Just a reminder, there will be no training until August 26th.  If you would like to train through the season, you are welcome to join the summer course being run by Hau, see  http://www.deatigersrfc.com/files/DeA_Tigers_RFC_Summer_Training_course_... for more details.

Big thanks

A big thank you to all the parents for their various contributions to the club through-out the season.  It was great to see the amount of food that was brought last week and this shows to me the huge percentage of people who not only bring their kids down to learn rugby, but also to be part of a great club. Of course, special thanks are due to the coaches (especially the head coaches) and the members of the minis committee who all give their time week in week out to make it a great experience for the kids and help to make DeA a great club. 

Tiger Ball

May 12th is the social event of the rugby season, the annual Tiger Ball at Kowloon Cricket Club.  Tickets are only $700 and funds raised will go to support the Larry Abel trust fund.  If you would like to go, please let me know.  I would love for minis to have 5 tables again this year.  It's a great way to celebrate the end of the season.

All Girl's Tournament

Don't forget to pop down to King's Park tomorrow to support the girls in the AGT if you have time, there will be games through-out the day and there is sure to be some fantastic rugby. 

Laos rugby kit collection

A thank you to any members who donated kit in the recent kit drive.
http://www.deatigersrugby.hk/news/donation-to-laos-rugby-569444.html

Please remember to keep your kit for next year so that we can again donate kit to worthy recipients.  Well done to Tui and Greg for organising this.

Chartis cup

June 9th will see a Great event featuring Saracens vs APB's (formerly known as the Asia Pacific Barbarians) it is only $300 for adults, $50 for kids.  Please email me if you would like to buy tickets through the club.  We will get $100 back for every ticket sold through the club.  Proceeds from the event go towards rebuilding school in Thailand so it's a very worthy cause and promises to be some fantastic rugby with Saracens being one of the top European sides and the APB's having some big names joining the team.

Asian 5 Nations

The second game against on the 26th May at Mong Kok stadiu doesn't have many takers at the moment.  Please come, we really need to fill the stadium.  It is the first time the government have let rugby use the stadium and so we want to make sure that we show them how popular rugby is in Hong Kong so that we can have a lot more of the games there in future - I'm sick of going to Football Club for the A5N games.  It is free admission and should be a great game.  Again, let me know if you can be there so we can block off a nice section in the stadium for DeA.  Kickoff will be at 4pm.

Summer sport

Don't forget, Auskick kicked off last week and continues this week for anyone that would like to learn Aussie Rules.  They will be training in our regular spot at King's Park on Sundays.  Check out their website http://www.auskick-hk.com/ for more information.

See you at the Ball.

The forecast looks good for Sunday, so don't forget, this Sunday we will be holding our end of season fun day.  Please make an effort to come down and join in the fun.  8:30am pitches 1 and 3 for lots of different rugby themed games, graduation for U12s at 10:30am and AGM at 11am.

End of season party

Please everyone bring a plate of food along, whatever you want to share. 

Chartis cup

June 9th will see a Great event featuring Saracens vs APB's (formerly known as the Asia Pacific Barbarians) it is only $300 for adults, $50 for kids.  Please email me if you would like to buy tickets through the club.  We will get $100 back for every ticket sold through the club.  Proceeds from the event go towards rebuilding school in Thailand so it's a very worthy cause and promises to be some fantastic rugby with Saracens being one of the top European sides and the APB's having some big names joining the team.

Asian 5 Nations

For those who never ready the sports section, this year Hong Kong stand the best chance ever of winning the A5N this year with Japan rebuilding the 15-aside team.  Hong Kong will have two games at home, the first against Korea on the 5th of May at Hong Kong Football Club and the second against on the 26th May at Mong Kok stadium. 

This Sunday (22/4) is our end of season fun day.  Kickoff as normal is at 8:30am with different games for the kids on pitches 1 & 3.  Graduation for U12s will be at 10:30am on pitch 1 and then at 11:00am the AGM will be held in the club house (quickly) before the end of season feast begins.  Please make an effort to come down so we can finish the season with a bang.

Everyone please bring a plate of something...

As always, we need everyone to bring a plate of food along for the end of season party, pasta, vindaloo, sauerkraut, pickled herring,  sandwiches, cakes, sweets or anything else that takes your fancy.  Remember, it can only be a great day if everyone contributes, so please make an effort.

Next season

Current start date for next season is 26/8/2012.  We will send out emails ahead of time confirming the start date and letting you know when you can start registering again on the website.

See you on Sunday,

Training this Sunday, 8:30am as usual.  We only have pitches 2 and 3 so U6-U9 on pitch 3, U10,U11, U9/10Gs, U11/12Gs on pitch 2.  This is the last chance for the coaches to get the kids thinking about the new skills they have to learn for next season so please try to come if you are in town.

AGM, Graduation and end of season party

We usually finish the season off with a fun day for the end of season where the kids play various games (usually against their parents), followed by the U12 graduation, the AGM and then the end of season party. 

Everyone bring a plate of something...

As always, we need everyone to bring a plate of food along for the end of season party, pasta, vindaloo, sauerkraut, pickled herring,  sandwiches, cakes, sweets or anything else that takes your fancy.  As always, it can only be a great day with everyone contributing so please make an effort.

