Brookfield Bruisers Girls Rugby Football Club

Fall Schedule 2011

2011-09-14T14:03:00.000-05:00

CMHS @ Minnoka 9/9/11
Bruisers @ Vernon 9/18/11 @12PM
Bruisers@ DSHA 9/22/11 @ 5PM
KM @ Bruisers 10/9/11 @ Minooka @ 12pm
Playoffs week one 10/16/11 opponent TBA
Playoffs week two 10/23/11 opponent TBA
State Championship Weekend 10/30/11

St Louis Trip !!!!

2011-03-27T23:03:00.000-05:00

Hello All,
We had a very successful opening weekend to kick off the spring season. We played Muskego and defeated them soundly 84 to 0. Then we played our B Side Match against Wauwatosa and got a lot of good minutes in for our rookies. I hope all you ladies had fun and are excited for our big trip to St. Louis this weekend.

Two buses will be leaving on Friday at 12:30 and then a third will leave round 4pm. We will be staying at the Double Tree Hotel in St Louis and will be staying over Friday and Saturday nights. We will be returning on Sunday evening hopefully before 8 pm. If there are any questions or concerns about the trip feel free to call my cell.

More details will be delivered to your daughters this week at practice!
Cheers!
781 267 3372

First Spring Practice!!!! Time Change!!!!!

2011-03-06T13:04:00.001-06:00

Hello All,
Our First Spring Practice will be Wed. March 16th @ Dixon Elementary School. The practice will run from 6:30 to 8:30. Please be sure to bring tennis shoes wil non marking soles as we will be practicing on a basketball gym floor. If anyone you know missed the registration meeting and still wishes to be a Bruiser in the Spring, bring them along to practice!
Till Next Time!
Coach Benny

Fall Update

2010-08-20T10:02:00.001-05:00

Hello Parents and Players,

I finally figured out a way to use the Google group! And this is where we are at currently; I have had the same 10 to 15 girls coming out all summer for practice, which I am happy about to a certain extent. I need more girls to start showing up, as of right now I'm not entering the team in the highland games because we don’t have enough girls showing up to practice to make spending that money worth it. Next week is fun week; two a day’s everyday that week, if I haven’t seen your face all summer and you expect to fill a spot in this club then you MUST be at practice next week. As mentioned before I am new to this club and I am trying to set up a starting 15 that will be successful in leading you girls back to nationals! But I can't do this if I you don’t come to practice and if I don't even know you!!!! As of last week I have enough for an A side and that all, after this year with so many senior leaving we are going to need to recruit and those of you younger players need to step and establish a B side.

I will be forming the starting lineup next week so if you have aspirations of starting and/or playing it is imperative that you make it to next week’s sessions.

As for tomorrow and Beach 5's Emily sent out a discussion for everyone to let them know when and where to meet down there. Bring socks you cannot play barefoot! Also bring tennis shoes as well! As of right now I haven’t registered you girls for highland games, but if I get a strong turnout tomorrow I will cut the check and we will roll.

Attached is the fall schedule making sure these dates are free in your calendars especially the Founders cup game on Friday Night! Never have we won that piece of hardware, so I expect us to take it this year!

Brookfield:

09/05 Sunday Highland Games Waukesha Expo [optional]

09/12 Sunday DSHA TBD TBD

09/19 Sunday Oak Creek Minooka 1:00 pm

09/24 Friday Catholic Memorial Minooka 4:30 pm

10/03 Sunday Vernon Vernon Field 12:00 pm

10/10 Sunday Kettle Moraine Minooka? 1:00 pm

In closing, get your but to practice so we can practice as a team and get ready for the season.

That is all,

Benny

New Coach Same Expectation, National Championship or Bust!

2010-07-14T12:32:00.007-05:00

Hello Brookfield Parents and Players,

My name is Brendan McCann (Benny) and I have taken over as the new head coach of this team from my good friend Austin Ryan. I know the past few years have been difficult for this club with the many transitions that have been made at the head coaching position. I am here to assure you that I plan on staying with this club for the long haul! I am a student at Marquette University where I am studying to become a High School Teacher specializing in History and Special Needs Education. I am originally from Boston Massachusetts and since moving to the Dairy State I have fallen in love with the Midwest Manner and way of life. My ultimate goal as head coach here is to help form this team into a National Championship caliber squad. I have heard of the talents that this team can unleash and I am very excited to begin our run back to Nationals.

I am cut from the same cloth that Austin was cut from, I believe that fitness and confidence wins rugby matches. Austin exhibited this very well by showing that size does not mean a dam thing when it comes to a rugby match; it's all about heart and confidence which he had loads of and which we on the Marquette Men's club will miss dearly. I grew up playing against Austin, then eventually with him in college, and he taught me the most important lesson that any rugby player can learn and it is if your heart and determination is there, you are the biggest meanest player on the field and no one can bring you down. I heard of this club's game against the Amazons form Sacramento, and to be honest with the level of fitness you guys have, the only factor that let them win was they were "scary". One thing I will instill in you ladies is that fear cannot hold you back from greatness, defeating fear in that game would of won you that game, but it is alright because we are going to see them again and I have every confidence with the game plan and training we will have at that point, we will destroy them. The big word in that last roll on sentence was training!!!!!

Austin got the players in this club in top shape and you better believe I am going to push you even further, to limits you never thought you would reach, but remember just like Austin we are not drill sergeants we are your coaches who only want the best for you, and since you already have been to Nationals, the best thing for you is a National Championship. To reach such a goal is going to require alot of commitment and sacrifice. I am willing to put all the time I have into this club to reach that goal and I hope you ladies are ready to do the same. I expect you to be at training every Monday Wednesday and Thursday during the Fall. I do not know any of your skill levels yet, so do not think because you were a starter before that gives you the right to not go to training or to be lazy. I will start those who prove to me that they want to start. Of course there has been a starting 15 established with Austin, but it can change and will if commitment is not shown. This commitment also starts in the summer with making sure you stay in shape and are in rugby form when two a days start the week before you go back to school. If you show up to two a days and I have not seen your face all summer, then that will be a huge issue. I know that summer is ruff with summer work and vacations, but if I can clear my hefty schedule for you guys, then you can clear two hours a week for me. Also the two hours during the week is not going to cut it for fitness, so please make sure your running on your own in your free time or going to the gym, if anyone has fitness questions or wants regimens contact me and I will gladly give you a workout map..

I come to you with an arsenal of knowledge of this game we all love so much and a burning desire to make the Brookfied Bruisers the #1 team in America. I also bring to you a few assistant coaches who will aide me in bringing this team what it deserves. I am a huge proponent of respect and I expect that at practice you will give me your utmost attention. I know this post seems like an angry rant, but it is not, I'm just excited to do great things with this club and I know we are going to have fun as we progress. So do not worry I am not the fun police, if I was I wouldn't be playing rugby because besides defeating your opponent, rugby is all about having fun and forming friendships.

So in closing make sure you get out to training this summer and keep fit and if you have any questions, players or parents please do not hesitate to ask! Parents: since I have not met all of you personally yet I would like to set up a time and place where we can all sit down and talk logistics for the upcoming year. If you could email me separately with a day and time when your free I will compile the dates and post them on the blog here and we can vote and meet up on the most convenient date for everyone.

Again Ladies I am honored to take over this club and I am excited to begin our march back to Nationals! O one more thing I also expect a victory in the founder's cup considering we have never won it before and CM HS has had it far to long!

Till next Time!
Benny
781 267 3372
brendan.mccann@mu.edu

2010-05-28T15:24:00.001-05:00

Match Details for Saturday

2010-04-15T21:09:00.002-05:00

Here are the details for our next match

WHAT: The Founders' Cup Match
DATE: Saturday, April 17, 2010
WHERE: Minooka Park
TIME/OPPONENT: 9:25 CMH-JV v.Brookfield-B; 10:00am CMH v Brookfield-B
(Players should be at Minooka ready to warm up at 8:15 a.m.)
DIRECTIONS:
Head west on Bluemound Rd/US-18
Turn slight left onto WI-164 S. (2.1 miles)
Turn left onto CR-Y/E. Racine Ave. (0.8 miles)
Turn Right onto E. Sunset Dr. (200 ft.)
Minooka Park is located at 1927 E. Sunset Dr. in Waukesha

(Don't forget that there is a park admission per car so please have cash available. I stronly encourage players to consider buying a county pass as it is good all year to matches at all the county parks (i.e. mathes for Brookfield, KM, and CMH) throughout the 2010 Calendar year)!

