End of season fun day this Sunday.  Everyone please bring a plate of food so that we can have a Tiger Feast afterwards.  Don't forget also the U12 graduation and the AGM as well.

Tiger Ball 2013 Saturday April 20th

Undoubtedly the social event of the year, tickets are only $700 for a great buffer, live music and the company of all your friends from DeA without the kids.  Limited seats still available, let accounts@deatigersrfc.com know if you would like to attend.  More information from http://www.deatigersrugby.hk/news/dea-ball-2013--saturday-20-ap-919422.html

See you on Sunday.

Training as usual this Sunday (at last), 8:30am on all pitches.  We'll have some visitors from Sai Kung this weekend for U12, U11/12G and U9/10Gs so we may need to adjust the pitches a bit to account for numbers.

Tiger Ball on April 20th

This is the one activity every year where all the sections meet up for a party.  If anyone would like to go, please contact Audrey on accounts@deatigersrfc.com.  If you'd like to buy your tickets on the web, this can be done through the seniors website http://www.deatigersrugby.hk/news/dea-ball-2013--saturday-20-ap-919422.html but please still let Audrey know so that we can make sure you are sitting with other parents for minis.  This is a semi-formal event for adults only.

End of season fun day, AGM and feast

Next week (April 21st) is the end of season party, everyone please bring a plate food.  We will have the AGM at 11 and follow that with a party to end the season.

See you on Sunday.

Trust that all those who went had a great time at the Sevens.  

Please note there will be no training this weekend except for U9 and U9/10 Girls due to a number of coaches and members being away.  

Next weeks training will also likely be limited teams due to pitch availability, expect an announcement next week.

Have a happy Easter.

No training this weekend, as most of us will be at the 7s.  Training as usual on March 31st.

Seating

DeA Tigers traditionally sit in the north-west corner (zones 131-132) and so most of our coaches will arrange to meet nearby.  This area has the advantage that it is both near the tunnel to enter the ground for the kids and also near the players seating.  This allows the kids to go down and collect autographs as the players come off after their game while still being visible to their parents.  It tends to fill up quickly however so you'll need to get there early.

Showcase

For those members who have registered their little tiger(s) to play at the 7s please meet your coach at least half an hour before your game time behind seating area 131 (unless otherwise advised by your coach).  Players will then be taken to the tunnel and must go down no later than 15 minutes before their game is scheduled to start.  They won't be able to wait for kids who are late and so anyone who is late will probably miss out.  Please be on time.  There isn't any slack in the schedule and remember you need to allow time to get inside the stadium as well.  

Only two coaches (in full DeA Tiger's kit) and the players are allowed on the pitch.  After the game, the kids won't have time to take photos and will be given their medals off the pitch.  The children will then be taken back, via the tunnel, to seating area 131 (again, unless advised otherwise by your coach). Please do not pick up your kids at the top of the tunnel - it will be too crowded.

Players must have a mouthguard and should be wearing this years kit.  They must not be wearing watches or other jewellery.

The schedule is attached.  There is also a copy of the release letter for schools in case you haven't already received it.

March past

This year, the march past is on Saturday for the first time.  This is a great thrill for the kids and so well worth joining in.  It is again supposed to be coaches and kids only and both coaches and kids must be in this year's DeA Kit - shirt and shorts.  Please make sure they are wearing this year's uniform as it will be very obvious if they are in last year's and they may be barred from the pitch.  Coaches can wear tracksuit pants and some (myself included) probably should do so.  All players and coaches should be in either rugby boots or trainers.

People joining the march past should meet behind area 131 at 1:20pm.  We will then take the kids as a group to the ramp behind the tunnel at 1:30pm.  We are lining up between Tsuen Wan Rhinos and Discovery Bay Pirates.  Again, please don't be late.  

During the march past please make sure that your little tiger knows that they are not to chase after souvenirs (coaches need to make sure they don't) and try to keep them from attacking the TV cameras.  The kids will end the march past sitting on the pitch on the west side, roughlyin front of 125-126.  

After the march past all kids will be taken back to behind seating area 131.  Any unwanted ones will be told to sit in this area until their parents change their mind.  It is very important that you don't try to collect your kids at the top of the tunnel.  There are always too many people in this area and it is dangerous for all of the kids so we want to get the kids out of there as quickly as possible.  