AGM

Any thoughts on the agenda (or anyone wanting to stand for the committee), please let me know so that we can make sure it gets dealt with (and you get elected).

Summer rugby

Don't forget Hau's summer rugby training for minis only this year.  See last weeks email for information.

See you on Sunday.

Hopefully you've all realised that most of the club will be at the 7s this weekend and so there will be no training at King's Park. 

Thank you all for your patience last week as we tried to distribute the tickets especially for co-ordinating so everyone beginning with ID cards beginning with P showed up at the same time!!  Special thanks to Roi who keeps on helping out at minis 2 years after her daughter left. 

The 7s

Same heavy email every year, with some small modifications.  Please read it (Robert Esser/David Law).

Gates open: Friday 2:00pm, Saturday 7:00am, Sunday 7:00am.  Don't expect to get there at the opening time and go straight through.  Expect to arrive (at a minimum) half an hour before hand to get a place at the front of the line.  For those with the first couple of games each day, they kids can gather up the top with their coaches and will be allowed into the stadium first.  Note that no bags, balls or parents will be allowed with them and that they (or their coach) needs to have a ticket with them. 

My mobile for emergency use is 9288 4497.  Do not SMS me, I will not receive it. 

Training starts at 8:30am on all pitches.  Everyone finally back to their normal spots, even the U7s!

7s tickets

We will be distributing the 7s tickets this Sunday from 9:30-11:30am.  If you can't make it, make sure that you email me (from the same address you booked the tickets) the name and ID card number of the person you would like to pick the tickets up for you.  Anyone who doesn't pick up their tickets can take comfort from knowing that someone else will be enjoying them on the day.  It is a busy week next week and so there won't be time to organise delivery of tickets for people who don't pick them up.  Make sure that you get there.

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: It is a condition of purchasing tickets through the club that they are for you, your family and/or your personal friends use only.  You take responsibility for ensuring that in no circumstances can they be sold off at anything more than face value (this includes auctions for charitable purposes, raffles, etc.). You must especially ensure that they don't find their way into the hands of scalpers.  All the serial numbers have been recorded and the union will punish the club if they are found being resold at above face value; the club will in turn take action against you.

There will be no training at KP this weekend as all of our members are at the Hong Kong Football Club festival in Happy Valley.  The festival program is on the website http://www.deatigersrfc.com/files/HKFC_MiniProgramme_2012_final_hr.pdf .

Please make sure that you arrive at least half an hour before your first game or earlier if requested by your head coach.  As always, all kids will need a mouth guard or they won't be allowed to play and the focus should be on sportsmanship and fun so please make sure that you are familiar with the code of conduct which is also on the website. 

As with other festivals, there is to be no drinking of alcohol on the astro turf of pitch 1, where the U12s play.

See you on Sunday.

Training as usual this Sunday, our gypsy team the U7s are this week on to pitch 2 (where U11s usually are) as U11s have visitor from Sai Kung and so will need the pitches.  8:30am on all pitches please.

FC Festival

Final full festival of the year will be on March 11th, the program is on the website http://www.deatigersrfc.com/files/HKFCMiniRugbyFestiva2012FinalMatchScheduleFinalFL.xls .  Unlike the rest of the 'green' festivals where you are asked to only print out the parts of the festival schedule you need, Football Club prints out their full program in bulk so you won't need to print it yourself.

7s tickets

No change to the dates, distribution on the 18th of March.  If you aren't going to be there, make sure you send me an email with the name and the ID card number of the person you want to pick them up for you.

End of season

Contrary to my last email, it now looks like we will push through to April 22nd this year for the end of season do.  Coaches will be starting to teach some of the skills for next season after the Football Club festival so please make sure you keep coming to training.

Collection of old kit/boots

Training this Sunday as usual, 8:30am all pitches.  U10s have Sai Kung visiting this week, so U7s please train on pitch 1 again.  Football Club's Festival is fast approaching so please make sure you that you make it to training.

7s tickets

We've been told that we will not get the 7s tickets until March 5th.  This means that I will be distributing them the week of March 18th (11th is the Football Club festival).  If you are unable to attend that week, then you will have to send someone to get your 7s tickets for you.  As the 7s are the weekend after this, this will be the only chance you have to get your tickets.

Committee

It's that time of the year where we need to start thinking about getting people on the committee for next year.  With three of our committee members approaching the time when they'll have no kids in minis, we need to get some fresh blood on to the committee to allow for a smooth transition.  It doesn't take huge amount of time and needs no knowledge of rugby, so if you are willing to help keep the club operating, please let me know.

See you on Sunday.

I trust that everyone had a great Sunday at the Valley Fort festival.  Feedback so far has been that the contact age groups enjoyed the seeding of the teams and almost all of our teams did well with the U8 and below doing exceptionally well.  Especialy well done to the U8 Girls team who showed why the boys are scared to play against them with some great wins and excellent teamwork (and having fun of course).

With only one festival left to go (and the Sevens), need people at training to make sure we go out with a bang. Training as usual this Sunday, from 8:30am on all pitches.

See you on Sunday.