Rainier Plateau Junior Rugby

3/1/10

To All

This past weekend was extremely successful for the rugby club with several milestones and achievements met. The Applebees flap jack breakfast was a huge success thanks to all of you and in particular the volunteers who did a marvelous job of taking care of our attendees. The final profit from this event was a respectable $675. The manager was very impressed with our clubs professionalism, etiquette and general appreciation for being afforded the opportunity to use their facilities. They said we are welcome back anytime. The home game not only recorded a first ever victory over the Valley Joeys but also saw us manage to get every player who wanted to play onto the pitch. This included four U14 players. Another few notable was the presence of local EMT's on standby in case of any serious injuries. Thanks to coach Tyler this excellent resource promise to be present at all our home games. We were also treated to a wonderful post match meal which was appreciated by all.

Upcoming Events
Monday Team Practice @ Bonney Lake HS 6.30-8

Wednesday - Practice at Sunset Stadium 7.00-9pm

Saturday : Home League game with Prairie @ White River Alternative School Buckley

Sunday: U14 Get together @ Pat Ryan Field in SeaTac 1pm - 3pm

Next Game
This Saturday will commence our league schedule with a home game with new team Prairie from the Lacey area. We will be using the football field at the White River Alternative School (formerly White River Middle School). We plan on having two matches so plenty of rugby for all. All players should report at 11am with kickoff scheduled at Noon.

Driving Directions to White River Alternative Programs
PO Box 2180 - 27515-120th Street East- Buckley - WA - 98321
Phone: 360.829.1182 - FAX: 360.829.3353

From Seattle: Take Interstate 5 South to Highway 405 (Renton), then to Highway 167 towards Auburn. From Highway 167, take the Highway 410 exit for Mount Rainier/Yakima and continue approximately 12 miles up the hill.

From Tacoma: Take Interstate 5 South to Highway 512 (Puyallup/Mount Rainier) and then to Highway 167 (Mount Rainier/Yakima). Follow Highway 167 to Highway 410 exit for Mount Rainier/Yakima, approximately 12 miles up the hill.

From Highway 410:
Take Highway 410 East toward the City of Buckley; turn right on Mundy Loss Road. Turn right on 120th Street. White River Alternative Programs campus is on the right hand side of the road.

Uniform Jersey Laundry
We would be very grateful for any volunteers who will take the uniform jerseys at the conclusion of a match and take them home and launder them. If you feel you can help out in this manner please go to our website click on the Admin tab and then the icon listed as volunteer laundry jerseys. You can then select which game you would like to be assigned this duty. Thanks to Sheli O'Connor for taking care of this weeks jerseys.

Post Match Food
Your assistance purchasing (reimbursable) and preparing the post match food for our home games is also another volunteer opportunity. Last week Jodi Hart prepared delicious meatball in marinara sauce sub sandwiches. We are open to suggestions on the menu providing its budget concious and easy to prepare.

Go to the Admin page and click on post match food to volunteer. We also need 2-3 people for each home game to sign up to assist in serviving the meal.

March Practice Schedule
The March practice schedule is now posted on the website under calendar. There are a few days wth no designation which will be finalised in due course. High school boys soccer is going on during March so finding a field is a little tricky. The biggest change in the practices is the shift to Bonney Lake HS on Monday nights and no more practices at White River HS. All practices will remain at 6.30pm - 8.

Sponsorship
The club is very interested in obtaining a sponsor or sponsors that would be interested in supporting our club and helping to offset our operating costs. In return for this gesture we can incorporate company names and or logos into team wear and the website. If anyone thinks they may be able to encourage a company to get involved I can provide you with solicitation materials and would be happy to come chat with a company representative.

Car Wash
Our next fund-raising car wash will be on Sunday March 14th from 10am to 3pm. The location is the Jetstream car wash in Bonney Lake. This is located in the Walmart area just off hwy 410. The owners allow youth organisations to have the self service drive in bays to operate and get donations from patrons. We need plenty of manpower for this event and also adult help as only adults are permitted to operate the automated jet hose. This is a great opportunity to raise a lot of money and attempt to beat our 2009 total of $680.

Membership Dues
With a lot of upcoming bills that need to be paid I am hoping many of you can complete or add to the amount you have already provided. I am aware of many of the challenging situations you find yourselves in and am sympathetic to this matter. I am happy to accept small amounts towards your final total.

Player Bios
I encourage all the players to go to the website and create or update their player bio. You simply click on the Our Team tab and then roster. Then click on edit bio and use login and password I supplied earlier to get to the electronic form you will complete.

Canada Tour
I am pleased to announce our spring break tour to Canada is going ahead with more details coming in a seperate e mail later in the week.

Coach Andy


2/15/10

To All

A huge congratulations to all our players, supporters and coaches that traveled down to the Prez Fest Tournament in Oregon this past weekend. Not only did the team perform above expectations and record a four wins and no loss record the behavior and conduct on and off the field was impeccable. This weekend was a big turning point for the team and created some real momentum, team bonding and spirit among the squad. This combined with the continued recruitment of players in all age categories and excellent effort at practices bodes well for the coming months.

A big thanks to the parents who helped to transport our players to Oregon and lent a hand on the sidelines as well as providing great vocal support.

Upcoming Events:

Tuesday 2/16 Team Practice @ Sunset Stadium 6.30pm

Thursday 2/18 Team Practice @ Sunset Stadium 6.30pm

Saturday 2/20 Jamboree Games for U14 Players

Sunday 2/21 Fund-raising Car Wash @ Columbia Bank Buckley 1pm - 4pm

Car - Wash @ 29290 SR 410 Buckley 98010

We will be performing a fund raising car wash in the parking lot of the Columbia Bank Parking lot in Buckley next Sunday from 1pm-4pm. The expectation is that all players participate in this event and also publicize it to friends and families who may be able to bring a vehicle to be washed. We also need participants to bring buckets, sponges, long handled brushes and small step stools to wash taller vehicles. I will be bringing wash soap and wheel cleaning products. If anyone has a decent length of hose please let me know as we could use some extra hose.

Club Scrummage Sled
I would like to extend a huge thanks to John O'Connor (Blake's Dad) for fabricating a wonderful new piece of practice equipment in the form of a scrum sled. John spend many hours planning, gathering materials and putting together this sled. A comparable sled of this quality would cost at least $2000. John was able to put our one together for a fraction of the price. The sled is stored down at Sunset Stadium and will in the coming weeks be essential to the teams development of their scrummage sled.

Spiritwear
I still have a good stock of hooded sweatshirts, caps and beanies for sale and will shortly have some long sleeved performance type shirts for purchase. Please go to the website and click on Our Team and the spirit wear to see photos and prices of all these items.

Applebees Flapjack Fundraiser 2/27@ Bonney Lake Applebees
This week is the final week to sell the ticket allocation players were provided several weeks ago. I would like to collect all sales money and unsold tickets at Thursdays practice. If that is not possible I can accept these up to Saturday. I do have extra tickets if anyone thinks they can sell more. If you need more details on this fundraiser go to the website home page. We have the potential to raise a significant amount of money for very little effort so please find those tickets and start selling. We also need a few more players to volunteer to assist during this event. In return for their services they will receive $25 in club credit that can be used towards the Canada Tour, club dues or perhaps purchase of spirit wear. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old and be able to work from 7am to 1030am. The players who have volunteered are listed below:

Dru, Blake, Jake, David, Seth, Tyler, Josh and Eddie

Scrimmage Game on 2/27
We will be hosting the Valley Joeys on Saturday 2/27 at the Bonney Lake High School Football Field. Due to no school district grass fields being open yet and the amount of soccer being played we wont be able to start this game until 4pm. We will play multiple periods up to around 6pm.

I am in need to volunteers to coordinate the purchase of the post match food (refunded by club) and cook and serve this meal on the 27th. Additionally if someone would like to take responsibility for washing the uniform jerseys that would be much appreciated. (little tip if you are going to volunteer to wash jerseys this is sports turf and not muddy grass!)

If you think you can fulfill these duties for this game or any other game please go to our website and click on Admin where you will find an area to sign up to volunteer for food service or laundry.

www.rainierjuniorrugby.com

Under 14 Players
We are starting to add a number of highly talented and enthusiastic young players who will have many opportunities to play among their own age group in the coming months. The first of these will be at Wilson Playing Fields in Kent next Saturday. I look forward to accompanying them to this jamboree and see them participate in their first game. If you would like to come and cheer these guys on games start at noon.

