Thys Wallace founded the North Shore Rugby Academy to introduce rugby to children on the North Shore and build interest around an upcoming professional rugby match between the US and New Zealand teams. He has been visiting local elementary schools to teach basic rugby skills to children in a non-contact way through games. The academy also offers a program for ages 4-14 through the Northbrook Park District. Wallace aims to establish youth rugby leagues affiliated with local park districts and eventually make rugby more widely known and played on the North Shore.
The document provides information about students of the month at Northridge Middle School for November, upcoming school events, lunch menus, signups for newsletters and text alerts, and staff birthdays. It recognizes students for their achievements and responsibility, and keeps parents informed about the school.
The document provides information about various students of the month at Northridge Middle School, upcoming school activities like spirit week and dances, sports game schedules, and notices about yearbook orders and choir results. It also includes the school lunch menu for several upcoming weeks.
The document provides information about students of the month at Northridge Middle School for November, upcoming basketball games, National Junior Honor Society applications, and lunch menus. It encourages signing up for the weekly newsletter, checking social media, enrolling in text alerts, and wishes happy birthday to staff members. The document communicates school announcements and updates for parents and students.
The document provides information about students of the month at Northridge Middle School for December and January. It also includes lunch menus, announcements about ordering yearbooks and cheer/dance tryouts, and a list of staff birthdays in January.
The document provides information about caring for others, students of the month at Northridge Middle School, and school lunch menus. It also includes announcements about ordering yearbooks, picking up Pinnacle passwords, bringing in Box Tops, cheerleading and dance tryouts, upcoming book fairs and quiz bowls, CAPS conferences, and more.
1) An information session for Yale University will be held on October 6th at Luther Burbank High School to discuss academic programs, campus life, admissions, and financial aid.
2) The homecoming court candidates for 2011-2012 are announced.
3) Details are provided about the upcoming football game against Lockhart Lions including date, time, ticket prices and locations tickets can be purchased.
The document provides information about caring for others, students of the month at Northridge Middle School, and school lunch menus. It also includes announcements about ordering yearbooks, picking up Pinnacle passwords, bringing in Box Tops, cheerleading and dance tryouts, book fairs, no school days, quiz bowls, concerts, parent-teacher conferences, and ways to stay updated on school information and closings.
The document provides information about students of the month at Northridge Middle School for November, upcoming school events, lunch menus, signups for newsletters and text alerts, and staff birthdays. It recognizes students for their achievements and responsibility, and keeps parents informed about the school.
The document provides information about various students of the month at Northridge Middle School, upcoming school activities like spirit week and dances, sports game schedules, and notices about yearbook orders and choir results. It also includes the school lunch menu for several upcoming weeks.
The document provides information about students of the month at Northridge Middle School for November, upcoming basketball games, National Junior Honor Society applications, and lunch menus. It encourages signing up for the weekly newsletter, checking social media, enrolling in text alerts, and wishes happy birthday to staff members. The document communicates school announcements and updates for parents and students.
The document provides information about students of the month at Northridge Middle School for December and January. It also includes lunch menus, announcements about ordering yearbooks and cheer/dance tryouts, and a list of staff birthdays in January.
The document provides information about caring for others, students of the month at Northridge Middle School, and school lunch menus. It also includes announcements about ordering yearbooks, picking up Pinnacle passwords, bringing in Box Tops, cheerleading and dance tryouts, upcoming book fairs and quiz bowls, CAPS conferences, and more.
1) An information session for Yale University will be held on October 6th at Luther Burbank High School to discuss academic programs, campus life, admissions, and financial aid.
2) The homecoming court candidates for 2011-2012 are announced.
3) Details are provided about the upcoming football game against Lockhart Lions including date, time, ticket prices and locations tickets can be purchased.
The document provides information about caring for others, students of the month at Northridge Middle School, and school lunch menus. It also includes announcements about ordering yearbooks, picking up Pinnacle passwords, bringing in Box Tops, cheerleading and dance tryouts, book fairs, no school days, quiz bowls, concerts, parent-teacher conferences, and ways to stay updated on school information and closings.
