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It’s McCormick Cup Day Eve and the boys are all ready to go. Hope to see you all at Fletchers Field on Saturday cheering on the 2XV as they square off against Lindsay at 12:00pm and then the big one at 3:30 when the 1XV take on the Scottish. Let’s go!!!

It is going to be a great day on Saturday October 1st when both the Balmy Beach 1XV and 2XV take the pitch at Fletchers Field. The boys are pumped and itching for kick off. I’ve spoken with the coach and he says they are looking sharp at practice and have reviewed some game tape. He says “they will be ready”. It’s that time of year to dig out your box of beach gear that’s deep in the closet or basement and put it on. We’re cup hunting and want everyone to come support the boys.
Location – Fletchers Field
1. 2XV kickoff at 12pm vs Lindsay
2. 1XV kickoff at 3:30pm vs the Scottish

Thank you to those who made it last night. It was a great evening filled with laughs and smiles. I had a moment to speak with Bruce and he was very appreciative of the love he received by everyone in the room. Thank you to the Balmy Beach club who put on a great meal and even included a retirement cake!! Thank you to the Guest speakers and our house speakers for remembering the good times. Thank you Kyle Nichols who kept the evening moving and Hayden Gage for the T-Shirts. If you didn’t receive one please let me know. If you haven’t paid yet kindly send your e-transfer of $125 to beachalumni@gmail.com

There are still quite a number of shirts left over so if you would like one and were not at the dinner last night, please let me know. Most of the shirts are 2XL and above. Cost $20. If anyone picked up a BBC Blazer that didn’t belong to you please let me know.

In the next little bit I will be sharing details about the finals to be held on Oct 1st including location, and details about the bus to stay tuned….

Beach I V Brantford I – What an absolute banger of a game. This match promised to be an absolute cracker of a tilt and boy did it deliver. The game kicked off quickly with a Brantford try as one of their forwards rumbled through our line to dot the ball down at the four minute mark. 0- 5 Brantford. Beach quickly answered three minutes later when after a Brantford offside penalty Beach was able to kick to the corner, maul a nearly unopposed try, and then have team captain Stephen Dwyer step up to hit the conversion from the corner. 7-5 for Beach. Brantford answered. Ten minutes later after grinding their way down into our 22, Tom Van Horn ran a great striking line to cut through the Beach defense at minute nineteen. 7-12 for Brantford. Brantford would not score another try for the rest of the game. What followed for the remaining sixty minutes was a chess match more than a typical rugby game, as each team’s errors were ruthlessly punished with a penalty kick for points. After a Beach try right before half time, the game was within two points for the entire second half. The lead changed hands no less than four times. With five minutes left in the game the score was 25-23 for Beach. A Brantford line out led to an overthrow. Caught in motion. With speed. Beach rookie hooker Owen Lavado was not to be denied as he smashed three tacklers out of the way to run in a solo try from 55m out. This proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Brantford who would not recover. Beach win 32-23.

This marks the first time in 7 years that the Brantford Harlequins have been eliminated from the cup finals, and marks the return of one of the most classic rivalries in Ontario Rugby. A Beach vs Scottish McCormick Cup.

Stay tuned for time and location details because as good as this game was, splitting our two games 1-1 this season, the McCormick Cup Beach v Scottish game is sure to be an absolute legend.

This is your last call to RSVP to Bruce Gage’s retirement party going down on Wednesday, September 21. Drinks start at 630pm and dinner is at 7pm. Please join us as we chow down on some chicken and ribs and listen to stories about the Mess. We have some spots left so please RSVP as soon as possible.

Again a big thank you for those who have confirmed their attendance. For those who haven’t, please consider this your second last call, we still have some spaces left but let’s go, let’s go, let’s go. The cost of a ticket is $125 and you can either pay at the door or send an e transfer to beachalumni@gmail.com

Gee Gage Cup Round 1 – Beach II V Scottish II – Kicking off the Gee Gage Cup was a classic match-up between Beach II and Scottish II. The game started off with a bang as our forward pack asserted their dominance in set piece. Blowing back their scrum Beach front row Brock Clancy, Garrett Magee and Chris Sopik punished the Scottish for every mistake on their part, and won us back the ball on the few occasions we knocked it on. With plenty of possession in hand our backs, directed from scrum half by young Stephen Webb, (making his men’s cup debut at the age of 16) quickly went up 4 tries all also converted by Webb. A series of penalties in the dying minutes of the first half led the Scottish to put in their first try. Score going into halftime 28-7. In a tail of two halves the Scottish flew out of the half time break scoring a quick try in the opening minutes to put the score at 28-14 to Beach. The rest of the half was a relentless back and forth battle and while the Scottish came close to battling back in the end, the Beach defense held firm. Final score Beach 28 – Scottish 21.

McCormick Cup Round 1 – Beach I V Aurora I – The opening round of the McCormick Cup saw Beach (2nd seed) vs Aurora (7th seed). While the Aurora pack came on strong early in this game, they had no answer for the speed and strength of the Beach back line. Beach quickly went up 14-0 and while Aurora was able to get on the board the score at half time was 26-12 for Beach. The second half saw more of the same with Beach generating line breaks all around the fringes of the Aurora defense. Aurora was able to get two tries in the dying minutes of this game, but the game was never a close affair. Final score of Beach 51-Aurora 26.

Next week see’s Beach II’s on a BYE week, and Beach I’s taking on Brantford, the reigning McCormick Cup Champions, in what is sure to be our greatest challenge of the season yet. Stay tuned for the time and location of the match as we are still waiting to see if our field will be playable after the construction that the city began on it last week

There are 8 days left before we celebrate the Mess and his achievements at the fall dinner.
Date – Wednesday September 21
Time – 6:30pm drinks, 7pm dinner
Location – The Balmy Beach Club

Please be sure to respond to this email to RSVP or send your $125 to beachalumni@gmail.com

You don’t want to miss this one, so please let me know as soon as possible and show your love for Bruce

The men’s 1XV will be playing at Fletchers not T&G this Saturday Sept 10th
Mens I V Aurora Barbs @ Fletchers – 3:30 pm Kickoff
Mens II V Scottish @ Fletchers – 2:00 pm Kickoff
Oakville (our original I’s matchup) was removed from the McCormick cup for violating league rules surrounding player eligibility in their qualification games, which is why we are now playing Aurora. Good luck Gentlemen!! Its cup season