Canada Tour
At this time it is critical we know if your son would like to be part of our spring tour to Canada. Without added interest we will have to cancel this trip. If you would like to find out more about the tour go the website and check under the tour tab or call me with questions. Below is a list of the players that have expressed and interest in participating in the tour. Unfortunately their is no U14 rugby available so we can only take players 15 and older.

Blake
Calum
Kenny
Jed
Josh
Casey
Alex
Ray
Colin
Seth
Tyler
Eric


Coach Andy


1/29/10

To All

I would like to invite everyone to come out to Sunset Stadium on Sunday and enjoy watching the first live rugby of the season and for many players and parents their first live rugby ever. It will be most likely far from polished rugby and mistakes are expected but considering how much hard work the squad have contributed everyone deserves a chance to try out what they have learned so far. We will have a contingent of players from Kent Crusaders as opposition with the scrimmage being contested in a controlled environment with an emphasis on safety, fun and getting everyone involved.

Returning players should wear their navy shorts and socks and new players their navy socks if you have been given a pair. I will have some loaner shorts and more socks with me on Sunday. The new players navy shorts have not arrived from the vendor yet but should be in next week. Most importantly bring and wear your mouth guard.

The players that were unable to attend practice this week primarily due to school finals are welcome to come get a run. We will play multiple periods of 15-20 minutes so should be plenty of rugby for everyone.

We will have our spirit wear on sale so please bring cash or check to purchase some of our hoodies, hats and beanies.

Players should be at Sunset by 2pm however actual play wont start until 2.30pm at the earliest. Also if you have a Rainer T Shirt please wear that on Sunday. New players recieve a t shirt as they pay their membership dues.

Hope to see you all on Sunday

Coach Andy

1/24/10

To All

I hope you had a great weekend and stayed out of todays rain! this weeks update is a lengthy one with many important dates and information which should be useful to you. This week is extremely busy and an important one in terms of development of skills culminating in some form of live action on Sunday afternoon. We are still deciding what form of scrimmage and the level of competition we will employ on Sunday but it may be less than a full scrimmage. Our main concern as coaches is always safety and as of today their are many players not adequetely prepared to particpate in a full blown game or scrimmage.

Monday - Practice @ White River HS 6.30pm - 8

Wednesday Practice @ Sunset Stadium 6.30pm - 8

Thursday Practice @ Bonney Lake HS 7.45-9.15 (no school Friday)

Sunday Practice/ Scrimage @ Sunset Stadium 2-4.30pm

Canada Tour
I hope by now you have all recieved a copy of our tour information handout. Included with this handout was a "cheatsheet" for obtaining or renewing a passport or passport card. It is essential that this matter is attended to ASAP. Fortunately with this tour we dont require a substancial amount of advance payments so an initial deposit of $50 is all we are asking for to secure your place on this tour. After reviewing the tour handout please let me know ASAP if you would like your son to be included on this tour. I highly encourage all to particpate in what will undoutably be a memorable and potential rugby career highlight. I will expect payment of the deposit to be completed by January 30th. Further payment milestones and minimum amounts are identified in the handout.Please keep in mind we hope to have at least two fundraisers which will assist to reduce the overall tour cost.We will also welcome any sponsership support which may help to cover costs associated with tour spirtwear etc.

Applebee's Flapjack Breakfast Fundraiser 2/27
During the course of this week at practice all players will be recieving six tickets and sales instructions for our upcoming fundraiser. Attached to this message is a full overview of this event and how you can assist in making it a success. Please make sure you review the information and also encourage your son to make a concerted effort to sell a minimum of 6 tickets.

Membership Dues
Thanks very much to those that have made an initial or full payment of membership dues. I am very concious of this challenging time of year to find extra cash to squeeze out of the budget but need to encourage everyone to try and make a payment by our original deadline of 1/15. I will gladly work with everyone on this I just need to know what you can and cant manage. As a reminder the dues are $200 for a new player and $175 for returning players. For the players who have just joined us in the past few weeks I am prepared to wait and till the end of the month to make sure your son is fully committed to this new sport. Checks can be made payable to Rainier Plateau Junior Rugby and brought to practice or mailed to my home address:

12612 203rd Ave East Bonney Lake 98391

Ram Fundraising Cards
Some attendees at the parent meeting a few weeks ago recieved some fundraising cards for the Ram Restuarant. Please turn in any sales money to me by January 29. All sales will earn the player credit towards his tour cost.

Prez Fest Tournament:
This will be rainier's third trip to this tourney which has proved to be a memorable and extremely enjoyable weekend for all. We will leave Saturday morning and be back around dinner time on Sunday. Cost to the individual player is minimal as we are anticpating as in past years the players will be hosted in Oregon Rugby Team familes homes on Saturday night. Parents and coaches will be in local hotels. New players can ask the veterans and their parents about this trip and I am confident they will all say its a must go trip! we have started to canvass players regarding their availability but if you can reply via e mail please let me know. Thanks to Doug Pearson for reseaching some hotel options for those that may need accomodation.

Courtyard - Portland Hillsboro 3050 NW Stucki Place, Hillsboro, OR 503-690-1800 503-690-1800 $89.00 99.00. $99 includes breakfast, lower rates need to purchase breakfast - good selection. $8-10/person 3 miles away from Rock Creek Campus

SpringHill Suites 7351 NE Bulter Rd, Hillsboro, OR 503-547-0202 503-547-0202 $89, some much higher. Complimentry breakfast 4 miles away

Econolodge 622 SE 10th Ave, Hillsboro, OR 97123 503-640-4791 $50-65, Continential breakfast 10 miles away

Holiday Inn Express 5900 NE Ray Circle, Hillsboro, OR 97124 503-844-9696 $79-99 includes breakfast 5miles away

4th ANNUAL PREZ FEST TOURNAMENT
Saturday and Sunday February 13th and 14th at Portland Community College – Rock Creek Campus located at 17705 NW Springville Rd. Portland, OR 97229

GUARANTEED 2 GAMES SAT. and 2 GAMES SUN.

“prez fest poster

DATE: Feb 13th and 14th 2010

TIME: 8am until games are done (or 5pm) – Round Robin Style – 1 hour lunch no-host

SOCIAL: 5pm Saturday 2-13-09 Hosted by the Barbarians (please feel free to bring a beverage or snack of choice to share with other teams at the social)

LOCATION: PCC-Rock Creek - 17705 NW Springville Rd. Portland, OR 97229

GAMES: 20 minute halves – IRB rules - 2 games Saturday and 2 Sunday

Spiritwear
I now have a full stock of hoodies, ball caps, beanies and club t shirts available for sale. Go to our website to check out the design and prices. Go to the "our team" tab and look under team store.Let me know what you would like to purchase and I will make arangements for delivery.

Website
Many of the planned updates have been made to our website www.rainierjuniorrugby.com so I encourage you to take a look. One addition is the match uniform laundry sign up which we invite you to log on and sign up to take the match jerseys after a game to wash. You can find this feature under the Admin tab and click on Volunteer.
February practice schedule has also been added to the calendar.

Parent & Player Meeting 2/9
Our February Player and parent meeting will be held on Tuesday 2/9 commencing at 7pm at the Windermere Real Estate Office in Bonney Lake. We invite you to come and meet our coaches, players and parents and here what we are up to and what we have planned for the next few months. We will provide a comprehensive overview of the Canada Tour and other highlights of the season.

Player Bios on Website
Its time for our returning players to update their bio's on the website. These are under the tab our team and then players. Contact me for the login info. We will be adding our new players to this page in the very near future.

Uniforms
If any returning players need new socks or shorts they need to let me know ASAP. The cost for new shorts is $15 and $8 for socks.

Have a great week and hope to see everyone at Sunset Stadium on Sunday to witness and celebrate the hardwork, enthusism and progress made by the 2010 Highlander squad.

Regards

Coach Andy


1/20/10

To All

I hope you had a great weekend and for those of us fortunate to have Monday off we had the added bonus of a gorgeous sunny day! What better way to enjoy this than "conquering" the vast MT Peak over in Enumclaw. This trek was a huge success with around 15 of us making the descent (no supplemental oxygen used either!). Some ran some jogged and some just were happy to make it! Great effort by all and as well as a good workout it was a great team bonding opportunity. If you live in Enumclaw and you like pizza you might want to avoid the Pizza Hut for a day or two as I think we probably ate their inventory intended for a couple of days!