The document provides information about caring for others, students of the month at Northridge Middle School, and school lunch menus. It also includes announcements about ordering yearbooks, picking up Pinnacle passwords, bringing in Box Tops to support Special Olympics, and cheer/dance tryouts. School event dates like Parent Night and CAPS conferences are listed as well.
The document provides information about students of the month at Northridge Middle School for December and January. It also includes lunch menus, announcements about yearbook orders and cheer/dance tryouts, and a note about picking up Pinnacle passwords from the front office. Extracurricular activities like basketball games and a quiz bowl tournament are also advertised.
This document provides information about various children's programs being offered at the Brookhaven Free Library from August to mid-August, including movie showings, reading clubs, arts and crafts, yoga, games, and an end-of-summer party. Programs are offered for a range of ages from toddlers to grade 6 and cover topics such as reading, music, art, puzzles, and sports. Registration requirements and dates/times are provided for each program.
The document provides information about programs and events at the Brookhaven Free Library in September, October, and November. It announces that iPads are available for use in the library, new library hours including opening on Sundays, and that September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. It also lists and provides details about numerous adult programs, book discussions, movies, and children's programs offered during this time period.
The document provides information about upcoming events at the Brookhaven Free Library in January and February 2014. It announces programs on clearing library fines by donating food, healthier recipe modifications, beating sugar cravings, winter reading challenges, digital download tutorials, and genealogy research tips. It also shares that the library has a new director and congratulates an employee on receiving an award for excellence in service.
This document provides a summary of children's programs offered by the South Country Central School District Library from March through May 2014. It lists various programs for different grade levels on topics like Legos, movies, crafts, reading to therapy dogs, and more. Registration is required for most programs and begins on March 3. The goal is to maximize attendance while providing opportunities for residents.
A 15-year-old girl from Alderholt, Ashli Blake, was found dead at a local beauty spot near Rockbourne in the early hours of Sunday morning. Police are investigating her death but are not treating it as suspicious. Ashli was a Year 11 student who was well-liked by her teachers and peers at The Burgate School in Fordingbridge. The school is mourning her loss and has established a memorial garden as a place for students and staff to reflect on Ashli's memory.
Pearl Eckman has over 5 years of experience supervising and caring for children ages 2-10 in various youth leadership roles at her local temple and summer camps. She is currently a high school senior at Yeshiva University High School for Girls and maintains a high GPA while participating extensively in extracurricular activities such as mock trial team, yearbook, and advocacy clubs.
The document provides information on programs at the Washington County Public Library in December. There are numerous children's programs throughout the month focused on Christmas stories and activities with Mrs. Claus. Teen programs include making gingerbread houses and learning about paying for college. For adults, there is a book discussion group and a program to make a 3D Bethlehem star. Many events are also part of a large How-To Festival on December 7th with over 30 programs for all ages.
The document lists activities for December 2011, including bowling at Orange Bowl Lanes on December 10th and 17th from 11:30am with 3 games for $7 and to contact Jeff Rhodig at 863-581-2080. Basketball is listed at Kelly Rec Center on December 16th from 7:30-9pm and to contact Mickie Brown at 863-701-4850. A basketball clinic and game is also listed at Florida Southern College Gym on December 30th at 6:30pm.
The document provides information about upcoming events at a school. It announces that the Leo Club will meet on September 1st and collect dues. It also notes that a college tour this fall break will visit 10 colleges in the Northwest, and that John Hopkins University will host an informational meeting on September 21st. Additionally, it lists sports games and the schedule for the Windward bus, and notes that a new morning news show called "The Lancers Lately" will debut next week.
The Living Word Worship Center document announces several upcoming events and programs for adults, youth, and children, including Bible studies on Wednesdays and Sundays, camps in July, and fundraisers like a spaghetti dinner, auction, and camp car wash. It also provides information on volunteer and donation opportunities like filling baby bottles with prayers and money for Arms of Love and applications for The Learning Nook.
Moldova has unique New Year traditions shaped by its culture and history. For New Year's Eve, Moldovans drink sparkling wine at midnight and put wishes in pastries. Children believe gifts are from Ded Moroz. Christmas on January 7th is less celebrated. In Romania, people make noise and carry garlic to ward off evil spirits. The first visitor of the new year affects your luck. Russians decorate with trees, food attracts prosperity, and they make wishes at midnight. Traditions aim to scare away evil spirits.