A Big Thank You to those who have confirmed their attendance to the Fall Dinner aka Bruce’s Retirement Dinner If you haven’t already responded, what are you waiting for? Let’s go!!!!! It’s going to be a great evening to celebrate an icon in the rugby community. Please RSVP as soon as possible

Consider this your official invite to the fall dinner to honor Bruce the Mess Gage. Its going to be a memorable evening with special guest speakers, a delicious chicken and rib dinner and lots of laughs. The Alumni and I believe that this is the perfect time to say thank you Bruce for his contributions to Balmy Beach Rugby and beyond.
Date – Wednesday September 21st
Time – Drinks at 6:30pm and Dinner at 7pm
Place – Balmy Beach Club
Price – $125/ticket
If you are interested in attending, please respond to this email. If you are going to pay at the door please include that in your response. If you would like to send an E-transfer please send it to beachalumi@gmail.com

TRU I VS Brampton Beavers TRU “Plate” Championship – Just a little background on this game; the Beach TRU I team finished 2nd in the league standings and Brampton finished 1st. So this game really should have been the “cup” game. However, the Toronto Rugby Union (TRU) made a rule this season that Beach was not allowed to play in “cup” games, or win the league. This led to us being moved to 3rd, and into the “plate” bracket. We went undefeated in this bracket. Brampton lost the “cup” game to Lindsey (a team we beat this year), so got sent into our “plate” bracket. That means this game, is really what the “cup” championship should have always been for the TRU.

This game started with a quick Beach try as our phase play led us into the opposition 22, and across the white wash. A great run off the restart put Beach into great position to score a second try to put us up 12-0. Shortly afterwards a horrendously (and one might argue purposely) missed knock-on call by the officiating crew led to a Brampton try as Beach had stopped to set up what should have been a scrum for us. 12-7 for Beach. The two teams battled it out for the remainder of the first half as the massive Brampton center took it to the gain line every chance he got, only to be met by our own back row and centers Malency Wainwright and Aidan Abbott over and over again. The first half ended with one more try a piece and scores of 17-14 for Beach.

The plan coming out of the half time break was to assert the dominance of our forward pack, and with that plan in mind we went to work scoring 40 unanswered points in the second half. Dominant forwards generated scrum penalties, knock ons through defensive line speed, big hits and generally just caused havoc in the Brampton ranks. Every Brampton mistake turned into a punishment to their pack as we simply kicked to touch and mauled, which Burlington had no defense against. Our longest maul of the day peaked at 25m and resulted in a try. Over and over this proved to be the pattern of the second half and Burlington had no way to counter our big men up front in the line out. Final Score: Beach 57-Brampton 14.

Bruce’s Retirement – The alumni and myself are working hard to finalize some details about Bruce’s retirement dinner but we need your help. If you have any pics of the Mess, please send them to beachalumni@gmail.com

No games this weekend so please have a safe and enjoyable Labour Day weekend.

A message from Kristin Bonomo – Hello All, one of our BBC teammates Arielle is a Director of a Non-Profit called Chance to Give Organization. A friend of hers started the non-profit as she was a first time single mother struggling during covid and she saw other parents struggling as well. The Fresh Start is their annual big event where they make sure every child is well equipped before going to school in September.

The women’s team so far have raised enough money to purchase 48 backpacks, which we have done. However, we now need help to fill the backpacks with school supplies. There are a total of 36 bags that still need to be filled. You can send money to chancetogiveorganization@gmail.com Or bonomok@gmail.com to purchase on your behalf. Or if you have supplies you want us to try to collect please let us know that as well.

Details: The Fresh Start event is ALL about the children. We will be making sure every child is well equipped before going to school in September. With FREE hair cuts, braid ups, school supplies and food, everyone will be looking Fresh!
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Fresh Start Event
Location: Scarborough
Address: 36 Sewells Rd, Scarborough
Date: Saturday August 27, 2022
Time: 11am – 4pm
Cost: FREE !!!

TRU I Game – After the 70-7 walloping we gave the Toronto Dragons only two weeks proir, we expected a route this time round as well. So boy were we surprised when a completely different team, not a single player the same, emerged to kick off against our TRU I team in this quarter final game. From just looking at the players we were about to square off against before the kickoff, we knew we were about to start a fight against a much more difficult team then we expected. Thankfully our boys in Blue and Gold were up to the challenge. A quick score off a turnover ball gave speedster Safder Areepattamannil an 80m try run from out of our own 22 to open the scoring 7-0 Beach. The game remained stalemated until minute 35 when the dragons forced a line break in our 13/14 channel to put them on the game sheet 7-5. A quick tap-and-go 3 minutes later would see Beach up 12-5 going into half time. As the second half dragged on the heat got to both teams leading to a flurry of tries in the second half. However, then the dust settled (and there was a lot of dust coming off of the field today) the final score was 32-19 for Beach.

ORU II Game – After informing use on Tuesday that this game might have to be forfeited due to lack of players, good on Burlington for putting together a side to give us an ORU II’s game this Saturday. However, a thrown together squad of alumni and young bucks, really wasn’t going to stand against our Mighty Two’s as we hit the deck fighting from early on and never really looked back. Stand out performance from Keiran O’Donnell at scrum half kept the pace of the game up-tempo, a tempo that the Burlington II’s just could not match. Final score 57-5 for Beach.

ORU I Game – Boy Howdy! What a game. We haven’t seen Burlington since preseason and clearly, they have been in the factory forging a quality side as this match literally went down to the final whistle. Early penalty kicks saw Burlington up 3-0. In typical Beach fashion our offense went to work and after a series of trips down field Beach entered half time up 21-11. The second half saw an unfortunate series of injuries as fullback Nabeel Imtiaz and outside center Paul Schroder both went down with head knocks, and blind side flanked Tristan Cummins limped off field with a rolled ankle. Beach substitutions went in determined to hold their own, however Burlington capitalized on new players working to establish their “chemistry” with the rest of the team. Burlington was able to claw their way back into this game. The whistle blew with the last try going to Burlington. Final Score 39-38 for Beach.

Alumni! We need you! – This upcoming weekend (Saturday, August 20) we have three home games. The TRU I’s are playing in semi-finals for the TRU I Plate (we are by league rule not allowed to compete for the cup). The ORU II’s are playing for a league championship, and the ORU I’s are fighting against a strong Toronto Scottish side to claim the 2022 Marshall League Title. Our boys in blue and gold feed from your enthusiasm and support. Please come down to the field this Saturday to cheer on Beach as we fight for two league championships and the possibility of winning a third. Everyone is welcome. Moderate heckling (of the other team) is encouraged ;) , and I have attached a pic from the Scottish’s Facebook page where they are encouraging their own team’s alumni to do the same.