Spring Season 2010

2009-12-05T07:23:00.003-06:00

4/10 St. Louis Ruggerfest Tournament
4/17 host CMHS 10AM (Home)
04/24 @FondDuLac 1PM
5/02 host Kettle Moraine 1 PM (Home)
5/08 Midwest Tourney Indianapolis, IN River Road Rugby fields
5/15 Muskego 10 AM (HOME)
5/23 USA Rugby National Championship: Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT or @ Cudahy (tentative)
5/26 host Vernon Wed. after school match unless we go to Nationals

Finals Weekend

2009-10-20T13:20:00.002-05:00

Here is the schedule for this Sunday's Final Match:

10am - Oak Creek v Muskego and Vernon (B) v MF
11:15am - KM v NS and DSHA (B) v FDL
12:30pm - CMH v Vernon and KM (B) v Pius
2:00pm - DSHA v Brookfield
3:30pm - Awards Ceremony - All Tournament team and Championship Trophy

Please be at Nagawukee Park no later than 12:45, so that we can warm up prior to our match.

DIRECTIONS: Take I-94 west to HWY 83 in Delafield. Nagawaukee park is about a half mile North on your left.

Congratulatiosn on making it to the finals to compete for the State Title and on earning a spot at the Midwest Tournament this Spring!!

Semi-Finals Match

2009-10-16T19:15:00.002-05:00

OPPONENT: Vernon
TIME: Kick-Off at 10:00 a.m. (be there at 8:45)
DATE: Saturday, October 17, 2009
LOCATION: Vernon Park and Recreation Department

Match Details for Satruday Oct. 3

2009-10-02T10:13:00.001-05:00

OPPONENT: DSHA
WHERE: Dretzka Park
WHEN: 10:00 a.m. Kick-Off (Be there by 8:45)

DIRECTIONS: Take Hwy. 45 to Hwy 145. The entrance to Dretzka Park is on your right about a half mile up the road.

Match Details for Saturday

2009-09-23T19:03:00.003-05:00

OPPONENT: Muskego RFC (A + B)
WHEN: Saturday at 10:00 a.m. (Players should be there at 9:00 a.m.)
WHERE: Bluhm Park in Muskego

DIRECTION: go South on Moorland Rd- Take Moorland Rd south until the Janesville Rd intersection. Continue south on Moorland passed Janesville Rd and come to a four-way stop (with stop signs). This is Moorland and Woods Rd. Continue south through the stop on Moorland and about a half mile down you will see McShane Dr. on your left hand side. Take a left onto McShane and go about a half mile and Bluhm Park will be on your right or the south side of the road.

See you all Saturday!

Match Details

2009-09-19T07:00:00.002-05:00

Opponent: A-Side vs. KM; (plus we will be filling in during multiple B-side matches)
Time: 1 pm Km v Brookfield League match (be at the field by 12:45)
2:15pm KM (Brookfield combined) b’s v MF
2:50pm MF v FDL (30 min)
3:25pm FDL v KM (Brookfield or extra FDL players) (30 min)

Location: NASHOTAH PARK W330 N5113 C.T.H. Nashotah, WI 53058

Directions: Take I-94 west from Brookfield; Exit onto WI-16 (exit 293C). Continue on WI-16 to Exit 179 (Hwy. C toward Delafield/Nashota). Turn rogith at Lakeland Dr. Park entrance will be on your left.

Remember, this is a Waukesha County park. You will be required to pay park admissions to enter the park.

Oak Creek Match

2009-09-12T13:16:00.002-05:00

Here are the details for Sunday!

Opponent: Oak Creek (We might have a short B-side match (e.g. a game of 10's or 7's depending on numbers)
Time: Kick-off at 2:00 p.m. (be there by 1:00 p.m.)
Location: Oak Cree

Car Pool: If you would like to car-pool, we will be leaving from the parking lot of the Flemings Restaurant at Brookfield Square Mall at 12:15 tomorrow. Otherwise, see you at the pitch.

Directions:
Take I-94 East, South onto I894, and back onto I-94 South towards Airport/Chicago.
On I-94Take Airport exit;
Turn right on Howell Ave - going south. Keep left.
Continue south to College Ave. Turn left going east on College Ave.
Go past Nicholson Ave and turn left on 1st road on left (S. Illinois) T
urn left on S. IllinoisField is less than ½ mile up the road on the right

See you there!

Highland Games

2009-09-01T20:56:00.002-05:00

Here are the details for this Saturday's Tournament...

WHERE: Waukesha Expo. Center Grounds (near the Waukesha County Airport)
WHEN: 9 a.m. kick-off to 2:00 p.m. (Players should be there by 7:30 a.m.)
OPPONENT: 5-team tournament
Directions: Follow This Link

This tournament is part of the Scottish Highland Festival. Admission for players is included in the team's tournament fee. Other fans, however will need to pay the admissions price.

The playing fields are a far walk from the parking lot. Players should be on the side-line ready to warm up at 8:00 a.m. Our first match is scheduled against Catholic Memorial at 9:00! Please arrive at the Expo Center no later than 7:30 a.m.!

Our matches are 1/2 hour long and are scheduled on the hour until 2:00 p.m.

Match Details for Vernon

2009-08-29T07:22:00.002-05:00

WHERE: Town of Vernon Park and Recreation Department,W24 S8910 Center Dr. in Vernon, WI 53101.

WHEN: Sunday, August 30, 2009
TIME: Kick-off at 1:00 p.m. Be there by 12:30

We will be playing an informal scrimmage/practice against Vernon this weekend. I expect that we will be practicing for no more than 2 hours from kick-off and done by 3:00 p.m. As this is not a formal match, there will be no after-match social.

Directions:

Take Greenfield Ave. west to WI-164.
Turn left onto WI-164 and follow it all they way around Waukesha, south towards I-43.
Take a right onto National Ave. (at the light before you go under I-43 when heading south)
Take a left on Center Dr. Continue on Center until you see the Vernon Park and Recration Department on your left. Enter on the second driveway to park by the field.

See you all Sunday!

FALL 2009 Tentative Schedule

2009-06-08T11:08:00.006-05:00

Aug. 17-Aug. 28: Pre-season practices (6 a.m. to 8 a.m. Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs.) at Brookfield Christian School
Aug 30 Pre-season scrimmage v. Vernon (at Vernon Park) 1:00 p.m.
Sept. 5 Highland Games Tournament (at Waukesha County Expo Center)
Sept. 2 In-Season Practices begin (4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Mon., Wed., Thurs.,) at Brookfield Christian School
Sept. 13 Brookfield v. Oak Creek at 2:00 p.m. at Oak Creek
Sept. 20 Brookfield v. Kettle Moraine at 1:00 p.m. at Nagawuakee Park
Sept. 26 Brookfield v. Muskego at 10:00 a.m. at Blum Park in Muskego
Oct. 3 Brookfield v. DSHA at 10:00 a.m. at Dretzka Park
Oct. 10-11 State Quarter Finals (TBD)
Oct. 17-18 State Semi-Finals (TBD)
Oct. 25 State Finals at Nagawaukee Park

Spring '09 Final Cheer

2009-06-07T20:56:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Adriana for capturing the Seniors' final cheer! What great final games with both the A-side and B-side, not only winning, but playing some top form rugby! We will miss the seniors -- but Friday night also showed that we have a very bright future. 37-5 B-side over Oak Creek U16 and 25-0 A-side over Muskego.

p.s. Thanks for the gift. I look forward to our final summer 7s with the seniors and a very competitive fall for the rest of the team!

The Last Practice....

2009-06-05T11:16:00.003-05:00

Brookfield Bruisers ... always well dressed for every occasion. I hope everyone enjoyed the last practice of the season!

FINAL MATCH

2009-06-01T11:08:00.003-05:00

WHERE: Brookfield Central Football Stadium
DATE: Friday, June 5, 2009
WHEN: 4:30 B-side v. Oak Creek
6:00 A-side v. Muskego
(All players should be at the field by 4:30)

DIRECTIONS: Do I really need to post directions?

Just and F.Y.I., the tentative Fall schedule will be posted by the end of the week!!

Match Details for Tomorrow

2009-05-29T15:33:00.002-05:00

Just in case anyone didn't get the email:

WHEN: Saturday at 10:00 a.m. (be there by 9:00 a.m.)
OPPONENT: North Shore (A + B)
WHERE: King Field (near Marquette University).

DIRECTIONS: Take I-94 east to 35th Street (Exit 309-A). Head North on 35th St. and take a right on W. Highland Blvd. Take a left on 17th Street... King Park is on your right hand side of the road. There is parking along the street on 17th Street.

Victory Slide...

2009-05-21T08:41:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Kate for capturing the celebration after the 5-0 B-side victory over the DSHA-B side! You do have to celebrate every victory -- especially when they are so hard fought:

MATCH DETAILS: SUNDAY MAY 17

2009-05-13T08:40:00.003-05:00

Here are the match details:

OPPONENT: Vernon A + B
WHERE: Minooka Park (we are the home team)
WHEN: May 17, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. (Be there NO LATER THAN 1:00 p.m.)

There will be both an A and B side match. We are the host team, so we do need to provide food for the post match. Henna will be discussing details about the post-match food at practice today.

May 9 Match Details

2009-05-06T09:38:00.002-05:00

Here are the match details for Saturday.