Cira Clarelli, a former employee of the Copiague School District, died during a snowstorm in January 2015 at age 86. She was born in Brooklyn and married Jerry Clarelli, later divorcing in 1989. Ms. Clarelli enjoyed crafts and worked as a seamstress before switching careers to work in the Copiague school cafeteria for 26 years. She loved children and helped raise her great-grandchildren. Her daughter said she was a frustrated teacher and would have loved that career. She is survived by her children and grandchildren.
The document provides information about students of the month at Northridge Middle School, lunch menus, ordering yearbooks, parent meetings, and other school announcements. It recognizes 6th grade students of the month for December, 7th grade students of the month for February, and 8th grade students of the month for February. It also includes details about upcoming parent-teacher conferences, picture day, and other events in March.
The document provides announcements and updates for a church community. It includes information about preschool enrollment, donating recyclable items, an upcoming Vacation Bible School, craft activities, receiving church directories, knitting group meetings, purchasing gift cards to support the church, sports and music programs, fundraising events, job openings, and more.
Here are the birthdays for this month:
2nd - Jan Redden
4th - Kathy Middleton
5th - Jeff Hight
11th - Rhonda Shade
18th - Danna Goodman
22nd - Jenny Resch, Don Mendenhall
24th - JR Mcphate, Tommy Gregory
28th - Tammy Grisham
The document is an advertisement for a furniture store located in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. It announces that all mattress sets and sheet sets are 50% off, and all sofas are 25% off for their 2016 closeout yellow tag sale. It also advertises a leather sofa and loveseat for $598 that can be taken home today with no interest financing. The store hours are listed as Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm and Sundays from 1pm to 6pm.
Thys Wallace started the North Shore Youth Rugby Academy last year to introduce children ages 4-14 to rugby. The program has grown from 10 to around 70 members. Wallace hopes to make rugby more accessible in the community and educate people about the sport through visiting schools and teaching physical education teachers. He aims to promote rugby and get more children involved in the non-contact version of the sport.
The newsletter summarizes upcoming events for the UCLA Westside Alumni Network in November 2013. It describes an event on January 23rd featuring Super Bowl champion and UCLA alum Brendon Ayanbadejo. It also recaps recent football viewing parties and tailgates. It provides information on volunteer opportunities including helping with an upcoming basketball viewing party and football championship game party in December. The calendar section lists additional events through January 2014.
Scott Luker Organized 3rd Annual Charity Golf Outing In October 2011parker8
Scott Luker's Jefferson Challenger Sports Leagues held its 3rd Annual Charity Golf Outing in October 2011. This charity outing was organized at the Crystal Springs Golf Club in the hills of North Jersey. The plethora of prizes for the game were donated by the sponsors of the tournaments that included local businesses and Jefferson families. The event organizers, other than Scott for 3rd Annual Charity Golf Outing were Paul Dring, Tom DeVries, and Kelly Albertson. Scott Luker described that the Challenger Leagues are a 3 sport organization, which gives an athletic drive to the children with special needs within the region.
The New Trier rugby team is undefeated this season at 6-0 and hoping for better results in the playoffs after being eliminated in the first round last year. The team is led by coach Leo Sheridan and has a core group of experienced junior and senior players. Additionally, youth rugby coach Thys Wallace started a youth rugby program that has grown significantly and hopes to educate more of the community about rugby through school visits.
The document provides information about caring for others, students of the month at Northridge Middle School, and school lunch menus. It also includes announcements about ordering yearbooks, picking up Pinnacle passwords, bringing in Box Tops to support Special Olympics, and cheer/dance tryouts. School event dates like Parent Night and CAPS conferences are listed as well.
The document provides information about students of the month at Northridge Middle School for December and January. It also includes lunch menus, announcements about yearbook orders and cheer/dance tryouts, and a note about picking up Pinnacle passwords from the front office. Extracurricular activities like basketball games and a quiz bowl tournament are also advertised.
