Memorial Rugby Foundation &
Scholarship Fund

The Scott "Boz" Pressler Memorial Rugby Foundation & Scholarship Fund, which I support & ask you to do the same, is holding a benefit raffle. The grand prize includes airfare, $5k in cash and tickets to the final & both semi-finals of the 2007 Rugby World Cup in Paris for 4. 2nd & 3rd prizes are of a similar caliber.

If you win one of the prizes it becomes your property to use however you wish - go to the Rugby World Cup in Paris with 3 of your friends, sell the match tickets on eBay, use the airfares for any flights you like, throw a bash with the cash!

Please support this raffle, it supports area youth rugby and the prizes are fantastic - http://www.rwcticketraffle.com - the drawing will be 10pm Sept 20, 2007 (New York Time) & ONLY 5,000 raffle tickets are available.

"eatclean-staylean" - BK

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Wildcats vs. the Warriors - Friday night at 7.30pm

The Connecticut Wildcats face off against the New Haven Warriors at East Shore Park, New Haven - Directions to East Shore:

• I95 N exit 50,
• make right onto Woodward Ave,
• ½ mile make a right into East Shore Park.

Please plan accordingly for traffic. The train station in New Haven is 5 mins from the field and we can organize pick-ups for any players who would rather the comforts of the train than potential traffic on 95. Train schedule is at http://as0.mta.info/mnr/schedules/sched_form.cfm. LATEST train to get you there in time is a 5:01pm out of Grand Central that gets in at 6.40pm.

"eatclean-staylean" - BK

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You Are Only As Strong As Your Weakest Link

It says a lot about you as a person and a team when placed in an uncompromising position. When placed under a stressful situation, everything is going against you. When you can either turn it up and say it’s all too much, complaining why, why, why? Or take on the challenge, pump your bloody heart up and take it full on with unswerving determined dedication. That situation stared the Connecticut Wildcats Rugby League team square in the face Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.

It started beautifully at 4 bells driving to White Plains to fly to Jacksonville for our 5:45 pm kick off later that day. Changing planes in Charlotte we got our first taste of bad news. Curtis our starting second rower had missed his flight from LGA and would not make the trip. How the hell do you miss your flight?? Now worries can’t cry over spilt milk.

So, we arrive in Jacksonville to the news that Irons our Gorilla like go forward man had missed his flight as well along with our pacy winger Nick, who just happened to be with another reserve. 4 GUYS HAD MISSED THEIR FLIGHTS...CRIKEY!!

Now you play the game with 13 and you should have 4-6 quality reserves on the bench at least. We did a quick numbers check and we had 12 with 2 to come. This is going to be one hell of a challenge.

Game time comes close to arriving and we are in the changing rooms and this great university facility in steaming hot conditions, Florida mid afternoon storm approaching and look around the room. We had 3 guys that put together, had maybe 2 full games between them in their whole life.

It’s amazing the camaraderie, the unity, the Us against Them mentality that develops when placed in a war zone. We sat in the sheds cold faced, dead quiet and some senior guys spoke about what was outside. They had 30 players that could come and go, on and off the field fresh as daisies, it was steaming hot, it was their referee, and their were 1500 Jacksonville Axemen spectators baying for our unbeaten Connecticut arses!

We had 16 players, some just out of nappies and no-one else to help us... nada!
We spoke about what we had done so far this year, how far we had come, and what was needed was ball control, and kick it down their throats and let the big guys work hard. We knew our fitness was superior; we just had to pump our hearts up and play brutally efficient footy to get the cash.

Get the cash we did demolishing them 48-16!! This group of guys really stood up to be counted in extremely trying circumstances; it was one of the finest wins in my whole career. The football we played was great but the best part was how every player stood up to be counted as individuals to form an unbreakable barrier, guys willing to do anything to help the team win, tears in eyes priceless stuff. Stuff championships are made of!

This Friday night at 7.30 pm we play New Haven Warriors at East Shore Park in New Haven in a rematch of our June 30 match. The game will be a rip snorter so get down and give us some support before the semi finals. Directions to follow.

"eatclean-staylean" - BK

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Flogged Em!

Yesterday at Sea Isle City on the Jersey shore the Connecticut Wildcats took one step further towards back to back undefeated National Championships with a convincing 46-24 win against the DSC BULLS. Both teams had gone into the match with 5-0 records.

