Tuesday, April 22, 2008

The End of my College Rugby Career

Weird. I know that I should compose something...reflect, synthesize and summarize my four year run as a DII collegiate women's rugby player. But I can't...it's over. Yea there's a few more functions but all of these experiences are now part of the past. My family, my teammates, my homeland will now be a part of my past, an imagined non-corporeal space to be invoked but never returned to. I am now in exile.

Ok so back to the facts. I'm not all that upset that we lost, frankly we made it farther then I expected...I'm glad we won league...that was the only symmetry that I was seeking. It was nice to make it as far as 3rd or 4th in the nation. We won our first game 60-0 against Wayne State from Nebraska, the elevation was so bad that I forgot our lineout calls...we dominated possession anyways. I scored two tries. We scored all but one of our tries in the first half, we subbed at the half and "experimented" on running side to side (don't ask). Our second game against Shippensburg was obviously the kicker and we lost 12-7. They scored two in the first half and we just couldn't respond. It took a good twenty minutes to catch onto their scrum and then we started stealing all their put-ins (that's just how I roll). Unfortunately we couldn't do anything with our possession (but run sideways). They were PHYSICAL at the breakdown and could poach like pro cooks. We rallied in the first half and I scored our only try (just a penalty tap + a dive). Unfortunately the time just ran out on us. An easy way to put it is our strong people were to slow and our fast people were too weak for this match. Tons of injuries, our lock continued with a broken collarbone (lifting too...*wince*) and our inside fractured her elbow (and kept playing). The decision making on and off the field were pretty poor but meh. It's all over. I walked in my last game. I get to live with that for the rest of my life. Sucks. The knee on my striking leg is swollen to the size of a softball but it's just superficial, no ligament damage. My right wrist has limited mobility and my hammy nagged me even in the heat. My temple is throbbing where a knee clipped it. But I walked away from the game much to easily.

At least I played in my final game, at least I scored (more then anyone else on the team), at least I was making my tackles, and was stealing ball in scrums. It sucks that the team has turned into something where one can't get a "good job" unless you win. But that's why potential sucks.

Three cheers for the seniors.
Natalie Jacuzzi (the craziest funniest mofo I've ever met #15)
Michelle Sit (rabid sensitive chinchilla #6, #7, #8)
Cat Antonio (all heart loyal #7)
Lauren Lopez (my homo a gogo housemate prop lock and drop it)
Lynne Freeman (my dad, my best friend, two years and we're legally married #12)
Kerrie Kubo (me, woo #2)

I'm excited though, new chapter blah blah blah. Time to be a rookie again, build my way to the bench, maybe even start. I haven't decided which club I'll play for...Davis might start a team or we may rehab the amazons...or Fog...or maybe even Berkeley (but I doubt it). I do want to move to the bay...I have no idea what I'm going to do career-wise or ykno in life. But I'm pretty determined that this won't be the last time I'm at a USAR Championship. =] oh and a number of us are playing 7s in Palo Alto again. And we have goal....we're going to beat the Berkeley All Blues!!!! Fuck yea! Somehow! Mwahahaahaaaaa <-----total crazy joke (their 7s team last year was Ruth, Petrie, Blair, etc etc etc)

I'll be posting all sorts of media and crap. But yea I've really enjoyed playing NorCal DII Women's Collegiate rugby. I've had so much fun with the crazy muthas in our league from Sac State to Monterey so y'all better play club rugby 'cause I wanna play with you and against you again!

ps....no clue what direction this blog is going in...but it'll still be women's rugby, give me some feedback!

2 comments:

Lee said...

Good job. The results may not have been what we wanted for either of our teams but in the end, I'm still damn proud.

And, if you beat the All Blues 7s team, I will bow down at your feet.

Anonymous said...

Kerrie -

Wishing you NOTHING but continued success, joy and love in your future!! Voted for you as 2008 Women's Player of the Year!!

Eugene O. Baker, M.Ed.

eobaker@yahoo.com