This document provides information about various children's programs being offered at the Brookhaven Free Library from August to mid-August, including movie showings, reading clubs, arts and crafts, yoga, games, and an end-of-summer party. Programs are offered for a range of ages from toddlers to grade 6 and cover topics such as reading, music, art, puzzles, and sports. Registration requirements and dates/times are provided for each program.
The document provides information about programs and events at the Brookhaven Free Library in September, October, and November. It announces that iPads are available for use in the library, new library hours including opening on Sundays, and that September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. It also lists and provides details about numerous adult programs, book discussions, movies, and children's programs offered during this time period.
The document provides information about upcoming events at the Brookhaven Free Library in January and February 2014. It announces programs on clearing library fines by donating food, healthier recipe modifications, beating sugar cravings, winter reading challenges, digital download tutorials, and genealogy research tips. It also shares that the library has a new director and congratulates an employee on receiving an award for excellence in service.
This document provides a summary of children's programs offered by the South Country Central School District Library from March through May 2014. It lists various programs for different grade levels on topics like Legos, movies, crafts, reading to therapy dogs, and more. Registration is required for most programs and begins on March 3. The goal is to maximize attendance while providing opportunities for residents.
A 15-year-old girl from Alderholt, Ashli Blake, was found dead at a local beauty spot near Rockbourne in the early hours of Sunday morning. Police are investigating her death but are not treating it as suspicious. Ashli was a Year 11 student who was well-liked by her teachers and peers at The Burgate School in Fordingbridge. The school is mourning her loss and has established a memorial garden as a place for students and staff to reflect on Ashli's memory.
Pearl Eckman has over 5 years of experience supervising and caring for children ages 2-10 in various youth leadership roles at her local temple and summer camps. She is currently a high school senior at Yeshiva University High School for Girls and maintains a high GPA while participating extensively in extracurricular activities such as mock trial team, yearbook, and advocacy clubs.
The document provides information on programs at the Washington County Public Library in December. There are numerous children's programs throughout the month focused on Christmas stories and activities with Mrs. Claus. Teen programs include making gingerbread houses and learning about paying for college. For adults, there is a book discussion group and a program to make a 3D Bethlehem star. Many events are also part of a large How-To Festival on December 7th with over 30 programs for all ages.
The document lists activities for December 2011, including bowling at Orange Bowl Lanes on December 10th and 17th from 11:30am with 3 games for $7 and to contact Jeff Rhodig at 863-581-2080. Basketball is listed at Kelly Rec Center on December 16th from 7:30-9pm and to contact Mickie Brown at 863-701-4850. A basketball clinic and game is also listed at Florida Southern College Gym on December 30th at 6:30pm.
The document provides information about upcoming events at a school. It announces that the Leo Club will meet on September 1st and collect dues. It also notes that a college tour this fall break will visit 10 colleges in the Northwest, and that John Hopkins University will host an informational meeting on September 21st. Additionally, it lists sports games and the schedule for the Windward bus, and notes that a new morning news show called "The Lancers Lately" will debut next week.
The Living Word Worship Center document announces several upcoming events and programs for adults, youth, and children, including Bible studies on Wednesdays and Sundays, camps in July, and fundraisers like a spaghetti dinner, auction, and camp car wash. It also provides information on volunteer and donation opportunities like filling baby bottles with prayers and money for Arms of Love and applications for The Learning Nook.
Moldova has unique New Year traditions shaped by its culture and history. For New Year's Eve, Moldovans drink sparkling wine at midnight and put wishes in pastries. Children believe gifts are from Ded Moroz. Christmas on January 7th is less celebrated. In Romania, people make noise and carry garlic to ward off evil spirits. The first visitor of the new year affects your luck. Russians decorate with trees, food attracts prosperity, and they make wishes at midnight. Traditions aim to scare away evil spirits.
Cira Clarelli, a former employee of the Copiague School District, died during a snowstorm in January 2015 at age 86. She was born in Brooklyn and married Jerry Clarelli, later divorcing in 1989. Ms. Clarelli enjoyed crafts and worked as a seamstress before switching careers to work in the Copiague school cafeteria for 26 years. She loved children and helped raise her great-grandchildren. Her daughter said she was a frustrated teacher and would have loved that career. She is survived by her children and grandchildren.
