Hugby!

I have always valued my personal space and have never been much of a hugger.  Every now and again I would grit my teeth and suffer through an occasional hug when socially necessary.  A simple high five has been my go to form of acknowledgment for many years. 

When I started playing rugby I quickly learned that a personal connection with your team is a significant part of the culture and the game.  I observed that hugging is a big part of this.  For the first 6 months that I played rugby I weaseled my way out of many hugging interactions and was ‘forced’ into others.  My teammates began to catch on to my disinterest in hugs, but over time I have grown to appreciate and understand the importance of them.  I have since made a list, so that future ruggers can be prepared for all the appropriate times to hug your teammate.

Appropriate times for Ruggers to Hug:

·       When you are saying “Hello”

·       When you are saying “Goodbye”

·       If a teammate is sad

·       If a teammate is happy

·       When you do something well

·       When you do something not so well

·       If a teammate is injured or sick

·       If your teammate is healthy

·       When you haven’t seen each other in awhile

·       If you saw each other yesterday

·       If you just think a hug is needed

·       When you don’t think a hug is needed

·       After surviving a terrible workout together

·       To celebrate victory

·       To mourn defeat

·       Any other situation not listed above

I have learned that a hug is appropriate in any situation and is a small piece of showing your teammates you love and support them.  I am sure when I am done with rugby the connection with my team will be something that I miss.  I am thankful they have ‘taught’ me the importance of a simple hug and how it can positively effect a person’s day.    

I came across this blog post recently and can very much relate.  I have learned to appreciate the silence and am grateful that rugby has given me the opportunity to cherish the last moments I have as an athlete!   

Without The Game by: Lexi Panepinto

For every senior collegiate athlete whose season is about to end or has already ended, this one's for you.

Silence is usually described as a feeling of stillness; a state of peace, a split-second of quiet, a season of serenity. It’s harmonious and soothing and usually portrayed by unruffled waters or someone sitting in tranquility. This is what silence looks and feels like to a lot of us most of the time. We long for a moment of silence in this loud and crazy world. We crave it and when it finally comes, we close our eyes and hang on tight to it, for it is ever-fleeting.

But, what if this isn’t what silence always looks like? What if there was a silence that hung around for a little while? A silence that is deafening, unwanted, and conflicted. A silence that looks more like someone struggling to stay afloat in rough waters rather than someone sitting peacefully near unruffled ones. What if silence looked like this instead? What if silence felt like this instead? What if I told you that this type of silence actually exists? Would you believe me?
Almost all elite-level athletes—college, semi-pro, or pro—experience this kind of silence. There comes a time, whether due to injury, retirement, or ineligibility, where the silence sets in. No more cheers of the crowd chanting. No more recognition for record-breaking performances.

No more noise, clamor, or commotion. Just silence -- echoes of what used to be.

Some might say that this is too drastic and dramatic; that sports are just a silly game us athletes play and that we need to get over it. But what those people might not understand is that losing the game is like losing a part of ourselves. We’ve spent most of our lives dedicated to our sport—years preparing, conditioning, competing. We’ve not only invested ourselves physically, but mentally and emotionally as well -- becoming consumed with the wins and losses, the highs and lows. It defines us in a way. Gives us purpose. Gives us an identity. It becomes our world and we become wrapped up in it. So that is why, when it’s all said and done, when the final buzzer buzzes and the last whistle blows, it’s a big loss -- probably the biggest loss in all of our athletic careers.  At this moment, we’re left to undergo some serious life re-evaluation; left asking who are we? What do we do now?

As the collegiate fall season nears an end, the first wave of senior student-athletes begins to face these questions. Less than 2 percent of collegiate athletes will go on to play pro, leaving 98 percent subject to the silence soon. Sure, there are adult leagues and beer leagues we can go on to join, but it won’t be anything like the game we played in high school or college. We’re competitors; we love the thrill of a rivalry, the pressure of a playoff game, the grind of going to practice every day, the feeling of being victorious, the locker room celebrations, the long bus rides. We live for that. And while recreational sports may still have all of that, it won’t ever have quite the same feel as it once did.

This transition is something that we rarely talk about. But, I say, if every athlete is bound to go through it at some point, why not bring it to the forefront and acknowledge it? Through sports, we have been  lucky enough to create more friendships and memories than most people dream of. We have grown as people and learned more lessons from athletics than school could ever teach us. So, when that moment comes, when the clock strikes 0:00, and it’s all said and done, while inevitable sadness will strike, I’d like to offer a little bit of advice.

Take it all in. Take a look into the stands to see your family and friends who have been there to support you every step of the way – remember to be thankful. Take a look at your teammates to the left and to the right of you, and think about how these people, who have become your family, have shaped your life – remember to never let these relationships go. Take a look at playing stage, whatever it may be, one last time and replay all of the great victories and celebrations – remember to cherish those feelings of triumph. Take time to reflect on all the years you’ve played – remember to never take those years and opportunities for granted.

Finally, no matter how deafening it may be, take the time to listen to the silence, because while our sport has certainly molded us and inarguably impacted our lives, it is in no way definitive of who we are. Remember that, and more importantly, believe that. Believe that you are just as important and just as valuable to the world as you were when you played your sport. Because if there's one thing I know for sure it's that being a good person is what truly matters in this life. Who you are without the game is what matters and how good of a person you are doesn't change just because your playing days are over.