DATE: Saturday, May 9, 2009
OPPONENT: DSHA A and DSHA B
WHEN: 9:30 a.m. kick-off (Be there by 8:30 a.m.)!
WHERE: Dretzka Park

DIRECTION: Take US 45 North. Exit at Exit 48 (WI-145). Turn right at end of ramp. The Dretzka Park entrance is about .4 miles down the road on your right. The field is right by the entrance of the park.

We will play our A and B matches back to back and would anticipate that we will be done by noon -- right after the social.

May 3 Rugby Border Battle Match Details

2009-04-21T11:04:00.002-05:00

Here are the details for our May 3rd Matches for the Rugby Border Battle in Mauston, WI. This is approximately 2 1/2 hour drive. To be there and ready to warm up by 10:00 a.m., we will need to leave Brookfield by 7:00 a.m. -- so I wanted to get the match information out early. I anticipate that we will need drivers, so next Monday at practice, we will need an accurate count of who is going and whose parents might be willing to drive.

WHERE: Mauston, WI
WHEN: May 3, 2009
MATCH TIMES:
9am - Oak Creek v Armstrong

10am - Fond du Lac v Rockford

11 am - Brookfield v Wayzata

12 pm - KM v Orono

1 pm - Oak Creek v Rockford

2 pm - Brookfield v Armstrong

3 pm - Fond du Lac v Orono

4 pm - KM v Wayzata

Directions:

Take I-94 to Exit 69 Mauston (just north of the WI Dells) - Head west on Hwy 82…you will go through town (2-3 miles) and the school/football field will be on your left. The address is 800 Grayside Ave, Mauston, WI 53948 (google maps is putting it on the wrong side of the street, but it's the school and easy to spot.)

Our Next Match

2009-04-20T10:55:00.007-05:00

Here are the details for our next match

WHAT: The Founders' Cup Match
DATE: Saturday, April 25, 2009
WHERE: Minooka Park
TIME/OPPONENT: 10:00am CMH v Brookfield
11:30am CMH B v Fondy
12:45 Brook B vs Fondy B

Players should be at Minooka ready to warm up at 8:45 a.m.

DIRECTIONS:

Head west on Bluemound Rd/US-18
Turn slight left onto WI-164 S. (2.1 miles)
Turn left onto CR-Y/E. Racine Ave. (0.8 miles)
Turn Right onto E. Sunset Dr. (200 ft.)
Minooka Park is located at 1927 E. Sunset Dr. in Waukesha

The Iowa Trip...

2009-04-20T10:41:00.002-05:00

Thanks to all the parents for driving and coordinating and getting us all there and back again!

The Club had a very successful trip to Iowa this past weekend. We were able to play a lot of rugby and gain some valuable experience. Our final record was 2-1. We posted a 50-0 win over Edina; 10-0 win over the Orono Nightmares and a 0-5 loss against Hopkins. In all three matches, we had the pleasure of playing against quality opponents from all over the Midwest in some very physical and demanding match-ups.

In addition, our players did some fantastic extra-duty assignments filling out Omaha, Hopkins, the Kansas City Dragons and forming part of a motley side to do our part to make sure there was rugby for everyone! I am very proud of our efforts on behalf of these other teams both in the quality of our players' performances on the field and their sportsmanship in lending a hand to these other clubs.

It was a great weekend!

The First Match and some reminders!

2009-04-06T09:58:00.003-05:00

Despite the cold, our club showed up ready to play on Sunday to put up 50 points in our first match against Pius for a 50-7 victory in a scrimmage format. Our A-team racked up 40 points in 20 minutes as they cut through the opposition! A special congratulations to our rookies who really came alive to the game -- making shoe string tackles, penetrating runs, and generally dominating play for 40 minutes as they took the field for the first time.

The club should be very proud of where they are at as they start this season. Having 2 full sides ready to play is a major accomplishment and the first step towards building a sustainable power-house club. Every member of the team should be proud of this as we continue to build the club.

PRACTICE: Just a reminder -- there will be no practice this Thursday -- but we will have regular practices over spring break in anticipation of the Iowa tournament

IOWA: At this point -- with the addition of 2 drivers volunteering to drive on Sunday -- we should have all the space in the car pool for Iowa that we need. I will be sending out more detailed information to drivers in the coming days.

Update About Sunday

2009-04-04T07:51:00.003-05:00

A quick update about Sunday's Game: Rockford, Il. is coming up to play our B-side so there will be both an A and B side match and everyone will get an opportunity to get in a game. This is a great opportunity for the rookies to get their feet wet. The B-side game will kick-off immediately after the A-side game.

Don't forget dress warm for being on the side-line in case the weather turns cold!

Sunday's Game

2009-04-01T08:59:00.001-05:00

OPPONENT: Pius IX RFC
DATE: Sunday, April 5
TIME: Kick-off 1:30 p.m. (be at the field by 12:30)!
PLACE: Minooka Park

DIRECTIONS:

Head west on Bluemound Rd/US-18
Turn slight left onto WI-164 S. (2.1 miles)
Turn left onto CR-Y/E. Racine Ave. (0.8 miles)
Turn Right onto E. Sunset Dr. (200 ft.)
Minooka Park is located at 1927 E. Sunset Dr. in Waukesha

PRACTICE BEGINS MONDAY

2009-03-11T09:07:00.002-05:00

Due to the cold, we are cancelling practice today and Thursday. Practice will begin on Monday!

Just a reminder, practices are Mon., Wed., and Thrus., from 4 to 6 p..m. at Brookfield Christian School, which is located on the corner of Burleigh Rd. and Lilly Rd., just south of Brookfield East High School.

Don't forget your mouth guards and cleats!

Brookfield East Registration

2009-02-20T13:48:00.002-06:00

For girls attending Brookfield East:

Please pick up information including registration papers, a calendar of events, and apparel order forms AFTER SCHOOL on THURSDAY, February 26th in Mrs. Simek's room across from the Library. If you can't make it, please let me (Liza Lemkuil) or Henna know so we can get you some copies.

Thanks

Updated Spring Schedule

2009-01-24T19:16:00.003-06:00

The spring schedule is now complete, barring unforeseen changes. The two big changes: First, we will traveling up to Mauston, along with Kettle Moraine and Oak Creek, on May 3 to play teams visiting from Minnesota. Second, we will be playing a round robin game against both Fond du Lac and Muskego on June 6 to end the season.

This schedule should provide us with great opportunities to play new teams and also provide everyone with a lot of good opportunities to play.

Finally, I would note that April 25, 2009 is the Founders' Cup match against Catholic Memorial. The gauntlet has certainly been thrown down by CMH and it is time for us to strike back and stake a claim to having our club's name engraved in the win column.

Spring is coming...

2009-01-06T10:35:00.006-06:00

Behind the scenes, we are starting to make progress towards the spring season. The schedule is just about set and it looks like it should be an exciting spring season as we return to Iowa and gear up for our Founders' Cup rematch with Catholic Memorial. We have a large group of departing seniors so hopefully we will go out with a bang... bringing home the Cup and building a great new core of players for the Fall!

I have to say that I was impressed and inspired during the Catholic Memorial game when our team pulled together, chanted our motto, and pressed ahead until they finally scored. That is just the kind of spirit that can move a team forward. I was reminded of that moment when I went to see some rugby in Wales over the Christmas break. Every time the Scarlets scored the stadium burst out in song, singing the refrain to Yma O Hyd (this is a link to the YouTube Song). The refrain means:

Chorus:
Ry'n ni yma o hyd (We're still here )
Ry'n ni yma o hyd (We're still here)
Er gwaetha pawb a phopeth (Despite everything)
Er gwaetha pawb a phopeth (Despite everything)
Ry'n ni yma o hyd. (We're still here)

It was a completely inspirational. Perhaps we need a fight song?

Spring 2009 Tentative Schedule

2008-11-20T09:21:00.010-06:00

Wed., March 11, 2009: First Day of Practice. Practices Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Subject to field availability)
Sun., April 5 Pius v. Brookfield (away) 1:00 p.m. (location TBD)
April 17-19: Iowa Tournament (Tentative). Departing for Des Moines April 17 and returning April 19. If we don't have enough players, we may field a combined side with Kettle Moraine RFC
Sat., April 25: Catholic Memorial v. Brookfield (The Founders' Cup Match) 10:00 a.m.
Wed., April 29: Kettle Moraine v. Brookfield. 4:00 p.m. at Nagawaukee (yes--this is a mid-week match)
Sun., May 3: Minnesota/Wisconsin Challenge Mauston, WI
Sat., May 9: DSHA v. Brookfield. at Dretzka at 9:30 a.m.
Sun., May 17: Vernon v. Brookfield, home match at 2:00 p.m.
Sat., May 30: Northshore v. Brookfield, Away at 10:00 a.m.
Sat., June 6: Brookfield v. Muskego; Broofield v. Fond du Lac, away (Fond du Lac) at 10:00 a.m.

I will let you know when the full schedule, including field confirmations for practices and matches, are available. But I hope this gives everyone a rough idea of our Spring schedule.