The document provides information about students of the month at Northridge Middle School, lunch menus, ordering yearbooks, parent meetings, and other school announcements. It recognizes 6th grade students of the month for December, 7th grade students of the month for February, and 8th grade students of the month for February. It also includes details about upcoming parent-teacher conferences, picture day, and other events in March.
The document provides announcements and updates for a church community. It includes information about preschool enrollment, donating recyclable items, an upcoming Vacation Bible School, craft activities, receiving church directories, knitting group meetings, purchasing gift cards to support the church, sports and music programs, fundraising events, job openings, and more.
Here are the birthdays for this month:
2nd - Jan Redden
4th - Kathy Middleton
5th - Jeff Hight
11th - Rhonda Shade
18th - Danna Goodman
22nd - Jenny Resch, Don Mendenhall
24th - JR Mcphate, Tommy Gregory
28th - Tammy Grisham
The document is an advertisement for a furniture store located in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. It announces that all mattress sets and sheet sets are 50% off, and all sofas are 25% off for their 2016 closeout yellow tag sale. It also advertises a leather sofa and loveseat for $598 that can be taken home today with no interest financing. The store hours are listed as Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm and Sundays from 1pm to 6pm.
Thys Wallace started the North Shore Youth Rugby Academy last year to introduce children ages 4-14 to rugby. The program has grown from 10 to around 70 members. Wallace hopes to make rugby more accessible in the community and educate people about the sport through visiting schools and teaching physical education teachers. He aims to promote rugby and get more children involved in the non-contact version of the sport.
The newsletter summarizes upcoming events for the UCLA Westside Alumni Network in November 2013. It describes an event on January 23rd featuring Super Bowl champion and UCLA alum Brendon Ayanbadejo. It also recaps recent football viewing parties and tailgates. It provides information on volunteer opportunities including helping with an upcoming basketball viewing party and football championship game party in December. The calendar section lists additional events through January 2014.
Scott Luker Organized 3rd Annual Charity Golf Outing In October 2011parker8
Scott Luker's Jefferson Challenger Sports Leagues held its 3rd Annual Charity Golf Outing in October 2011. This charity outing was organized at the Crystal Springs Golf Club in the hills of North Jersey. The plethora of prizes for the game were donated by the sponsors of the tournaments that included local businesses and Jefferson families. The event organizers, other than Scott for 3rd Annual Charity Golf Outing were Paul Dring, Tom DeVries, and Kelly Albertson. Scott Luker described that the Challenger Leagues are a 3 sport organization, which gives an athletic drive to the children with special needs within the region.
The New Trier rugby team is undefeated this season at 6-0 and hoping for better results in the playoffs after being eliminated in the first round last year. The team is led by coach Leo Sheridan and has a core group of experienced junior and senior players. Additionally, youth rugby coach Thys Wallace started a youth rugby program that has grown significantly and hopes to educate more of the community about rugby through school visits.
The newsletter summarizes events and activities at The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club over the summer, including members attending Dash baseball games sponsored by partners, six members receiving awards at a banquet for improving academically, a community day event with various groups, new computer and dance classes being added to the summer program schedule, and members visiting Camp Walter Johnson. It also promotes the mission of enabling youth to become productive citizens and provides club contact information.
Women's Basketball Media Guide 2010-2011Allen Dalke
The document provides the 2010-11 schedule and roster for the Northland College LumberJills women's basketball team. The schedule lists 22 games from November to February, including many conference games. The roster lists 10 players on the team ranging from freshmen to seniors. Bill Wilson begins his second season as head coach, assisted by Mike Pankow in his first season.
The document discusses the views of residents in the East end of Glasgow on the 2014 Commonwealth Games. It states that 81% of residents thought the games would have a positive effect on their local area. However, some residents felt that demolishing homes for the games, which lasted only 11 days, was not worthwhile. A local community worker was quoted as saying that the development "ripped the heart out" of the area. While new housing was built, over 10% of residents still felt unsafe walking at night, so the benefits of the development were limited.