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ORU I’s and II’s – Not much to report from last Thursdays evening’s fixtures V Ajax as both games were routes. To their credit, and as an improvement over the previous week’s games V the Irish, Ajax showed up with two teams determined to provide full games for our I’s and II’s. However, these games both quickly turned into a day at the races as both the I’s and II’s secured bonus point wins within 15 min of the opening whistle. Special shout out to Myles Marques and Caelan Abbott (ORU II’s) and Denzel Borris (ORU I’s) who both seemed to score every time they touched the ball. Final Scores ORU II’s 48-7 (Game called at the 60 minute mark to save sunlight for the ORU I game), ORU I’s 69-5 (Game called at the 60 minute mark by the referee).

While the games themselves were not competitive they were both critical in terms of league standings. With the bonus point win secured by the ORU I’s the Balmy Beach First XV see themselves ranked #1 in Ontario, and seed #1 going into league playoffs. These playoffs will occur over the next two weeks as the ORU I’s compete for the league Champion Title. A competition which also determines seeding for September’s McCormick Cup Season.

SAVE THE DATE: WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 21st The Mess’ Retirement Dinner!!

This week wasn’t pretty for the Irish. Well done Beach, as we move to the final quarter of the season, results like this make us a dangerous team to play against.

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ORU I – A day that was great for Balmy Beach, but terrible as a barometer of the state of rugby in this province, Beach took to the field against a traditionally very strong Markham Irish Side (McCormick cup champions 2018). However, traditionally strong does not necessarily translate to present day strong as the Irish struggled to field a full 23, and at times during this game, a full 15. The writing was on the wall early in this match as 8 minutes into the game Beach scored its 4th try to secure a bonus point win. There was no let up from the boys in Blue and Gold as we rained down try’s seemingly every time we touched the ball. I don’t have much else to report from this rout that ended at the 60 minute mark. I would however like to take a moment to thank the 17 Markham Irish players who put their bodies, and pride, on the line to ensure that this game actually happened. On to the next one. Final score: Beach 95 – Markham Irish 10. Game blown over at the 60th minute.

ORU II – Game forfeited by the Markham Irish

TRU I – Similar to the ORU I’s game this tilt was a good day for the Beach, but a rough day in terms of the state of Rugby at other clubs in Ontario. After forfeiting the TRU II’s game the Dragons took to the field unable to fill out a full 23 person game sheet, although they were able to start with 15 men, with two reserves on the side in case of injury. From the get go there was never really a debate about how this game was going to go with several Beach try’s being scored in the first 15 minutes. The dragons had a decently strong front row that were able to secure them possession off of scrums, but other than that didn’t really offer up any real threat. Congratulations to Beach winger Myles Marques for scoring his first hat-trick as a senior men’s player. Final Score 66-5 for Beach.

TRU II – Game forfeited by the Markham Irish

OWL I – The Beach Women faced a tough return fixture against Brantford missing 5 players due to the Police and Fire games. This left a good opportunity for some old heads like Kristin Bonomo and young next generation to step up. While the result did not go our way, we’ve seen a lot of potential new players step up and show they will compete well in the future. Beach 0 – Brantford 59

OWL II – Beach 20 – Brantford 20

Thank you John Zammit for the beauty of a pic from 1980!! That’s awesome.

No games this week as it is the CIvic holiday. Please be safe and I’ll see you in August

Here are your fixtures for this weekend. UP THE BEACH!!!!
Men’s ORU I: 3:30 – 5:00pm V Markham Irish @ Tubs and Gee Gage Field
Men’s TRU I: 3:30 – 5:00pm V Toronto Dragons @ Eglinton Flats
Men’s TRU II: 2:00-3:30pm V Toronto Dragons @ Eglinton Flats
OWL I: 12:30 – 2pm – V Brantford @ Tubs and Gee Gage Field
OWL II 11am – 12:30pm V Branford @Tubs and Gee Gage Field
Good luck athletes!!!

Despite 71 players being unavailable for this week’s games 4 Beach Men’s teams took to the field last Saturday with a lot on the line.

TRU II’s – A bonus point win would see the TRU II’s clinch their position at the top of the league table. With that in mind the boys went to work right from the whistle. Outsized in the pack by a burly Coburg squad, the game plan for the day was to get this ball wide and use our speed and fitness to wear their big boys down. All went according to play as our wingers and outside centers seemed to score every time they touched the ball putting the TRU II’s up 21-14 at half time. The second half saw the return to the field of long time Beach veteran props Chris Hewitt and Peter Zygouris, With new found “heft” added to the scrum we found ourselves in even better position to attack leading to a flurry of try’s. A final score of 47-27 sees the Beach TRU II’s at the top of their league locking up first place despite still having 2 games left to go in league play.

TRU I’s – The TRU I’s game started with 4 players who had played in the previous TRU II game retaking the field. While we were able to use set pieces to secure our own ball, Coburg was able to use the size advantage in their pack to grind their way down the field and put in three try’s before half time, putting us down 7-21 going into the half. Redoubling our efforts and committing to tiring out the Coburg pack the TRU I’s fought their way back into the game throughout the second half running wild through the centers. If there were another 10 minutes in the game I have no doubt we would have won, but we just didn’t have enough time to fully climb out of the hole we dug ourselves in the first half. A Final score of 22-26 for Coburg

ORU II – The Toronto Scottish II’s came into this match undefeated in league play, but they would not leave that way. This Scottish II’s team just couldn’t compete with us physically in our pack, or speed wise in our backs. Our pack, led in the front row by Brock Clancy, Garrett Magee, and Ian Custadillo secured ball, and our backs capitalized on this possession by pumping in try’s under the posts. Standout performance from former Scottish Player, current Beach eight-man Jamie Williams who ran in a hattrick in a dominant display. Final Score 38-22