For the last 4 years I have traveled by car to the annual ''War at The Shore'' tournament and the trip is 4 hours at best, but if you hit traffic can be a nightmare. I have had 4 nightmares .This year I had the pleasure of flying down with John Depalma in his little plane. I hooked up a ride with Uraguyan friend of his for a few of the boys. We flew out of Stratford and touched down 80 minutes later, 8 miles from the field. Perfect!

Under blissfully blue skies we kicked off at 3 bells and the heat was brutal to say the least. I have played Rugby league all my life in the winter months back home in OZ ...Rugby League is played in winter all over the world but because we have to work around the more established Rugby Union competition (played in Fall and Spring) the only time to play our season is in Summer.

So, as hot as it is for you, you know the opposition is suffering just as much.

We started like a locomotive train skipping to an 18-0 lead after 20 minutes but, true to form we slip our foot off then pedal no..fall asleep and let them back in with 3 quick tries to make it 18-16 at oranges.

A half time pep up from Matty Pittman had the boys revved up and a rejuvenated Wildcats pumped their hearts up and we ran over the Bulls in the second term.

Flying home I was swimming in the Sound at dusk. Sure beats driving!

We have Jacksonville this coming week in Florida then a return match against the New Haven Warriors at Jonathon Law on the 27th or 28th of July. Tell all your friends for the opportunity to see the Wildcat juggernaut roll on. More to come.

"eatclean-staylean" - BK

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Shame on Me?

In my last article called 'Windex and Grow Fit?' I stirred up a lot of emails (both positive and negative).

Here was one from someone who was not very happy with me.

"You should really watch yourself and not put others down like the 'Windex woman'. She is right about getting a workout from doing housework. You of all people should realize that if all these people who sit around all day eating fast food, not participating in any type of physical activity are in desperate need for exercise!!!! and if by understanding that they can burn calories by doing something as simple as housework than good for them!!"

I am sure that this woman did not say that they were going to become bodybuilders or world class athletes but for her to make the effort to try to get our fat society off their buts is great and she should be commended!

You are the first to say how fat the people of the States are becoming, you should praise her efforts not condemn them. Shame on you!!"

The 'shame on you' was my favorite part :-)

First, let me clarify my position.

I believe anything that gets inactive or obese people moving at all is a good thing. And yes, cleaning the house and walking falls under the classification of movement. I have no problem with people getting off their butts to do any type of physical activity and we should definitely promote activity.

However, trying to sugarcoat it and act as if you can substitute daily activities like housekeeping and gardening for exercise is just plain wrong. We are just perpetuating the myth.

Do you have to start with small steps? Absolutely!

Should there be exercise progressions. Definitely!

However I strongly believe as a society we are becoming way too soft. We baby people too much. We see it in our children, with our teens and now with our fellow adults.

If a fitness professional writes that housework is a substitute for exercise, than that is what people will believe.

And what happens when they start doing more housework, but after a while there are no more gains and they stall?

Sure, we can cross our fingers and hope they realize the next step is progressive exercise - but remember, they were already told that housekeeping is exercise!

They get desperate they'll "never lose weight" and they look for the quick fix. The dreaded 'diet pill!'.

Are cleaning your windows an activity? Yes.

But are cleaning your windows an upper body exercise that takes the place of traditional strength training. Heck no!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it :-)

"eatclean-staylean" - BK

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Wildcats vs. Warriors Photos

Danny Bull and Matty Pitman doing the dirty work in defense.

BK running fullsteam into good mate Christian "the rock" Rahui.
Have a look at his face; there are no mates on the Rugby League field.

Connecticut Wildcats Rugby League

"eatclean-staylean" - BK

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Exercise When Traveling

When you travel, you worry about missing your workouts and eating poorly...So you must plan ahead for both (apples and almonds for planes, trains, & automobiles)...and bodyweight circuits for "no-equipment fat burning".

To do a bodyweight circuit...

1. Pick 3 lower body exercises
2. Pick 3 upper body exercises
3. Alternate between a lower and upper body exercise without rest, till you are done all 6 exercises
4. Rest a minute.
5. Repeat 2-3 more times until you are done 20 minutes

For example, this is a great circuit that doesn't need any equipment

1. Prisoner Squat (12 repetitions)
2. Elevated Pushups (8 reps per side)
3. Single-Leg Deadlift (10 reps per side)
4. Close-grip Pushups (As many reps as possible)
5. Jumping Jacks (30-60 reps)
6. Cross-Body Mountain Climber (12 reps per side)

Whew. That's pretty advanced...for a beginner, we'd slow it down like this and take some breaks between exercises...