The silence will only begin to fade, once you believe that.

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/without-the-game
 

It was quite and honor to compete for Team USA once again!  I truly enjoyed having my name on the back of my jersey and my country on the front.  It is an accomplishment that I am very proud of and something I never thought I would do again.  I competed 8 years for USA bobsled and realized that I never had my name on my uniform, so this experience was very special. 

 

 

Hydration is Key!

I have grown accustomed to carrying around a water bottle with me at all times.  It is very important as an athlete to be sure that you are always hydrated and prepared for the next training session.  It is just as important to improve health to maintain hydration daily.  The Boys and Girls Club recently installed a new water cooler, which allows the kids to have highly purified water directly from a tap!  It is quite and upgrade to the typical water fountain.  The only catch is that the kids are required to provide their own water bottle to drink the water.  Many families are unable to provide a water bottle or do not understand the importance of hydration. 

ITA and L.L. Bean asked what could be done to benefit my program at the Boys and Girls Club and of course the first thing I thought of was providing the kids with water bottles!  I was so excited that just a week after asking for L.L Bean water bottles they all came in the mail.  It seems like such a small thing, but it was really special to me that with the help of L.L. Bean I was able to provide the kids with water bottles.  The kids were so excited to receive their new bottles and immediately put their names on it and went and filled them up.  Thank you to ITA and L.L. Bean for keeping the kids at the Boys and Girls Club healthy and hydrated!

 



Irene and I after the tournament

Recently my teammate Irene Gardner presented me with my first USA Rugby Jersey! What an amazing honor and thrill represent the United States once again and even more incredible to hear Irene's presentation.   

 

Em, I know this is a long awaited opportunity. We talk about being resilient and determined and you are a true representation of such qualities. I have not met someone so dedicated to sport as you. You have trained at the highest level in 2 sports. You have transferred your knowledge and passion to rugby, and have been utterly determined to understand the game and adapt to the physical and mental demands of the sport. 

I am proud of you in all you have worked for, your patience, and your selfless efforts to make your teammates and this team stronger. 

I am honored to present you with your jersey for your debut for USA rugby. 

Be proud and believe. And know I do. Let your passion drive your play. 

 

 

 

Welcome my new niece Avery Marie Chisam!  I was so lucky to have already been in the area when she was born, so able to meet her.

2010 Olympian Bree Schaaf Announces Retirement

By: Emily Azevedo

Bree Schaaf can always be spotted by her infectious laugh and her witty sense of humor. Her teammates know her for her unconventional dorm room cooking and her passion and love for sliding.  When she was not sliding, she had an unorthodox way of exploring her musical and culinary side, traveling with her key board and harmonica.  After spending over a decade sliding down the ice, Schaaf is moving forward and taking on more of life’s challenges. 

Schaaf began her career after attending her first skeleton camp in December 2002, leaving her family on Christmas day to pursue a new dream.  Her older brother, Tim, was involved in skeleton and convinced Schaaf a standout volley player at Portland State University to give it a try.  She spent the next five seasons competing National and International on the skeleton circuit and had her break out season on the World Cup tour in 2006-2007.

Schaaf a self-proclaimed “head dragger” was tired of scarping her head along the ice and was determined to convince the bobsled coaching staff she had the skill and physique to transition into Bobsled.  In 2007, Schaaf attended her first bobsled driving school and immediately fell in love with the sport. 

“Sliding was all about extremes for me, exploring personal boundaries in all directions. Hysterical laughter, hysterical crying; strength and speed numbers I never thought possible, resilience I never knew existed” Schaaf Said.  Schaaf is extrememly grateful for “the opportunity to travel the world, learn languages, and play amongst my favorite international band of crazies.”

Winning the 2009 Bobsled National Championships proved to be a major turning point for Schaaf.  It gave Schaaf the opportunity to compete and gain valuable experience on the Olympic Track in Whistler where she and teammate Emily Azevedo surprised the world with a 6^th place finish. 

Earning her Olympic berth was still going to prove to be a challenge for Schaaf.  Throughout the 2009-2010 season Schaaf not only had to learn to drive European tracks, she was also required to beat out other nations to earn a spot as the Americans third sled.  This was a challenge that Schaaf and Azevedo were up for.  “Bree and I believed in eachother and that is how we earned our spot in Vancouver” Azevedo said.  “We had many challenges along the way, but we always had a deep rooted belief that we could accomplish our goal”

In January of 2010 Schaaf and Azevedo were named to the Vancouver Olympic team where the pair placed an impressive 5^th place.  After Vancouver Schaaf was determined to change the sport of bobsled becoming the first female to pilot a four women’s sled down the Lake Placid bobsled track.  She became a pioneer for the sport and paved the way for future female bobsledders. 

Now days Schaaf can often be heard calling Luge races or coaching Paralympic skeleton athletes.  Her goals have shifted from winning medals to merely appreciating the little things in life.

“For the future I hope to let go of the need to push things too far, and relax into the beauty that is everyday life,” Schaaf said.  “I want to have goals, but have satisfaction separate from them. I hope to explore my curiosities and do what I want to do, irrelevant to what I should do or what will bring prestige and attention.”

There is one thing that can be said, Schaaf had a huge impact on the sport of bobsled and on the many friends she has made all over the world.