ORU – This game was a heavyweight fight for the top of the league with the winner claiming first place in the North-East division, and boy did it live up to the hype. After 20 minutes of back and forth the Scottish struck first after grinding their way through our 22 to score in the corner. A class conversion from their kicker put the Scottish up 0-7. Beach was quick to respond as outside center Tomas Larouche recovered the restart kick and ran it in. Score 5-7. A kick for points off of a penalty on the Scottish 22 5 minutes later put Beach up 8-7. The Scottish worked the ball into our 22 five minutes later. For 5 minutes our defense held, but eventually the Scottish put the ball down in the corner. 8-12 for the Scottish. Another trip into our 22 would see the Scottish capitalize on a penalty to put them up 8-15 to end the half. Starting the second half we used an early Scottish penalty to kick to the corner for a line out. After a line out win, fly half Stephen Dwyer saw a mismatch on the wing and kicked it high into the air to be recovered by inside center Paul Schroder for a try in the corner. 13-15 for Scottish. A short time later Paul Schroder would again crash over the line off of a pass following a line out inside the 22. 20-15 for Beach. A line break from flanker Brian Robinson off the restart, finished off by winger Josh Bald would put Beach up 27-15. A missed tackle 5 min later would see the Scottish close in 27-22. 10 minutes later a mis-communication receiving a kick during phase play led to Scottish possession inside of our 22, which they then capitalized on to put them ahead 27-29. Both teams scored another try a piece ending with the Scottish restarting play after a Beach try with under a minute left in the game. The score was 32-34 for the Scottish. What followed was the most professionally executed phase play of rugby Beach has demonstrated over the last 2 years as Beach strung together 18 consecutive phases to work the ball from our 5m line to the Scottish 5m line. After spreading the Scottish thin, scrum half Dylan Young saw a defensive gap open from the back of a ruck and scampered in to dot down the winning try at the 84 minute mark. Final score Beach 39 Scottish 34.

OWL I + II – It was a hot and sunny morning when Balmy Beach arrived in Brantford a little light on numbers, to face the Harlequins. From the outset Beach had some good patches of possession, but found breaking the ‘Quins organized defensive line a hard task.

Despite threatening their line early, it was Brantford who scored the early points with some sustained pressure, as well as pouncing on a turnover to score an impressive try from long range. The Beach lineout functioned well, with pressure resulting in several turnovers on Harlequins ball. Throughout the game the Beach scrum had complete dominance, winning several scrum penalties and securing reliable go-forward ball. Indeed the only Beach try of the day came from an impressive push over scrum; a wonderful sight on any rugby field!

Ultimately Brantford Harlequins were a little more organized and clinical in their execution, and were able to draw on a larger squad to manage the heat and physicality of the game well. The Balmy Beach put in a much improved performance, with some players playing out of position, and the team needing to use the full roster of replacements (all of whom had played in the 2s game prior), to complete the game. It was arguably a closer contest than the 44-5 score line suggests, but all credit to Brantford Harlequins on the win, with Balmy Beach look forward to welcoming them at home on Saturday, July 23 for the return fixture.

2022 – Balmy Beach Rugby Teams – Fixtures, Results & Standings

• MARSHALL 1XV ( MARSHALL 1XV )
• MARSHALL 2XV ( MARSHALL 2XV )
• OWL 1XV ( OWL 1XV )
• OWL 2XV ( OWL 2XV )
• TRU MEN DIV 1 RED
• TRU MEN DIV 2

Paul Myers – It was a wonderful turn out on a beautiful day to celebrate Paul Myers’ Celebration of Life. There were so many friends and family at the club reminiscing of the great person, coach, player, club guy, father, brother and friend Paul was. Surely he was there with us.

Past Games:

A day at the races – pretty much sums up last weeks games as the I’s and II‘s took to the road to play Ajax, in Ajax. After the first 5 minutes of each game it became pretty clear that neither team would be able to keep up with us physically, or organizationally as early tries got both teams up early in their games. Excellent kicking from the I’s fly half Stephen Dwyer twisted the screws on Ajax after each successful Beach try. There isn’t really that much more to report as both of these games resembled a practice run through more than a competitive game. Final Scores:

ORU I’s: 52-7
ORU II’s: 72-7

The reason why they played on Thursday was because the best day of the summer made its return post COVID to the Docks. Rugby Volleyball 2022 Edition was in full swing and so were the costumes. Although the event did not have the numbers as in years past, Lisa DeSario and her team were able to put on a successful event.

TRU II:
The club as a whole had over 50 players unavailable for selection this weekend. As a result the TRU II’s went into this game with 17 men. Despite the heat and depleted numbers the TRU II’s took to the game with zeal winning set pieces and marching down the field. At half time the TRU II’s had the lead with 9-7. The heat took its toll in the second half as the boys, with only 2 subs to provide relief, fell victim to the fresh legs Oshawa rolled in lead to a quick try. This put Oshawa in the lead 9-14 about 10min into the second half. Fortunately the boys were able to hunker down, and led by long time Beach stalwarts Ed Donnally and Jesse Henkenhaf were able to fight there way back. Final score 19-14 for Beach.

ORU II:
As with the TRU II game, the reduced numbers club wide led to this squad being exactly 15 players, with the only subs being players who had just finished playing 80min in the scorching heat. Despite being outnumbered by the opposition the ORU II’s quickly took the game in hand. Dominating in the scrum and line out. All this position our set piece earned led to try after try as half time rolled around and the scoreboard read 28-7 for Beach. After halftime a new shift of Oshawa players and some kicking errors on our part led to an Oshawa comeback. However our strong set piece continued to prevail with eight man Ian Kessell running in 2 tries from the back of a scrum to end the game. He would go on to win man of the match. Final score 38-28 for Beach.

ORU I:
Tough day at the office for the ORU I’s as a very strong Oshawa side met the Beach I’s. The first 20 min of this match looked like a heavyweight title fight as both teams slugged it out in the forward pack trading blow for blow. Two penalty kicks saw Beach up 6-0 with 3 minutes to half time, and a penalty against us on our own 5m line. 3 minutes of tough nose defense eventually lead to a knock on and Beach possession. The first half ended with Beach up 6-0. A missed tackle early in the second half led to a quick Oshawa score. They made the conversion to put them up 6-7. The game remained close until the 60th minute when Oshawa pulled off a second try to put them up 6-12. A quick line out soon after led to a line break to put Oshawa up even more. The end of the game saw Beach on the losing side 6-27. The Beach ORU I’s have been on a long winning streak of 18-0 over the last two seasons, but the reality of sports is that no streak lasts forever and last Saturday was not our day. The boys will be back at training this week with the goal of starting our next streak on Thursday, July 7 VS Ajax @ Ajax.

OWL 1XV – Oshawa 57 – Balmy Beach 5
OWL 2XV – Oshawa 56 – Balmy Beach 0

Summary: – Again there are no recaps of the games from the past weekend but I have been assured that this issue has been resolved. It was a tough weekend but Im sure we’re able to but this one behind us and move on next week.

