This tournament home
OK, so there was no U17 division
at this tournament. We did, however, have two teams
capable of mounting a challenge in the Boys' U18
Division. Furthermore, when we looked at the
players' ages, we believed that we could put together a
competitive team comprising only players that would be
eligible to be here next year. Perhaps we were
lowering the odds of winning the tournament, as a couple
of players on this side would have been selected to the
Atlantis first team, had we done it the traditional
way.
I was continually reminded, however, of a selection I had made in 1987 of two East teams (the old ERU, or Eastern Rugby Union) that participated in one of the first-ever All-Star Sevens tournaments, in Tucson. My goal there was to select a first team that could win the tournament, and a second side that could beat the first team. On that occasion we were spot on, as both teams made it to the final, and ERU B beat ERU A. No such luck this year, but we got close. And absolutely no regrets.
The requirement that all the players on this team be age-eligible to play this year did not give us even a tiny bit of regret, as, when we looked at the squads, we knew they'd be competitive; we knew we hadn't sacrificed anything to pick the teams in this manner.
Atlantis U17 at NAI 2016-DSC_0167-1450w.jpg
I was continually reminded, however, of a selection I had made in 1987 of two East teams (the old ERU, or Eastern Rugby Union) that participated in one of the first-ever All-Star Sevens tournaments, in Tucson. My goal there was to select a first team that could win the tournament, and a second side that could beat the first team. On that occasion we were spot on, as both teams made it to the final, and ERU B beat ERU A. No such luck this year, but we got close. And absolutely no regrets.
The requirement that all the players on this team be age-eligible to play this year did not give us even a tiny bit of regret, as, when we looked at the squads, we knew they'd be competitive; we knew we hadn't sacrificed anything to pick the teams in this manner.
Atlantis U17 at NAI 2016-DSC_0167-1450w.jpg
Atlantis Boys U17 Team at
2016 North American Invitational Sevens, 7/29-30,
Salt Lake Sheehy
Top, L to R: Emil Signes, John
Dorfmann (Jr?), Dan Bark, Chase Schor Haskins, Dan
Brown, Cole Zeno?, Owen Sheehy?, Keith McLean
Bottom, L to T: Greg Schor [Haskins?], ??, Brian Stella?, ??, Sam Louman??, Mike Weir
Bottom, L to T: Greg Schor [Haskins?], ??, Brian Stella?, ??, Sam Louman??, Mike Weir