The document discusses the establishment of a sister school relationship between two elementary schools in North Platte, Nebraska, Lake Maloney and Osgood Elementary, and Yesu Afaayo Jubilee Christian School in Uganda, Africa. It describes the initial contact being made in August 2008 and the schools exchanging photos, videos, and soccer balls. The principal of the Nebraska schools prepares a presentation outlining the goals of collaborating on lessons and having students communicate directly through video conferencing or online forums.
The women's soccer team at Chico State has 19 freshmen on its roster this season, making it a very young team. However, the coach is excited about the new players and believes they are talented. The team is focusing on developing team chemistry and culture to build a foundation for success. The 11 returning players will provide leadership, and the coach expects them to have a big impact on the season. The overall goal is for the team to shine and build off its strong finish last season.
Chico State Athletics - The "Gambino" AwardAndrew Gambino
The women's soccer team at Chico State has 19 freshmen on its roster this season, making it a very young team. However, the coach is excited about the new players and believes they are talented. The team is focusing on developing team chemistry and culture to build a foundation for success. The 11 returning players will provide leadership, and the coach expects them to have a big impact on the season. The overall goal is for the team to shine and build off its strong finish last season.
1. 36 | October 2, 2014 | THE NORTHBROOK TOWER northbrooktower.com
Pro rugby player aims to build lost sport in NB
DAYNA FIELDS, Editor
Football may be the fa-
vored American pastime,
but on Nov. 1, Chicagoans
will have rugby fever.
That’s the day when the
top-ranked rugby team in
the world, the New Zea-
land All Blacks, will take
on the USA Eagles at Sol-
dier Field.
The match will be the
seventh time Chicago has
hosted the Eagles since
1976, and it will be the first
match that the Kiwis have
played in the States since
1980. NBC will provide na-
tional broadcast coverage
for the 2:30 p.m. kickoff.
The timing is perfect for
Thys Wallace, founder and
coach of the newly created
North Shore Rugby Acad-
emy, which is looking to
build off the hype of the big
match and spread awareness
about the sport of rugby
across the North Shore.
“AIG is the big sponsor
for the All Blacks coming
to Soldier Field Nov. 1,”
Wallace said. “They re-
leased this [Rookie Rugby]
initiative to introduce [Chi-
cagoland] kids to the sport.
So I’ve reached out to four
schools so far. It’s pretty
much one school a week at
the moment, because I have
a day job as well.”
While Wallace has an eye
on eventually introducing
rugby to the high school ath-
letes at Glenbrook North, he
set his sights on smaller tar-
gets Sept. 19, when he vis-
ited P.E. classes at Meadow-
brook Elementary School,
teaching local youngsters
basic rugby skills with an
altered version of Duck,
Duck, Goose.
“So it’s kind of the same
concept except for there’s
two balls — one travels
around in a circle, and then
the kid running is going to
try to get back to his spot
before the ball gets there,”
he said. “All the kids are
amazing [at Meadowbrook].
The teachers and the kids
have a very good relation-
ship. They listened well and
played well.”
Launched in June, North
Shore Rugby Academy is
a non-contact program for
girls and boys ages 4 to 14,
offered through the North-
brook Park District. Practic-
es will be held at Greenbriar
Elementary School.
The new Rookie Rugby
Program, recently created
by USA Rugby, is a non-
contact version of the sport
for kids that introduces
ball games and even free
lesson plans for teachers,
which can feed into a Ki-
netic Wellness Curriculum.
(Learn more at www.rooki-
erugby.com)
In honor of the big All
Blacks versus Eagles
match, Grant Park will host
a Rookie Rugby Festival
Oct. 25, and the Chicago
Park District has commit-
ted to creating after-school
Rookie Rugby programs for
Chicago schools as well.
Here on the North Shore,
Wallace envisions eventu-
ally having Rookie Rugby
leagues, affiliated with the
different park districts, and
local matches.
“I have a 3-year-old, and
I’m trying to get this pro-
gram going by the time he’s
6 so he can play as well,”
said Wallace, noting that
he’d like this program to
become his full-time job.
When visiting schools,
Wallace begins each class
by explaining that the sport
of football actually derives
from rugby, which is about
70 years older than Ameri-
can football. In fact, the
term touchdown refers to
the requirement in rugby
that a player must actually
touch the ball down to the
ground in order to score.