Canada Tour
I hope by now you have all recieved a copy of our tour information handout. Included with this handout was a "cheatsheet" for obtaining or renewing a passport or passport card. It is essential that this matter is attended to ASAP. Fortunately with this tour we dont require a substancial amount of advance payments so an initial deposit of $50 is all we are asking for to secure your place on this tour. After reviewing the tour handout please let me know ASAP if you would like your son to be included on this tour. I highly encourage all to particpate in what will undoutably be a memorable and potential rugby career highlight. I will expect payment of the deposit to be completed by January 30th. Further payment milestones and minimum amounts are identified in the handout.Please keep in mind we hope to have at least two fundraisers which will assist to reduce the overall tour cost.We will also welcome any sponsership support which may help to cover costs associated with tour spirtwear etc.

Fundraising Opportunity
One of our coaches Tyler Freed who is a local Real Estate Broker with Windermere in Bonney lake has graciously offered to donate $1000 towards the tour should a member of the Higlander family refer a home which he is able to close on prior to the tour. If you have any potential clients for Tyler please contact him at 253 963-0424

We have another couple of exciting fundraising opportunities which are in the finalisation process and should be announced later this week.

Membership Dues
Thanks very much to those that have made an initial or full payment of membership dues. I am very concious of this challenging time of year to find extra cash to squeeze out of the budget but need to encourage everyone to try and make a payment by our original deadline of 1/15. I will gladly work with everyone on this I just need to know what you can and cant manage. As a reminder the dues are $200 for a new player and $175 for returning players. For the players who have just joined us in the past few weeks I am prepared to wait and till the end of the month to make sure your son is fully committed to this new sport. Checks can be made payable to Rainier Plateau Junior Rugby and brought to practice or mailed to my home address:

12612 203rd Ave East Bonney Lake 98391

Ram Fundraising Cards

Some attendees at the parent meeting a few weeks ago recieved some fundraising cards for the Ram Restuarant. Please turn in any sales money to me by January 29. All sales will earn the player credit towards his tour cost.

Prez Fest Tournament
This will be rainier's third trip to this tourney which has proved to be a memorable and extremely enjoyable weekend for all. We will leave Saturday morning and be back around dinner time on Sunday. Cost to the individual player is minimal as we are anticpating as in past years the players will be hosted in Oregon Rugby Team familes homes on Saturday night. Parents and coaches will be in local hotels. New players can ask the veterans and their parents about this trip and I am confident they will all say its a must go trip! we have started to canvass players regarding their availability but if you can reply via e mail please let me know.

PLEASE JOIN US for the 4th ANNUAL PREZ FEST TOURNAMENT
Saturday and Sunday February 13th and 14th at Portland Community College – Rock Creek Campus located at 17705 NW Springville Rd. Portland, OR 97229

GUARANTEED 2 GAMES SAT. and 2 GAMES SUN. “a fun-filled weekend of rugby for all”

prez fest poster

DATE: Feb 13th and 14th 2010

TIME: 8am until games are done (or 5pm) – Round Robin Style – 1 hour lunch no-host

SOCIAL: 5pm Saturday 2-13-09 Hosted by the Barbarians (please feel free to bring a beverage or snack of choice to share with other teams at the social)

LOCATION: PCC-Rock Creek - 17705 NW Springville Rd. Portland, OR 97229

GAMES: 20 minute halves – IRB rules - 2 games Saturday and 2 Sunday

MUST: HAVE FUN AND have all players CIPP’ed (insurance) and show proof that day when checking in – no exceptions! Remind players and parents of the code of conduct – thank you

Spiritwear
I now have a full stock of hoodies, ball caps, beanies and club t shirts available for sale. Go to our website to check out the design and prices. Go to the "our team" tab and look under team store.Let me know what you would like to purchase and I will make arangements for delivery.

Website
In the next week or so you should see an updated website so make sure you check out the changes.

Player Bios on Website
Its time for our returning players to update their bio's on the website. These are under the tab our team and then players. Contact me for the login and password. We will be adding our new players to this page in the very near future.

Uniforms
At Wednesdays practice we will be sizing all new players for uniform shorts and issuing socks to those players that have paid a minimum of $50 towards their membership fees. The shorts will be ordered and will be available by our first scrimmage game. If any returning players need new socks or shorts they need to let me know ASAP. The cost for new shorts is $15 and $8 for socks. Team jerseys are issued at each game and retained by coach Ramsay during the season.

Have a great week and hope to see everyone at Sunset Stadium on Wednesday 6.30pm.

Regards

Coach Andy

1/15/2010

To All

Attached to this message is a copy of what many of the players received in a plain white envelope on Wednesday evening but considering it was pouring rain it may have been unreadable by the time you received it . Below my comments are additional comments from the Tournament organizer. His comments should hopefully inspire you to have your son participate in this tour. Please note that the total expense can be made in relatively small increments. During our scrimmage afternoon on 1/31 we will host a tour overview but I encourage you to act immediately as it pertains to obtaining the necessary documentation to get into Canada and to forward your initial $50 deposit by 1/29. You will in the near future be receiving news regarding a tour fundraiser on February 27th which has the potential to earn the club some substantial amount of money and reduce the overall cost to the individual player.

Pa'kit draws teams from all over the province of BC. Interior schools like Williams Lake, Quesnel, Kamloops and Kelowna as well as Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island schools such as Britannia, Mulgrave, Fleetwood Park, South Delta and Port Alberni have been coming for years.

In addition, we usually have at least one overseas touring side from Australia, New Zealand or the UK. This year we will have a Junior Boys team from Oundle in England.

On Friday afternoon, every team plays a match between noon and 5 pm. About 6 pm, all the teams, juniors and seniors, boys and girls, gather at the senior boys venue for the social. They are fed a light meal/snack (it as been lasagne and garlic bread the last few years) and after everyone eats, we play some Boy Scout jamboree style relay games like spin on the baseball bat etc. We are usually done in about 90 minutes. The primary purpose is to give the players something to plan their early evening around, give them a chance to meet and socialize with other teams and burn off energy. We are told that the social is the part of the tournament that most players enjoy the most.

Given that Pa'kit 2010 occurs in very early April, it will be cold and possibly wet and windy. Have lots of warm clothes for before and after your matches. On the other hand, it could almost as easily be as hot as 33 degrees. Hard to say.

We are bound by the IRB regulations governing the amount of time U18 players can play in a day (70 minutes). Thursday afternoon games are 50 minutes long, Friday matches are 34 minutes long and Saturday morning matches are 50 minutes. Tied matches are congratulated.

Coach Andy

11/29/09

To All

I hope everyone had a very happy, fun filled Thanksgiving break with lots of great food and even better company?

Just a reminder that this Thursday will be our first opportunity to conduct an indoor practice and hopefully get many new players involved. These sessions have been created to produce a non intimidating environment for potential players to come along and get an introduction to the game. Veteran players will work alongside new players but will also split off to work on technical skills. You now have three days to work on your buddies and convince them to come out and check out rugby. As you are all aware we wont pressure anyone to join or make a committment to play until that individual is convinced this is a game for him.

Several of us have been working hard making school recruiting trips etc but our effectivness isnt nearly as potent as our players "selling" the game to buddies. Lets all work together and fill up that gym for the next month or so. We have some tremendous new coaches who are eager to help take our club to the next level and teach the game they love to as many kids as possible.

See you all at the Bonney Lake High School Gym on Thursday 6.30pm.

Coach Ramsay

1/10/2010

To All

I hope you had a great weekend and were able to get out and enjoy the unseasonably warm weather?

Things are heating up as it pertains to the rugby club with the next few weeks shaping up to be extremely busy both on the practice field and in general club organisation. Although we are only a couple of practices into the season I am very excited about what I am seeing and the level of committment, focus and enthusism being demonstrated by the players and coaches. We have started some dialog regarding taking the team to the next level and some of the adjustments that will be required to make this happen. Fortunately everyone has responsed favorably to this more disiplined and professional approach to the functioning of the team. We will however never loss sight that the intent is to have fun and not get as serious as some mainstream sports which swing to far in the other direction!

I would like to extend a warm welcome to some of our new parents and hope that they are be able to figure out what their son has "got into" and beggining to understand the way our club operates. I look forward to meeting you in the near future and thank you for supporting your son in his first few weeks of practice and blending into our team.

Canada Tour
I hope to be able to handout and e mail out updated information regarding our tour at Wednesdays practice. Information will include the final cost per player. Included with this handout will be a "cheatsheet" for obtaining or renewing a passport or passport card. It is essential that this matter is attended to ASAP. Fortunately with this tour we dont require a substancial amount of advance payments so an initial deposit of $50 is all we are asking for to secure your place on this tour. After reviewing the tour handout please let me know ASAP if you would like your son to be included on this tour. I highly encourage all to particpate in what will undoutably be a memorable and potential rugby career highlight. I will expect payment of the deposit to be completed by January 30th. Further payment milestones and minimum amounts will be identified in the next week or so.