Congratulations to Val and Rachel

2008-11-10T10:17:00.004-06:00

Congratulations to Val and Rachel, who were both named to the 2008 All-Tournament Team!

For those of you who aren't familiar with this honor, four independent selectors watch all the final matches and select a 22-person roster for the All Tournament honor. Val and Rachel were selected for their performances during our final match against Vernon. A full list of the all tournament team can be found here.

Who knew that Rachel was so tall?

Final Match Details

2008-10-21T10:21:00.001-05:00

Here are the details for the state finals. Our Match is in bold and all games are being played at Nagawaukee Park:

WHERE: Nagawaukee Park
DATE: Sunday, October 26, 2008

WHO:

7th Place Match 10:30 AM OC v. DS-B
5th Place Match 12:00 PM NS v. KM
3rd Place Match 1:30 PM Vernon v. THE BRUISERS
State Championship 3:00 PM CMH v. DS

Players should be at the field no later than 12:30 so we can warm up. Don't forget, this is a county park, so bring the fee for parking.

Also, just a reminder, there is no practice on Thursday due to a scheduling conflict so everyone needs to be at practice tomorrow so we can all be on the same page come Sunday!

Match Details for the Semi-Finals/Founders' Cup

2008-10-14T12:43:00.005-05:00

WHERE: Nashota Park
WHEN: 9:30 a.m. Kick off (be there by 8:30 a.m.)!
DATE: Saturday, October 18, 2008
OPPONENT: Catholic Memorial

This weekend, we take on Catholic Memorial in the semi-final match for the state tournament. In addition to playing for advancement in the state play-offs, the Founders' Cup is also at stake. This is a big match for the club.

The directions to Nashota Park are as follows: Head west on Capitol Dr/WI-190;
Take the ramp onto WI-16 for about 8.1 mi; Take exit 179 for County Hwy C toward Delafield/Nashotah; Turn right at County Hwy C/Lakeland Dr. The park should be about a mile down the road. The address is:

Waukesha County Nashotah Park
W330n5113 County Road C
Nashotah, WI 53058

Match Details for SATURDAY

2008-10-03T10:37:00.002-05:00

WHO: DSHA v. The Bruisers
WHERE: Dretzka Park
WHEN: Saturday, October 4
TIME: 10:00 a.m. kick-off (Be there by 9:00 a.m.)

DIRECTIONS: Take US 45 North to WI-145 (Exit 48). At top of ramp, take a right, the entrance to Dretzka park is about 1/4 mile up the road on the right. The field is right by the entrance.

See you there!

Match Details for Sunday

2008-09-24T09:47:00.002-05:00

This Sunday, we have a home match, at Minooka Park!

WHERE: Minook Park
WHEN: 2:00 p.m. kick off (players be at the field ready to warm-up at 1:00 p.m.)
OPPONENT: Muskego RFC
DATE: Sunday, Sept. 28

Support Our Coach/Alumna

2008-09-19T09:35:00.004-05:00

Are you looking to watch some good rugby, live? Nothing to do this Saturday afternoon? Well, you can go and support Coach Cari as she starts in her first match as a Milwaukee Scylla, our local Women's Rugby Club as they take on Des Moines Iowa.

WHERE: Milwaukee County Sports Complex, 6000 W. Ryan Rd., Franklin

WHEN: Saturday, September 20, 2008

TIME: 1:00 p.m.

Cari will be wearing the 8-Jersey!

Match Details for Sunday

2008-09-18T08:52:00.003-05:00

OPPONENT: Kettle Moraine and Fond du Lac
WHERE: Nagawaukee Park
WHEN: Sunday September 21, 2008
KICK-OFF: 2:00 p.m. (Second Game kicks off at 3:30 p.m.)

Players MUST be there -- in kit and ready to warm up -- at 1:00 p.m.

We will be playing 2 matches on Sunday. An A-side vs. KM and a B-side (of combined KM/Brookfield) v. Fond du Lac.

DIRECTIONS: Take I-94 West to Hwy. 83. Exit going north. Nagawaukee Park is on your left just passed the shopping centers. This is a county park so you will need to pay a parking fee, so please have cash on hand.

Pictures and a Reminder

2008-09-12T10:55:00.009-05:00

Just a reminder, there is no game this Sunday. Enjoy the weekend-off!!
Here are some pictures from the 51-0 victory over Oak Creek!

The line-out

A rookies first try!

The ball out under pressure!

Backs on the Attack!

Defenseive pressure!

The fly-half takes it up field!

A clearing kick from the full-back!

Forwards doing thier thing!

Sunday's Game

2008-09-05T12:12:00.005-05:00

Here are the details for Sunday's Match:

WHERE: Minooka Park (our home field) 1927 E. Sunset Dr. in Waukesha
WHEN: Kick-off At 2:00 p.m. (be at the pitch No Later Than 1:00 p.m.)
OPPONENT: Oak Creek RFC

We are the host team. Following our match, Pius IX (a brand new club) will be playing Muskego RFC, whom we will be playing later in the season. The post-match social will take place after the second game. This is a great chance for us to get an early look at our opposition, as we will be playing Muskego in a conference match in a few weeks. Also, let's be supportive of Pius, as they our our newest club in the conference and we want to be sure to be social and supportive of our new team.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Head west out of Brookfield down W Greenfield Ave/WI-59 W
2. Turn left at WI-164 S/WI-59 W
3. Turn left at CR-Y/E Racine Ave
4. Turn right at E Sunset Dr -- park entrance is on your left. Continue towards back of park, the filed will be on your left.

Again, this is a Waukesha County park, so please be prepared to pay the parking fee or to buy a county park sticker.

Our Opening Match

2008-09-03T09:04:00.004-05:00

The Bruisers fell to Catholic Memorial in the innagural Founders' Cup, 39-10. The Bruisers' two tries came late in the match as Senior 8-man, Emily, dotted down twice in the closing quarter of the match.

In this photo, Talia, Sophomore prop, takes the ball up into opposition on one of her two inspiring carries up the field.

The Founders' Cup is on offer each time Brookfield plays CMH. There are no more scheduled opportunities for the Bruisers to regain the cup. However, the possibility exists that we will meet during the play-offs if the brackets work to our favor.

Match Details for Opening Day...

2008-08-22T08:17:00.004-05:00

Our season opens one week from tomorrow, on Saturday, August 30, 2008. This is not only the open match of the season, but also the inaugural Founders' Cup match with Catholic Memorial.

OPPONENT: Catholic Memorial

WHERE: Nagawaukee Park

WHEN: Saturday, August 30, 2008

KICK-OFF: 9:00 a.m.

Players MUST be there -- in kit and ready to warm up -- at 8:00 a.m.

DIRECTIONS: Take I-94 West to Hwy. 83. Exit going north. Nagawaukee Park is on your left just passed the shopping centers.

This is a county park so you will need to pay a parking fee, so please have cash on hand. Please note that we are playing all our home games at Waukesha County Parks. I highly recommend buying a parking sticker for your car. The County park system has been very good to rugby so please--support our Waukesha County Parks.

Season Starting Soon

2008-08-07T13:49:00.004-05:00

Just a reminder... pre-season practice starts Monday morning.

Pre-Season Practice Schedule:
TIME: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
LOCATION: Wisconsin Hills Middle School
DATES: Mon., Tues, Wed., Thurs., August 11-28, 2008

Don't forget to bring your mudguard to practice!!

Coming up soon... our first pre-season match (and inaugural Founders' Cup competition), Saturday morning, August 30, 2008 against Catholic Memorial at Nagawaukee Park.

Follow the link under "welcome" to go to the google-group and download registration paperwork.

Follow the link under "Fall 2008 Season" to see the full fall schedule.

The Cup...

2008-07-31T10:37:00.003-05:00

For those of you wondering, here is an image of the Founders' Cup --prior to engraving -- which will be on offer each time our A-side plays Catholic Memorial.

The scores of each match will be engraved on the base and the trophy will be retained by the winning team. Our Club has a 1-2 record against CMHS. This past spring we lost by only 2 points and were only 5 meters from scoring the winning try at the final whistle.

This should be a very competitive and very friendly rivalry.

I am confident that we can kick-off the season by bringing home some hardware after August 30, 2008 match against CMHS. Practice starts soon!

Rugby Season Kick-Off/Recruitment Picnic

2008-07-22T08:30:00.002-05:00

We will be holding a recruitment/season kick-off picnic. We'll be getting together, having some food, playing a little touch rugby, demonstrating some contact skills, and sharing the details for the very exciting Fall 2008 Season.

WHO: NEW and Returning players.
DATE: Thursday, August 7, 2008
TIME: 6:00 to 8:30
LOCATION: Wirth Park, Picnic Area 3

Remember, no experience necessary. Come find out what it's all about.

RSVP to: dan.chanen@gmail.com

Our Own Bledisloe Cup....

