Holiday Party Wrap Up

Hello!

Last night's event was a great success!  We had approximately 40 people celebrating our club's goal of owning our own fields and clubhouse.  We had two different raffles, with upwards of 30 prizes awarded.  We had lots of delicious food and drinks.  And we had a substantial increase in our Vision Fund coffers!

Before I get into the details about the money raised, I'd like to give a few thanks to those individuals who made the event such a success.

Thanks to Rick and Cindy LaValla who purchased and prepared food and drinks, invited us all into their home and hosted the great event.

Thanks to Pat LaValla who pulled together one of the raffles and worked extremely hard during the event to help make sure everyone got checked in.

Thanks to Trevor Anderson for selling raffle tickets throughout the evening.

Thanks to Della Durr for her donation of a beautiful Holiday Wreath that was raffled off.  

Thanks to Dan Smith for pulling together many of the materials on display during the event, the other raffle, and working throughout the event to collect donations.

And many thanks to all those who attended, donated and otherwise supported our cause.  Without all of you, all our work would have been for naught!

And now for the exciting news.

With donations and raffle sales combined, we earned $2,495.00!  This is a great outcome - more than any Vision Fund event we've hosted so far, and doubling the total amount of money we've earned this year!

However... As I hinted in some of my earlier emails, we had a bit of a surprise in store.  In fact, it was the driving focus behind the event.

Rick LaValla has been working, for the last few years, on securing a large donation for the club.  The donation comes from the trust account of a very close friend of his who passed away in 2008.  Frank Parker became of big fan of rugby through his relationship with the LaVallas, and traveled the world attending rugby events.  I can never give his story true justice, you'll need to corner Rick for that.  However, Frank requested that a portion of his estate be donated to rugby.  As such, Rick presented Budd Bay Rugby Football Club with a check from Frank's trust for the Vision Fund.  The check was for $180,000.00!

This brings our evening's totals to $182,495.00, obviously a rather significant boost to our Vision Fund.  I am very excited about what this means for the future of our club.  Our own fields are suddenly within reach! Dan Smith, the Chair of our Vision Committee, will be reconvening the committee in January with renewed vigor and purpose as we now have the funds to start talking about making a purchase.  If you are interested in being a part of that process, please let us know, so we can keep you informed about the time and place of the upcoming meetings.

I hope this news brings some exciting cheer to your holiday festivities!  I know that it certainly brings a feeling of renewed vigor to our Vision as we move into the new year, and I am looking forward to seeing how we are able to grow in 2012.

Please have a safe and wonderful week!

-Kyle

Last Reminder

Hello,

This is (probably) my last reminder about tomorrow's Vision Fund Holiday Party.  We're closing in on our participation goal so be sure to get your RSVP in!  We want to make sure we have enough food and drinks for everyone.  This is shaping up to be a great event, so if you find yourself in need of some fun to kick off the holiday weekend, put on a nice shirt and come on out!

When?
7-10 pm on Friday, December 23rd, 2011

Where? 
The Lavallas. 4537 Foxhall Drive NE, Olympia, WA 98516

Who?
You! And your friends, cousins, dates, uncles, coworkers, etc. Basically, if its someone who would like to support Budd Bay Rugby, they should be there!

What to bring?
Donations (suggested donations = $100, or $50 from paying members of BBRFC), as well as some extra funds to bid on some of our great auction items. We've got Budd Bay gear, New Zealand gear, World Cup gear, and even a Christmas Wreath! We will be accepting Cash, Check or Credit Card.

Will there be refreshments?
Appetizers, drinks, and lots of fun will be provided. Please bring ID if you intend to drink alcohol.

Where do I RSVP?
You can either email me - president@buddbayrugby.com, give me a call, or respond to the original invite if you received one. (If you didn't, sorry! Let me know and we will make sure you are on the distribution list).

-Kyle

Vision Fund Holiday Party - Follow Up

Hello,

After yesterday's email I got a few requests for more information about our upcoming Vision Fund Holiday Party.  If you'd like, you can view the original invitation in its entirety here.  But for those of you who would like the abbreviated version, here you go:

When? 
7-10 pm on Friday, December 23rd, 2011

Where? 
The Lavallas.  4537 Foxhall Drive NE, Olympia, WA 98516

Who? 
You!  And your friends, cousins, dates, uncles, coworkers, etc.  Basically, if its someone who would like to support Budd Bay Rugby, they should be there!

What to bring? 
Donations (suggested donations = $100, or $50 from paying members of BBRFC), as well as some extra funds to bid on some of our great auction items.  We've got Budd Bay gear, New Zealand gear, World Cup gear, and even a Christmas Wreath!  We will be accepting Cash, Check or Credit Card.

Will there be refreshments?
Appetizers, drinks, and lots of fun will be provided.  Please bring ID if you intend to drink alcohol.

Where do I RSVP?
You can either email me - president@buddbayrugby.com, give me a call, or respond to the original invite if you received one.  (If you didn't, sorry!  Let me know and we will make sure you are on the distribution list).    We would prefer you RSVP by Wednesday so we have enough food and drink for everyone.  But don't worry, if you are suddenly available Friday night, we still want you to come!

Wow, that's a lot of great information!
Thank you, I try!  Feel free to email me with any other questions you might have.

:) See you Friday,
-Kyle

Vision Fund Holiday Party (and other news)

Hello,

The end of the year is upon us!  Fortunately, that does not mean that things are winding down.  Our biggest event is coming up quickly - this Friday!  Our Vision Fund Holiday party starts at 7pm on Friday, December 23rd.  For more information, read the invite.  You can RSVP at any time - let us know if you are coming so we can have enough food and drink!  This is going to be a great event, with a focus on building this club towards a better future.  We will be doing lots of socializing, a little fundraising (silent auction!) and making serious progress towards reaching our goals of owning our own fields.  We really want you to be there to be a part of this great step.