General

We always recommend that parents keep their kids in DeA Kit for all three days and write their telephone number on their arm in marker pen.  The sevens is a huge event and kids have been known to get lost.  Keeping them in kit means other members keep an eye out for them and writing your number on them helps the police find you.

The stadium has again warned that streakers will be prosecuted.  We have had had kids kicked out of the stadium previously and a copy put in the stadium lockup for a little while - kind of kills the event for the parents.  No problem with encouraging other clubs members though, just not in the semi-final...

No balls or bottles are allowed into the stadium and security will force you to throw them away.

Sorry for the long and heavy email.

See you at the sevens...

I hope that you all had a great time at the festival on last Sunday.  Last chance for our Tiger's to get some practise in before the 7s, training on all three pitches from 8:30am.

7s tickets

Collection this Sunday only, from 8:30am-11am.  If you do not pick them up I have a queue a mile long of people who want tickets who will be happy to take them.  If you are authorising someone else to pick them up remember you must send accounts@deatigersrfc.com their ID card number by 5pm today.

See you on Sunday.

Training as usual this Sunday.  All pitches from 8:30am.  Don't forget mouth guard, plenty of water and some warm clothes for when they stop training.

Team photos

Hopefully we will take the rest of the team photos this weekend (only U10-U12 I believe).

7s Tickets

I've been told that we will get the 7s tickets on March 5th which means (due to the Football club festival) we will only have one Sunday to pass them out, ie. March 17th.  People collecting for themself, need only bring their ID card.  If you are unable to attend on that day please send an email to accounts (from the  email address you registered on the website with) giving the email address, mobile phone number and ID card number of the person who will collect them on your behalf.  If tickets don't get picked up, we will assume they are unwanted and we will resell them on your behalf.

If you are one of the people who never reads my emails...

See you on Sunday.

Kung hei fat choi.  Trust that you and your family had a great Chinese New Year and are keen to get back into rugby.  Training as usual this Sunday, 8:30am all pitches.

See you on Sunday.

Training as usual on all pitches from 8:30am except for U11s who this weekend are traveling to Stanley Fort for an U11 only festival.  Any U11s not going can either join in with one of the other age groups or not train this weekend.  Don't forget this is the last week of training before the Valley Fort festival so the coaches want everybody at training.  

Sevens

No news of 7s tickets yet (or the Lions tickets), however we do know that most players will be playing on Friday and Saturday as the time on Sunday has been reduced (so there will only be a few U12s games).  As the Friday session will be starting from 1pm, this will mean if your little Tiger is playing on Friday they may well need to take time off of school - we usually provide letters from the union to apply for permission for anyone that needs them.  If you won't be allowing your child to take the afternoon off from school, please let your head-coach know as this probably mean they won't get to play.  The session on Saturday will start at 7:00am, but as I said, there is no guarantee any of our players will 

This year, multiple age groups may be playing at the same time unlike previous years where U7s played, then U8s etc. so there will be U11s and U12s playing on Friday.  

The marchpast will also be on Saturday.  

The Tai Po festival is at King's Park please see the attached schedule for information.  U12s and U11/12Gs, your schedules will be sent to you (as usual by your head coaches).  For those who would like to see pitch layout, sponsorship and other similarly interesting information.  The full schedule is also on the website (http://www.deatigersrfc.com/files/TP_Mini_2013_Schedule_DeA.xls).

Reminders:

1. Having fun and sportsmanship is what it is all about.  Code of conduct for parents, players and coaches is on the website.

2. No mouthguard, no game!

3. Try to keep alcohol away from the pitches.

4. Parents please help out if someone asks for help.  Running a festival is hardwork.

5. There is no parking at King's Park.  Catch public transport.  If catching a taxi, don't plan on getting all the way up there.

6. The only thing anyone should say to a referee after a game is, "Thank you".  Any concerns or issues please raise them back through your head coach, Peter White or myself.

See you on Sunday.

Happy new year.  I hope that you all had a great break and are now keen to get back into rugby.  Training for U11/12Gs, U11, U12s only this Sunday at King's Park (U9s are visiting Flying Kukris) from 8am-10am.  

Tai Po festival

There will be a festival on January 13th at King's Park.  Please make sure your head coach knows if your little tiger will be attending.

7s tickets

We don't have enough and so I am trying to work out a fair way to recover some.  If anyone doesn't want their tickets (I can always hope), please don't sell them to people outside the club.  I have a long waiting list of members wanting to go.