2008-07-16T09:48:00.003-05:00

Well the terms have not been finalized, but the Bruisers have been challenged by Catholic Memorial High School to formalize our rivalry by the exchange of the Founder's Cup -- a rivalry modeled on the Bledisloe Cup, a competition between neighboring rivals New Zealand and Australia -- who exchange a trophy each year based on test matches between the two nations.

While the formal details are still be negotiated, this new competition will result in the exchange of a trophy between our two clubs and formalize a great cross-town rivalry -- even if the games are "non-conference games" or the games are played during the Spring season.

If things work out, our pre-season match up with Catholic Memorial should be the inaugural match of this new competition.

Brookfield Takes 2nd Place at Lakefront 7s

2008-07-01T13:25:00.005-05:00

The Bruisers had a bruising weekend, as 8 of its finest, battled through the Lakefront 7's bracket against St. Charles, Il and two squads from Vernon. The Bruisers defeated Vernon 1 in the opening match, but suffered an injury in the final minute as the match ended. Brookfield, now out of substitutes, put up a stiff resistance against Vernon's second side, but suffered a second injury, and played with a 6 person side. But even out numbered, Brookfield rallied to put points on the board during its loss to Vernon 2. In the final match, Brookfield faced a fresh and fit St. Charles team which swept the competition.

The final results came out today and Brookfield took second place, with it's 1-2 record, based on point differentials! Go Bruisers!

Beach Front 5s Information

2008-06-27T09:44:00.003-05:00

The Milwaukee RFC hosts it's annual Bach Front 5s tournament on Bradford beach on July 26, 2008.

The tournament stats at 10:30 on Saturday and runs through the afternoon.

Teams play 5 v.5 in the sand on the beach. Rosters are limited to 7 players, but we can enter multiple teams if there is interest. There are full rules and tournament details on the Milwaukee RFC website.

Email me and let me know if you are interested. The cost per player will be $15. Let me know if you have any questions.

Lakefront 7's This Weekend

2008-06-26T13:18:00.002-05:00

We're heading down to Veterans Park in Milwaukee this weekend to compete in the Lakefront 7s tournament. We'll be leaving from the Flemmings parking lot at 7:15 a.m. this Saturday!

The tournament runs from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 pm., but we won't know specific game times until we arrive at the field.

We'll be competing against teams from Vernon and from St. Charles, Il. It should be a good day to run around in the sun.

Good Luck to Our Selectside Players

2008-06-18T13:28:00.006-05:00

The Wisconsin Women's U19 Selectside will be playing an exhibition match against the Indiana Women's U19 selectside this Saturday at the Churchill Cup, an international competition featuring USA Eagles, Argentina, Canada, Ireland, England, and Scotland. The match time is set from 2:10 to 2:45 p.m. at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL. If you are interested in going down to support our Wisconsin selectiside, contact the U19 select coach, Scott Prunkle at u19selectcoach[at]gmail.com for more information.

Congratulations to our representatives from the Brookfield Bruisers: Elizabeth Perry, playing flanker, Valerie Seidl, wing, Cari Berdan, second row!

It is really great to see so many of our Bruisers representing Wisconsin! Good luck!

FALL 2008

2008-06-17T11:16:00.003-05:00

Here is the schedule for the Fall.

FALL 2008 SCHEDUEL

Pre-Season Practice Schedule:

TIME: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
LOCATION: Wisconsin Hills Middle School
DATES: Mon., Tues, Wed., Thurs., August 11-28, 2008

In-Season Practice:

TIME: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Brookfield Christian School
DATES: Mon., Wed. and Thurs, beginning Monday September 3, 2008

DATE TIME OPPONENT LOCATION

Sat. 8/30 TBD Catholic Memorial A/B + Kettle Moraine Nagawaukee Park
(Pre-season scrimmage) (shared home game)

Sun. 9/7 2:00 p.m. Oak Creek v. B-A-side Minooka Park (home)
Pius High School v. B-B-side

Sun. 9/14 3:00 p.m. Menomonee Falls (A + B) Thomas Jefferson M.S. (away)

Sun. 9/21 2:00 p.m. Kettle Moraine (A+B) Minooka Park (home)
(non-conference game)

Sun. 9/28 TBD Muskego (A + B) Minooka Park (home)
[Date and time subject to confirmation]

Sat. 10/4 10:00 a.m. DSHA-A + B Dretzka Park

PLAY-OFF SCHEDULE:

Quarter Finals Weekend of the 10/11 {Day, Time and Location TBD)

Semi-Finals Weekend of the 10/18 {Day, Time and Location TBD)

FINALS: Sunday, 10/26; time based on standings, location TBD

Summer Tag Rugby

2008-06-10T21:32:00.003-05:00

Just to keep your ball handling sharp (and introduce potential rookies to the sport), we will be holding informal practices to just play tag-rugby (non-contact) one night per week.

Any player, potential player or even mildly curious friend is welcome to join us.

WHERE: Brookfield Christian School
WHEN: Tuesday
TIME: 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The Fall season schedule will be posted within the week so check back to see the details for our pre-season practices and Fall match schedule.

And remember... the off-season is the time to focus on personal fitness. By our individual efforts, we are collectively stronger.

End of the Season

2008-06-03T09:11:00.002-05:00

It was a great end to our season with a win under the lights at home. The Bruisers dominated the visiting Norhshore team with an impressive 47-7. The A-side victory was a great way to close the season, as the Bruisers set their sights on the fall conference schedule.

The B-side struggled to stay on the board, suffering a 20-0 defeat. Although the B-side was not able to put points on the board against the athletic Northshore B-side, the Bruisers were dominate in the rucks and demonstrated a lot of clear potential for the fall.

If anyone has pictures lets post them.

Congratulations to the Killer-Bs

2008-05-19T08:40:00.002-05:00

The B-side provided the Club with a thrilling win this past Sunday when it defeated Muskego 17-12. The B-side held a slim, 2-point lead for most of the first half, thanks to the conversion kick by Tristan. The game was a defensive battle, as the B-side played strong defense, deep within its own 22-m line, repeatedly warding off the Muskego attacks. The game came down to the final minutes, when Kassie, playing fullback, made a game saving tackle to stop the 50 meter break away run by Muskego. The team reorganized a counter offensive and pushed down the field in the closing thirty seconds of the game to prevent Musekgo from touching down the tyring try.

It was some very exciting rugby. Our B-side is on a winning streak! I should point out that the B-side lost to both Fond du Lac and Muskego at the start of the season. In the past 2 outings, the B-side have reversed both these losses! Way to go!

B-Side Game: Sunday May 18

2008-05-15T14:23:00.003-05:00

WHERE: Muskego
WHEN: 1:15 p.m. kick-off (Be there at NOON)
WHO: Muskego-B v. Brookfield B. If you are an A-side player, you should still attend the match because (1) let's support our B-side and (2) you never know what subs we will need!

DIRECTION: Take Moorland past Janesville Rd. going south. You will come to a four way stop (stop signs, this intersection is Woods and Moorland/Durham), continue south through the stop and about a half mile down on your left will be McShane Dr. Take a left here and the pitch will be on your right hand/south side about a half mile down the road.

See you there.

2008-05-13T19:02:00.009-05:00

Finally! Some pictures from our trip to mud-pit Iowa. Here's our team before we played our game in the mud pit.

This is the actual core of the mud pit where we attempted to scrum. Key word: attempted.

Our team after the coldest, dirtiest game of my life!

Huddle anyone? Guess not.

Enjoying the freezing cold mud I guess?

It was all good times this spring season. Whether it was in the mud pit or on the good field, we Bruisers held our own.

Sunday's Game...

2008-05-07T09:37:00.002-05:00

Date: Sunday, May 11, 2008
Time: Kick-off at 1:00 p.m. (be there at Noon ready to warm-up)
Place: Nagawaukee Park
Opponent: Brookfield A vs. KM-A; Brookfield-B vs. KM-B/FDL

Directions: Take I-94 West to Hwy. 83 exit in Delafield. Take Hwy. 83 North about 1/2 mile (i.e. until you pass all the shopping centers). Nagawaukee Park is on the left (west) side of the road. You can see the goal posts from Hwy. 83.

Please note that Nagawaukee is a county park, so you will need to pay a per car entry fee if you don't have a county parks sticker.

This is just a suggestions, but if you are planning on playing rugby in the fall, I would recommend buying a county park sticker, as 2 of our opponents (KM and CMH) have home fields located on county park grounds and play-off games in the Fall are again likely to be played at Waukesha County parks. Therefore, you can anticipate paying this fee 3-5 times per year, which will make a sticker more cost effective.

This Saturday's Game

2008-04-22T16:04:00.002-05:00

Just a quick reminder about Saturday's game against Muskego.

We are playing at Brookfield Central. Players must be at the field at 3:00. We should be kicking off the A game at 4:00 with the B-game kicking-off immediately after the A-game concludes.

Club officers will be organizing the post-match social.

