Tats of the Team

Our ever popular record of tatoos on our members (and others)

shoot - I forgot to hide the camera again.

The Rest of the Season (2022)

Niagara Rugby Union Senior Men's B Division Champions Grimsby had one of their best seasons ever (they won the Men's C Division back in 1989 - one player was in both teams - Christopher Atkinson). Here is Chris in 2022 (he must have lost some bet)

At this rate we will win the Niagara A division in 2065 and the Marshall A in 2131 when Chris will be bit over 150 years old. I can hardly wait. Over the season Grimsby won six of eight league games scoring a team record 373 points and Dan Prentice-Chowen got most of them. The next team was Owen Sound (4 and 4) with 214 points but they forfeited a game and got 0 points. Stoney Creek (5 and 3) had 213 but got only 20 points in a forfeit by Cru. We scored 73 points (13 tries) against Waterloo thirds and 59 points (9 tries) against Cru thrids. Defensively we had 201 points against us (43 by Sarnia). Sarnia only had 149 scored on them but they had two forfeits with no scores. Creek had 182 ponts on them but had one default by the Crusaders. Our difference in points is 173 while the next best was Creek with 31. We ended up with 34 poinhts (bonus points in every game (10)), while Stoney Creek had 26, Sarnia 24, Owen sound 22 and Niagara 21 (I thought Niagara was closer) with Crusaders and Waterloo having 12. Our last game was in Niagara for the Brooker Cup and we defeated Niagara by 36 to 10. (so the cup returneth - well it never really left)

Well done. Congratulations to everyone especially Jim Graaf our head coach.

A few followers trying to do the wave.

Sarnia Saints at home

Lonely fields during COVID but we kept a light on

 

June 11, 2022

I have missed a few days and have a number of games to catch up on but the camera was not working and so I did not get any pictures.

We have played two games before this one the first being a game against our big brother team, the Hamilton Hornets, as an exhibition and they had a lot more players than we had. We scored two tries early but they outlasted us (forgot the score).  the first league game was against Stoney Creek Twos and we had an excellent team with our Canadian Player (Junior) Glenn Butler who just graduated from RMC attacking in the centers and a whole bunch of new backs (still mostly old forwards) and we beat Creek 57 to 5. I will need to review the tapes to get all the details since I was tending bar.

A lot of changes at the club which I may or may not tell you about. 

Grimsby Gentlemen 33: Sarnia Saints 38 (Rugby Ontario has the score at 38 to 43 for Sarnia - so I must have went to sleep at some point)

All of the information gathered below, due to inattention on my part, is mainly obtained through hersay, rumour, gossip, and bribery  - so nothing below should be considered fact or that it even happened.

Venue: the storm tossed field at Alway (lightning and clouds and raindrops)

Referee: Special apprearnce by the President of the NRU, Eric Ciezar, although he was coaching his girls team in Niagara Falls and we needed to delay the game to 4:00  and then it was delayed to 4:35 because the game in Hamilton was delayed due to the lightning and the Sarnia boys were all on the same bus.

F.Y.I: 4:35 is when many of the Grimsby players are taking naps normally. 

Ref checking for ticks

Attendance: Standing room only (all the seats were wet) with Paul Rhoner and his new knee with and special guest from Northern Ireland (about 58 years ago), John Mcfarland .

Paul and Miller

 Team:  A lot of new players since before COVID days which is great to see. 

1. Nick Lord (40 or so minutes (in and out),2. Brad Vorstenbosch (hasn't played in a couple of years but is my man of the match because he came out and lined the field), 3. John Millington (still at it)(50 min), 4. Martin Van Der Hoek (60 min), 5. Christian Parris     (80 min), 6. Brendan Vorstenbosch (about 70 min including 10 at Number 8 - we will never get him back to hooker), 7. Joe Saunders, (20 min to start - was going to throw up - came on again a bit later) just back from working in the states, 8. Dean Crossier (70 min) could be getting younger, 9. Nick Lemieux (80 min) back for another season, 10. Dan Prentice -Chowen  (80 min) man-of -the match game, 11. Sean Gupa (70 min) (not his real name but one I can pronounce) from Zimbabwe- great tackler, 12. Chase Lupton (80 min)(he's heard all the jokes before), 13. Josh Seabrook (80 min)(new young flanker playing in the centers), 14 Josh Thompson, 15. Jake  Graaf (80 min)    (loaned to us from a Toronto team), 16 Chris Atkinson (who? 50 min) 17. John Fraser   (40 min) 18,19,20 - Zach, Brian and  A. Nother who were loaned to us from Hamilton. 21. others maybe 22. Vic is still registering and Mark Woodgate is thinking of registering every Thursday night but it goes away every Friday

The Good, The Bad and the Rugby

We got off to our usual start with two fairly quick tries in the first fifteen minutes (as is our wont at least for the last three games) by Dan and Christian (Dan converting one), then (as is also our wont) we let Sarnia back into the game by allowing them to score twice (no conversions). then they allowed us back in the game after a nice run and try assist by Dean, Dan scored and near the end of the half Nick Lemieux touched down for the first time in a long time (sorry no picture Nick), Dan converting both.