Please keep in mind we hope to have at least two fundraisers which will assist to reduce the overall tour cost.

We will also welcome any sponsership support which may help to cover costs associated with tour spirtwear etc.

Membership Dues
Thanks very much to those that have made an initial or full payment of membership dues. I am very concious of this challenging time of year to find extra cash to squeeze out of the budget but need to encourage everyone to try and make a payment by our original deadline of 1/15. I will gladly work with everyone on this I just need to know what you can and cant manage. As a reminder the dues are $200 for a new player and $175 for returning players. For the players who have just joined us in the past few weeks I am prepared to wait and till the end of the month to make sure your son is fully committed to this new sport. Checks can be made payable to Rainier Plateau Junior Rugby and brought to practice or mailed to my home address:

12612 203rd Ave East Bonney Lake 98391

Ram Fundraising Cards
Some attendees at the parent meeting a few weeks ago recieved some fundraising cards for the Ram Restuarant. Please turn in any sales money to me by January 29. All sales will earn the player credit towards his tour cost.

Spiritwear
I now have a full stock of hoodies, ball caps, beanies and club t shirts available for sale. Go to our website to check out the design and prices. Go to the "our team" tab and look under team store.Let me know what you would like to purchase and I will make arangements for delivery.

Mt Peak Climb
On Monday January 18th (Martin Luther King Day) we will assemble in the afternoon at the base of the Mt Peak trail for a ascent of this local Enumclaw landmark. Sounds impressive and possibly intimidating not really unless you are old and broken down from 25 years of rugby like me! Coach Brian will be coordinating this event but I have no doubt we will need to go for pizza or something after to replace all the energy lost on this arduous trek. Parents will be welcomed I am sure but that's not only the pizza part you need to walk too!

Parents Committee Meeting
This Thursday 1/14 we will be holding a monthly parents committee meeting at Applebees Restaurant in Bonney Lake. The meeting will commence at 6.45pm. We invite anyone who may have an interest in assisting in the operations of the club to come along and see what this entails. Primary focus of the group at the moment is planning fundraisers and the club tour.

Website
In the next week or so you should see an updated website so make sure you check out the changes.

Have a good week and please make sure you review our Canadian Tour Information and respond if interested. We have worked hard to find this option and I am excited at how much fun the players can have as well as playing rugby in a foreign country. May not be New Zealand or Europe but its affordable and still a great opportunity.

Regards

Coach Ramsay



11/22/09

To All

Momentum and excitement is building towards our third season of Highlander rugby which I believe is going to see the culmination of several of years hardwork pay off in success on and off the field.

Dinner & Auction
Our first dinner and auction staged a few weeks ago resulted in a very successful fund raising and social event which was enjoyed by both our members and their guests. Thanks once again to all those that contributed to the success of this event. Its a very favorable feeling to enter the new season having a substantial amount of money in our club checking account.

Indoor Practice
We will commence the season with a series of indoor gym sessions which will provide a great opportunity for new and or interested boys to come along and see if this is a sport they would like to pursue. I encourage each of you to bring a buddy along and get them involved in our club. We will introduce the basics of rugby to all rookie players while the veteran players start to work on honing their skills in various aspects of the game. When practical we will combine the entire squad to work on team skills and tactics. Please plan on attending as many of these sessions as you can so that you are fully aware and involved in our goals and aspirations for 2010. Wear rugby or normal PE clothes and bring some water. In case of inclement weather always check the club website as the school district may close the facilities and therefore practice is cancelled.

December 3rd 6.30pm - 8pm @ Bonney Lake HS Gym B

December 10th 7pm-8.30pm @ Bonney Lake HS Gym B

December 14th 7pm-8.30pm @ Lakeridge Middle School Gym (Bonney Lake)

December 17th 7pm- 8.30pm @ Bonney Lake HS Gym B

Other December Activities
We are planning a couple of team activities which are intended to create team bonding and friendship opportunities as well as having fun. Sunday December 20th we will take all interested parties up to the Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Center to their Tubing Center for a few hours of mayhem! more to come on this.

We are also trying to schedule a evening at the movies to take in the new Clint Eastwood directed movie Invictus which portrays the influence that the 1995 Rugby World Cup Victory by host nation South Africa had on galvanising the white and black population as Nelson Mandela came to power. The winning captain is played by Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman plays Mandela. Critics are very positive about the quality of this movie and the rugby community are equally pleased at the re creation of the rugby games. Once I have figured out a good evening or afternoon to go see this movie I will let you know. Movie opens 12/11.

We are also interested in scheduling a outing to Mt Peak a famous landmark in Enumclaw (which I am told you can see Casey's house from the top). Legend has it locals have walked, jogged, crawled and generally cursed their way to the top! If you are man enough we will let you know when this will be. Casey is there snow on the top yet?

New Coaches
I am very excited to announce that we have been fortunate enough to add three new coaches for next season. These young men will add tremendous resources, knowledge and enthusiasm to our exsisting coaching staff.

Tyler Freed played high school rugby at Kentwood during their extremely successful era which included several trips to the National Championships. Tyler also played rugby while attending Washington State University. Tyler is a real estate broker in Bonney Lake.

Jeff Sprouse is a Buckley native who attended White River High School before joining the rugby team at Washington State University where he played with Tyler. Jeff's teammates described Jeff as the ultimate team player and a "as hard as nails" flanker.

Dakota Blankenship is one of our original players who is currently attending Pierce Community College and is eager to give back to our program and in particular to work with our younger players. Dakota was the ultimate team player who could be relied on to remain positive and to motivate his team mates. I have no doubt he will be able to pass on these admirable traits and bring on the next generation of Highlanders.

These additions will help to fill the void left by the departure of Sean Kerrigan who is relocating to Washington DC for a new job opportunity. Sean likes to down play his contributions to the club but he can leave knowing that he was and always will be a valued member of the Rainier Rugby Club. Good luck to Sean and his young family and I have no doubt as his twin sons get older a rugby ball will be passed between them.

Parent / Player Meeting
We will be hosting a parent and player meeting intended to highlight the features of the 2010 season and introduce our new parents to the club, coaches and what to expect from being part of the Highlander family.

During that meeting we will present an overview of our Spring Break tour, upcoming fundraising inititives and also answer any questions you may have. We will also be collecting the first installment of membership dues and mandatory medical paperwork. This meeting will be on December 29 at 6.30pm at the Windermere Real Estate Office in Bonney Lake. Directions and further details pertaining to this meeting will be posted on the website.

Membership Dues
This years dues structure will remain the same as 2009 with a total fee of $200 for new players and $175 for returning players. These dues can be paid in full or divided into two payments. Payment plans can however be worked out so that all players can be eligible to particpate. You are welcome to pay your dues immediately or within the dates listed below. Checks can be made payable to Rainier Plateau Junior Rugby Club and mailed to Andy, contact him at a.s.ramsay@comcast.net for the address.

New Player $100 by December 30th & $100 by January 15th
Returning player $87 on same dates

Player Recruitment
We have some very exciting potential new players that have either been out to touch rugby or have contacted me but I must encourage each of you to seek new players and dont rely on others to bring players. We are making a concerted effort to create a seperate U19 and a U16 team which will require approximately 45 players. I am making school recruiting trips but ultimately it comes down to you guys looking around and playing "rugby salesmen" to find the resources we need. Start now as the upcoming indoor sessions are an ideal chance to bring buddies along.

Spring Practice and Game Schedule
I am working hard on the completion of both our outdoor practice schedule and our game schedule and hope to provide you both by early December.

Please keep an eye on the website in the next few weeks as we will be providing updates on many of the items we have shared in this message. I hope you and your familes have a wonderful Thanksgiving break and I look forward to seeing all of you on December 3rd.

Regards

Coach Ramsay.

10/22/09

To All

This is a friendly and encouraging reminder that Sunday is the final day to sell and turn in your dinner and auction admission tickets. From the replies I have received sales are going pretty well but I am concerned that some players may not be putting as much effort into this requirement as others. Please remember that each player will receive a deposit into their tour account based on how many tickets they sold.

To make a maximum success of this fund-raising event it will require everyone to contribute and work towards selling a minimum of 6 tickets, donate a silent auction item and if possible a dessert for our dessert dash feature. If you have any questions regarding these expectations or about the dinner and auction event don't hesitate to call or e mail me.

I will be at touch rugby in Sumner from 2-2.30 and then at the Bonney Lake HS Football Field Parking Lot on Sunday 3-5 to collect sales monies and auction items. If you are unable to come to either of these locations please let me know and we can setup alternate arangements.

