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Mustang Rugby Alumni Association
2022 Post-Season Newsletter December, 2022
A Word From Coach Sweeney  This year marked the 20th season our program used rugby to develop better young people in the Berwyn and Cicero areas and it was an extremely important year for our organization, although we still have not fully recovered from the effects of the pandemic. Following the cancellation of the 2020 season, we took a dramatic step backwards in terms of participation in 2021. Since we returned to campus from our years in the forest preserve in 2009, we have consistently had 100+ boys try out. Last season, we only had 19. In 2022, we more than doubled in size finishing the season with 46 kids on our roster. Although our numbers are not back to normal, this growth was vital for our future. I am very pleased with the progress our program made this year and feel good about the direction we are headed. Our varsity team finished the year 1-5. We did not have a lot of depth or experience, as most of the 46 kids on the roster were freshmen and sophomores, making it difficult for us to compete at the Tier 1 level. However, I was proud of the effort of our team and the leadership our older guys provided, never giving up despite facing difficult odds. The highlight of our season was a 67-10 victory over Mt. Carmel on Senior Night. In addition to ending the season on a positive note, we were able to raise almost $500 which we donated to a local organization that offered mental health and suicide prevention services. Thank you, to our alumni who came out to the game and supported our fundraising effort. I also want to personally thank all of you who made it a special night for me. I was touched by the recognition, the gift, and the fact that so many of our alumni felt connected enough to their experience with Morton Rugby to come out and join in celebrating the completion of our 20th season. Our Frosh.-Soph. team went 3-2-1, and included some talented players that we are very excited about. During the first half of the season, we asked several Frosh.-Soph. players to cover for injured players in our varsity lineup. This weakened our Frosh.-Soph. team which lost its first two matches. However, by the mid-point of the season most of those Frosh.-Soph. players were playing at their usual level which coincided with a run of three consecutive victories. With the early losses, we did not qualify for the 4-team Frosh.-Soph. playoffs. However, in our regular season finale, we did get a crack at an undefeated La Salette Frosh.-Soph. squad. In an action-packed match between two very good teams, the game ended in a 19-19 draw. A couple of weeks later, La Salette went on to win Rugby Illinois’ Frosh.-Soph. championship. I feel this pretty clearly demonstrates what our latest crop of underclassmen are capable of and is an indication that our club is moving in a positive direction. While we are proud of all 14 of our graduating players and managers, I would like to use this platform to recognize 4 of them- Antonio Acosta, Alexis Galeno, Cruz Hernandez, and Cesar Ramirez, who are particularly special. Our organization has benefited from a chain of positive student leadership going all the way back to 2003. While coaching matters, I am aware that what a peer tells another peer often resonates more than what an adult tells a kid. A key ingredient in our success has been the valuable lessons that older guys/gals have passed on to those who have followed them. Team Culture- hard work, camaraderie, off-the-field expectations, the way we play, etc.- are things a coach can promote, but which members of a team make real. These are the values at the core of Morton Rugby. With the cancellation of the 2020 season there was a break in our chain of student leadership. This year’s 4-year seniors remember the way things were before the pandemic and did a tremendous job in maintaining our program’s values through unprecedented obstacles. They deserved better in terms of wins and losses and championships. But, their contribution to our program will not be forgotten, as they represent the bridge from our proud past, through the pandemic, to a promising future.  Cruz Hernandez, Antonio Acosta, Cesar Ramirez, Alexis Galeno  2022 Team Picture 1st ANNUAL MORTON TOUCH 7s TOURNAMENT On July 9, we held our first ever Morton Rugby Alumni Touch 7s Tournament. We had 40 alumni spread across five teams, with a sixth side of current Morton Rugby players, and a few extra high schoolers to help round out some of the alumni sides that were light on numbers. It was special to see some of our players from the past lacing up their spikes and playing rugby again, but it was even cooler to see some of our current players get the opportunity to mix with guys who came before them. Sergio Guereca (Class of 2007) won the prize for the oldest alumni there. After a couple hours of two-hand touch rugby the guys enjoyed our traditional post-game spread, re-lived their “Glory Days” with old teammates, and met some of the guys from the current squad. It was a lot of fun and we are already looking forward to doing it again next summer, so start training now! Between the admission fee and some very generous donations from alumni Sergio Barajas, Jose Castellanos, Miguel Roman, Ivan Salazar, Richard Sandoval, and Ismael Ledezma, $1,092 was raised from this event and donated to the Morton Rugby program. These funds will be used to provide our current players with a first-rate rugby experience.  Congratulations to our 2022 Alumni Touch 7s Champions! 2nd Row: Manuel Vargas, Alex Verdin, Jovan Vazquez, Ismael Ledezma, Lalo Tenorio Front Row: Ivan Delgado, Isaias Delgado, Danny Raygoza, Otrell Jones, and Antoine Smith (not pictured)  MORTON RUGBY FEATURED ON WTTW For anyone who missed the live broadcast on television in May, check out the feature Erica Gunderson did on Morton Rugby on Chicago Tonight. https://news.wttw.com/2022/05/21/suburban-teens-make-match-rugby MORTON RUGBY ALUMNUS GOES TO HARVARD After playing rugby for 4 years at Morton, coaching for Morton during a gap year following graduation, and even serving on our Alumni Association’s Board, Adrian Guzman enrolled at Harvard University in the Fall of 2021. Many of our alumni may have played with Adrian’s older brother Charlie (Class of 2013) or his younger brother Niko who is a junior at Morton. In addition to taking on the challenge of studying at one of the most prestigious universities in the world, Adrian also made time to play rugby there. He made a positive impact quickly, earning Harvard’s “Rookie of the Year” award for the most outstanding newcomer. As a freshman, Adrian found occasional playing time with the school’s A-side. He even had the opportunity to play with Harvard’s 7s team on one of the ESPN channels as part of that network’s coverage of the Ivy League 7s Championships in 2022. Adrian is currently a sophomore pursuing a double major in Statistics and Sociology. He says the Harvard Rugby Club has a positive vibe with veteran players who really put effort into mentoring new members. Unfortunately, Adrian’s sophomore season was somewhat derailed by injuries, but he is already gearing up for training in the offseason and playing 7s. While being a student at Harvard is a lot of hard work, he was struck by how down-to-earth many of his peers and professors are. One of the highlights of his Harvard experience was taking a Spring Break trip to Spain with some of his teammates. We are very proud of Adrian and the new heights he has reached both on and off the field.   Adrian Guzman playing scrumhalf for Harvard and the Harvard Rookie of the Year Award 2021 BREAKFAST WITH MUSTANGS If you’re looking for coffee, breakfast, or a quiet spot to do some work on the North side of Chicago, swing by Ellipsis Coffeehouse (1259 W. Devon Ave.). Mike Waszkowski and his wife Janine Ramirez Waszkowski recently became owners of this spot. Mike played at Morton 2007-2010, and Janine was a manager with us in 2010. Come for the coffee…stay for the cookies. Janine is an excellent baker. Good luck to Mike and Janine on their new venture. Congratulations to our newly elected Alumni Foundation Board: President: Tessa Tangney VP of Membership Development: Mike Goebel VP of Club Development: Ismael Ledezma Secretary: Adrian Rosiles Treasurer: Mike Waszkowski If you have any questions or comments, please contact the alumni board at mustangrugbyalumniassociation@gmail.com www.mustangrugbyalumni.com |
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