1. Wall Squat (8 reps)
2. Kneeling Elevated Pushup (5 reps per side)
3. Lying 1-leg Hip Extension (8 reps per side)
4. Plank (30 second hold)
5. Jumping Jacks (5-10 reps)
6. Side Plank (15 second hold per side)

Vacation doesn’t mean you have to go off the rails and undo all the hard work you have put in over the previous 3 months.

"eatclean-exercise smart-staylean" - BK

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You've Got to Increase Metabolism to Burn Fat!

If you don't increase your metabolism, you won't be able to burn the fat you want so desperately to get rid of. So what can you do to boost your metabolism, lose inches, and vaporize that belly fat?

But doesn't your metabolism slow down with age? Well, it can, BUT...

Follow the tips below and you will stop your metabolism from slowing down. Heck, I know some 40 year olds that have the metabolism of a 17-year old boy, thanks to their fat burning lifestyle. However, some "so-called" metabolism boosters are BS...so here's the truth about 7 "claimed" metabolism boosters and how you can use them to burn fat.

My advice?

Add strength training, intervals, mini-meals, and breakfast to your weight loss plan and you'll burn body fat fast thanks to your increased metabolism.

"eatclean-get'Summer'lean" - BK

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Windex and Grow Fit!?!

Ok, I've gotta get this off my chest.

Our society is getting fatter and fatter. There's no way to sugar coat it. It's just the
facts!

Everyone and their mother is trying to come up with solutions. Doctors, politicians, teachers, etc. And some people in the allied health professions are doing more harm than good by spreading horrible information.

Here's an example. Recently my local newspaper ran an article by a fitness 'professional' (I use the term 'professional' very loosely). She probably got certified by some fly-by-night certification program. But that's a whole other story...

Anyway, this person wrote an entire article about how housekeeping is actually exercise. She even said that washing the windows is a great upper body exercise. (newsflash: a paper towel and Windex doesn't really count as resistance!)

Huh?

Let's just use a little bit of logic on this one. That means the people who do housework all day will be superfit. Right?

Hey, if 30 minutes of housework will get you fit, then heck, 8 hours of housekeeping would make you ready to compete in a fitness contest!

I don't know about you, but I've been to many hotels across the world, and very rarely do I see a housekeeper and get blown away by how fit they are. Often, they are in quite poor shape and many times 20-50 pounds overweight.

Here's the Truth!

Exercise can be difficult. And hey, you might even sweat a little bit. Ok, maybe a lot.
When I'm done with my workouts, I am drenched, even if my workouts last just minutes.

If you're looking for trainer or a new gym and they say some nonsense like "don't worry, you won't need a shower because you won't sweat in our workouts", then I'd run from those people quickly.

Can we all please wake up and stop trying to sugarcoat everything?

Exercising and working out is not always easy or comfortable. But it can be fun. Let's stop spreading the garbage about housekeeping or gardening as exercise. It isn't.

Does anyone want to join my next exercise class? You're going to wipe down all of the disgusting sweat-drenched treadmills. It's a killer workout!

Try this circuit for size:

Do all exercises without rest as fast as you can, will take between 4-5 minutes to complete, rest 2 minutes and repeat 1-3 times. This workout rocks!

"eatclean-staylean" - BK

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Home sweet home

Baby Jessica is growing up fast. Really looking forward to meeting her at Christmas.

The twins following in my footsteps: representing the district at the State Rugby Union Championships
where they lost the final. They are crack players at 11 years old.
The boys play both codes, Rugby League and Rugby Union

Brent passing the footy

Brent putting a nice kick in

Jon giving his opponent a nice ''don’t argue''

Jon scoring a try

"eatclean-staylean" - BK

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Wildcats 5-0

Saturday night saw close to 300 people attend the game between the Connecticut Wildcats and the New Haven Warriors in Milford. We came away with a great win 40-26 and continue to roll on nicely this season. There was a bad concussion suffered by one of their strike players early on in the match and Christian ''the rock'' Rahui broke some bones in his hand and will not play again this season in a bad blow for the Warriors. Some of the kids in our team have only been playing League for 1-2 seasons and they all aimed up very well against bigger opposition. In Australia we start playing the game when we are knee high to a grasshopper (6 years old).

This week is a week off then we head to Sea Isle City for the annual War At The Shore where every team in the competition plays on the same field on the 1 day. Our game is a rematch of the '06 championship match against the DSC Bulls who are also 5-0. Will be a cracker!