Half time score Grimsby Gentlemen 26: Sarnia Saints 10.

Now would be a good time by our new coach Jim Graff  to end the game because the lightning was too close or for an outbreak of COVID or we kick all the balls into the poison ivy part of the brush - but we missed our chance. You see Sarnia came on one bus from Sarnia (funny that) and played Hamilton first (because we needed a ref) then came to  Grimsby (they beat Hamilton 46 to 25) and despite protests from their seconds (or that may have been our players) their first teamers started to leak on (or maybe it was the wind in their backs) and the game changed. Sarnia ran in 4 (maybe 5) converted tries before we got one by Dan at the death to make the score somewhere between 33 and 38 for us and 38 and 43 for them.  Who cares as long as everyone is having fun and we don't have to travel to Sarnia.

Coach Jim and Referee Eric (checking the weather)

Grimsby Gentlemen 0: Covid 19

Well, we haven't lost any games yet this year. 

There have been some very nice Saturdays but no rugby. 

Perhaps there will be some games in the fall but that might be difficult but if we had played the gas would have been cheap. . 

Make sure you are getting some exercise in but take care and stay safe, the clubhouse awaits.

Oh no , not again.

Dirk Reichow

                                

We put Dirk on to the change room wall of honour for all his help with the club for seven or eight years.  He played from 2011 to 2018 but was also a member of the executive from 2012 to 2017.

Two years ago the entire Reichow family was our Clubman of the Year.  the family was involved in the club of many years with his daughter playing flag rugby, his son Drake coaching the flag rugby and his wife involved in salad making. Dirk moved to Nova Scotia last simmer and we hope they are doing well.

Thanks Dirk

                               

Dirk in action

Dirk getting bothered by some creepy old guy in a bow tie

   In 2018 The entire Reichow family was awarded the Clubman of the Year for all their efforts over the years.  Claire the daughter played for the flag team,    Drake played for the high school but was especially good at coaching in our flag program. Jennifer was always available to prepare food for the club games and taking thousands of photographs.

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In the summer of 2019 after Drake's graduation from high school, the entire Reichow family left Smithville and moved to Halifax.

The following is the last update from Dirk in Nova Scotia.

How are you and everyone doing? We are all well, healthy and safe.

I'm glad to hear from you and also very deeply honoured that the club has given me a place on one of the plaques in the change room. Having never played the game before James convinced me to come out and try, I am happy that I contributed to the Team, Club and; Executive in some way. I would like to say thank you to everyone who helped me learn how to play (James, Kyle, Derek, Mullet and; yourself - to name a few) and also those that made myself and; my family welcome and part of the Organization (Erin, Nick Lord, Chris & Vic - again to name a few, as well all the 'Old Boys').

Nova Scotia has been a nice change for us all. Claire enjoyed her first, be it shortened, year of school and fit in well. Drake is working at a nearby Tim's while taking some time to decide what he might do next. Jennifer is finishing up an online course in Canadian School of Natural Nutrition to lead to a job as a Nutrition consultant (not a Nutritionist – can’t use that title here in Nova Scotia – I don’t know why). I am going to Nova Scotia Community College starting in September to take the Music Production and Engineering program. I have put some equipment together for a small recording studio and have been taking some online courses and following YouTube channels practicing music recording, mixing, etc.

Hopefully, once this pandemic is under control, we will continue to explore Nova Scotia and the surrounding areas.

Again, I thank you for this honour and want to thank everyone who is a part of the rugby club.

Everyone stay safe and healthy, all the best,

Club Dinner 2019 (in 2020)

Club Dinner for 2019 (January 11, 2020)

Future Gentlemen practicing their binds last year

Our generic award for every category 

Once again we were a little late in delivering the club dinner for 2019 but in our fashion it happened. We had about 35 show up for an exciting evening of suspense, self congratulations and  socialization (the non-political kind).. 