ORU1 Won 25-10 over Peterborough
TRU 1 Lost 27-33 to Brampton
ORU 2 Lost 12-45 to Peterborough
TRU 2 Lost 22-32 to Peterborough

OWL 1 Lost 12-60 to the Nomads
OWL 2 Lost 5-60 to the Nomads

The Beach coaching staff has made the Oshawa Vikings and the ORU aware of the conflict at 12:30pm. Apparently Oshawa was not aware. At this time, the league is still working through the conflict and will advise of the resolution. As soon as I have that information I will pass it along.

Game Reports:

TRU II’s – The TRU II’s opened up Friday night lights in Mississauga with a commanding win over the Blues 29-12. Due to a lack of front rows on Mississauga’s side, this game was played with unopposed scrums, which might have been the only thing allowing Mississauga any ball possession at all as it was cleary early in the game that the Blue could not match our TRU II’s physically in the forward pack. A strong game from inside center Cian McDonagh, back after a 2 week hiatus, drove the boys forward during phase play, and it seemed that whenever we could string together 5-6 phases, a try was not far behind. Already up 26-12 in the dying minutes a drop goal from fly half Leo Montgomery after a goal line drop out from Mississauga proved the icing on the cake.

TRU I’s – For the first 5 minutes of this game it looked like the Blues might give our TRU I squad some trouble as a drop on the kick off left them with possession inside our 22. Weathering the storm the TRU I’s stole possession to get out of early trouble and never looked back. The score would quickly start ticking over. Making his Beach debut, straight from the Pacific Pride in British Columbia, young Owen Levado led the set piece forward punishing the Blues in both scrums and line outs, giving our backs the platform they needed to run in try after try. By half time the game was well in hand with a score of 38-5. Not to be denied and with the mindset of never letting up the story remained the same with Beach try after try. Final score 63-19.

ORU II’s – Similarly to the TRU II’s the combination of a dominant forward pack and tough hard running backs was just too much for the Aurora Barbs II’s who by the middle of the second half were reduced to uncontested scrums. Led in the pack by Beach perennial Claude Germaine the Beach ORU II’s poured down try after try onto the Barbs turning every Aurora mistake into a punishing set piece that the opposition just could not handle. Some impact subs from a few TRU I players looking for more game time after their Friday night fixture proved to drive the nail in the coffin for the Barbs who to be honest, were never really in this game to begin with. Final score: 46-10.

ORU I’s – Led by Conor McCann marking his return to Beach after his season with the Arrows the ORU I’s put on an absolute clinic in offensive organization and physicality. Continuing the theme of the weekend for all teams, the Aurora Barbs just could not hold up in the set piece against our boys in Blue and Gold. Any errors on their side became a punishing set piece experience, and any from us proved an opportunity to win back the ball and strike. Continuing his return to the Beach ORU I’s after a several year hiatus, Dylan Young ruthlessly exploited defensive holes around rucks to drive the ball down field and set us up for scoring opportunities. Lock Ben Jones proved almost impossible to take down behind the gain line as he dared defenders to try to tackle him again and again throughout the game. While not perfect, and making a couple of mistakes to learn from going forward, the Beach men dominated this game with the final score at the whistle 52-12.

Womens OWL I‘s lost 29-21 to the Barbs

The boys move on to next week where the ORU I, II, and TRU II will take on Peterborough in Peterborough, while the TRU I’s go into what might be their toughest game of the season playing the also undefeated Brampton squad at home.

Here are the recaps of the games played May 29th weekend.

TRU I/II – TRU 1s and 2s both played at Sunnybrook Park versus Toronto Buccaneers Rugby Club. Both teams were a younger squad that were full of enthusiasm and eagerness. The mantra of the day was defense first and boy did both teams deliver. Both teams posted a shutout with the TRU 2s starting the day with a 24 – 0 win followed up by TRU 1s winning 33-0. This type of defensive spirit is typically reserved for playoffs; it was great to see it so early in the season. Offensively, there were moments of brilliance in both games but there is still work to be done, as expected with such a young squad so early in the season. The TRU 1s and 2s are at home June 4th versus Bay Street Pigs. If last year’s final is a good prediction of what we can expect from this game, we are all in for a treat. Looking forward to seeing you there.

ORU II – The ORU II’s came out firing against a scrappy Peterborough squad. This was a fairly new Beach squad with 11 players on the game sheet who were new to Balmy Beach. Beach was the faster and physically stronger team however with this being the first time many of these players played together, there were some communication and discipline issues to work on moving forward throughout the rest of the season. Despite a strong start for Beach, Peterborough worked their way into a 4-point lead with less than a minute left to play. Beach retrieved our kick-off and marched our way down to the Peterborough line, only to be knocked out of bounds on the 1m line ending the game. This was a game Beach ORU II should have won and will win in the future, however this tilt ended in a loss of 28-32 to Peterborough.

ORU I – It was pretty clear 10 minutes into the game that Beach outclassed this Peterborough squad physically, and in our ability to move the ball. The backs were chomping at the bit, and with solid scrums and lineouts to provide possession they generated line break after line break. With inside center Jason Parks driving the ball forward and outside center Tomas Larouche putting the Peterborough defense to the test on the outside with his burning pace, Peterborough seemed to melt away as the game went on. Final Score 38-12 for Beach. Sorry no recap for the Women’s OWL 1st XV who lost 35-7 to the Guelph RFC Redcoats

Spring Dinner – On behalf of the alumni executives and the Balmy Beach Junior Rugby program, we would like to to thank those who made it out the Spring dinner last week Wednesday. Congratulations to Iain McLeish and Connor McCann for winning the Harvey Jenussen and Ed Caterer awards! If you haven’t already paid for your ticket please send an e-transfer to beachalumni@gmail.com

Maye Waters – Many of you have heard, but it is news for some. On February 27th we lost a member of the rugby community/family. Maye Waters who played in our Junior Program and TIRF and then a couple years with the Senior Women passed away suddenly at the age of 23. She hasn’t been playing for a couple of years because she was in law-school, working and had a baby (now 17-months). I asked Chris about running a raffle during the finals of 6 Nations. It looks like they already usually do and can this year can do it w/ the proceeds going to Maye’s Daughter. (THANK YOU CHRIS) Currently we have 2 England jerseys to add, we usually top up with some other rugby wear and a bottle of Scotch. We are reaching out to the women’s, men’s and Alumni to see if anyone else can add an item to raffle off? In addition, please continue to get support out for the 6 Nations Finals. It is a great fundraiser for our Juniors program and will also have more people to enter the raffle as well.