Of course - we've got other things going on too!  The Barbarians have started practicing.  Missed it?  Don't worry, its not too late.  Join them at Skyhwaks Park, Tuesday and Thursday, 6-8 pm.  The Steelheads will be starting on January 3rd, with the Buffaloes and Bandits starting shortly thereafter.  You can register online at any time!

As always, you can check out the minutes from our recent board meetings online, and get all sorts of other information about the club and the latest goings-ons.  We're working on some other big changes as well as we go into the new year, so keep checking back.  You won't want to miss out on any of the great stuff we have planned!

On behalf of the board, I would like to wish all of our Players, Parents, Coaches, Volunteers and Supporters a very Happy Holidays!  I'll be back once more before the year is out with a report on the Vision Fund Holiday party, and hopefully I will see you all there.  In the mean time, enjoy whatever fun plans you've made for the coming weeks!

-Kyle

Holiday Invitation

Hello,

You are cordially invited to Budd Bay RFCs annual holiday gathering and Vision Fund fundraiser.  The BBRFC Vision is to own our own fields, supporting the long-term needs of our club and the community as we continue to develop rugby throughout the area.  For more information on the Vision Fund visit our Vision Fund page - http://www.buddbayrugby.com/vision.

Come be part of something special this year as we celebrate the holidays, hear stories of an impressive man and ardent rugby fan and witness the Vision Fund receive a significant contribution. Show your support for the club's long lived dream of owning its own fields - and learn just how close we really are.

Come share your rugby stories and holiday wishes over spirits and appetizers, graciously provided by Budd Bay RFC and the LaVallas. Finger food, martinis, wine and beer will be provided.

As a fundraiser for our club's very own fields, we are suggesting a minimum donation of $100 per person. If you are an active, paying member a minimum donation of $50 is suggested. Whatever you can give, we hope you can join us for the fun!

We'll also have a couple of goodies hot off the boat from this year's Rugby World Cup for auction, thanks to founder Evan Wollen.

So, don't wait! Space is limited to the first 40 revelers, RSVP today! If you didn't already receive an Evite, reply to this email or call (478) 227-3201.

We hope to see many of you, as this will be a fun celebration of our club, our friends and supporters. And this wonderful evening will end with Budd Bay RFC being sooo much closer to making our dream a reality.

We are always grateful for your support. If you cannot make it, but wish to send holiday cheer and make a donation to the Vision Fund, you can do so here: http://www.buddbayrugby.com/vision.

Holiday cheers and rugby love, from our family to yours,
The McKowns, LaVallas and the rest of the Budd Bay RFC family.

(No alcohol will be served to anyone under 21, period. If you think there will be a question, please bring your valid photo ID)

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello,

I hope you had a great day yesterday, however you chose to spend it, and for those of you with the remainder of the week off, enjoy the long holiday!  I'm keeping today's email light and fun, filled only with congratulations and thank yous, so please join me in celebrating the following accomplishments.

1) The following BBRFC individuals were selected for the 2012 Washington State Loggers 7s program, a select side of high school athletes who will represent Washington State throughout the region, and eventually at a tournament in Las Vegas:

Ryan Glendenning
Nick Lewis
Osumu Pitoitua
Tosi Tonuao
Brett Woods

These five players will join with 23 others from 8 teams around the state.  Thanks to all who tried out, and Congratulations to those who were selected.

2) I'd like to formally announce the addition of two new board members.  Tom Cusack and Mark Baca will be filling the Member-At-Large positions.  Tom has many years of experience playing for the Buffaloes, and both of his children played for our youth teams.  Despite hanging up his boots he's still interested in helping the club out!

Some of you may know Mark from around - he's been seen at many a match and social.  Mark has enthusiastically stepped into the role with several goals in mind, including better documenting our club's origins, and helping move forward with our Vision fund and goal of owning our own fields.  You can reach them at tomcusack@buddbayrugby.com or markusbaca@buddbayrugby.com.

3) I'd like to thank all our board members, administrators, coaches and volunteers, both past and present, for the work they do to make this club function.  Just last week I spent some time with a past treasurer and a past president as we all attempted to get our club's taxes sorted out (they're due next week!), proving that there is no end to the dedication from these individuals.  It's through the efforts of our administrators, coaches, and giving parents that this club keeps rolling forward and producing Select-side members, state and league championships, USA Eagles, etc, and who knows what new accomplishments will spring forth next season!  So if you're ever at the pitch and see one of these hard working volunteers, please help me thank them for their hard work.

4) Finally, I'd like to give a big congratulations to the Vision Fund committee and thank them for working so hard to drive us towards our goal of owning our own pitch.  BUT - I can't say why yet!  Save the date and come to our big event on December 23rd to find out all the exciting details!

Have a wonderful holiday, and spread the word - Rugby season starts soon.

-Kyle

Winter is upon us

Hello!

Along with the first bit of snowfall today comes lots of news - so be sure to read all the way through!

• Save the date for the evening of December 23rd!  Can you think of a better way to start your holiday weekend than spending the evening with your rugby family raising money for the vision fund?  Budd Bay's quest for our own field is about to get a big push forward, and we'll be kicking it off at our Holiday Party.  Stay tuned for further details - but book the event on your calendar!
• Barbarian practices begin at 6pm on December 6th at Skyhawks Park.  Practices will be Tuesday and Thursday.  Please remember that we have a new registration process that is now open online.  
• The Steelheads will have a "Recruiting/Intro to Rugby Session" on December 13th, 6pm, at Skyhawks Park.  Regular practices will then begin on January 3rd, Tuesday and Thursday, 6-8pm, again at Skyhawks Park.  Please remember that we have a new registration process that is now open online.  
• The Buffaloes will be resuming their regular season play on January 17th, also at Skyhawks Park from 6-8pm.  For those of you that haven't finished paying for the fall portion of your dues, please do so so that you are eligible to play again in the Spring! You can log in and pay your dues here.