Sunday's Game

2008-04-17T09:17:00.002-05:00

We are playing 2 games this weekend. B. v. Oak Creek and B. v. Fond du Lac. The games are back to back, starting at 1:00. We need to be at the field NOON on Sunday to warm up.

For rookies, please be aware that following the two matches, the host team will provide some food. All players are expected to socialize with the opposing side after the match, so please plan your time accordingly.

Directions:

Travel South on I-94 towards Chicago, pass General Mitchell Airport Exit, pass College Ave exit.

Take Rawson Exit on the right.

Turn left on Rawson, going East (Pass Farm and Fleet on the right) – next stop light is Howell Ave.

Turn right on Howell Ave going South (Pass Woodman’s on the right – second Stop Light after Woodman’s is Puetz Ave).

Turn left on Puetz Ave, going East, Oak Creek High School will be on the left.

Just past the school is an entrance to the Parking Lot at the back of the school. Park there the Field is on the East Side of the lot.

Bring something to sit on…. There are no bleachers.

There is a parking area behind the High School. You will see Two Baseball/Softball diamonds. I am setting up the field between the two diamonds.

PRACTICE CHANGES

2008-04-15T11:18:00.001-05:00

Starting Wed., April 16, our practices will move to Brookfield Christian School, which is across the street from Brookfield East.

Our practice times and days will be as follows:

Mon. and Wed. from 4:00 to 6:00

Thurs: from 4:00 to 5:30.

See you all there!

Brookfield v. CMH

2008-04-07T09:12:00.002-05:00

It was a hard loss as the Bruisers fell 24-22 to Catholic Memorial on Friday night, under the lights at Brookfield Central High School. Despite the weather taking a toll on the early practices, the Bruisers made an impressive stand against Catholic which was fresh from its tour of Ireland. The Bruisers played to the last whistle, and the match ended with Brookfield in possession and driving forward within 10 m of the CMH try-line for what would have been the go-ahead score.

Tries: Kassie W. (2); Lucy S. (2)
Conversions: Lauren F. (1); Dana A. (1).

Under the Lights

2008-04-01T15:44:00.004-05:00

This weekend, the Bruisers will take on Catholic Memorial for the open match of the Spring 2008 Season. This will be our first game, under the lights at Brookfield Central's stadium and should be a great opportunity to show case the team.

We need to be at the field, ready to warm up at 6:00 p.m.!

Let's make these next to practices count and be ready for a great start to the season.

PRACTICE CANCELLED TODAY

2008-03-31T12:08:00.000-05:00

DUE TO THE THUNDERSTORMS, THERE WILL BE NO PRACTICE TODAY (MONDAY, MARCH 31).

See you all on Tue. and Thurs. at 4:00 at Mary Knoll Park!

PRACTICE

2008-03-27T09:52:00.002-05:00

Due to the cold and the impending snow, we are cancelling practice on March 27 and 28.

Practice will take place next week Mon. Wed. Thurs. (our normal practice nights) from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 (shortened due to the temperatures) at Mary Knoll Park. Practice next week will be held no mater what the weather.

Practice Dates and Locations

2008-03-14T10:26:00.001-05:00

Currently, our home field (Brookfield Christian) is still very muddy and cannot sustain the wear on the field for practices. In addition, I have several work commitments that will keep me from attending our scheduled practices over the next few weeks. Therefore, I am publishing this revised practice schedule in hopes that we will be able to have practices over during the Brookfield spring break.

Please note that this practice schedule will provide us with 6 practices prior to our game with Catholic Memorial and only 9 practices prior to the Iowa trip. Practice attendance is imperative. That said, I understand that during spring break and with a changed schedule, attendance may not work for some players.

During the week of Spring Break we will practice Tuesday, March 25, Thursday, March 27, and Friday, March 28 from 4:00 to 6:00. The location is to be determined. I am working on an alternative field location and should have an answer by the end of next week.

We will resume our regular practice schedule (Mon., Wed. Thurs.) beginning on March 31. I will let you know as soon as I find out the location of our practices.

I would note for new players, that the Fall season is not so haphazard as the match schedules are established for conference play and we do not have the same problems with weather and field conditions.

Changes to the Schedule

2008-03-12T14:22:00.003-05:00

Follow this link to the updated Spring 2008 Schedule.

These changes include the following big announcements:

1) We have moved the date and time of the games against Muskego and Catholic Memorial so that those games can be played at the Brookfield Central High School stadium. We believe this is a great opportunity to increase the profile of our team in the community.

2) We have added a tentative game against North Shore in May. This game may also be played at the Brookfield Stadium, subject to confirmation. Otherwise, we will be playing the game during that weekend.

3) The revised schedule states that outdoor practices will begin the wed. March 26. This date may be subject to change. Due to scheduling conflicts, we may attempt to schedule alternate practice dates (Tues-Thurs.-Friday) during the week of March 24. I will hopefully have this resolved my Monday's indoor practice. Beginning March 31, our practices will be our normal Mon-Wed-Thur practices from 4:00 to 6:00 at Brookfield Christian School

Information from the Pre-Season Meeting

2008-02-28T16:18:00.003-06:00

Here are some of the highlights of what we discussed at the pre-season meeting on Tuesday night.

We are making progress on incorporating the club and achieving not-for-profit status. We should be incorporated within the next week, thanks to our three brave volunteers who agreed to fill the initial board spots: Jeff Faulkner, Larry Stitch and Neal Anderson. Over the next month or so, the Club will be soliciting volunteers to fill committee positions which will spread the work of running the club and help create a stable future for the program.
We still need additional drivers for the Iowa Tournament, on the Weekend of April 11. The team will drive to Des Moines Friday evening, play 2 games Saturday, one game on Sunday, and drive home Sunday afternoon. We have transportation for approximately 15 players. Please email me, if you are interested in driving.
We have added two new coaches to our staff, Matt Pinsoneault and Bill Gerking. This should enhance our ability to move the team forward, especially in the absence of Coach Simek, whom we will hope will be returning in the fall.
Please note that the dues are due on or before March 17, 2008, or there will be a $10 late fee. You can either mail registrations to my home address, which is in the registration packet, or give the forms to me at the pre-season practice.
We are officially considering a tour to the United Kingdom (Wales and England) for the Spring of 2009. We anticipate that the total cost will be about $1,500 to $2,000 and would likely travel over the Elmbrook School District's spring break.

Registration forms for the Spring 2008 season can be found at our google-group. If you are new to the club, you can follow this link to the google group and request membership so that you can access the forms.

The spring schedule is posted on the Blog here.

Tag Results Part II

2008-02-12T09:20:00.000-06:00

Week 4:

Blue 86 v. Gold 64
Purple 81 v. Scarlet 44

Week 5:

Scarlet 85 v. Blue 73
Gold 91 v. Purple 47

Week 6:

Gold 103 v. Blue 57
Scarlet 85 v. Purple 66

Games Played, W, L, PF, PA, League Points
Scarlet: 6, 4, 2, 317, 255, 16
Purple: 6, 4, 2, 352, 331, 16
Gold: 6, 3, 3, 378, 318, 9
Blues: 6, 1, 5, 347, 425, 3

With the final results in, Purple and Scarlet tied for league points. In head to head competition, Purple and Scarlet traded victories. The final tie breaker is higher differential between points scored versus points against. Despite the very close competition, Scarlet edges out Purple to win the innaugural Brookfield Tag Rugby Cup.

I hope that this is the start of a new, fun tradition. If players have any comments on how the Tag Rugby "season" went, please let me know. This was a first run for us and I am sure there is stuff we can improve on. I was very pleased with the level of creative ball handling and support running which I saw on the field.

Now, let's get ready for Spring!

Pre-Season Meeting/New Players Welcome

2008-02-08T16:16:00.000-06:00

We will hold a pre-season meeting to share our plans for the spring and make sure everyone has all the relevant information. If you know someone interested in playing or curious about learning more, this is a great opportunity to bring them along. As always, no experience necessary and all new, returning and even merely curious players and thier parents are welcome.

WHAT: Rugby Pre-Season Meeting
WHEN: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
TIME: 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Brookfield Public Library, Community Room

Details on the Iowa Trip

2008-01-23T09:31:00.000-06:00

For those of you who are interested in the details of the Iowa rugby festival, which is part of our spring schedule, you can check out the Des Moines Rugby Club website and follow the links to the U19 Festival. This should be a great opportunity to test ourselves against teams from other states.

Parents, please don't forget to contact Dan to volunteer to chaperon/drive.

Tag Results

2008-01-22T08:42:00.000-06:00

I've been a bit delayed posting scores from our tag league, but here they are.

Week 1: Scarlet defeated Gold 40 v. 17 to earn a 4 pt. win. The Blues fell to Purple in a close match 42-35, earning the Blues 1 bonus point for a loss by 7 or fewer points and 4pts. for Purple.

Week 2: Purple again edged out its competition and Gold walked away with the a bonus point for a close loss, with tine final score 35-32 in favor of purple. Scarlet posted a big win over the Blues 59-37.