Gord Ferguson – Gord’s Obituary – Please pray for the Ferguson family during this most difficult time. Myles Martin

Full Six Nations Schedule >>>

A thank you note from Huggy – Please pass along my sincere gratitude to the Balmy Beach RFC and Alumni for stepping up and supporting my fundraiser in 2021. With their tremendous support, I achieved my goal and raised just over $10,000. These funds have already helped me pay my insurance premiums and routine maintenance costs this Fall/Winter. And, they will help me cover maintenance expenses exceeding $2,500 in the Spring. https://www.gofundme.com/f/huggys-van-fund THANK YOU!!! Cheers and Up the Beach!! Huggy

Please send your thoughts to the Baldwin family: It is with great sadness that David Baldwin passed away today 1/20/2022. He passed peacefully @home, on his own terms. (soldier of freedom) The BBC was big great part of his good life, he will miss his BBC Family He loved his Rugby, squash and the odd beer…cheers :). My Dad (Dave ) worked hard to raise a family ,soul mate Lois of 52yrs He also played a great game of golf ,I’m sure that is what he is doing now. Vincent Baldwin – Son

Some great news out of the Toronto Arrows camp this weekend as they have signed Andrew Norton and captain Connor McCann. Along with Lucas Rumball, the Beach is very well represented. We wish the gentlemen a great 2022 campaign.

As the holiday season is upon us please think about our dear friend Huggy and donate to his gofund me. https://www.gofundme.com/f/huggys-van-fund

Geoff Reynolds has arranged a Leafs Game/Dinner for 2 at The Keg auction price for the new year. A big thank you to the rugby section who is graciously donating 1/2 of the proceeds from their Wine Draw Down.

Basil Cultrera – It’s with a heavy heart that we announce the sudden passing of Basil Cultrera on Friday November 12, 2021. A long time member of the Balmy Beach family, Basil will be deeply missed by his loving wife Donna, his nephew, niece and their families. Those of us that knew him lost a good friend both on and off the rugby field. He had a strong character and a big heart. He lit up a room with his presence and will be surely missed by all.

https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/thestar/name/basil-cultrera-obituary?pid=200718484

https://www.arbormemorial.ca/taylor/obituaries/basil-joseph-cultrera/74411/

Huggy – Here is a note for our good friend Huggy. Any assistance is greatly appreciated. Kerry Singh (“Huggy”) suffered a severe spinal cord injury playing rugby for the Balmy Beach Club in 1993. Balmy Beach Rugby Club and Rugby Canada stepped up in 2012 to help him purchase a new van for his transportation needs. His van will soon be 9 years old and continues to serve him well. However, soaring insurance and maintenance costs are proving increasingly harder to cover on his limited disability income as no government funding is available for these expenses. Let’s all get behind this year’s fundraising campaign and support Huggy!! Geoff Reynolds

https://www.gofundme.com/f/huggys-van-fund

Beach WIN Beach WIN Beach WIN!! – Hundreds of Beach supporters surrounded the field in blue and gold on the weekend as the Beach Men’s 2’s fought for the TRU Plate Championship V Bay Street, and the Men’s 1’s went hunting for the Ontario Marshall Men’s Cup V Oshawa.

Continuing the same pattern as their season games, the 1’s and 2’s set piece dominated the day giving both team’s backs opportunity after opportunity to strike. The combination of forward power and quick as lightning backs was just too much for either Bay Street or Oshawa to handle and both Beach teams took commanding leads by the half time whistle. Neither team let up in the second half, determined to seal the deal and in the end both teams came off with convincing wins.

Thanks so much to all of the fans, alumni and supporters who came down to the game, and to all of our other games. Whether we have been playing at home or away on the road, Beach was fortunate to have fans in the crowd for every game we have played this year. That support means a lot to the men and women who take to the field every week.

UTB!

Beach 2’s 44 – Bay Street 17

Beach 1’s 59 – Oshawa Vikings 24

Thank you all who made it to the fall dinner on Thursday night, it was great to see smiles on peoples faces and listen to some great stories of some of the best teams ever to grace the blue and gold. It was a great kick off to two great games of rugby.

On behalf of the alumni executive, we thank you

The Men’s 1st XV wrap up their league games remaining on top of the table and undefeated going into cup day. Our scrums and line-outs continued to impose their will on the opposition leading to the Beach holding onto the vast majority of ball possession and territory. The boys were able to generate line breaks and work their way into position to score multiple times in the first half however despite these efforts had a tough time crossing the try line as slippery conditions led to knock ons and other errors. A line break from 13 Jason Parks and a quick pick and go from 14 Paul Schrofer led to Beach being up 14-0 at the half.

The story remained the same for most of the second half as the Beach dominated the possession and set piece but struggled to actually cross the try line. Tactical substitutions at the 60 min mark brought fresh legs onto the pitch and substitute winger Denzel Borrice was able to take advantage for a tired opposition and pump in two quick tries in succession. Final score Beach 28 Scottish 0.

Today the finals were finalized and on Saturday October 23 and Tubbs and Gee Field the mens 1XV will take on the Oshawa Vikings at 3pm to determine who will bring home the Fall Marshall Cup. The Men’s 2XV will take on the Bay Street Pigs at 1:30pm for the TRU Shield.

The woman played a tough game against the Nomads at home and came across their first big challenge of their season. Unfortunately the women fell short. The women will be working hard this week to prepare for their tournament in Oakville then will be ready to cheer on the men and head back to the club to celebrate a great season.

We still have a few spots left for the Fall Cup Dinner on Thursday October 21. The doors open at 6 and dinner will be served at 7pm. If you are an Original or played in the Carling Cup in 68, 75, 80 and or 81 please let me know if you would like to attend. The cost is $40 and you can pay at the door or send an E Transfer. The price includes an Alumni golf shirt so please let me know what size you wear. It is club policy that you must be double vaccinated with proof in order to attend the event.

Hope to see you Thursday Oct 21st, 2021.

Special shout out goes to Ben Jones, Andrew Norton and Julian Alexander who have been called up to play for the Arrows this Saturday against the Atlantic Rock. Good luck boys!!