Thanks for your continued dedication and assistance in making this event a huge success.

Coach Ramsay

9/22/09

To All

We will be holding four Sunday afternoon touch rugby sessions which are intended to be a casual fun opportunity and for many a chance to get reacquainted with the rugby ball as well as getting some physical exercise. These sessions would also be an ideal opportunity to bring along any buddies that may be considering playing next spring to introduce them to the basics of the game. If you are involved in a fall school sport these sessions shouldnt be very demanding and or detremental to those committments.

WHERE: Daffodil Valley Sport Complex in Sumner (5604 Graham Ave Sumner 98390)
TIME:     2pm - 3.30pm
WHEN:   Sunday 9/20, 27, 10/4 & 10/11

This location is the baseball complex just north of the Sumner High School adjacent to the gym we used for indoor training last season.

Hope to see you all out for a run.

Coach Andy



5/19/09

To All

Well we finally cracked it a win to end the regular season on a high! it wasn't the prettiest game to watch but the old cliche of a win is a win certainly applied. A just reward for every-ones hard work, commitment and sacrifice.

Thanks very much for all the support, assistance and patience during the year which has produced significant improvement both on the field and in our parental support and interest in the club. Although the games are done we still have a very busy few weeks coming up.

Upcoming Events
Wednesday May 27: District Elementary School Track Meet @ Sunset Stadium in Sumner
Friday May 29: End of Season Banquet @ Grange Hall on Old Sumner Buckley Hwy
Saturday June 6th Cascade Classic Tournament @ CWU Campus in Elensburg
Saturday June 13th Pouch Bowl Event @ Pat Ryan Field in SeaTac

District Elementary Track Meet
I am still looking for volunteers to assist at this Sumner School District event which we will act as Marshall's and help coordinate the events. We had a great time last year and gained valuable PR and respect for our program.
The commitment is low show up at 3.30pm and we will be done by 5.30pm. Please wear your club t shirt or hoodie. Please let me know if you can assist with this event.

Banquet
Preparations are well under way for our second banquet which will be held on Friday May 29th at the Grange Hall. Festivities will commence at 7.30pm and will include a full dinner. In order to ensure we purchase the correct quantities of food I need RSVP's from the players families listed below. Players immediate family, grandparents and girlfriends are welcome. We will charge $5 per family at the door. We have a lot planned for this evening and I highly encourage you to attend. I do have some volunteers to assist me but I could use some more help on the hall setup on Thursday evening and then with the food preparation and service on Friday.

Thursday setup 7pm - 8.30pm
Friday - 5.30pm

RSVP's Needed
Tony W
Casey S
Dylan W
Dakota B
Eli M
Eric G
Jake B
David C
Brindon H


End of season player awards / votes needed
Many of our players still need to send me their votes for our end of season awards. They can e mail or text me their votes. To find out the award categories go to our website and click on our team and select awards. One additional award not featured there is Most Improved Player.

Cascade Classic
We will not be entering a Rainier side in this tournament as we have to many known absences however we will take all interested players to this event on Saturday June 6th. The tournament actually runs thru Sunday but we found one day was plenty last year. We will be able to either combine all our players with one side or loan them out to "needy" teams. We got plenty of rugby for the players that went over in 2008. There will be teams from our local area, eastern Washington and Montana in attendance. This will be a full day event with a return to Bonney Lake around 8pm.

Pouch Bowl
The first annual pouch bowl is an event being staged as part of the Valley Rugby Clubs end of season celebration day. Valley is the mens club that coach George and I are affiliated with. The pouch bowl will be open to players from Rainier, Liberty, Valley Joeys and Tacoma. The concept is that who ever wants to play will complete a name tag which will be added with all others. From these entries names will be randomly drawn to form teams.

This event will be played at the Pat Ryan Memorial Field in Seatac. Festivities Will commence at 10am. This should be a fun day with a chance to play with many of the players you tackled and ran against this season. Nearer this event we will finalize details and create a car pool meeting place and time.

Summer 7's
Coach Brian is hoping to be able to conduct some form of sevens rugby during the summer which may involve playing in a few local tournaments. Brian and I are still working out some details and should have some further information at the banquet.

Andy



5/3/09

To All

A brief message this week as I have worked in the yard till dark and am rushing to get this to you before I run out of energy and time!

Monday Practice: 6pm at Bonney Lake HS
Wednesday Match: 6pm Kickoff at Bonney Lake HS versus Liberty. Players need to be at the field by 5.15.

We need a few volunteers to help serve the postmatch food please let me know if you can assist with this.

Saturday Match: 1pm kickoff at Polo Grounds in Ferndale versus Chuckanut. We will carpool from the Bonney Lake Park and Ride meet at 9am.

End of Season Banquet & Awards Ceremony

We will be hosting our end of season dinner and awards presentation on Friday May 29th 7.30pm at the Grange Hall on the Sumner/Buckley Hwy. This event is open to all grandparents, family & siblings. To help off set the cost of the food we will charge a entry fee of $5 per family (includes player, parents and siblings). Dinner will include salad, main course and desert. Entry fees will be collected at the door. Last years event was a great night and a fitting way to recognize the hard work, commitment and sacrifices of the players, coaches and volunteers.
It would be extremely helpful if you could RSVP if you plan to attend and the number of attendees in your party.

I am also looking for volunteers to assist in one of the duties listed below. Please let me know if you are willing to help out and in what capacity would you prefer.

Hall Setup: Thursday May 28 @ 7pm
Preparation and Service of Meal: Friday May 29th @ 5.30pm
Hall Cleanup: Friday May 29th

Hope to see you all on Wednesday.

Andy



4/26/09

To All

A very busy weekend of rugby which was both uplifting and encouraging. Friday night we were hosted by the Worthens for a great team meal of spaghetti and desert. This was the first time we have held a team dinner and judging by the turnout and fun that was had it will be something we will build into our program. While most of us were out at White River on Saturday three of our younger players David, Tyler and Ayden were part of the inaugural rugby match played on a new custom made rugby pitch at Magnason Park in North Seattle. These young players are making considerable progress playing with U14 boys from several clubs. Remember these names as hopefully they will be our primary players in 2-3 years! Not content with one game David and Tyler headed south on Sunday for a runout with the Budd Bay U14's. Saturday was a case of two halves with Shelton coming back late in the game to squezze out a win. Despite the loss the performance was a considerable improvement and will have provided the players a huge confidence boost and some much needed reward for concerted efforts at practice. Thanks very much for the sideline support and enocuragement of the team.

Special thanks to Dru Miller for providing the barbeque and the cooks Alicia Garvin, Sheli O'Connor and Roanne Bailiff. Also thanks to the Terranas for washing the team uniforms.

Upcoming Events
Monday           Practice: BLHS 6pm - 7.30 (8pm if no other users come in behind us)
Wednesday     Practice: BLHS same as above
Thursday         2010 New Zealand Tour Informational meeting 6.30 @ Bonney Lake Public Library
Friday:             Game versus Budd Bay @ Rainer Vista Park Lacey Kickoff 5.30pm


Friday's Game
This weeks game is versus Budd Bay and will be played in Lacey(directions below). The game is scheduled to kickoff at 5.30pm however with Friday night traffic it will be challenging. For those who need a ride or can help to transport players we will meet at the Bonney Lake Park and Ride at 3.45pm. Please let me know if you are able to take any extra players in your vehicle.

86th Avenue East & 144th street East

Take I5 south to Exit 109 (College St/ Martin Way)
At the ramp lights take a right onto Martin Way
At the 1st set of lights take a left onto College St
Follow College for about 2 miles.
At the roundabout take a left onto 45th Ave SE
The field is about 1/4 mile on your righthandside.

Remainder of League Match Schedule
May 6th @ 6pm Bonney Lake High School
May 9th @ 1pm Polo Grounds in Ferndale
May 15th @ 5.30pm Sunset Stadium Sumner

New Zealand Tour Informational Meeting
Please make an effort to attend this initial meeting which will provide an overview of our proposed tour to New Zealand in June 2010. The meeting will be held at the Bonney Lake Public Libary starting at 6.30pm. This meeting is intended for both players and parents to attend.

Community Service Event
In an effort to show our thanks to the Sumner School District for allowing us access to their facilities we will for the second year be offering our services at the local Elementary School combined track meet on May 27th (Wed).

We had good fun helping at this event and also got good exposure to the local community. Volunteers will need to be at Sunset Stadium by 3.30 on the day of the event.