In other news, the club still does not have a Treasurer.  Please, if you have any ability to help out, we are in desperate need!  We cannot go into our Spring season with 'Business as Usual' without having a financial accounting of our situation.  Things like field costs, travel costs, equipment costs, dues, fundraising and donations all need to be tracked and accounted for, and without a treasurer, we can't do so.  Not only does this leave us in a poor situation come tax season, it also means that we can't continue making purchases for players if we don't know how much money we have!  

Finally, often around this time of year we put together a gear order.  So far, I've not received any requests for gear.  Any particular items that people would like us to consider?  In the past we've done team T-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, bags, blankets, umbrellas, etc.  Keep in mind that we typically need to do a bulk order  to be able to get a decent rate, but if enough people want a certain item, we'll put an order together!  

That's all for now, enjoy the lovely rugby weather!

-Kyle

Coffee Sales

Hi All,

This is a reminder that coffee sales are due this Thursday.  I will swing by practice (Skyhawks Park, 6:30-8:30) on Thursday to collect order forms and money.  Use the links below to get order forms, find out more about coffee, or order a bag online.

Document to track coffee sales: www.buddbayrugby.com/doclib/Fundraising%20Coffee%20Order%20Form.pdf
Additional information about the coffee itself: www.buddbayrugby.com/fundraising
Link to our online store where you can buy a bag or two: www.buddbayrugby.com/store

If you don't want to attend practice, you can snail-mail your info in.  Email me for the address.

*Upcoming Events*
The Buffaloes have their final game of 2011 this weekend.  Head up to Seattle to help them take on the Quake!
Stay tuned for a Vision Fund Fundraising event coming up very soon.

-Kyle

Coffee

Hi!

Recently I sent out a post about our upcoming Coffee drive. For those of you that have been out selling coffee - great! I will collect all sales at practice on 11/10 - that's next Thursday! So get out there this week and make some sales! If you would rather mail in your order and money please feel free to do so, send me an email and I'll give you my address.

I do not have an exact date on when the coffee will be returned, it typically takes about 1-2 weeks.

We will do an additional drive starting in January for those of you that haven't sold anything yet. Hopefully this will give the Barbarians and Steelheads a better chance since they will be practicing at the time!

If needed, here are some links:

Document to track coffee sales: www.buddbayrugby.com/doclib/Fundraising%20Coffee%20Order%20Form.pdf

Additional information about the coffee itself: www.buddbayrugby.com/fundraising

Link to our online store where you can buy a bag or two: www.buddbayrugby.com/store

Lets raise some money!

-Kyle

Emergency Board Position Needed

Hello all,

Recently our newly elected Treasurer stepped down due to family commitments. This means that the club is currently without anyone overseeing our financial situation. As you might imagine, this is not a good long term (or even short term) plan for driving our club to success. The treasurer tracks deposits and expenses, making sure that our accounts are balanced, we remain in the positive, and we are able to file our taxes.

The success of the club, including our ability to pay for fields, new equipment, social events, and travel costs, as well as retain our 501c3 status (and not have to charge everyone taxes!) is contingent on our treasurer!

PLEASE - consider helping out Budd Bay Rugby if you are able.

Our new enrollment process has greatly simplified much of the treasurer's responsibilities, and we have software (Quick books) available for use. In addition, we are open to new accounting methods (preferably something web based) so if you have a particular skill-set with different tools, please don't hesitate to reach out.

As Budd Bay continues to evolve into a Pacific Northwest rugby powerhouse (stay tuned for more exciting updates on this topic later) we need to be financially accountable for our growth. I would hate for us to be forced to cut expenditures on our players simply because we don't have an accurate portrayal of our current monetary situation.

So again, if you have any interest or availability, please let me know. We do not have rigid criteria for this position, just a willingness to help out the club that we all love so much!

-Kyle

Coffee

Hello All!

The mid-season break is over and the Buffaloes are back at it next week with their first away game against Battleground. Remember, you can stay up to date on the latest club happenings by visiting our webpage, and in particular, our team schedules page.

I know its early, but its time to start thinking about our end-of-season events. For some of you, that may be trips to State or even National Championships. For others, that's an end-of-the-year party. And on the more practical side, we always need new jerseys, balls, med kits, and field equipment.

All of these great endeavors are contingent on our fundraising! The Barbarians have already started their efforts with some great deals on Red Bull Cola - get in touch with Dan Dillashaw if you want to buy or sell some delicious Red Bull to help them out.

We will also be doing a club-wide coffee drive for the next 3 weeks. For those of you who haven't participated in our coffee sales before, this is a great (and easy) event where we sell custom Budd Bay Rugby bags of delicious Olympic Crest Coffee. Sell bags for $10 each, fill out and turn in the paperwork, and shortly you'll have coffee to hand out to your buyers. Players - hit up your parents, grandparents, workmates, neighbors, etc, and sell some coffee! If you want to know more about the coffee, click here for some more info. You can get the form to track your sales here.

If you just want to buy bags for yourself, or you're interested in other BBRFC gear (want to start Holiday shopping early?) be sure to check out our new online store. We will be continuing to add great gear to the store, so don't be afraid to check back regularly!

Thanks for all your support - your efforts help allow our players to succeed in Rugby!

-Kyle

Buffaloes Win Final Home Match

This last Saturday, October the 8th , the Budd Bay Buffaloes did not disappoint. The men played Corvallis in a high energy competition at the Buffalo home pitch. The final score was 37-23. Tries were scored by Shorty Thomas (2), Aaron Turcott (2), Quinn (1) and Stewart (1). Nice work fellas! Thanks to all those who came out to support. This win puts the Buffaloes at 4-0.

This was the last home match, but there are three matches remaining in the men's fall season. They have two weeks off, but then travel to Battleground. The following weekend they make the long trek to Bend. And finally they will play The Quake.