“All the kids with foreign
dads pretty much knew what
[rugby] was [at Meadow-
brook],” Wallace said. “In a
lot of [European] countries,
it’s the No. 1 sport. And in
America, they don’t know
what it is. They’ve never
seen that funny-shaped ball
before. They all ask me,
is this some sort of soc-
cer ball?”
Wallace himself is a third-
generation rugby player
who played professionally
for the South African Fal-
cons in 1998. In 2001, he
was invited to play for the
Santa Monica Rugby Club
in California, where he met
his wife. From 2001-2011,
he also played for the Bel-
mont Shore Rugby Club’s
Super League, the rugby
version of the NFL, and
won national titles.
In 2011, Wallace moved
with his wife and three kids
to Winnetka to be closer
to family. But he still trav-
els with the Malibu Rugby
Club on international tours
to play in Europe, Argentina
and South Africa, alternat-
ing every two years.
“Now I referee and coach
rugby at New Trier High
School, and we’ve sent
two kids [to college] on
scholarships already,” said
Wallace, who noted that
New Trier has 124 kids in
its rugby program. “That’s
the ultimate goal, that’s
the aim.”
But the issue, according
to Wallace, is that kids are
already invested in other
sports by the time they enter
high school. In fact, most of
them have never even heard
of rugby.
So the trick, he said, is
to “get ‘em while they’re
young.” Wallace himself
began playing when he was
just 6 years old in a PeeWee
program in South Africa.
In high school, he was se-
lected to play for the U17
South African Rhinos Rug-
by League before being dis-
covered by the Falcons.
“We get the kids in high
school, and they have no
idea what rugby is,” he said.
“So we try to get to them
early. … We play simple
games and try to modify
them in a safe version to in-
troduce kids to rugby, so like
Freeze Tag and Red Rover
and Capture The Flag.”
Those are a sample of the
methods that Wallace wants
to roll out in Northbrook's
Rookie Rugby program.
Luckily, there are two big
upcoming events that may
help propel the program’s
growth. One is the debut
of rugby in the 2016 Sum-
mer Olympics since be-
ing dropped as an Olympic
sport in 1924. (The United
States still holds the record
for most gold medals, win-
ning in 1920 and in 1924.)
The second event is the
2015 Rugby World Cup, to
be hosted by England Sept.
18-Oct. 31, 2015.
“It’s just a great sport,
and I feel like we’re miss-
ing out on a great sport be-
cause nobody knows about
it [around here],” Wallace
said. “Football is very in-
dividualistic — one person
scores a touchdown, and
his name is in the paper. In
rugby, you won’t see that;
it’s always the team that’s
above the individual.
“We had seniors [at New
Trier] playing in their first
year and automatically got
scholarships for it. If they’re
spotted earlier, who knows
where they’ll end up?”
SPORTS
LEARNING NON-CONTACT RUGBY
The North Shore Rugby Academy is hosting two
upcoming classes for kids through the Northbrook
Park District from Oct. 28-Dec. 9. Both take place at
Greenbriar Elementary School every Tuesday. Class
for kids 10, 11 and 12 (girls and boys) will be from
6:30-7:30 p.m., and kids 13 and 14 (girls and boys)
will be 7:30-8:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.
nsrugby.com or call (310) 529 3696.
Thys Wallace, founder and coach of the newly created
North Shore Rugby Academy, plays a game with a P.E.
class at Meadowbrook School on Sept. 19. PHOTOS BY
CARLOS ALVAREZ/22ND CENTURY MEDIA
Two Meadowbrook kids race each other with a rugby ball.
2. NORTHBROOK'S HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER
North Shore Rugby Academy launches
non-contact kids program in NB, Page 36
Meadowbrook student Vivienne Larsen runs with the ball during a non-contact
introduction to rugby class, hosted by North Shore Rugby Academy. CARLOS
ALVAREZ/22ND CENTURY MEDIA
STARTING OFF RIGHT
GBN football opens conference
schedule with dominant win,
Page 39
HITTING THE POOL
GBN girls swimming takes on
New Trier, Page 35
Coach Thys Wallace founded North
Shore Rugby Academy in June.