Also want to say congrats to Patrick Maulson and Iain McLeish who will be assisting with Arrows coaching staff this weekend. Patrick is the attacking coach and Iain will be handling the video analysis

Just wanted to clarify the amazing night to be on October 21 at the club. The alumni would like to honour the Originals and all the players (1XV, 2XV and 3XV) that played in the Carling Cup in 68, 75, 80 and 81. If you played on any of those teams please let me know ad come on down and let’s fire it up for the Men’s 1XV who will be playing for the Fall cup on October 23. The cost is $40 which includes a hamburger and fries and an Alumni golf shirt. Don’t forget to let me know your shirt size. Let’s get behind our boys and bring home the cup!! Remember you must be double vaccinated with proof to enter the club.

After a 2-year long pandemic shutdown, rugby is finally back and it reminded us that Huggy’s Van Fund for maintenance and repair of his 2013 Honda Odyssey wheelchair van could use some much-needed donations. Huggy suffered a severe spinal cord injury playing rugby for the Balmy Beach Club in 1993. Balmy Beach Rugby Club stepped up in 2012 to help him purchase a new van for his transportation needs. His van will soon be 9 years old and continues to serve him well. However, soaring insurance and maintenance costs are proving increasingly harder to cover on his limited disability income as no government funding is available for these expenses. Let’s all get behind this year’s fundraising campaign and support Huggy!! Go Fund Me Link for Huggy

Here is are your game reports for last weekend – Oct 2nd-3rd.
Please note there are no games this weekend due to the Thanksgiving weekend.

It was a day at the races for the Men’s Ones – as an early intercept and 70m try from Andrew Norton set the tone for the rest of the day. After a forward dominated game the week prior in Oakville the sunny and dry weather made this an ideal game for our backs to truly let loose. Without mud and rain to slow them down the team game plan of playing inside the 15’s was just too much for London to handle as Beach was able to generate line break after line break as Beach Rookie Paul Schroder scored a hat-trick off of clean and dominant set piece ball from the forwards. Half time saw the return to the field of scrumhalf Brendan McGovern for the first time this season, which only served to increase the tempo of the game on an already tiring London team. The final score of 59-5 results in Beach One’s locking down first place in the Fall West division, despite one remaining game vs the Scottish on Oct 16th. There will be a memorial at the pitch honouring Roger at the end of this game by Hamish Young.

The Beach 2’s continue their winning ways over the Toronto Buccaneers. After weathering a strong first half and going into the break down 7-13 the Men’s 2’s came out in the second half firing on all cylinders. Led on the field by fly-half and Captain Caleb Pilz the 2’s took it to the Bucc’s taking advantage of the oppositions lagging fitness to attack broken defensive lines. Excellent support play off of line breaks and dominant scrum performances by Beach rookie prop Reese Gutierrez, and veteran stalwart Chris Hewett were just too much for the Bucc’s to handle as the Beach scored five unanswered try’s in the second half. The final score of 38 – 13 sees the Men’s 2’s move up to second in the TRU East division behind Lindsay.

The women’s team has had a challenging season so far as organization and numbers have been down across the city. The women have played and won 7s tournaments, 10s fixtures and last weekend they played in a mixed game of 15s. The women were placed on teams based on position and placed in a highly competitive game with Beach players dominating the score sheet. Great job ladies. Keep making the Beach proud! The women are hoping to host a home game on October 16, more details to follow.

Bob Whittaker – Keep the family in your thoughts and prayers. Bob Whittaker was a long time Beach Rugby player in the 60’s and 70’s. He also played for the “XL’s” which was a team of Over 40 year olds from a number of Toronto Rugby Club. Bob Whittaker Remembered >>>

October 2nd-3rd 2021

THE BEACH IS BACK!!!!!

With a very convincing win over London over the weekend, the Men’s 1st XV have been granted a spot for the McCormick Cup on October 23. Details and a game recap to follow later this week.

On Thursday October 21 the Alumni group would like to invite the 2nd XV and 3rd XV players from the 68, 75, 80 and 81 Championship teams as our guests to the Official Alumni Return to the Cup Party at the Balmy Beach Club. The cost is $40 and includes a hamburger and a Beach Alumni Golf Shirt .

Please note that the club can hold a maximum of 75 people and you must be double vaccinated with proof. If you plan on attending please let me know and advise of your shirt size. More details to follow

September 25-26th 2021
Facing off against our always strong rival Oakville in Oakville last Saturday, the Men’s First Team kicked off in what can only be described as monsoon level rain. The water and mud made for a slick ball and meant that the Beach’s typically unstoppable back line had to pick and choose their moments to strike, relying on the forwards to make the hard yards. The Beach pack stepped up in a huge way bullying Oakville both in the scrum and around the pitch generally to generate penalties. Excellent kicking to touch then put us consistently into position to score. Stand out players include all starting three of our front row Julian Alexander, James Roseborough, and Chris Sopik who dominated Oakville’s front row for all 80 minutes of the game, and young Andrew Hevey who received an unexpected start and first Men’s one’s cap at 9 when the planned scrumhalf Mark Tarver injured himself prior to kickoff. Final score Beach 29 – Oakville 17. The Beach first XV see themselves at the top of the league going into this week’s home game V London at noon Saturday. A win will see them secure a spot in the cup final day on Oct 23.

Kudos to Oakville’s Old Boys Four’s side for stepping up to give our two’s a game on their off week from the TRU competition. Oakville played a tough and hard-hitting game, but in the end our squads youth and speed turned the game into a bit of a day at the races. Final score 65-12. Next game is this Saturday V the Toronto Buccaneers at home Kickoff at 1:30.

A big win for the Beach Women as they beat the Cru women 29-10.

September 18-19th 2021
The Men’s First XV continued their winning ways last Saturday in Waterloo County. The first half saw Waterloo take advantage of an early penalty about 2minutes into the game, kicking to the corner and driving a maul into the try zone to put them up 0-5 right off the bat. That would be the last time Waterloo was able to organize anything offensive for the half as dominant set-piece was able to generate line break after line break after line break. Quick hands, good decisions, and expansive play capitalized on these breaks and saw Beach up 28-5 at halftime.

Breakdown penalties were the theme of the second half allowing Waterloo to once again capitalize by kicking to the corner and mauling for try’s. However, the men in blue and gold weathered the storm and continued to generate line breaks and apply defensive pressure, forcing Waterloo onto the back foot and creating turnover and counter-attack opportunities. A final score of 38-24 for Beach sees us sitting at the top of the league standings.

Men’s First and Second XV take on Oakville 1’s and Old Boys respectively in Oakville, with the Women’s side squaring off with Oakville as well. A big win will leave Beach within striking distance of locking up the West Conference.