We look forward to the remaining matches guys. Keep it up!

Buffaloes' Schedule

Hello,

There have been a few questions about the match schedule for the remainder of the season, so I've tried to create some clarity. Further match outcomes will be updated on the Buffaloes's page.

Check out the Buffaloes in action!

09/17 Kitsap Win - 55-10
09/24 Eugene Win - Forfeit
10/01 ORSU III
10/08 Corvallis
10/29 Battleground
11/05 Bend
11/12 Quake

Home games are indicated in bold and are generally played at Rainier Vista. Check out our club calendar for more information and the latest on field locations and times.

-Kyle

Match Cancelled

Hi all,

Today's Buffaloes match is cancelled due to Eugene not driving up. Thanks to those who were planning on attending!

-Kyle

This weekend

Hi all, great stuff coming up this weekend!

The Buffaloes play Eugene Saturday at Rainier Vista, kickoff at 1:30 pm. Be sure to stop on by and watch them continue their defense of their League Championships!

On Sunday, the first annual Budd Bay Rugby Golf Tournament will be held at Airport Golf & Batting Center. Check in starts at 12 pm, tee off at 1:00 pm. A $50 registration fee gets you 9 holes of golf, a set of custom BBRFC golf balls, tees and ball markers, and a contribution towards the Vision Fund. That's right, all proceeds from the tournament will be directed to Budd Bay Rugby's dedicated fund for building our own pitch. Just imagine - no scheduling conflicts, no lighting issues, no soccer lines! There are numerous prizes available, including BBRFC Gear, a subscription to RugbyMag, free sessions at Xtreme Virtual Golf, and more.

Spots are still open, register online here, or show up at Airport Golf & Batting Center on Sunday at 12:00 pm!

Airport Golf & Batting Center

8050 Center Street SW

Tumwater, WA 98501

See you all this weekend!

-Kyle

Updates

The 2011-2012 Rugby Season is officially underway! Congratulations to the Buffaloes for winning their season opener against the Kitsap Renegades, 55-10.

Thanks to Cory McClanahan for the great match report:

The weather came before the match, and by kickoff, it was perfect rugby weather. A spirited match was played by both sides. The following guys scored tries; Chan Yann 2, Joel Swenson 2tries/2conv, Britt Cleveland 2, Nick McKenna 1try/2conv, Kurt Webb 1, Cuz 1try/1conv.
We have a lot of work to do, but it was a good opener, and a solid win.

The Bandits chose not to field a team this year. The women are now looking for a new Head Coach, as well as a few individuals who are interested in taking on some leadership roles to help get the team back to it's Pac Coast Championship status. If you are interested, or know someone who is, please let me know. We'd love to have the women playing again in the Spring - but we need responsible individuals to help make it happen!

Coaches Davis and Dillashaw continue to gear up for the start of the U-19 teams, stay tuned for further updates as to registration opening and practice dates. As always, our website will continue to remain a great source for that information.

Looking forward to continued success on, and off, the pitch throughout the upcoming season!

-Kyle

Rugby in the News

Interesting story on rugby in the USA featured on the front page of CNN's website today. Expect to see more as the world gears up for the start of the Rugby World Cup next weekend!

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/02/us/collegiate-rugby-battle/index.html

-Kyle

Registration Guide

Hello,

As you may have heard, registration for the Adult 2011-2012 season is currently underway! You can register here, but if you'd like some more information, please check out our new Registration Guide. This step-by-step guide will walk you through (with pictures!) each part of the process to get yourself registered. As always, if you experience any difficulties, please let me know!

A special thanks to Dan Smith for creating this guide.

-Kyle

Register Now

Just a reminder - registration is open on our new website - http://www.buddbayrugby.com/sam/registration. Get registered for the Adult Season! And don't forget, Budd Bay Rugby takes care of your CIPP for you - you don't have to do any additional registration with USA Rugby. And get out to practice if you haven't been already. Matches will be starting soon!

Bandits' and Buffaloes' Seasons Underway!

Rugby Season is upon us! Both the Bandits and the Buffaloes begin training on Tuesday, at Bush Park, from 6:30 - 8:30 pm. I hope you've stayed in shape over the summer!

Be sure to register for the new season online - http://www.buddbayrugby.com/sam/registration.

And don't forget to get some new gear! We have jackets, sweatshirts, and other items in our new online store at http://www.buddbayrugby.com/store.

If you're interested in knowing more about - or participating in - the club's leadership, come to the first board meeting of the 2011-2012 season this Wednesday, August 17th, from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at Round Table Pizza.

-Kyle

Registration Open!

Hello,

The adult season is about to get underway! You may have heard, or should be hearing soon, about the upcoming team meeting and first day of practice for the Buffaloes and Bandits. If you haven't heard anything - be sure to check in with your coach!

The new registration process for the adult season is up and running! All players will need to be registered in the new system prior to being eligible to play. If you are ready to register for the Buffaloes or Bandits, you can do so now at http://www.buddbayrugby.com/sam/registration.

If you're looking forward to registering for the Barbarians or the Steelheads, we will be opening up those registrations a little closer to the season's start date.

If you have any problems registering, please let me know so we can get it sorted out!

-Kyle

Jackets

Hello,

I'm pleased to announce that our new online store is up and running! Please feel free to visit it at http://www.buddbayrugby.com/store.

We have recently received an order of club jackets, which, along with coffee and club patches, are now available for purchase.

The coffee and patches are a great fundraiser - be sure to include your team name so we can properly attribute the proceeds!!

In addition - this online store is new to us, so if something doesn't appear to be working right, or you didn't get you order, please let us know! We want to make this a pleasant experience for all, so any feedback you can provide to help improve the process is greatly appreciated.

-Kyle

Hello all,

Some of you may have recently received an email from USA Rugby discussing their new insurance policy. For those of you that missed it - this is a recap.

