June 14-15, 1997: Atlantis Women Win La Coruña
Sevens in Spain
(Atlantis tournament #57)
Emil Signes
Note of July 2013: I have a copy
of a letter I sent to the Women's Rugby list back in 1997, based
on a call from Drew Fautley the day before this tournament, and
that is included below. I also have a copy of Atlantis'
appearance in the local paper El Ideal Gallego on Monday
June 16. I'm pretty sure there's a team picture floating around
somewhere; I'll try to locate it. But here's our captains'
sharing the trophy. - Emil
Kim Cyganik and Mary Beth Spirk share Atlantis'
trophy
The second half of El Ideal Gallego's quote.
Basically it says Atlantis was stronger and faster.
Atlantis Women at Spanish Sevens
Emil Signes
June 12, 1997 (2 days before
tourney)
In Atlantis’ 12 year history as an invitational sevens side, three
Atlantis women’s teams have participated in tournaments, and all
three were winners -- Benidorm (Spain) 1992, Hong Kong, 1996, and
New York, 1996. Atlantis will try to extend that streak to
four when it appears in the La Coruña (Spain) Sevens this weekend.
For the first time, I will not be with them as coach, having
handed that position over for the event to Drew "Big Daddy"
Fautley. The team will be captained by the Maulie Maguires’
Mary Beth "Slim Slow" Spirk (yes, Drew called today and said,
among other things, everyone had their nicknames in place).
Members of the team include (sans nicknames):
Atlantis Number, Name, Club
350 Janine Cochran (UCLA)
282 Kim Cyganik (Maryland Stingers)
330 Heather Heaton (Maryland Stingers)
325 Maureen Henry (Philadelphia)
306 Tasha Mannino (Kutztown U)
351 Brandi Outwin (U Michigan)
334 Ronnie Petzinger (Morris Pride)
309 Inés Rodriguez-Redondo (U. Pennsylvania)
170 Mary Beth Spirk, capt. (Maulie Maguires)
327 Joyce Weeg (Morris Pride)
The team arrived Wednesday and practiced upon arrival, will
practice twice today (Thursday), will practice once on Friday and
then participate in the tournament with an as yet unspecified
number of sides from Spain, France and possibly Portugal.
According to Drew, La Coruña, which is in the very Northwest
corner of Spain on the Atlantic Ocean, is beautiful, but not very
much English is spoken. Thus, the brilliance of selecting
Uruguayan native "Daisy Mae" Rodriguez, who has saved the team in
many a crisis situation already, has been recognized even
before the competition begins.
I will relay information as I receive it.
July 2013: Atlantis won the
tournament with a 41-15 victory in the final over (according
to the newspaper reports) Majadahonda, a
Madrid club side. According to my reports at the time,
however, it was over "Selección Madrileña,"
a Madrid selection. Here's another
picture from El Ideal Gallego:
Mary Beth Spirk looks like she'll stop the
Majadahonda player with this unconventional :) tackle
Janine Cochran supporting on the right of the frame