Rugby is back!! After a year off, I am proud to let you know that there will be a fall rugby season in 2021.

The dedicated athletes have been putting in the effort and the training and it’s time to let loose. Below is the schedule for the men’s 1 XV and 2nd XV. We are still waiting for confirmation for the women’s schedule. We hope to see you on the sideline cheering on the blue and gold.

Men’s 1 XV
Sept 11 – Burlington @ Beach kickoff at 1:30pm
Sept 18 – Beach @ Waterloo kickoff at 3 pm
Sept 25 – Beach @ Oakville kickoff at 3 pm
Oct 2 – London @ Beach kickoff at 12 pm
Oct 16 – Scottish @ Beach kickoff at 3 pm
Oct 23 – Cup Day! (Details to be announced based on league standings)

Men’s 2 XV
Sept 11 – Lindsay @ Beach kickoff 3 pm
Oct 2 – Toronto Buccaneers @ Beach kickoff 1:30 pm
Oct 16 – Beach @ Brock kickoff 12 pm
Oct 23 – Cup Day! (Details to be announced based on league standings)

Stay tuned for game recaps and news on a special event…….

Bob Wyles – went out on his boat on Thursday afternoon ahead of the storm and has not been seen since. The police have curtailed the search and are now treating this as a missing person case. Please pray for a safe return home. http://www.cp24.com/news/search-for-boater-on-lake-ontario-now-deemed-a-missing-person-case-1.5565188

Ken Shepherd – I would also like to advise you of the passing of our dear friend Ken Shepherd. Please pray for the Shepherd family during this most difficult time.

MICHAEL HUGH MCLAFFERTY – 1947 – 2021 – It is with overwhelming sadness that we announce the death of Michael Hugh McLafferty. Born in Yorkshire, England, Michael immigrated to Canada in 1955 with his parents and four sisters. Mike was a loving and devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend. He was a selfless gentleman who exemplified what it means to be patient. He had a kind heart and gentle nature which were apparent upon meeting him. He had a presence about him that could not be matched. A quick wit and dry sense of humor, any who knew him well will remember his trademark grin after playing a joke or an unexpected return quip. Mike’s loyalty to the people and the things he cared about was immeasurable. He would help family and friends in any way that he could without hesitation. He was a truly generous and caring individual. An innovative and inspiring entrepreneur, Mike developed and engineered many products to support the telecom industry. He was dedicated to his staff and his many employees were committed to support his vision. Mike was a voracious reader, film buff, an avid sports fan and great athlete. He spent much of his youth playing golf, hockey, rugby and football. He played rugby for Toronto’s Balmy Beach Club. Michael was a member of Rosedale Golf Club, Summit Golf Club, the RCYC in Toronto and Jonathan’s Landing in Jupiter, Florida. An avid boater, he is forever captain of his boat, “The Black Irish.”

Michael was predeceased by his parents, Hugh and Margaret (née O’Hara); survived by his wife, Christine (nee McGirr); children, Laura, Sean, RJ, Mike Jr., and Kevin; sisters, Jean, Anne (Wall), Denise, and Helen (Hunt); his brothers-inlaw, Roger, Danny and Steve; and his close cousins, Maureen, Carol, Helen and Jim McLafferty.All of Mike’s family and friends will miss him immensely. He will always be in our thoughts and in our hearts.

There will be a grand celebration of Life on Friday, September 17 from 2 – 5:00 p.m. at Rosedale Golf Club, 1901 Mt. Pleasant Road, Toronto M4N 2W3. A family graveside service was held earlier this week. In lieu of flowers, please send donations, in his name, to his key philanthropic commitment and passion, St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation, Cardiology Unit. Call 416 864-5000 or www.stmichaelshospital.com.

Mike Korac – It was with considerable sadness that I learned today of the passing of Mike Korac on June 5, 2021, in Lindsay, Ontario at the age of 95. Mike ran the Alpine Hotel with an iron fist, a kind heart , and a sense of humor for 64 years. He was an imposing figure behind the bar at the Alps and the man who poured many of us our first draught beer. Have one for Mike.

KORAC, Milan Louis – It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our Dad, Milan Korac, fondly known as “Mike”. Milan passed away peacefully at the Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay, on Saturday, June 5, 2021, in his 96th year. Beloved husband of the late Rose Korac (married for over 49 years). Loving father of Diane, Michelle (Neil), Mickey (Denise), Paul (Laura) and honorary son Joe Vrtik. Cherished Jeda to Caitlin (Robin), Michael, Neil, Mitchell, Lindsay, Emma and Andrew. Predeceased by his parents Luka and Deva Korac, brother Louis and sister Milka. Special uncle to Paul Baycetich, Diane Korach (Eli) and George Baycetich and their families. A special thank you for their love and support, Dave and Donna Butt. Mike was the proud owner of the Alpine Hotel in Scarborough for over 64 years. A landmark where friends and families gathered for generations. He enjoyed his retirement at his farm in the Kawarthas where family and friends often visited. Always a busy household and Dad made sure there was plenty of food and Shlivo for everyone. Dad we promise your legacy will live on, we promise to to take care of each other and make sure we put the fire out! God Bless Jeda, and you’re with Nanny now!! Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a private family funeral will be held at Mount Pleasant Funeral Centre on Thursday, June 10th. A Celebration of Life for Milan will be held at a later date. If desired, memorial donations to the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated. For online condolences please visit https://mountpleasantgroup.permavita.com/site/MilanLouisKorac.html. GOD BLESS AND TO MANY MORE!!

Donald Oliver – Donald Oliver, passed away this past Saturday, May 29th. Donald was an avid paddler and one of the original rugby members of the Balmy Beach Club. The link to Donald’s obituary has been attached. Donald Oliver Memorial

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Happy Victoria Day long weekend. Last week the provincial government announced its plan to reopen. This is fantastic news and the more the COVID numbers continue to decline, the higher the chance we might see our ladies and gentlemen in blue and gold take the field this season. Fingers crossed. In the meantime please continue to be safe and take care of your family and friends.

Tiina Veltmann Stewart – Very sad to announce the passing of Balmy Beach Women’s Rugby Alumni Tiina Veltmann Stewart. Tiina played with the beach as a Jr and was an integral part of creating the most recent Women’s Team and Section. Tiina was only 32 years old and leaves behind her husband and 10 month old daughter. Please visit her gofundme page to donate. https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-in-memory-of-tiina-stewart-veltmann/donate