USA Rugby - the governing body of Rugby in the US and with whom every player must be registered (CIPP) in order to play - has partnered with Zurich Rugby Accident Insurance to provide Rugby Insurance as part of a USA Rugby membership. This means that all players who are CIPPed (all players eligible to play rugby must be CIPPed) will automatically be enrolled in this insurance program. If you already have primary insurance, this will count as supplemental insurance and, in the event of a rugby-related injury, cover expenses not covered by your primary insurance. If you don't have primary insurance, you no longer need to get insurance in order to play rugby! You will now be covered.

As a result, USA Rugby will be raising their dues by $10, bringing the total costs of CIPP from $60 to $70. This policy took effect immediately and will be in place for the upcoming fall season starting in August.

Some of the details of the policy include:

- $25,000 per injury resulting from sanctioned rugby events

- $1,000 disappearing deductible for members with primary insurance

- $2,500 deductible for members without primary insurance

- $250,000 Excess Catastrophic Medical Expense Benefit

- Coverage during travel to and from sanctioned rugby events

For more information about this policy, please email insurance@usarugby.org or visit the FAQ section on the USA Rugby website.

While I understand some will find the $10 increase a hardship, hopefully everyone can appreciate the great benefits this will provide for those unfortunate few who find themselves needing to make insurance claims. And in the end - this really is great value for only $10!

Thanks,

-Kyle

Car Wash!

Support the Buffaloes by going to their Car Wash on Sunday, July 24th between 9 am and 4 pm.

The Car Wash is at Cut Rate Auto Parts in Lacey on Pacific Avenue.

See you there!

AGM Wrap Up

Hello,

I'd like to give a big thank you to all who attended the AGM this Sunday, July 17th. We had a great turnout, with members of the Buffaloes turning out in particular force.

The full minutes from the AGM will be available shortly at http://www.buddbayrugby.com/admin. In the meantime, I'd like to mention a few items that stood out:

Thank you so much to Debbie Lainfiesta, Ryan Cole and Arianne Wiltsie, who are stepping down from the board. Debbie retired from the pitch a while ago, but has continued leading the club as the Senior Team Representative for four years. Ryan has been serving as both a Member-at-Large as well as the Buffaloe's Team Coordinator over the last few years. Arianne has been doing a great job as treasurer, keeping us afloat this last year. All have been a huge assistance and will be missed in the coming months.

I would like to welcome Marsha Davis and Joel Swenson to the board! Marsha has agreed to volunteer her time as the new club treasurer. She's new to rugby, so be sure to give her some tips on the game if you see her around. Joel, a member of the Buffaloes, is stepping up with an eye on helping develop sponsors for the club, as well as providing player perspective to the board. They will be joining Lena McKown (Secretary), Rena Carlson (Fields Coordinator),Dan Smith (who will be moving from Member-at-Large to Youth Team Representative) and myself on the board.

You may notice more people stepped down than stepped up - there are still some board positions open. If you are interested in the Vice-President, Senior Team Representative or Member-at-Large positions, please let me know. The club will need your help as we move forward. In particular, a Senior Team Coordinator will be crucial in the coming months!

Finally, I would like to congratulate the following individuals who won awards. Some of those awards were selected by myself, some elected by the board, and some voted on by all of you. For those of you who voted - great choices!

Shining Light Award - Given to those individuals who have gone above and beyond in the name of Budd Bay Rugby over the course of the last year:

Arianne Wiltsie

Dan Dillashaw

Dan Smith

Joel Swenson

Mary Shero

Quigg Davis

Ryan Cole

Budd Bay Sister - Voted on by members of the Bandits and Steelheads:

Rena Carlson

Budd Bay Brother - Voted on by members of the Buffaloes and Barbarians:

Jerry Quirke

President's Award - A single individual who has provided outstanding service and commitment to the club in the last year:

Deborah Lainfiesta

Goff Achievement Award - The pinnacle of Budd Bay Rugby; individuals selected by the board for this award exhibit a passion for Budd Bay Rugby that is unsurpassed by others, and over many years of service have shown incredible amounts of dedication and support for the club, the players, and the rugby community as a whole:

Tim Housh

If you see any of the individuals mentioned in this post, please be sure to congratulate each of them and thank them for their hard work.

There was a lot more discussed at the meeting, so be sure to check out the minutes for all the details!

And don't blink - before we know it 15's will be in full swing!

-Kyle

I'm winning!

That's right, currently I'm in the lead for both Budd Bay Brother AND Sister!

OK, not really - but make your opinion count! Voting ends early tomorrow morning - so spend the 30 seconds it will take to vote now.

It's really easy - go to http://www.buddbayrugby.com/vote, click a few buttons, type in a name, and you're done.

Then, come to the AGM on Sunday to see who won (plus find out about the direction of the club, vote on board members, and make sure that your priorities are being acknowledged).

1:30-4:30 pm

Sunday, July 17th

Round Table Pizza (in Hawk's Prairie)

See you there.

Time is running out...

Only a few days left to get your votes in for Budd Bay Brother or Sister!

Visit https://www.buddbayrugby.com/vote soon to make your vote count.  Entries close on Saturday!

And don't forget, come to the AGM this Sunday:

Annual General Meeting of the Budd Bay Rugby Football Club

1:30pm - 4:30pm Sunday, July 17th, 2011

Round Table Pizza - The Olympic Room

1401 Marvin Road NE 

Lacey, Wa 98516

Quick - your votes are needed!

At the AGM on July 17th, we will be presenting the Budd Bay Brother and Sister awards.  These awards are determined by you - the players!  So far, I have not heard from very many of you.  So quick!  There is still a week left, get your votes in.

The process is very simple and will take less than a minute.  Simply click on the link below (or go to the website, there is a link on the front page) and fill out the form.

http://www.buddbayrugby.com/vote

Then, come to the AGM at 1:30 pm next Sunday, July 17th, 2011 in the Olympic Room at the Hawk's Prairie Round Table Pizza.  Learn all sorts of information about the state of the club, vote on next year's Board of Directors, and see who won the awards.  See you there!