Player Bios on Website
Many of you still need to either update or complete a player bio on the website. Go to the "our team" tab and then roster. Click on edit bios and enter login & password.

Have a great week and hope to see you all at practice, tour meeting and game on Friday.

Coach Andy.



4/6/09

To All

Hope everyone has enjoyed the glorious weekend weather and been able like me to catch up on all the outdoor chores? Spring Break comes to an end for most of our players except our Auburn fellows who are just getting started. Hope everyone enjoyed the Paintball afternoon last week and judging by the enthusism and fun being had an event that will no doubt be repeated. Maybe the reining Civil War Champion Tyler will meet his match during a return event!

Upcoming events


Monday 4/6 Practice at Mountain View Middle School 6pm -8

Wednesday 4/8 Practice at Bonney Lake HS 6pm -7.30pm

Thursday 4/9 Monthly Parent / Player Meeting at Buckley Public Libary 6.30pm

Friday 4/10 Match versus Kent Crusaders @ Bonney Lake HS Kickoff 5.45pm

Outstanding Dues
Please make arangements with me to pay off the balance of your membership fees or the total amount that was agreed on between myself and you. We have many costs to cover in the next month or so and your contributions are neccesary to ensure we remain in the black.

Spiritwear
I currently have Highlander T shirts, hoodies, ball caps and beanies in most sizes so if you would like any of these items please let me know and I will bring your requested items to Fridays game

Fridays Game
Fridays game has the potential to be a great occasion with the opposition Kent Crusaders an excellent club and one of the founders of youth rugby in Washington. It will be nice to be able to host in our home area and on an excellent facility like Panther Field. We will be providing a barbeque meal for both team after. I have approximately a dozen VIP's that I will be inviting to attend this game and see what we are all about! These guests are school administrators, football coaches, teachers, and local buissness men who expressed and interest in what we are doing with our rugby program. PLAYERS NEED TO REPORT TO PANTHER FIELD BY 5PM ON FRIDAY. MAKE SURE YOU NAVY SHORTS, SOCKS, CLEATS AND MOUTHGUARDS. Kickoff at 5.45pm

Hope to see you all on Friday.

Andy



3/28/09

To All

As I look out the window behind me at the snow I am not to disapointed our match was Friday! Although outgunned in the end the coaching staff were pleased with some of the individual and overall team improvements in some of the areas we have identified as opportunities for improvement. Seeing these improvements provides enthusism and optimism that this young team have the potential to bond into a dynamic and powerful side. The added bonus of scoring a couple of tries also doesent hurt. Our try scorers were Captain coragoues Casey Smith and another to prolific scorer Eric Garvin. Equally pleasing was that we were able to get all reserves inserted into the game. We had a couple of key players absent on Friday so with their return and continued hard work at practice will carry us into our next game with high expectations.

Upcoming Events
Wednesday 4/1 Paintball Afternoon at KC Crusaders in South Prairie
Saturday 4/4 Optional Practice Session 11am - 1.30pm @ Mountain View Middle School
Monday 4/6 Practice Resumes @ Mountain View Middle School
Thursday 4/9 Monthly Parent / Player Meeting Buckley Public Libary

Paintball 4/1
The HIghlanders will be invading South Prairie on Wednesday afternoon for an afternoon of Paint Ball at KC Crusaders. We have booked a three hour private session which will cost $30 per particpant. This fee includes all equipment and 500 paint balls each. If you plan on joining us for this event please make sure you go to the KC Crusaders Website and print off the hold harmless agreement which will need to be signed by parent or guardian. Bring this with you on Wednesday. We will meet in the Bonney Lake Park and Ride at 1pm to pick up anyone who needs a ride. If you cannot get a ride to the park and ride please let me know and we will make arrangements to pick you up at your home. If you plan on meeting us at KC Crusaders please be there by 1.30pm.

There is a possibility that we will be providing a spagetti feed after the paintball. There will be no cost for this meal. I am in the process of securing a location in Buckley and would appreciate any help in cooking and serving this meal. We should be eating around 5.30pm. Once I have the venue confirmed and identify what help we may need I will send a seperate e mail.

www.KC-Crusaders.com

Practice Schedule
There will be no practices Monday or Wednesday of this week in observance of Spring Break. Saturday we will host an optional practice which will include some skill training and also some scrimmage type rugby.

Website
Updates are currently being made to the website including a calander update, match photos loaded and also player biography updates.

Player Biography
We encourage each player to go to the Our Team tab of the website and then to Roster. Here you can complete a player biography. Contact me for the password and login. Our webmaster will then review your submission and load it onto this page.

Team Vice Captain
I am pleased to announce that the players choice for team Vice Captain is Jake Christiansen. Jake is a first year player that has demonstrated all the characteristics for this position and will support our Captain Casey Smith and his friend and fellow EHS student in leading the side.

New Coach
I am excited to announce that we have a new coach who has joined our ranks and made an immediate contribution to the program. Brian Belisle is a former Kent high school player who is now living with his wife in the Bonney Lake area. Brian's knowledge, enthusism and passion for the game will greatly benifit our program and allow us to break our training sessions into more managable ratio of players to coach.

Match Schedule
Our next game will be a home game on 4/10. Our opposition will be Kent Crusaders who we will host at Bonney Lake High School. Kickoff will be at 5.30pm. As we are the home team we will be providing food for Kent and our own players. We will need four volunteers to help cook (barbeque) and serve this meal. Please let me know if you are willing to assist in this duty.

Please note also the home match with Shelton match will be played on Saturday 4/25. The schedule was showing Friday but due to challenges finding a venue and also the significant distance for Shelton to travel we have scheduled this match on Saturday. Currently I have Bonney Lake HS scheduled for a 3.30pm kickoff. This was the only time and venue available at this time. I will attempt to find an alternative venue where we can commence earlier but the game will remain on Saturday 4/25.

New Zealand Tour 2010
I have been making some significant progress in compiling a solid itinerary and New Zealand clubs who are willing to host and play us. I also have some credible cost estimates on most aspects of the tour. As exciting as this is we need to ensure that we have sufficient interest in participating in this tour and gaining at least some verbal commitments. The tour is currently scheduled for June 18 - July 4th 2010. To provide an opportunity to share the details, structure ,cost and general overview of the tour I have scheduled a meeting for Tuesday April 28th. I am well aware of the current dire economic woes but am confident we will be able to raise enough money through fund-raising to make this trip affordable for all.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and spring break for the players.

Yours in rugby

Andy Ramsay



3/15/09

To All

Like many people I succumbed to the flu/ upper chest infection bug so you are recieving the customary update somewhat later than usual. Nevertheless we have many things worthy of your attention and particpation. The past two weekends have not provided favorable weather or playing conditions but despite the Marymoor and Shelton mudbaths our players have been enthusastic, upbeat and having a lot of fun. Yesterday a group of 10 headed out to Shelton to combine with some Shelton lads to play a Budd Bay (Olympia) side. For several of these players it was there first game and despite the conditions they performed well and had a great time! this included Jed scoring his first try. Thanks to Nick Terrana (Alex's dad) for his transportation help and general support on a wet and muddy day.

Early season is going well with several new faces this past week including three students from Auburn High School where Doug Pearson (Colin's dad) and I recentely conducted a informational / recruiting session. We also have a few students from the Colin's School in Buckley so its great to see our influence stretching further into the community. Despite these developments please continue to recruit your friends, relatives and neighbours as we need to continue to grow our team. Have a great week and I hope to see you all at Next Saturdays match.

Practice Schedule
Due to the high school soccer schedule and practices we are not so lucky to maintain our reguler time slot at Bonney Lake. We also have a few practices on grass which will be at Mountain View Middle School in Bonney Lake. This school is near the high school with directions at the Sumner School District Website. Monday we will be at Bonney Lake as Normal and then Wednesday at Mt View. The schedule varies somewhat week to week so please keep a close eye on the calendar page of the website. Some of the practices at the football field are only scheduled for an hour (other uses after us) so we will most likley start at the high school and then jog over to the middle school to finish off. With so few facilities in the area this is the best options available to us.

Saturday 3/21 Game
Next Saturdays match with Tacoma will be played at the Pat Ryan Field in Seatac. Directions to this field can be found on our website under "maps" and wont be found on mapqwest. This field is a custom made rugby field belonging to the mens club that George and I are involved with. Game time hasnt been finalised yet but it will be in the 1100-2.00pm range.

I am in need of some volunteers to assist in cooking the post match food.. The field has a fixed bbq grill so it will require grilling of hot dogs burgers etc. Ideally it would be fantastic if someone is willing to take my shopping list buy the food, bring it on Saturday and be reimbursed. Please let me know if you think you can lend a hand.

