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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1993-04-14, Page 13Players show interest as rugby comes to South Huron By Fred Groves T•A staff EXETER- Constant movement. That's the kind of practice Gerry Ward runs for his rugby players. Rugby? Yes, the sport which was part of South Huron District High School a couple of decades ago has been re- serected. Ward, a teacher at the school is participating in an exchange pro- gram which has Terry O'Rourke down in New Zealand and no doubt introducing a few North American sports to those students. Thursday afternoon in Exeter, Ward had his players running, tack- ling and rolling on the ground. For a first-time observer of this game it looks like football without pads. Football as weall know, dis- appeared from South Huron a couple of years ago. Some ex -football players are on the rugby team and their size will come in handy. "They (football players) tend _ to block a lot which you can't do in rugby, it's obstruction. That's the biggest thing they have to over- come," said Ward. "It helps at this state to have the big kids." Compared to football, rugby is quite inexpensive. No pads, except fora good pair of shoes and there are not several officials in rugby like there is in football. Surprisingly, it was the students at South Huron who asked Ward to show them the game. "They asked and they were en- thusiastic, they have motivation." Right now, rugby at South Huron is simply in the development stag- es, the boys and girls are learning the basics. Not just boys: Although it is a sport which involves physical con- tact, at Thursday's practice the one female was doing very well in the various drills. Ward says female rugby players are not uncommon in New Zealand. "A couple of years ago it might have bothered me but they (fe- males) play tough rugby in New Zealand and it's really boomed." The older students at South Hu- ron have never been exposed to rugby but last year O'Rourke was showing some basics to the grade nine classes. There about 30 stu- dents on the team now. "They've got some rugby balls in the school from 20 years ago," said Ward. Although the South Huron rugby team wilt'not be joining up with a regular league which has several teams from London and the Strat- ford area, they will be ready in a couple of weeks for exhibition games. They'll get their heads down and go into the scrums and be set for , the lineouts. A scrum is when the big forwards link arms, bend over while the op- position is doing the same thing, !' the ball is tossed into the midst of the melee and forwards have to • kick it out. Right now, Wards has been working on small scrums just to get them used to. working with their feet and getting control of the ball. "What it (scrum) needs is a long period of practice, I'm concerned about the safety." Lineouts are when, after the ball has gone out of bounds, the team with possession throws it into the middle of two lines and hope his team comes up with it. Ward, who played in univertiity in New Zealand and coached sever- al successful teams, is very pleased at how interested the South Huron players are. "They listen and do what they're told. The kids back home at this age think -they know it all." "They listen and do what they're told. The kids back home at thitage think they*now it all." - Gerry Ward Sheri Regier, above, goes through a drill while at right, Shawn Wurm jumps over Dwayne Finkbeiner. SNAPPER CUTS IT ANY WAY t OU LIKE GARDEN TRACTORS PUSHMOWERS REAR ENDING RIDERS ZERO - RADIUS FRONT MOUNT CALL JASON TODAY AT 235-2121 BOMBlit FARM EQUIPMENT - EXETER, ONTARIO Sales, Service & Rentals since 1932 FAX (519) 1-800-265-2121 235.2781 (519) 235-2121 mummor Baseball Is here hey drank hot choc- olate, they huddled un- derneath`Dlankets and they watched 13 in- aings of baseball. They are the true die-hard fans of the Eastern League's London Tigers. While this professional base- ball team is celebrating its fifth anniversary in the city, it appears as though getting people to come to the ball park is still a bit of a problem. Losing the first three games of the series doesn't help matters much. But baseball fans in this area should get excited because the Ti- gers have got a lot to offer. Public Relations Director Joanne Henry and General Manager Bob Gilson have come up with a few in be- tween innings promotions which could help get the fans out. Afterall, coming