Exciting News!

Exciting News!

Budd Bay Rugby has a new webpage!  Check it out at www.BuddBayRugby.com.  Our webpage was rebuilt from the ground up to provide a significant number of enhancements, including:

• Easy access to individual team pages and important information.
• Updated, eye-catching designs.
• Better sponsorship promotion.
• Simplified controls allowing for more timely updates.
• Membership log-in and online registration!

This webpage will continue to grow over the coming months, and will eventually house our entire registration process.  Players will be able to create Membership accounts, sign up and pay for each season, track payment and eligibility statuses in real time through their member account, communicate with other members of the team, share stories and pictures, coordinate practices and games, purchase gear and connect with the club's players, members and administration.

As you explore the new site, please think about how it could be improved!  If you have a great idea, find a broken or incorrect link (or have the correct one) or can think of some other way that the website could be changed to better serve your needs, please let me know.  You can reply to me or send an email to info@buddbayrugby.com.

Share our new site with your friends!  Share our new website with your family!  Share our new website with potential sponsors!  This is a great opportunity to get the word out about Budd Bay Rugby, our successes last season and the great stuff we are planning to do next year.

And finally - keep checking back!  We will be rolling out numerous upgrades over the next several months, incorporating both the ideas you send in and some of the advanced functionality that we will turn on as the 2011-2012 season gets underway.  It will be an exciting transition time for all of us that will result in a system that significantly improves the administrative side of the club's operations - resulting in more time for you to get out and play!

Enjoy the holiday weekend!

Kyle

Budd Bay Rugby Annual General Meeting

It's that time again - time for the 2011 Budd Bay AGM!  This yearly meeting helps us analyze the successes of the last year and set the direction for the upcoming season.  

This year's AGM will cover a number of extremely important topics such as:

• The budget for the upcoming season - how much money does your team have, and how will that money be spent?
• Elections  for leadership - several key positions that will directly affect your season need filling.  
• The new web registration - how you will sign up to play rugby from now on.  
• Review of last season - check out the club's current financial status, trends over the last year, and improvements being made to the administrative processes.
• Year-end awards - who is the Budd Bay Brother and Sister for the 2010 - 2011 season?

There are a number of key board positions that need to be filled, and a few other positions that are up for their bi-annual renewal.  The club is in desperate need of a new Treasurer and a Senior Team coordinator.  If you are at all interested in helping out - please seriously consider one of these positions.  I cannot stress enough how much the club needs the support of volunteers to help it function, and these two positions are essential.  

A full list of the positions up for election this cycle are:

President

Vice-President

Treasurer

Senior Teams Representative

Youth Teams Representative

Fields Coordinator

Directors-at-large

And of course - this is a great time for you to bring your ideas and concerns to the club leadership!  Feel free to email me in advance with any items you would like added to the Agenda, or show up with a list!  

When and Where?

Annual General Meeting of the Budd Bay Rugby Football Club

Sunday, July 17th, 2011

Round Table Pizza - The Olympic Room

1401 Marvin Road NE 

Lacey, Wa 98516

See you all there!

***Keep checking your emails for an exciting announcement in the coming weeks!***

Barbarian State Champs

Hi All,

Congratulations to the Barbarians, the Washington State Champions.

I came across this great article about the Barbarians on Rugby Mag and wanted to pass it along.  Enjoy, and I look forward to seeing everyone out at 7's this summer!

http://www.rugbymag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1010%3Astate-title-a-sweet-end-for-budd-bay&catid=65%3Aboys&Itemid=240

Steelheads At it Again

Another glorious and sunny day of rugby as the Ladies of Steel close out the regular season with a win against the Shelton Stingers 34 to 0. Five girls scored a try - Kelsi Stockert scored two tries, with Tonya Dixon, Rachel Ybarra , Josie Markoff, Carley Bowen (a first for the rookie) scoring 1 try and Bethany Boice with two successful conversions. It was a a very physical game and Shelton was in the red zone a few times, but the staunch Steelhead defense successfully denied them a score.
The Steelheads take Mother's day off this week and continue preparing for the state playoffs being held in Shelton on the 14 and 15th of May. Going into the tournament the Steelheads are solidly the second seed, only losing this season to perennial rival Kent. The semifinal on Saturday will be against Shelton (time TBD)- the Steelheads are expecting them to come back hard on their home field. Should be a weekend full of youth rugby (U19Boys/Girls and U16 Boys)- with any luck we all will suffer a little sunburn injury- come join us if you can.

Look Out Tucson!

Budd Bay is coming to play! The Buffaloes took the trophy this weekend at the Dlll Championships and their next step is to head to Arizona in May. If there was a time to ask what you can do for your club and your community Ruggers, now is that time. These things take money. So call up your Buffalo connection and ask how you can help. It could be as simple as a fundraising idea, and ideas are free!!!

