Every fall, both former and current players of The University of Michigan Rugby Football Club join together for a weekend full of rugby and traditions. This year, Olde Blue Weekend hosted over 150 players between the dates of October 3rd through October 6th. Luke Zana is writing about his experience.
October 3rd through 6th was Olde Blue Weekend, which saw the return of generations of Michigan Rugby Alumni. Thursday night the festivities opened with a game of touch rugby which quickly escalated into a rough-touch format. Plenty of alumni showed the players they still had some skills, and the game proved an excellent skill development event where you could try fancy offloads without the repercussions of a full-fledged game. The night finished with karaoke at Club Above. The crowd was a mixture of all ages, and the song selection reflected that, with everything from Katy Perry to Gun’s and Roses. A personal favorite performance of mine was TNT by ACDC, accompanied by a rowdy crowd of head banging.
Friday the festivities continued with a formal banquet. The banquet included a state of the club address which provided a good reflection on the progress made in the last year and what goals we have for the coming year. The banquet also provided the opportunity to honor Alena Olson, a Michigan Rugby Alumni who won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics in Women’s 7’s Rugby this year. The night wrapped up with the induction of special alumni into our Hall of Inspiration in recognition of their dedication and stewardship of the University of Michigan Rugby Football Club and the sport of rugby as a whole. It was an honor to witness the induction of Karl Seibert, Tom Foley, and Dan Mascellino. Their commitment to our team is incredible and its value cannot be underestimated.
The pinnacle of the weekend was Saturday, which consisted of the OBW game and annual bonfire. Like the touch game on Thursday, the game Saturday involved a mixture of players and alumni, but unlike the touch game this one came out the gates as a full-contact event. The game was full of talent, but saw a couple standout performances. Mike Crismale, a Junior 8-man had his hands full playing against a tough back row trio, but stuck it out for a full 80+ minute performance that resulted in an informal man-of-the-match selection. Mark Farb, a Freshman, was playing fullback against a similarly tough backline, and had multiple try-saving tackles.
Following the game there was a costume party and bonfire. The theme of the party, Burning Old-Man, inspired some creative costumes, and an impressive amount of wigs. The bonfire was, as always, concerningly large. The evening was full of laughs, recounting of stories, and demonstrated how important and impactful Michigan Rugby has been to so many people. Overall I left it with a deeper appreciation for the club and the culture that surrounds it.
Pictures from Olde Blue Weekend can be found here.