to the park is more than just the game, right! There's the hot dogs, pizza, etc. and in the case of the Tigers, be- ing able to get very close to the diamond and watching some future major leaguers work their magic. And then there is the Tiger himself, or is it herself. Anyway, the London club has a mascot this year and myself I like -the name Tyr - us, named after famous Detroit infielder Ty Cobb. But the selecting of the name of the new mascot is up to the judges. London may have lost their three first games against the Bowie BaySox but don't count them out yet. I was at Labatt's Park for Saturday's game and three young men caught my eye. Second baseman Shannon Penn has made the jump from Niagara Falls 'A' where he stole 31 bases and batted .273 in 70 games. Rightfielder Rudy Pemberton made a couple of over the shoulder catches and centrefielder Dan Bautista showed some range. The Tigers have only six returnees from last year's club which fin- ished fifth at 67-70. Former Montreal Expos manager Tom Runnells brings a lot of experience to the club. s s Still on baseball, the Exeter Minor Baseball Association had an indoor workout on Saturday and also hosted an umpires' clinic. President Brad Gregus said there could be as many as 16 minor ball teams in town, up. from 12 last summer. Junior, midget, bantam, peewee, mosquitoe, rookie, five -pitch and four T -ball teams will make up the minor association. Gregus said he still likes the idea of rookie ball which uses a -pitching machine. "It's a perfect transition to regular baseball. The ball lands in the same spot every time and it helps take away some intimidation," he said. The EMBA is in the process of organizing an Opening Day which will be held on Sunday, May 16 at the South Huron Recreation Cen- tre diamonds. As far as junior baseball goes, Gregus says there are two impor- tant dates coming up. On Saturday, June 12, Barry Petrochencko, coach of Canada's Na- tional Team will be in Exeter as chief scout of the 'Academy of Baseball of Canada' tryout camp. This is one of only two baseball pins in Cowla which ot'far pccholg ip per• Vitgemeryoutoitp41aNnatiist430010-for mit at).avith St. Clair College of Port Huron, Mice .i 43 $ j for players 16 -and -over. Local ball coaches whence again have access to several instruc- tional video tapes and otherfrination to help them learn more about the game. Froin the sidelines:—Any Junior B, C or D hockey players look- ing to play in a competitive league this summer can call John Ma- son at 641-8611 or Barry Boughner at 633-4418...At the third and what proved to be the final game of the OMHA Juvenile B' series on Friday the Hensall fans were very supportive of the Mustangs, nice to see...For the third straight year, the Exeter Times -Advocate's sports section has finished ftrst in the the Ontario Community Newspapers Association's Class Four with a near perfect 48 -out -of - 50. Special thanks once again to production manager Deb Lord, Laurel Miner of the production department and darkroom technician Barb Robertson who assisted in the T -A winning a third place in the premier awards for Best Sports Photo... COUNTRY FLOWERS NATIONAL SECRETARIES WEEK April 19th - 23rd, 1993 This holiday has become a very important locally advertised event. At Country Flow- ers we would like to help you show your appreciation to worker's who make daily routines run smoothly, and effectively. Call now and order early... FTD "Secretaries Year" Bouquet - fresh flowers arranged in a handy desk organizer, with calendar, notepad and pencil $27.95 FTD "Best of the Best" Bouquet - featuring a single pink rose surrounded by fra- grant blooms, all in a stylish blue vase $19.85 COUNTRY FLOWERS Desk size green planters - environmentally friendly green plants made to your specification. Price ranges vary SIAM & up FRESH VASE ARRANGEMENTS filled with colourful spring cuts to meet any price range. $10.00 & up We have many other table arrangements, balloon bouquets, flowering plants or silk arrangements to meet any price rare. Enter our 3rd Annual "Our Best for your Best" draw. Your secretaries lame will be entered in a draw to be held Friday, April 23rd. The winner will have delivered to them this same afternoon, one dozen of OUR BEST LONGSTEM ROSES arranged in a glass vase. 1992 Winner's, MI Comput- er Resources. Call us... We deliver smiles Sincerely, The Staff of Country Flowers 391 Mair Vit. Exatar 2'g-2350 1