by Natalie Ramsay | Oct 8, 2019 | Game Reports
This past Saturday, the Kickers travelled to Nanaimo to face off against their Island rivals, the Hornets. This is the first time the teams have played each other this season. It was a hard-fought battle between both sides. There were some beautiful running lines and off-loading. Kickers tries were scored by Fullback Daris Tendler and Flanker Danelle Campbell, but it was the opposing side who came out on top by a score of 31 – 10. “It is always a very tough and physical game when we play Nanaimo. They were unrelentless with their attack. We couldn’t get into a rhythm and weren’t quite able to hit our groove,” said Kickers Captain Natalie Nguyen. “This was a very humbling game. It showed that we still have a lot of work on. We need to make our tables and be quicker at the breakdowns. It is still early in the season so we will learn from this game and continue to get better.” Next week is a league-wide bye for Thanksgiving. The Kickers Women will once again face the Castaway Wanderers at home on October 19th. The Comox Valley Kickers are still recruiting players for the season. No experience needed. For more information, please visit comoxvalleyrugby.ca or email...
by Natalie Ramsay | Sep 30, 2019 | Game Reports, Men's News, Women's News
This past Saturday had double the rugby action as both the Comox Valley Kickers Women’s and Men’s teams travelled to the Cowichan Valley to face off against the Cowichan Piggies. It was a game of endurance for the women’s game as both squads only had 15 players. The Piggies scored the first points of the game, but the Kickers quickly fell into their groove and answered back right away. The back line was able to use their speed which helped to create overlaps that they used to their advantage. Inside Centre Natalie Nguyen, Outside Centre Daris Tendler and Wingers Carrie Weekes and Béatrice Sylvain each scored once with Flyhalf Paula Simpson scoring twice and making 5 out of 6 conversions for a 40-15 win. “It was a closer game than the score line indicates. Cowichan had some big runs. They were at our goal line for several plays, but we had a strong defensive stance and did not let them score. Once we were able to regain possession and relieve pressure, that’s when everything started to click. Our forward pack shined in the lineouts, winning all but a few and our back line kept on attacking,” said Kickers Coach JP Lussier. In their first game of the season, the Comox Valley Men’s team found themselves playing defense more often then attacking downfield. “Cowichan is a more experienced and seasoned team. When we had possession, we ran well, and our set pieces were sound. With more practices and games under our belt, I believe that we will improve steadily. There were a lot of good takeaways from this game,” said...
by Natalie Ramsay | Sep 23, 2019 | Game Reports, Women's News
This past Saturday, the Comox Valley Kickers Women’s Team hosted Victoria’s Castaway Wanderers at Vanier Secondary School and earned a 45-29 win to continue their winning streak. The Kickers started off strong with an interception by Chloë Speed in the early minutes of the game which helped to set the tone. The backline utilized their speed and capitalized on opportunities with Natalie Nguyen, Daris Tendler and Speed adding a try each and Paula Simpson scoring twice. It was a very competitive game with a lot of back and forth action. With some hard hits and offloads, forwards Jessica Leck and Karli MacFarlane also added points on the board. Simpson kicked five successful conversions. “We have several returning players this season which has made it easy to continue where we left off last spring. The new players on the squad fit right in and are already making a difference. This was a hard team to play against; they were very fast and had some long runs, but our team kept it cool and always answered back. Our game flow was great, and we kept the pressure on the opposing side. I am excited to see how the team continues to improve and grow. This has been a great start to the season.” said Kickers Coach Thyssen de Goede. Both Senior Women’s and Men’s team travel to Cowichan next Saturday, which will be the Men’s first game of the season. Both teams are still recruiting players for the season. No experience needed. We practice at Cumberland Village Park on Mondays and Thursdays from 6:30PM to 8:00PM. For more information, please visit...
by Natalie Ramsay | Aug 27, 2019 | Club Events
Roy’s Towne Pub shook with laughter on Thursday, August 22 as 175 people enjoyed No Pads, No Helmets, Just Balls: A Comedic Fundraiser for the Comox Valley Kickers Rugby Club. The event raised over $2,000, with the final total yet to be determined, which will go towards travel and equipment costs for the upcoming 2019/2020 rugby season. This event was hosted by Erin Calder, a member of the Comox Valley Kickers Women’s team who is an up and coming comedian. “The support we had from the community was awesome,” said Calder. “The response from the crowd was very positive. This event turned out to be one of the rugby club’s most successful fundraisers.” Comedians included Vancouver’s Chris Griffin and Nanaimo’s Peter Hudson as headliners. Victoria’s Dan Duvall, Dylan Williams and Carilynn Nicholson alongside Comox Valley’s Josh Lichti and Andrew Pellett rounded out the group of performers. Collectively, the comedians boast numerous comedic accolades, including appearances at the prestigious San Francisco International Comedy Competition, Vancouver’s Just for Laughs Festival, Vancouver’s Yuk Yuk’s Competition, being featured on The Ellen Show, plus various television writing and acting credits. Sponsors for this event included Vancouver Island Brewing and Mount Washington Bike Park. The Comox Valley Kickers Men’s and Women’s teams are recruiting players for the season. Everyone welcomed. No experience needed. Practices are Mondays and Thursdays from 6:30PM – 8:00PM at Cumberland Village Park. For more information, please visit comoxvalleyrugby.ca or email...
by Natalie Ramsay | Aug 6, 2019 | Club Events
Comedian Peter Hudson will be one of the headliners at the Comox Valley Kickers comedy night fundraiser. Photo courtesy of Peter Hudson. Sports can often be serious business, but on August 22, it’ll be anything but as Nanaimo’s Peter Hudson, better known as “5-10” and Vancouver’s Chris Griffin visit Royston to headline No Pads, No Helmets, Just Balls: A Comedic Fundraiser for the Comox Valley Kickers Rugby Club. This fundraising event is geared at offsetting costs for the men’s and women’s teams for the 2019 – 2020 season. With varying expenses such as travel, equipment and field rental costs, the Kickers have enlisted the help of a few of Vancouver Island’s finest rising comedians known for their knack of making people laugh. This event is hosted by Erin Calder, a member of the Comox Valley Kickers Women’s team who is an up and coming comedian herself. “This event combines my three favourite things: beer, rugby and comedy,” said Calder. “I am very excited to have rallied some of the best comedians in the area, many who have been my mentors in the industry to come together to raise money for a great cause.” Peter Hudson is no stranger to headlining big events as he has been featured at the Laketown Shakedown for the past two years. He has won the Just for Laughs Northwest Festival and most recently opened for Trailer Park Boys’ Randy on his across Canada Cheeseburger Tour. Not your family guy! That’s the name of Chris Griffin’s full-length comedy special that was filmed at the Biltmore Cabaret in Toronto last year. Winner of Vancouver’s...
