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This is the Men's Side practice schedule. It is subject to change based on inclement weather as inclement weather could close our fields.  The first Men's Side practice of the season is all set for Sunday, February 10 at 12 PM at Poplar Tree Park, Field 2. Poplar Tree Park is located at 5718 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly, VA.
We're always looking for new players and experience players to join our club. We are fielding multiple sides so there is plenty of playing time available. Old Glory, our new local professional rugby club, has a great article in the Washington Post, check it out:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/02/06/old-glory-dc-brings-pro-rugby-washington-with-founders-sure-there-is-place-rugby/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e80f45bff00e It's the time of year to reflect on our blessings with friends and family. Western Suburbs has a lot to be thankful for. In the last few years, the club has seen a good amount of growth, on and off the field, so let's talk about our youth, our men, our fundraisers, our sponsors, and our future.
Our youth side, with Mark Bevilacqua and Ben Allen driving it, has seen a lot of growth and we're now fielding several youth sides (and about 50 players) per tournament. We've done particularly well recruiting girls to the program by coordinating rugby events with the local Girl Scouts. Our youth side in Loudoun has been doing well too with Jorge Arias and Fernando Anduaga actively involved. Axel Arias and Fernando Anduaga,Jr., who grew up in our Loudoun Youth Rugby program, were able to go to Mexico to play on the Mexican National Side. How cool is that? A special thank you to Terri Bevilacqua who managed the off the field efforts for the WS youth club. Thank you very much for your commitment of time and energy to this club! Our successes in the last couple of years, as well as a growing partnership with George Mason Men's Rugby, have allowed the club to perform well in D3 competition and return to D4 competition. Currently, the D3 and D4 sides are third and fourth in their respective divisions with opportunities to improve their standings in the spring. Suburbs has long been a physical team, but Coach Stephen "Zimba” Cleary is working to grow our rugby IQ and modernize our style of play with the goal of making the club more competitive on the pitch and attracting new talent. Our fundraisers were really something this year. We coordinated a successful fundraiser in October for Drew Cartwright. For a long time, Drew has been a pillar of our club, so, when he had a stroke unexpectedly, we knew we needed to do something to recognize what he means to us. In addition to our fundraiser for Drew, we coordinated a fundraiser earlier this month for Lily Ware. Lily, who is currently battling leukemia, is the daughter of Rob Ware, our former team captain. The club and the community really chipped in to make these fundraisers a success. For donations to these two worthy fundraisers, we'd like to thank Sunset Hills Vineyards, Jeff Gardner, Jon Carter, 8 Chains North Winery, Patrick Robinson, AKG Designs, Melissa Moore at Monumental Sports, Vienna Vintner, Brian Gronkiewicz, Olive Garden, Murlarkey Distillery, Blue Ridge Grill, Jorge Arias, Picket Fence, Cheryl Kennedy, Ciao Restaurant, Bowl America, Movement Chiropractic, Tyson's Biergarten, Ono Brewing, Pinot's Palette, Custom Creations by Carlson, Melissa Ferguson Photography, Copperwood Tavern, RTIC, Tim Brown and Mary Washington Rugby, John "OD" O'Donnell, UFC Gym, Fortune House, Hopsfrog Grille, Villa Bella, Blue Iguana, Glory Days Grille, Thousand Oaks Barrel Co., Bryant Cruzado, Rappahannock Cellars, and the Washington Capitals. A special thank you to Blue Iguana for providing the venue for these events and for Laura Allen’s expert guidance in making these events a success. Our club runs on dues and sponsorships. We endeavor to keep our costs low while offering the most opportunities to our players, but equipment, fields, training, socials, permits, and more cost money. Thank you to all of the club members for your continued support of the club and thank you to Blue Iguana, Murlarkey Distillery, StickerYou.com, MBL Technologies, and Artius Integrative Medicine for your support of our sport and program. As for our future, we've got a lot to be thankful for as the club continues to grow and get stronger. We are no longer fielding a side or two every Saturday; we field boys and girls at the PreK/K level, 1st/2nd grade, 3rd/4th, 5th/6th, 7th/8th, and men at the D3 and D4 levels. We have about 55 youth and 70 men representing the club. With work, we will grow and add to our current sides, and rugby’s growth at Western Suburbs is truly something to be thankful for.  First practice of the season starts on Tuesday at 8pm at Poplar Tree Park, Field 1.
The address is 4718 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly, VA.  Morven Park has closed the field due to flooding so we are forced to cancel this year's event. The next Boo Daddy's 7s Harlotfest will be on Saturday, August 3, 2019.
Our teammate, Drew Cartwright, suffered a stroke. Drew has been an active member of Western Suburbs for several years. Drew won the respect of his team with his dedication to the club, play on the field, and his intensity. He has done this while juggling his growing family. Drew is in recovery and has a long road ahead of him. Please help him and his family out; donate to his GoFundMe.  Rob and Maria Ware were active members of Western Suburbs. Rob was our captain and set a great example on and off the pitch. They would regularly organize karaoke nights, movie nights, and other good times. Maria was a fierce supporter of Rob and our club and organized social events for the wives and girlfriends of the club. While they were transferred back to Texas, they have continued to keep in touch with the club and follow our progress. Recently, Rob and Maria's daughter, Lily, was diagnosed with leukemia. Western Suburbs is participating in #LilyStrong. We are purchasing tees that you'll see our players sporting at socials as well as organizing fundraisers throughout the season. Please join #LilyStrong and support the fight against cancer. You may order a #LilyStrong supporter tee here or make a donation.  Occupation: Mechanical Engineer
Dream Job: Pilot Nickname: Stone Hands How long have you played with Suburbs: 15 months Team I look forward to playing most: Washington Irish. They always bring their A game. I was injured late in a B-side game against the Irish, and nearly everyone one of them came to check up on me afterwards. Top notch sportsmen. I always look forward to seeing those guys on the pitch. Beer/Beverage: Firestone Double Barrel Ale. Suburbs Memory: I'll never forget my first real game. I had never played rugby before joining WSRFC maybe two months of practice in, I thought I had the hang it. Well by some miracle or cruel twist of fate I caught the opening kick, ran up the middle and proceeded to get high tackled by an absolute unit of a lad. I spent the rest of the game running around not knowing what was going on, but by the end all I knew was I wanted to keep playing rugby. Most impacted my rugby career: Having never played rugby before, everyone in the club has helped me develop, and I've come a long way, but special shout out to Mason Baxter for taking time before and after practice to teach me the basic of passing and catching. Best about Suburbs: It's a very welcoming and supportive group. It's not everyday you come across a group of friends who will smash you into the ground, and then take time out of their weekend to help you move the next day. |
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