders and pushing them back? AMAZING feeling!
Sunday, April 23, 2006
AUWRFC: Ten years going strong
This weekend there was an alumni reunion for the rugby team, which has been together since 1996 (10 years!!!). It was INSANE. I am absolutely exhausted, but it was SO much fun!
It started out Friday night, when we had team dinner in TDR with some alumni and some of the team. Usually, I eat pretty fast and get out of there - but with some of the stories being told, I was laughing so hard it was impossible to eat! I stayed for an hour and a half, then somehow ended up going over to the rugby house to help set up (which was also quite fun).
Saturday I was up at 10 to go to the pitch, where the team watched the Stinger's game before our own 2:00 match of AU ruggers vs. Alumni. We were supposed to play four 15 min quarters, but ended up only playing three (because some of the alumni are old and out of shape, and they were getting injured pretty frequently). I played wing, then fullback, then wing again and had a GREAT time - I got some nice tackles in, including a most excellent back-style running tackle (i.e. their wing had the ball and was running away, and I caught up to her from behind, grabbed her jersey and dragged her down) and one where their 8man made a breakaway and I grabbed onto her long enough to stop her (though I had help getting her all the way down). At some point I also lost a chunk out of my left knee, but it doesn't hurt very badly and I didn't even notice until after the game was over.
The weather was perfect for rugby - it had been raining for hours and hours, so the ground was nice and wet and soft with several huuuuuuuuge puddles and I got quite muddy just from tackling and rucking (I think it was the rucking that got the mud in my ears). I also found that mud puddle makes excellent hair gel - it kept all the wisps out of my face! Then at the end of the game (the alumni won - boo!), a few of us (me included) went mudsliding through the biggest puddle - and then we took a big alumni and current player photo.
After a quick break to run back to campus and shower (where I just dumped all my dirty clothes in plastic bags in a pile on the floor), we all went to the rugby house for a SOCIAL!!!
But after six hours of sleep - back up to go to the rugby house! It was supposed to be a pancake breakfast goodbye for the alumni, but not a single one showed up (all too tired - and hungover), so it ended up being just a fun bonding the team members that came before we cleaned up the house.
When the house was clean, I walked back to campus just in time to watch my wife & co. in King Lear, then grabbed a bit to eat before coming to work. I've still got awhile before I can get my exhausted ass to bed - remember those muddy clothes in plastic bags on my floor? Still there! After work, I REALLY have to go rinse and wash them.
But as exhausted as I am - it's the exhaustion that comes from a weekend of PURE AWESOME.
It started out Friday night, when we had team dinner in TDR with some alumni and some of the team. Usually, I eat pretty fast and get out of there - but with some of the stories being told, I was laughing so hard it was impossible to eat! I stayed for an hour and a half, then somehow ended up going over to the rugby house to help set up (which was also quite fun).
Saturday I was up at 10 to go to the pitch, where the team watched the Stinger's game before our own 2:00 match of AU ruggers vs. Alumni. We were supposed to play four 15 min quarters, but ended up only playing three (because some of the alumni are old and out of shape, and they were getting injured pretty frequently). I played wing, then fullback, then wing again and had a GREAT time - I got some nice tackles in, including a most excellent back-style running tackle (i.e. their wing had the ball and was running away, and I caught up to her from behind, grabbed her jersey and dragged her down) and one where their 8man made a breakaway and I grabbed onto her long enough to stop her (though I had help getting her all the way down). At some point I also lost a chunk out of my left knee, but it doesn't hurt very badly and I didn't even notice until after the game was over.
The weather was perfect for rugby - it had been raining for hours and hours, so the ground was nice and wet and soft with several huuuuuuuuge puddles and I got quite muddy just from tackling and rucking (I think it was the rucking that got the mud in my ears). I also found that mud puddle makes excellent hair gel - it kept all the wisps out of my face! Then at the end of the game (the alumni won - boo!), a few of us (me included) went mudsliding through the biggest puddle - and then we took a big alumni and current player photo.
After a quick break to run back to campus and shower (where I just dumped all my dirty clothes in plastic bags in a pile on the floor), we all went to the rugby house for a SOCIAL!!!
But after six hours of sleep - back up to go to the rugby house! It was supposed to be a pancake breakfast goodbye for the alumni, but not a single one showed up (all too tired - and hungover), so it ended up being just a fun bonding the team members that came before we cleaned up the house.
When the house was clean, I walked back to campus just in time to watch my wife & co. in King Lear, then grabbed a bit to eat before coming to work. I've still got awhile before I can get my exhausted ass to bed - remember those muddy clothes in plastic bags on my floor? Still there! After work, I REALLY have to go rinse and wash them.
But as exhausted as I am - it's the exhaustion that comes from a weekend of PURE AWESOME.
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