Player Bios
Our website has been updated to include a bio for many of our new players. Go to our team tab and roster and you will find your name. Take a minute to share with us your bio as its usually a lot of fun reading these.

Contact me for the login info

Also 2008 players can update there bio too.


Spiritwear
We currently have a good stock of all products for purchase. I just recieved new ball caps and beanies which look really good and are not very expensive. Let me know if you would like to buy and of the items listed below:

Hoodies - $20
T Shirts - $12
Beanies - $10
Ball Caps $12


New Zealand Tour
I want to make sure that all our new players and parents are aware that the club are planning a rugby tour to New Zealand in June of 2010. NZ is the rugby mecca and a country I was fortunate enough to live and play rugby in. This trip is going to be a once in a lifetime for the players and parents who choose to come along. I am working with a extremely well qualified individual inside NZ and a local travel agent to get the initial planning completed but will be involving our parent group to high degree in making this tour a reality. Currently we are planning on leaving directly after school gets out for summer and remaining overseas until early July. Parent chaperone and siblings are welcome. The costs for the tour are still being determind with the goal of making this trip affordable to all who wish to go. Offsetting these costs by conducting fundraising is our primary goal at the moment and I am still in need of 2-3 parents to particpate in a specific committee to coodinate these activities. The folks who have already volunteered have some very good ideas and just need some help in executing these plans..

I also need your feedback on whether you feel your player is interested or able to particpate in this tour. I know this is challenging not knowing exact costs etc but providing they participate in fund raisers etc we feel the cost will be below $2500 and possibly lower. With the challenging economic times that seems a lot but keep in mind we have over a year to help you raise that money and payments will be in installments rather than a lump sum. Its unlikley many of the players will have another chance to expierience playing rugby overseas and in particuler NZ so I highly encourage everyone to consider joining us.

Coach Sean
Sean and his wife Rachel should be back in the area this week after an extended stay in Ethiopia where they have adopted two infant boys Caleb and Eli. Their stay was much longer than originally anticipated but judging by the photos on their blog a few extra weeks waiting for these gorgeous boys was well worth it. Hopefully once Sean has some time to catch up and get his family settled he will find some time to share with us. If you are interested in seeing some photos of the new family check out their blog at the address listed below.

http://www.kerriganadoptionstory.blogspot.com

Under 14 Jamboree
Three of our younger players Ayden Walker, David Connolly and Tyler Worthen participated in a historic rugby event last Sunday when they played in the first ever area under 14 rugby jamboree. As a coaches group we have been trying to attract players to the game at a younger age and last Sundays event was a culmination of these efforts. With over 35 young players attending it was a huge success. All three of our players represented Rainier in fine fashion including a first try for Ayden. Great reward to all of these boys who have worked extremely hard at practice and have not shyed away from having to compete with the "bigger" boys. We have three more of these jamborees planned however looking out my window at the moment and seeing snow falling probably cuts this back to two!

Coach Andy


3/3/09

Some how my rugby club distrubution deleted many of the contacts so I am resending a couple of messages. I apologize if some of you recieve muiltiple copies.

To All

This Saturdays match will be played on Field # 5 at Marymoor Park Redmond. This field is on the lefthandside of the road approximately 1/4 mile closer to the park entrance than where we were last week. Kickoff time will be 1pm. All players need to be at the field no later than noon. Please wear your Rainier Club T Shirt and hoodie on match days along with navy club shorts and socks.

It is imperative that we try and have as many players available to play as we already have a couple of enforced abscences. If you know you will need a ride to Marymoor please let me know and we can arrange that in advance. Unless you have a prior committment please plan on sticking around for 30-40 minutes after the game for post match food and exchange of captains and coaches speeches and award of man of the match gifts. This is a worldwide tradition in rugby which we need to learn to embrace and encourage.

Look forward to seeing you all on Saturday. Dont hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have questions.

Regards

Coach Andy

253 330-6816


2/22/09

To All

I hope you are enjoying a good weekend?

Upcoming Events
Thursday 2/26 Parents Oversight Committee meeting 6.3pm @ 410 Starbucks opposite McDonalds

Saturday 2/28 Preseason Jamboree @ Marymoor Park in Redmond time to be confirmed but likley 11-3

Sunday 3/1 Fundraising Car Wash @ Jetstream Car Wash Bonney Lake 1000-3pm

Tuesday 3/3 Monthly Parent /Player Meeting @ Buckley Public Libary 6/30pm

Fundraising Car Wash

I need to start collecting interest to assist at this event so I can assure we have sufficient manpower to run this event. We will need at least three adults per shift as the owners only permit adults to operate the automated spray guns. Please let me know what you can commit too during the 10am to 3pm time period of this event.

Also most of the players were issued with 5 presale car wash tickets to sell please make sure we encourage everyone to make an effort to sell these. Monies collected can be brought to the event on 3/1.

Pre Season Jamboree

Next Saturdays jamboree will be hosted by the Eastside Lions (new club for 2009 season). The matches will be shorter than normal and be intended to introduce the game to many new players. The other clubs attending are Kentwood, Harbor and the Valley Joeys. The actual start time for this event has not been announced as the organizers are still working with the parks dept on this.

Prezfest

A huge thanks to all who made this trip both players and families. Despite the fact we didn't get to play on Sunday it was still a very successful weekend. The Sunday cancellation was decided without our input but considering we had a number of banged up players it may have been for the best. We were commended for the teams conduct on and off the field and will be welcome at the 2010 event. It was great to see such strong sideline support and also to see many of the players experiencing their first or second rugby match.

Regards

Coach Ramsay


1/31/09

To All

This weeks events

Monday 2/2 Practice @ Bonney Lake 6.30 - 8.30 (extra 30 mins this week only)

Tuesday 2/3 Parents meeting @ Bonney Lake Public Libary 6.30pm

Wednesday 2/4 Practice BLHS 6.30-8.30

Saturday 2/7 Scrimmage game with Liberty (Renton) @ BLHS 5pm-7

Car Washes
2/8 Auburn Sams Club Supermall
We have an excellent opportunity to raise significant funds at this location and require everyone to step up and volunteer to assist. We will be setting up around 9am with a expectation to start washing cars at 10. We will continue until 2pm. Please e mail me with your committment and what materials and resources listed below you can bring. Small step stool hose scrub brushes sponges wheel scrub brushes spray wheel cleaner Hose spray gun attachment Car wash soap

3/1 Jet Stream Car Wash 410 Bonney Lake (between Bank of America & Jiffylube) This location is generous enough to offer one youth group a month the opportunity to take over the drive up bays where you normally would feed the meter and use the automated wash gun. They override the equipment and let us wash any cars that come to use the facility. In addition to the drive up customers we will be asking the players to sell presale tickets to family and friends. This event will be 10-3pm. I helped at the Bonney Lake HS football team event at this location and we raised a very large amount of money.

2/7 Scrimmage Evening
I hope everyone will make an effort to come to Bonney Lake HS and cheer on the team in their first official competitive action of 2009. This will be the first time many of the boys actually play rugby and usually this coincides with them realising that this is an awesome game! We will be hosting an understrength Liberty side as there senior side will be in CA competing in a tournament. Nevertheless it should be a fun afternoon. At the conclusion of the evening we want to provide hot dogs and a pop for all the players so anyone who would like to volunteer to help cook please let me know.

Membership Dues
It is extremely important that we continue to recieve the outstanding membership dues so we can be in a strong position to pay our operating costs and also get some money into savings. Rookie Dues are $200 and Returning Players $175. If you are currently unable to afford to pay your debt please let me know and we can establish a payment plan which will work for your budget. Players will only recieve club shorts and socks once they have paid a minimum of $90.

Jersey Laundry Sign Up
Thanks for the great response to volunteering to launder the team jerseys. There are still several openings if you would like to help out You can find the electronic sign up at the website.

Coach Sean
One of our coaches Sean Kerrigan and his wife are currently in Ethiopia preparing to adopt two twin infant boys. The formal proceedings have held up tehir departure from the country a few weeks but despite this they have the boys with them 24 hours a day. It appears that these twins prefer to do everything at seperate times including sleeping! we look forward to meeting the twins and having Sean back on the sidelines.

