Summer Sevens 2009!

Saturday was the big Sevens tournament that the local men's team hosts every June. I missed the last 3 because staff training weekend always coincides with it (and the one year I didn't have to attend staff training, I was working at camp in New Jersey). So, finally... I was able to be there!! After hearing about it for close to 4 years, I knew it was going to be an exhausting, fantastic, HOT, fun-party day!!

The photo is of our team - it was 5 UNCG girls, 4 girls from Fort Bragg, and Suzi. (Thanks for the photo, Turtle!!) Suzi and I doctored up some old plain white jerseys we had- mostly because it was supposed to be around 95 on Saturday. So we cut the sleeves off, added a blue stripe, and ironed on some awesome Triad Women's logos. The tournament itself was the most tiring thing I've ever done. The way 7s Rugby works is that each team has 7 players on the field, and you play two 7 minute halves. Sounds easy, right? I mean, it's only 7 minutes! WRONG!! In rugby you normally have 15 players per side. When you drop down to 7, you lose people who would be tackling, rucking, sprinting - basically, you end up doing double the amount of work you would do in a regular rugby game - simply because there is no one else to do it.

We came in last in our division, but the day was not a waste- I learned so much and had a great time - plus I probably lost about 2 pounds in all the sweat that poured off of me. I thought I'd been physically exhausted before - but never have I felt like I did after our 4th game - feet throbbing, shoulders sunburned, lungs on the verge of collapse, etc. However, one of the men's teams was very smart, and brought a baby pool, so after our last game, we cooled off and had a cold beverage in the water!

After the games, we went to the bar that sponsors the men's team, where there was amazing food, numerous kegs, and tons of people. All in all, it was a great day!!

Sidenote: I, for once, did not sustain any injuries during the game. However, I slept in Suzi's guest bedroom after the party, and awoke in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. In my drunken stupor, I forgot that I wasn't at home, and I rolled off the bed to walk the 4 feet to my bathroom (as it is in my apartment). Instead, I rolled off the bed and landed into a bicycle that was leaned against a dog crate. I sustained more injuries doing THAT than actually playing rugby!!