Week 3: With the snow keeping a lot of players home, combined sides were the norm. A very understaffed Blues team fell to Gold 71-53. The upset of the night came a Purple defeated Red 81-44.

Current Standings:
Games Played, W, L, PF, PA, League Points
Purple: 3, 3, 0, 158, 111, 12
Scarlet: 3, 2, 1, 143, 135, 8
Gold: 3, 1, 2, 120, 128, 5
Blues: 3, 0, 3, 135, 172, 1

With 3 weeks left to play, every team will get a re-match, so the field is still wide open as the first Brookfield Tag Cup competition heads in to the second half of the season.

Spring 2008 Season

2008-01-21T09:15:00.002-06:00

Here is our line-up for the Spring 2008 Season:

PRE-SEASON PRACTICES:

Mondays, 3:30 to 5:00
Feb. 25-March 17
Location: Brookfield Indoor Soccer Complex

IN-SEASON PRACTICES:

Mon., Wed. 4:00 - 6:00 and Thrus. 4:00 - 5:30
Beginning Wed. March 24.
Location: Brookfield Christian School (subject to confirmation)

GAME SCHEDULE:

Friday, April 4: Brookfield A v. CMH at Brookfield Central High School at 6:30 p.m.
April 12-13: Iowa Invitational Tournament. (PARENTS: We will need voluntter drivers and chaperones) in Des Moines.
Sunday, April 20: Brookfield A v. Oak Creek and Brookfield B v. Oak Creek/FDL; 1:00 p.m. at Oak Creek.
Saturday, April 26: Brookfield v. Muskego at Brookfield Central High School at 3:00 (A + B games).
Sunday, May 4: Brookfield v. Vernon and Brookfield B/FDL v. Vernon-B at Vernon. 1:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 11: Brookfield v. KM and Brookfield B v. KM-B/FDL at Nagawaukee Park at 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 17: Minnesotta v. Wisconsin Rugby Festival in Mauston, WI (hosted by KM). Details to be confirmed.
Friday, May 30: Brookfield v. Northshore at Brookfield Central High School at 6:30 p.m. (TENATIVE -- may be moved to a Saturday game).

Watching Rugby

2008-01-17T08:37:00.000-06:00

If you are looking for ways to better visualize what we try to do on the field, the Rugby Channel plays a clip of the week. I highly recommend watching some rugby now and then on-line to help broaden your perspective and enjoyment of the game.

Announcing the New Board

2008-01-11T08:19:00.000-06:00

We held our first board organizational meeting on Tuesday and we are moving forward with plans to incorporate the club. Our short term goal is to achieve not-for-profit status in the next 18 months. Over the long haul, I think having a formal board structure should promote growth and increase stability for a more successful club, both on and off the field.

For 2008, our board officers (and sole members of the Board) are:

President: Jeffery Faulker
Vice President: Lawrence Stitch
Secretary Treasurer: Neal Anderson

Over the course of the next season, we will be looking to fill vacant board seats. The proposed version of the by-laws call for a 7-member board. I am sure our newly appointed board would welcome volunteers.

Tag Starts On Monday

2008-01-04T13:55:00.000-06:00

Our winter season starts on Monday, January 7, 2008 from 3:30 to 6:00. If anyone still needs directions to the Brookfield Indoor Soccer Complex (the BISC), they can be found at the BISC's website.

I hope everyone had a good holiday. Hopefully this will be a fun way to shake-off the dust from the winter and get back in the swing of things before the Spring.

Tag Rugby... Last Call To Register

2007-12-19T09:23:00.000-06:00

Any current or new players are welcome to register for the Tag Rugby program which begins Monday, January 7 and runs for 6 weeks. We will be playing tag rugby at the Brookfield Indoor Soccer Complex from 3:30-5:00 with each team playing a half-hour game per week.

All the details are on the side of the blog under "Flag Rugby" -- you can email me directly to register or get registration papers.

Registration or email confirmation deadline is Friday, December 21, 2007.

Fall 2007 Awards

2007-11-16T10:06:00.000-06:00

After counting all the votes, the players choice for awards this Fall were as follows:

Forward of the year: Cari
Back of the year: Lucy
Rookie Forward OTY: Courtney
Rookie Back OTY: Kaisee
MostImproved Forward: Stef S
Most Improved Back: Beth F.
Rugger of the year: Kelly R.

And the Coach's Award: Liza

Congratulations to all the award winners. The officers indicated that there were a lot of close races. I think each of you should be proud of the recognition you recieve from your fellow-players. For those of you who couldn't make the end of season party, perhaps the officers will post the other awards list for everyone's enjoyment.

So, it's the off-season, now what?

2007-11-08T09:08:00.001-06:00

Players -- it is the off-season -- it's a time for everyone to enjoy all those other activities and commitments that life brings. But if you miss Rugby or just need something to do, take a look at the USA Rugby website and click on the "Fit to Play" link. This will lead you to lists of pre-season and off-season work-out sessions including circuit training and other recommended workouts. If you are not involved in another sport, find a work-out partner(s) and try to keep yourself active. Following one of the USA Rugby conditioning plans is a great way to challenge yourself and improve your fitness.

Working out off season will improve the quality of your play, improve the team as a whole and lead to good habits for healthy living (it's not all about rugby).

Something to aspire to:

2007-11-07T11:25:00.000-06:00

The Wisconsin U19 Blog reported this story (Wisconsin U19 Girls Rugby: Our First Alumna Eagle!) about Kati McCormick being selected for the U.S. National team, the Eagles, on thier tour of England this December. While she is not a Brookfield alumna, I wanted the Brookfield players to see that local girls can make good. Not all players have the desire to play at that level, but if this is a goal for you, playing in the Wisconsin U19 league is a great place to start. Hopefully some day our club will have alumnae Eagles of our own.

Awards for this year!

2007-11-04T21:39:00.000-06:00

Please check your emails whether it be through the gmail group or the yahoo group. Ballots are out and they need to be back to either Liza or Kelly Robinson by Thursday (Preferably Wednesday). Sorry for the short notice, but thats how we do things!

Awards will be announced at Kelly F's end of the season party on Friday.

Don't forget to bring food to that, we don't want them having to supply everything!!!

Also let me know if anyone needs to work out a carpool type of thing.

Miss you all already!!!!!!!!!

Liza

All Tournament Team

2007-10-30T14:18:00.000-05:00

The Wisconsin U19 Girls Rugby blog has a complete list and picture of the All Tournament Team for anyone who is interested.

End of Season Social on Nov. 9th

2007-10-30T13:48:00.000-05:00

Here is the announcement from Kelly F. regarding our end of season social.

hiii team =]ok so i took a vote at the game and we are going to have the end of
the season party/ rugby sleep over at my house in Oconomwoc on Nov. 9th,
thats a friday. Im really sorry for the people who cant make it but the majority
of the people said friday worked best. captains kelly and perry should plan to
do awards this year, but we will leave that up to you guys. you
guys can come whenever really, but we will plan on doing awards and stuff
at like 8:30?? i will have film from our games available if you guys would like
some =]=] hmm... food would be nice if anyone can bring some. ill provide pizza
and idk probably other stuff too. bring money just in case we go out for
breakfast in the morning or something. oh! and bring a swim suitt i have a hot
tub.
=]=]GOOD JOB TODAY EVERYONE!! ..sorry
about your face emily LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEspecial k

Contact an officer or Kelly F. if you have questions about the details. (I deleted all the personal contact information, e.g. address, phone number, etc....).

Our Final Standings and All Tournament Players

2007-10-29T08:27:00.000-05:00

We earned 5th place with a stunning victory over Kettle Moraine, 40-10. I have been really neglectful in not writing down who scored each match -- so I won't try to recap the tries for fear of leaving people out --- the more important fact is that we played with wonderful support. We had players in position to receive passes and ruck whenever necessary. So in the end, we scored 6 tries and 5 conversion kicks. It was a nice way to end the season with a big win over a quality opponent. I am especially proud that, despite the fact that KM scored early, we did not let their quick score deter us from playing our game, playing with determination, and coming back to a strong win. Moreover, we spent a lot of time defending within 22 meters of our own goal line and we were consistently able to withstand the pressure, get out of trouble and return to scoring position. Playing like you did on Sunday took a lot of heart and I am incredibly proud of the team.

Also, I am pleased to announce that three of our players were named to the All-Tournament Team. These players were selected by a group of men's club coaches who volunteered to act as selectors. Our contribution to the team were:

1. Kelly R. -- senior, flanker
2. Cari B. -- senior, 2nd row; and
3. Dana A. -- sophomore, Full-Back.

Each of these players will receive a medal for being named to the 2007 WI Girls Rugby All Tournament Team. Congratulations! (I have your medals).

Finally, don't forget to check out the Journal Sentinel story.