"eatclean-staylean" - BK

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O'Malveney leads Connecticut's rugby team (Connecticut Post - 7/1/07)

MICHAEL FORNABAIO mfornabaio@ctpost.com
Article Last Updated: 07/01/2007 09:57:11 AM EDT

MILFORD — New Haven was not yet threatening to creep back into this rugby game Saturday night at Law High School. The Connecticut Wildcats still had a sizeable lead in the second half. Then Damien O'Malveney made it insurmountable, in style. He cut through most of the Warriors defense, leaving black-shirted defenders all over the field for 60 yards, to score his second try (kind of like a football touchdown) of the game. Not four minutes later, he did it again, breaking away from 30 yards out. "He reminds me of a schoolboy," said Wildcats CEO Rich Portale after a 40-24 victory. "The principal is trying to grab him by the shirt, and he can't get a hand on him. He keeps squirming away."

On a team that hasn't lost since 2005, with solid players up and down the lineup, O'Malveney stood out Saturday as he has often for the 5-0 Wildcats. The Canowindra, New South Wales, Australia, native scored three tries for the third time in five games, and he has 13 tries so far. "I've got to get behind the lazy forwards," said O'Malveney, 28, "start a big run forward, find the gaps."

O'Malveney came to Connecticut in 2005 solely to play in the American National Rugby League for the Wildcats. "It was a great opportunity to come to America, to travel," O'Malveney said. "The Rugby League is good, too. ... It's a great bunch of blokes."

That season, he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn medial collateral ligament. He hasn't had surgery on the injury.

"That's why I say he's freakish," Portale said. But in addition to the breakaway speed and agility, O'Malveney isn't a ball hog. "Nobody gives more assists than he does," Portale said. "He's a guy who puts people in scoring position, so he's really responsible for a lot of points."
The defending national champions jumped out to a 20-0 lead Saturday; Danny Bull scored two tries. New Haven made it 26-12 early in the second half, but O'Malveney's two tries made it 36-12 in a blink. He didn't seem to want to talk much about himself afterward, though.

"He's hilarious. He's really down-to-earth and self-effacing," Portale said. "He doesn't back himself. He just likes to hang around with the guys.

"He just happens to have freakish athletic talent."

"eatclean-staylean" - BK

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High-level rugby teams looking for fans (Connecticut Post - 6/29/07)

MICHAEL FORNABAIO mfornabaio@ctpost.com
Article Last Updated: 06/28/2007 11:51:06 PM EDT

Maybe Ben Kelly isn't the most objective person when it comes to rugby league. But the Connecticut Wildcats player is convinced fans around here can become hooked on the game in a hurry. That's one reason he's helping promote a Saturday game between the Wildcats and the New Haven Warriors at Law High School in Milford. There's no admission charge for the 6:30 p.m. start. "I promise you're going to see an amazing, physical, fast game," Kelly said. "The game is so fast and so physical, and it's very easy to understand."

The Wildcats are defending champions of the American National Rugby League, a circuit with 10 teams up and down the East Coast. The Wildcats (4-0) are tied for the lead in the American National Rugby League with 20 points. New Haven (2-2) is third with 13 points. "New Haven is quality," Kelly said. "They have a very strong feeder club, the Old Blacks."

New Haven has several players from New Zealand; the Wildcats have several from Australia. "Just that rivalry alone makes it very intense," Kelly said. "They're really up among the top two or three teams in the country, and we're undefeated national champions."

Kelly came to the United States from his native Sydney, Australia, in 2003 to play rugby. He's the fitness director at Creative Health and Fitness in Milford, and he's a sponsor of Saturday's game. They've put together posters, with Kelly facing down New Haven's Siose Muliumu, to promote the game. "We're excited to actually show (the sport) to a broader public," Kelly said. The Wildcats play rugby league; several rules are different from rugby union, which is the rugby that Americans are most likely to have seen. One key difference makes rugby league a little more like American football: Similar to the four-down system, 13-man rugby league teams have six tackles to score a "try," getting the ball over the opponent's try line on the ground.
"It's not stop-start like American football," Kelly said. "It's a lot more physical and athletic than rugby. There are over 300 collisions each game. It's widely regarded as the most physically intense contact sport."

Tries are worth four points. A conversion kick after a try is worth two points; a field goal, on a drop kick, is worth one. There are also two-point penalty goals. American National Rugby League

• WHO — Connecticut Wildcats vs. New Haven Warriors
• WHEN — Saturday, 6:30 p.m.
• WHERE — Law High School, Milford

"eatclean-staylean" - BK

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