We want to thank Vic, Erin, Chris, Isobel, John, Lindsay, Joe, Jake, Dean and everyone else who had a hand in producing the meal.  Martin and Laura of Naked Acres Grain-fed Meats donated much of the meat and it was Vic who cooked it all and delivered it hot.  We had a meal for the Super Bowl from the leftovers.

This year our old boy's table, which passes for royalty here, was made up of Paul Rohner, Wayne Scobie, Bill Stabler, Jim Van Roon (ended up at 566 in Hat Trick Hockey - he was beaten by Frank Shilte (77) who was beaten by his daughter (58).  If you don't know what Hat Trick Hockey is then you don't hang around Grimsby enough. Kirk Stevens made his first appearance at one of our dinners (at least in the last 15 years). Honorary old boys were Adam Meehan who signed for Oakville and Kyle Wilson of Burlington who both played some games with us this year.

Josh Thompson joined the club in the spring after playing for GSS (a former Grimsby flag player) and got his first yellow card in his first game. (Likely not a record but we don't actually keep records) and  Josh gets the Miss Congeniality (since James Vinneau who won it the last four years.did not play any games) .Josh worked on his game all season (which means he came to practice a lot) and he played really well.  Josh earns gets the Junior Player of the Year. award. Sorry for the focus in the picture Josh - you must have had too much to drink.We actually don't lets juniors drink but we give them an empty glass. 

                                       

Laughlin Hill is our 2019 Rookie of the Year. He played at Blessed Trinity and make a trip with the school to play in New Zealand. He was a fullback mainly and played in the fall at Conestoga College.

A rookie not a junior - he can have a drink.

   The ,most improved player of the year went to Ryan Montgomery who developed into an exciting player and gave out a lot of punishment when he ran.   Ryan could not make the dinner but here he is at tight head with his father, Jeff at scrum half.

                    

The awards committee looked at several players for the Player of the Year and of the many considered two stood out as being very deserving and because the awards committee is wishy-washy they decided to name two members for the award. One of those players played gingerly at the start of the season (coming back from injury) but soon got back into his stride and was named as player of the match several times by the other teams because of skill and talent. This was of course Dean Crozier (Kiwi) who came back after two years from an injury.  The other player had a great season for the team as he scored 17 of our 41 tries and with his kicking duties scored 151 of the 277 scored by the team or (55%). In the final game against Hamilton he scored all 24 of our points. Always a threat to score from anywhere Daniel Prentice-Chowen is a repeat winner in this category from last season. 

Shared Players of the Year honours Dan and Dean

Dean was a Master of the Game of Throwins
 (except this one which we will blame on the thrower)

 We wanted a storage ashed built and when we asked around Jake said "I'm Italian and I can build it" and so he did.  Jake came back to the club after four years away (at school in Peterborough) and made a great impression on and off the field.  Jake D'Achille was named Clubman of the Year (and also elected to the committee- that's what happens when you show any sense of responsibility. . 

                                               

His creation

pre-paint

post paint

Traditionally the last official award is the Deer's Rear, which if you have been around the club and paying attention goes to the player that does something not accepted a good rugby on the field. Dan Prentice-Chowen was nominated because one of our games got switched to a Thursday and even though Dan was at the game he could not play.  (We got Glaan Butler to fill in).  Dan went home a got his stuff and played the second half and the reason he did not want to play was because he had gotten a large tattoo on his arm that day and it hurt. It was pointed out that this episode did not really take place on the field of play and therefore did not meet the criteria. So although it was a good attempt Dan was disqualified and we gave the award to Dan Prentice-Chowen who in the Brooker Cup game against Niagara tried to get the ball past the defender by droping the ball to his left side and kicking with his right foot (you had to see it) and it did not work as his left leg was in the way.
                                               

Dan trying to give me a single finger salute. 

We announced that we had added two players to our change-room walls of fame. 

Pete VanRyn was a tight head prop and played for the club from 1883 to 1988.  In later years he helped in the remodeling of the clubhouse. Pete passed in February 2009.

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 Dirk Reichow played for the club between 2011 and 2018 at lock and was a member of the executive for 5 years as secretary.  Although often beset with injury problems, Dirk was a very dedicated player and administrator. Dirk and family moved to Nova Scotia last summer. (see next blog)

Thanks Dirk

 Overall we had a good year with many exciting wins (after the first two games) and a number of new and younger players. Hopefully we build on this next season unless something unforeseen comes along.

A great night was had by all with lots of fun.  However sophisticated humour ( like Game of Throw-ins) is lost on rugby players and all they want to do is to drink and get naked.               

Don't ask