The Final Game

2007-10-22T09:22:00.000-05:00

Here is the match schedule for the matches on Sunday, October 28, 2007, at Nagawaukee Park in Delafield (the park is 1/4 mile North of I-94 off of the Hwy. 83 exit):

7th Place Match 10:30am Oak Creek v. Northshore
5th Place Match 12pm Kettle Moraine v. Brookfield
3rd Place Match 1:30pm TBD
State Championship 3:00pm TBD

All matches will be played at Nagawaukee Park in Delafield.

The final spots depend upon the results of matches (DS v. Muskego and CMH v. Vernon).

We play at Noon on Sunday. All players (and your coach) should be there at 11:00 a.m. to warm-up. Following our match, I encourage all the players to stick around and cheer for your favorite competitor in the final two matches. It should be a great day of rugby. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

Also, if you volunteered to help-out at the final, please be flexible and simply lend a hand where needed. I do not have additional information yet, but my understanding is that they will need help staffing the concession stand during the day. Even though the finals weekend is hosted by Kettle Moraine, the event is for and by the whole of Wisconsin's girls rugby, so let's try and be as supportive as we can of this first attempt at an organized finals weekend.

Press for the post-match traditions

2007-10-17T09:18:00.000-05:00

The Journal Sentinel carried this article about about the traditional high school sport carbo-cram. The article prominently features the high school rugby tradition of post-match hospitality. I thought it might interest everyone.

Post-Match Hospitality for Oct. 21

2007-10-16T08:31:00.001-05:00

Steve L. (Liza's dad) suggested the following for the post-match hospitality this weekend:

How about we do a chili party like we have the last couple of years. If we could get 5 or 6 parents to cook a pot of chili (one vegetarian if
possible), I will cook and bring all the noodles and some condiments
like, peppers, oyster crackers etc. and I will pick up all the drinks
(water, Gatoaid, etc). I will also bring bowls and forks.

So the other things that need to be brought:

Chili - 5 or 6 pots
Deserts
Condiments like Cheese, Sour Cream, Onions, Etc.
Fruit
More Deserts

Let me know if I forgot anything.

This sounds like a good idea to me. Please email the list-serv, Steve or me to follow-up on the other items. As always, thank you for everyone's efforts.

Game on Sunday Oct. 21

2007-10-15T10:56:00.000-05:00

Here is the information for this weekends match:

WHERE: HOME GAME -- at Brookfield Christian
WHEN: Kick off at 1:30. (Players should be there at 12:30 to warm-up)
WHAT: Brookfield vs. Northshore

We will need to arrange the post-match food for this weekend. More information from the officers to follow.

Quarter Final Results

2007-10-15T08:10:00.000-05:00

The official score reports are in:

Muskego over OC 20-0
Vernon over Northshore 15-0
CHM over Brookfield 27-10

The fourth quarter final (DS v. KM) will be played this afternoon.

SO... next weekend's games:

Vernon v. CMH (Semi-final 1) (Vernon is the home team)
Muskego v. (winner of DS v. KM) Semin final 2
Brookfield v. Northshore (Brookfield is the home team)
OC v. (loser of DS v. KM)

.

Map To Minooka Park

2007-10-12T08:41:00.000-05:00

Below is a map which takes you from Bluemound Rd. in Brookfield to Minooka Park which is located just of of County Rd. Y in Waukesha. This is a county park, so there is an admission charge per card load. I think it is around $5. This is the same field that the Bruisers played some of our home games on last spring.

Kick-off is at 1:30. The Team should be on the pitch, ready to warm up at 12:30.

View Larger Map

The Quarterfinals...

2007-10-10T12:41:00.000-05:00

The BBC carried this story about France's quarter final victory over #1 ranked and tournament favorite New Zealand in last weekend's World Cup quarterfinal. As we prepare for our quarter final match up with Catholic Memorial, let's keep in mind the "secret" of playing great rugby. Here are some quotes from the French captain, Rafael Ibanez, which should remind us of how (and where) we need to play on Sunday:

"The players really gave everything right until the end. In the World
Cup, courage and team spirit can make a big difference. We played with a lot
of heart."
"They have been the best team in the world for four years and were favourites
for the competition, but we played with a lot of heart and I am very happy
with the players."
"You have to play out of your skin, and that's what happened
this evening."

Let's get ready for a great weekend of rugby! Go Bruisers.

PLAY OFF SCHEDULE

2007-10-09T16:20:00.000-05:00

This weekend we play in the state quarter finals against CMH. The game is on Sunday October 14, 2007 at 1:30 at Minooka Park, in Waukesha.

Next weekend our opponent and game time will depend on whether we win or lose this weekend. We will either be playing in the semi-final match against the winner of Vernon v. Northshore or the consolation match against the loser of the match.

All matches on the weekend of the finals will be played at Nagawaukee Park in Delafield on Sunday, October 28, 2007. Our match time will depend upon our results in the next two weeks. The higher our ranking going into the 28th, the later we play on Sunday. Game times will likely range between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Bruisers v. Vernon

2007-10-09T10:29:00.000-05:00

Sunday's match was an all-out battle for 1st place in pool-B. The Bruiser's drew first blood with a try by senior flanker Kelly R. three minutes into the first half. The Bruisers kept up the offensive pressure remaining in scoring territory for much of the first 20 minutes. However, Vernon broke through to score its first try 21 minutes into the first half to tie the score. The lead continued to change hands 4 times in the final ten minutes of the half as both Brookfield and Vernon alternated scoring tries to have a final half time score of 15 to 17 in favor of Vernon. The additional tries were scored by Elizabeth P. and a push-over try by the Forwards from a line-out.

In the opening minutes of the second half, the lead again changes hands twice with Brookfield scoring a try which was answered by Vernon. Despite the Bruiser's outstanding performance, the final score was 20-36 in favor of Vernon. The Bruisers lived up to their name with outstanding efforts from all the players.

For the record book, Brookfield became the first team to score a bonus point for scoring 4 or more tries as the losing side. It was a well deserved bonus point.

Now it's on to the state Quarterfinals round!

PRACTICE CANCELLED

2007-10-08T10:50:00.000-05:00

There will be no practice today (Monday October 8, 2007).

Each player should take a 30 minute run on their own this afternoon.

See you all on Wed. and Thurs. for our normal practice (4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) at Brookfield Christian School.

Week 5 Standings

2007-10-08T10:46:00.000-05:00

Pool A:

CMH(4-1) v. KM (1-4) 46-5 (5pts for CMH)
NS (1-4) v. DSHA 0-88 (5 pts. for DSHA)

Pool B:

Oak Creek (1-4) v. FDL (forfiet-- 5 pts .for OC)
Brookfield (2-2-1) v. Vernon 20-36 (5 pts .for Vernon; 1pts. for Brookfield for 4 or more tries)

Non-Pool Play

Muskego v. DS-B 15-5

FINAL STANDINGS:
Pool A: (1) DS (20pts) (2) CMH ( 14 pts.); (3) Muskego (10 pts.); (4) NS (6 pts.) (5) KM ( 0 pts).
Pool B: (1) Vernon (15pts.); (2)Oak Creek (9 pts.).(3) Brookfield (7 pts) (4) FDL (0 pts.).

These are the final standings going into the 8-team play-off format. KM has qualified as the #4 seed in Pool B.

This weekend's quarterfinal games are:

DS v. KM

Vernon v. NS

CMH v. the Bruisers

The OC v. Muskego

Week 4 Standings

2007-10-05T10:19:00.001-05:00

Week 4 Standings:

Pool A:

CMH(3-1) v. NS (1-3) 54-0 (5pts. for CMH)
Muskego (2-2) v KM (1-3) (24-12) (5pts. for Muskego)

Pool B:

Oak Creek (1-3) v. Brookfield (2-1-1) 19-15 (4pts. for The OC and 1 pt. for Brookfield)
DS-B v. Oak Creek 15-5 (no points)

Non-Pool Play

DS-A [No pool play]
Vernon v. UWM [Score Not Reported]

[SCORES NOT REPORTED]
Pool A: (1) DS (15pts) (2) Muskego (10 pts.); (3) CMH ( 9 pts.); (3) NS (6 pts.) (4) (5) KM ( 0 pts).
Pool B: (1) Vernon (10pts.); (2) Brookfield (6 pts), (3) Oak Creek (4 pts.). (4) FDL (0 pts.);

2007-10-04T15:16:00.000-05:00

Hey ladies!

This friday is a black out for East girls. Central has spirit week, but make sure you let everyone know that sunday will be a black out. Also kelly and lucy agreed to make signs and go on announcements so make sure you guys get that done. Beth has signs for East, and Perry and I will take care of announcements at our school. Game is at 1:30 on sunday at Brookfield Christian.

We also need to talk about what we want from the fundraising money. We'll talk more at practice. Sorry it's taking so long to figure things out.

Also after the Vernon game, we'll start talking about sleepovers and what not. Some of us were also talking about doing X-mas stuff this year even though we have off. (Like secret santa)

If you guys have any questions or concerns make sure you email either captains or presidents directly and not through the group, because I know they've been stacking up lately.

Thanks Everybody!

Liza