Prezfest
We are strarting to plan our trip to Beaverton OR for the Prezfest Tournament on 2/14 & 15. We highly encourage all players and parents to attend this event. The game schedule will require us to leave Bonney Lake at around 7.00 so we are on location in time for our first match at 11:30. We will play two matches both shortened to 22 minutes. At the conclusion of activities on Saturday our players will be dispersed to local familes for an overnight stay at their homes. This is known as billetting which is a worldwide tradition in rugby and nothing to be apprehensive about. The boys that went last year had a blast at their hosts homes. The hosts will bring the players back to the tournament site for our final game at 11:45. Once this game is completed we will return home. If your player needs transportation please let me know and we will make sure we find a ride. If you need hotel information let me know as we have been able to find a close by Comfort Inn with rates for $78.

Enjoy the remainder of your weekend and I hope to see you all at one of the many activities coming up this week.


Coach Ramsay



1/27/09

To All

I would like to remind you that we will be hosting our monthly Parents meeting on Tuesday February 3rd 6.30pm at the Bonney Lake Public Libary. We would be very grateful if you can attend this meeting which provides the coaches an opportunity to outline current and upcoming events and equally important answer any questions you may have. The next month or so is probably the most critical for establishing parental support and getting the interest, understanding and excitement generated for what your son's are involved with. We are extremely excited about our current squad who are working extemely hard in less than favorable conditions to learn the complexities of a brand new or fairly new sport. With a good solid parent support group who can share the thrill of a new pastime we are assured of a fun and successful season. Players are encouraged to accompany their parents but are not required to attend. I look forward to seeing many of our returning players parents but equally would like to see some "new" faces who are entering their first season as a rugby parent.

Below is the agenda for this meeting.

Fundraising Car Washes - 2/8 and 3/1

2/7 Scrimmage at Bonney Lake

Prezfest Tournament 2/14 & 15

Season schedule overview

Membership Dues

Sponsorship Opportunities

Rugby for Dummies Video Presentation

Parent Oversight Committee Review

Team Uniforms and Spiritwear

Question and Answer Session


Coach Ramsay



1/21/09

To Highlander Players & Parents.

Thanks to all for the tremendous effort and committment shown during the past few practices. Conditions have been less than favorable but this has done little to dampen your enthusism or wilingness to put in the effort to learn or develop new skills. Lets keep this up and we will be well prepared for our first scrimmage on 2/7.

Upcoming Events
1/22 - Organizational meeting for the formation of a parent oversight committee. Please attend if you think you would like to lend a hand. 7pm at the new Bonney Lake Starbucks (opposite McDonalds)

1/24 - Guest Coach Riaan Van Zyl a native of South Africa and former national team player for both S. Africa & the USA will be running a coaching session for us on Saturday. We will be at Bonney Lake HS from 9am until noon. Please make every effort to attend as Riaan is traveling a significant distance to help us and can be relied on to conduct an excellent session.

1/26 - Monday practices commence @ 6.30-8 at BL High School

1/28 Wednesday practices continue

Membership Dues
All annual membership dues need to be paid ASAP. A number of players have already paid in full, some partial payments and some yet to make a payment. If you have a genuine challenge completing payments or making initial contribution please let me know ASAP so we can make the suitable arangements.

Returning Player - $175 Rookie Player $200

Checks should be made payable to RPJR and can be mailed to 12612 203rd ave east Bonney Lake 98391

Web-site
Our illustrious web-master has been busy updating and adding features to the site. The latest updates include: Opportunity to sign up to take match jerseys after a match to launder and return next week. (home page left hand side) Player Biography - Returning players can update and new player can create by going to "our team" tab and enter the user-name rainier and password spring2009

Practice Attire
Please make every effort to attend practice properly attired. This includes shorts, warm ups, MOUTHGUARD, warm shirt or sweatshirt and a weather proof jacket. If you don't already own cleats please look at options to purchase a pair. Sports Authority is a good option.

Mandatory Paperwork
I need ASAP completed Medical history and emergency contact forms, code of conduct forms returned to me. These documents are essential to have in the event of an unforeseen medical incident when parents aren't around. If you have misplaced these forms go the web-site and search under forms for a copy.

Fund-raising Car Washes
We have currently have two car washes scheduled which will be instrumental in ensuring we have sufficient funds to operate the club during the 2009 season. It is critical we receive both player and parent support in participating in these events. We are still finislizing the details for the February 8th event but it is most likley to be held at the SAMs Club at the Auburn Supermall. This corporation will match the totall amount we raise during our car wash. The second car wash will be on March 1st at the Jet Stream Car wash in Bonney Lake. Jetstream is located on the eastside of 410 opposite WalMart. This opportunity is HUGE as the owners permit one youth organisation a month to take custody of the three drive in bays and operate the automated power washers. I did this with the BL Football team and its the easiest car wash I have ever particpated in. More information to come on this but providing we have the appropriate manpower resources we will make a "killing".

PREZFEST Rugby Tournament 2/14 & 15
Please start making plans to attend this event in Beaverton OR which is an event where the club played in 08 (and won) their first ever competitive match. We need a full squad and parent chaperones to assist with transporation to depart around 8am on Saturday and return Sunday early evening. The players will be hosted on Saturday night at the homes of players from one of the local teams. Yes that sounds different but not in the rugby world where its traditional and expected when travelling. Below are some details on the PREZFEST including hotel options for parents. There is no cost other than personel expenses to particpate in this tournament. Check out the photos on the website from last years trip! If you know you plan on attending either as a player or parent chaperone please let me know.

BEAVERTON, OREGON
The Barbarians, a U-19 rugby team with players from Beaverton, Southridge and Aloha high schools, will once again host the PrezFest Rugby Tournament on Presidents' Day Weekend, February 14 & 15, 2009. PrezFest will be held at the Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation District's (THPRD) fields at PCC's Rock Creek Campus located in Beaverton, Oregon. PrezFest is sponsored the Pacific Northwest Rugby Football Union (PNRFU), THPRD and International Athletics from Ferndale, Washington.

Clubs presently scheduled to play at PrezFest include Chuckanut from Bellingham, Washington. Chuckanut is the 2008 Washington State Champions, 2008 PNRFU Champions and the 2008 Pacific Coast Invitational Tournament (PCIT) Champion. Other PNRFU clubs joining Chuckanut will be Liberty from Sea-Tac, Washington which challenged Chuckanut for the Washington state championship last season and which went undefeated at the 2008 PCIT, as well, as Rainer Plateau an up and coming program from Washington. From the Portland metropolitan area, the Vancouver Sharks, the 2008 Oregon Division 2 State Champions; McMinnville the 2008 South League Champions and Oregon Division 1 third-place finisher; traditionally strong Linn-Benton as well as the Barbarians who were the 2008 Mid-South League Champions and Oregon Division 1 finalists are slated to attend.

Below is a link to PrezFest affiliated hotel with the group code pre populated. They are offering PrezFest teams a discounted rate of $89 per night. Please follow-up directly with them an let Tabitha know if you have any questions.

Courtyard Portland Hillsboro

Tabitha Christensen
Group Sales Manager
Residence Inn by Marriott
Courtyard by Marriott
TownePlace Suites by Marriott
Office: 3050 NW Stucki Pl
Hillsboro, Oregon 97124
Direct: (503) 268-4413
Fax: (503) 690-0236
Email: tchristensen@innventures.com

------
Andy





1/13/09

To All

As 2009 commences we are starting to increase our tempo as it pertains to pre season preparations both on and off the field. We are making considerable progress in getting the players familer with rugby. Off the field procurement of equipment, supplies and schedules is also coming along nicely. Below are some specific matters you should be familier with.

Website www.rainierjuniorrugby.com
We are in the process of updating the web-site and adding a few new features which will only enhance the value of this tool to all of us. This system is intended to be the primary communication for coaches, players and parents for the duration of the season. I highly reccomend you familiarize yourself with the content and features. Having kids involved in other sports I am very familier with the frustrations of poor communication or information being provided by the organizers.


RECENT UPDATES (not all features may be available yet)

• The calendar page now includes our practice, game,fund-raising and parent meeting information included with the exception of two games which are still being finalized. These are the weekend of 3/21 and 4/24. We are trying to determine if these will be a Friday pm or Saturday game.
  
• Scrolling message along top of home page which provides information on upcoming events and if there has been a change in status due to weather etc.
  
• Copies of these e mails are also included so if you need to look back at past ones they are available.
  
• Under the Our Team tab we have players biographs which the boys create themselves. These are now available for update or creation for new players.
  
• Opportunity for parents to sign up to wash the team jerseys (22) after a game. We did this last year and it was a huge help to have the jerseys picked up at the end of a game and returned at practice the following week.
  
• The most significant addition is a page we will call the Commitment page. On this page we will list all fund-raisers and games so that you can go in and notate if a specific player is going to be absent for this event and a brief explanation. This will allow the coaches to plan for that abscence.