Here are the results from the weekend Championships held at Budd Bay's home pitch.
PNRFU DIII Playoffs
April 16th & 17th 2011
Olympia, WA

Saturday - Rainier Vista Park
9:00 AM / Match A: Budd Bay (62) vs. Kitsap (0)
11:00 AM / Match B: Portland (25) vs. ORSU (20)
1:00 PM / Match C: Eugene (12) vs. Quake (18)
3:00 PM / Match D: Corvallis (79) vs. Quake B (0)

Sunday - Regional Athletic Complex
9:00 AM / Match E: Portland vs. Corvallis
11:00 AM / Match F: Kitsap (25) vs Eugene (29)
1:00 PM / Match G: Budd Bay (19) vs Quake (13)

PNRFU #1 = Budd Bay
PNRFU #2 = Quake

No Rest for the Awesome

• Tomorrow! PNRFU Playoffs! Come out and watch. Here is a detailed schedule, so you have NO excuses. We will see you there. PNRFU DIII Playoffs April 16th & 17th 2011 Olympia, WA Saturday - Rainier Vista Park 9:00 AM / Match A: #1 Budd Bay vs. #4 Kitsap 11:00 AM / Match B: #6 Portland vs. #7 ORSU 1:00 PM / Match C: #2 Eugene vs. #3 Quake 3:00 PM / Match D: #5 Corvallis vs. Quake B Sunday - Regional Athletic Complex 9:00 AM / Match E: Portland vs. Corvallis 11:00 AM / Match F: Loser A vs Loser C 1:00 PM / Match G: Winner A vs Winner C PNRFU #1 = Winner of Match G PNRFU #2 = Loser of Match G PNRFU #1 advances to the DIII Pacific Coast Playoffs


• Tonight! Go to this site and vote for the best high school sports game. We have TWO Rugby games to vote on! Vote for SEATTLE vs. WENATCHEE or VALLEY vs. LIBERTY....http://http//seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/highschoolsports/?from=stnv2#pd_a_4907423


• Sunday! Steelheads play a match against Kent and Comcast is filming it, and then airing it on National TV! So get up there and wear your blue and yellow. The match is at French Field in Kent and kick off is 5:30PM. Jarrod Beckstrom at USA Rugby recently said that to the best of his knowledge (and he’s Director of Communications) there is nowhere else in the country where complete high school rugby games are being broadcast … this is likely the first ever game to be filmed for this purpose! The game will be available on Xfinity TV/Comcast On Demand around Wednesday of next week.


• Sunday Also! This coming Sunday April 17th the BOYS U-16 AND U-19Logger trials will be held at Ryan field 13659 18th Ave S, SeaTac ,WA starting at 10 am. After that the U-16 boys will head back home for a league match immediately following the PNRFU Dlll Tournament at the RAC.

Well that should take care of every one's weekend plans. We can't wait to see ya'll!

Welcome April

The Buffaloes played at home this weekend against Portland and WON! The final score was 36-28. The weather was cooperative and the men displayed their usual talent. Upcoming, the men have a bye and then back at it for tournament weekend, April 16th and 17th. Budd Bay is hosting so come out for the festivities. Details are on the club website; buddbayrugby.com. The Steelheads played a match against Harbour U19 at Harbour's home pitch on April 3. Steelheads won the match. Final score was 19 to 5. Nice work Ladies! You have had a fabulous season thus far! The U19s had a bye on April 2nd, but the U16s had a very important match with Chuckanut. Beating Chuckanut was vital to the U16 drive to the state championship. It was a very hard fought match, and beat Chuckanut they did! The final score was not indicative of the game. The Barbarians controlled the pace of the match and spent most of the game threatening withing the Steamers half of the pitch. In the end it was their PAT kicks the made the difference. Both teams scored 2 trys, but Budd Bay converted both PATs and the Steamers missed both or their attempts. Final score 14 - 10. Both Barbarian trys were scored by Ryan Glendenning, and both PATs were converted by Jacob Durr. But the victory was a team effort.

Encouragement for An Injured Rugger

This article was recently brought to my attention. The type of support the friends and family are asking for is very simple and anyone with internet access can share words of encouragement and stories with Peter Collier. "High School Player in Washington Hospitalized" March 29, 2011 High School/U19 Rugby, Rugby News by Ted Hardy, Editor, Rugby America Peter Collier of the U19 Schoolhouse Rugby Club in Washington State fractured his C4 and C5 vertebrae making a tackle in a game this past weekend. Collier is able to walk, but had to be put in a halo. After reassessment it was determined that the halo was not successful and that Collier would have to go into surgery. Collier’s surgery is scheduled for this afternoon. The overall prognosis is good for the young man from Wenatchee, but his spirits are low and his family is very worried as are his teammates and coaches. “He was injured making a hard tackle that you all would have been proud of,” said Collier’s coach with Schoolhouse U19′s. To help boost Collier’s spirits, his coaches are reaching out to the global rugby community. They are asking rugby players far and wide to visit Peter Collier’s Caring Bridge page, http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/petercollier/mystory and post messages of encouragement to his guestbook. Please share this message with your friends and teammates and pass it along.

Seeing Double

The Barbarians and Buffaloes each played two matches this weekend. Double the fun! Buffaloes played an A side and a B side against the Quake at our home pitch. The first match final score was 43-15 Buffaloes with the win. Man of this Match was Pat LaValla. The second match, which was a friendly, was totally one sided in favor of Budd Bay. Man of 2nd Match was Mario Hall. Nice work fellas!!! The men's team are looking fired up and ready for the upcoming championship weekend. But, Coach Jerry Quirke isn't letting them get complacent and they will be working hard till April 16!
The U19s had a great day of exercise out in Shelton on Saturday. The Barbarians scored 75 point to Sheltons 7. Yikes! The best part of the game was that 11 trys were scored by 8 different players: Jay Maiava, Griffin Boudai (3), Justin Henry (2), Gerod Cate, Steven Malepeai, Anthony Park, Ryan Glendenning, and Eddie Harriage. And an outstanding performance by Daniel "Kiwi" Martin hitting 10 of 11 on PAT conversions. 2 of the try scoring U19 scored their first points as Barbarians, Jay Maiava and Gerod Cate. Way to go!!! The game was filmed by The Varsity News, and we will update the readers on how to watch the match online. It would have been an awesome day of rugby were it not for the flash downpour of painful hail.
Sunday had the U16s hosting Liberty for their regular season rematch. Bay got a bit of a slow start in the first half, and that came back to bite us in the end. The match was hard fought, but the Barbarians ended up without the "W". The final score was 22-36 with Liberty putting up two very early trys, and then two more right at the end. In the middle of the match we had fought back even and it was a game. Nonetheless, it was a solid effort and showed us what we need to work on. Trys were scored by: Cole Stevens, Brett Woods, and Tosi Tonuao.

Budd Bay Strikes Again

One could blame the Super Moon this weekend for Olympia Rugby's outstanding skills, but then how would one explain all the past and future triumphs? Mmmm... Let's leave that up to the scientists and in the meantime, here is the weekend report.
Budd Bay Barbarians U19 win over Seattle Vikings, 38 - 10!!! Tris scored by: Laylin Curry; Steven Malepeai; Justin Henry (2), Griffin Boudai (2); Daniel Martin converted 4 PAT kicks. Captain: Justin Henry. Man of the match: Laylin Curry and Justin Henry. it was an emotionally charged and spirited game, to say the least. Coach Dan Dillishaw says "I am very please to see this side, stacked with all-star talent, coming together this early in the season to play like a team." So are we Coach!!!
Budd Bay Barbarians U16 win over Seattle Vikings, 51 - 17!!! Tries scored by: Brett Woods (3); Ryan Glendenning (3); Tosi Tonuao (3); Jacob Durr converted 3 PAT kicks. Outstanding rugby played by all.Captain: Ryan Glendenning. Man of the match: Korye Trejo and Ryan Glendenning. Wow!! Great job fellas!
It was a gorgeous spring day in Bellingham when the Steelheads and Chuckanut Redbacks took the field in Bellingham for a rematch. The Steelheads had a glorious outing with the final score Steelheads 37 and Chuckanut 15. In the first half the team scored 5 tries with Tonya Dixon scoring 3, Megan Johnson 1 and Kaylee Parvinen 1, with Bethany Boice making 1 conversion. The Ladies of Steel's defense held the Redbacks scoreless in this half. In the Second half the Redbacks charged back with three tries- 1 from Quessandra Catlett, 1 from Kyleigh Wells and 1 from Malie Laolagi. The Steelheads answered with two tries 1 by Bethany Boice and 1 by Kelsey Stockert. Another great match Ladies!!The Steelheads are looking forward to facing Harbor next week in Tacoma.
Our women Bandits travelled to Portland this Saturday to play the Piggies at their home pitch. The pitch was muddy but the sky was sunny. Final Score 10-Zero, Piggies win. Bandits traveled with only a first 15 (no subs) and played all 80 min without losing their vigour. It was a clean and physical match, and both sides played with class. Bandits worked hard and played well. In the words of the Sir "...the only two tries were had because of outstanding support and persistence on the part of the Piggies, and not from lack of resistance by the Bandits."

Another Busy Weekend

Budd Bay teams were all out doing what they love this weekend. And they did it well!!!! Here is a little recap of the weekend's rugby events.
Buffaloes played Kitsap at Kitsap on Saturday and beat them on their home pitch 43 to 12. The Buffaloes brought it hard and played that way the entire match. Hurricane Penitusi had 4 tries, Cody Smith had 1 try (being his first try as a rugger), Chris Cousins had 1 try, Logan Rose 1 try and Mike Radassa converted 4 out of 7 tries! Man o' the match was Hurricane Penitusi. The men have a bi-week this week then back to business on the 26th when they play Seattle at home. Buffaloes vs Portland the following weekend.
Bandits traveled to Eugene Saturday for their first match of spring. The women lost 15-5. The Bandits didn't take a full side down to Eugene, and had to use some of Eugene's players. MJ Jordan scored the only try when she grubber kicked it and chased the ball down into the try zone! The Bandit rookies did extremely well, they were very aggressive and played with intensity. Nice work Ladies!
The Steelheads had a glorious Sunday afternoon of rugby at Rainer Vista for the last home game until the season closer in May. The final score was Steelheads 51/Chuckanut 10. In the first half the team scored 4 tries- Kelsey Stockert scored two, Deborah Fox one and Megan Johnson one. Bethany Boice made two conversions. The Steelheads staunch defense held Chuckanut scoreless in this half. In the second half the team scored 5 tries= Megan Johnson scored two, Bethany Boice one, Kelsi Stockert one, and Kaylee Parvinen one. Bethany Boice made one conversion. Chuckanut scored two tries in the second half. The team will play Chuckanut again next week at their home field.
Barbarians played Yakima Saturday beating them 19-10. The boys team took 7 of their 16's and played 6 of them! Well played fellas. (If you have stats for the Barbarians match in Yakima please send them to secretary@buddbayrugby.com).

Budd Bay Opening Weekend

If you happened to make it to the matches this weekend I don't have to tell you how pretty Ranier Vista was all painted in blue and yellow. Budd Bay teams hosted matches on Saturday and Sunday. The weather even backed off to celebrate the opening weekend. It was great to see so many spectators out to help cheer on the Buffaloes, Barbarians and Steeleheads!

On Saturday the Barbarians U19 lost to Rainier Plateau RFC 22-12. But, it wasn't for lack of trying. They played smart and hard. Griffin Boudia-2 Tries. Daniel Martin-1 Conversion. Nice work fellas!

Sunday the Barbarians U16 lost to Liberty RFC 12-7 at Liberty's home pitch. It was a very close match and the Barbarians did a great job of holding Liberty back. Sounds like a great match Guys! Jake Spliller-1 try. Kylar Anderson-1 conversion. Men of the Match-Kylar Anderson and Ryan Glen-Denning.

Buffaloes played a new team this weekend, the Battleground Bulls. But, we all know a bull has nothing on a buffalo! Men's final score 56-5. Mike Radasa-2 tries, 3 conversions. Taylor Briscoe-2 tries. Chris Cousins-1 try. Josh Vega-1 try. Jesse Fox- 1 try. Mario-1 try. Shorty-1 try Hurricane-1 try. Man of the match...Pete Sanders.

Steeleheads played a great match on Sunday. Feel free to email any stats you may have from the Steeleheads match to secretary@buddbayrugby.com