The second annual Boundary Bash Social 10s Rugby Tournament was bigger by one team this year than last as Jewel Lake resident Oliver Glaser invited his Vancouver club, the East Vancouver Scribes, and a few other teams to Greenwood for some rugby and socializing.
Three other men’s teams were on the pitch: the Nelson Grizzlies, Trail Colonials and Grand Forks Wanderers. One team of women came this year and proved that it pays to show up. The Ridge Meadows Lady Bruins, with the help of members of several other clubs that came and subbed in for a game against the men, took home a custom-made rugby trophy ball made by Ingram Creek Saddlery in Greenwood.
The four men’s teams played three games each and the Nelson Grizzlies took home the men’s trophy ball. The winner was decided first on wins and, if tied on wins, on points scored. Nelson won both categories.
Trail was named the most social team. “They not only played hard on the pitch but were the guys who partied the hardest and were the most fun team to hang out with,” Glaser explained.
The Dave Van Dyke (DVD) Memorial Award was won by Trail player Bryan Lauzon for being the most social player. Glaser said that Van Dyke was a long-time rugby player and friend to many on the pitch who, while his cancer was in remission, played in the first Boundary Bash last year. But his cancer returned and he passed away in May and this was the inaugural year of the award.
Since moving to the Boundary two years ago, Glaser says he has played with the Grand Forks Wanderers, a team started about five or six years ago by Keith Kuromi. Glaser says he misses rugby here in the Boundary and he uses the tournament to help him reconnect with his teammates and the culture as well as a way to foster more participation locally.
Beer is something that seems essential to the game of rugby. But Glaser said he was frustrated by security requirements when he applied for a special occasion license. So he said he got permission from the city to camp both in the campground where the nightly parties happened and in the ball park.
“We in rugby actually wanted to be able to enjoy the games and get closer to the games with beers in hand and we had to exploit a little loophole in the legal system to allow us to do that because the liquor inspector from Nelson was a huge problem for us,” Glaser told the Times. “We were only going to have about 60 people there and the security manpower requirements are for over 500 people. Hiring security guards to secure a tiny event like ours was just not feasible so I cancelled getting a liquor license.”
Instead of hosting a beer garden, three kegs were placed by the ball field tents and beer was available without charge. Glaser said that at one point police were concerned with some people walking around with beer away from the campsite so he contained that.
“I had to be creative to actually keep this tournament in Greenwood. The camping site was the loophole that I was able to use in order to make sure that we could still celebrate and have a good time. There was no violence, there was no issues, it was just guys being friendly hanging out watching the games.”
When contacted for a comment by the Times, Midway RCMP Detachment Commander Cpl. Judson Mayes said, “Unfortunately there was a lot of open liquor, but as was told to me by the organizer that they found a loophole to get past the liquor license.” Mayes said he would be making recommendations to city officials for next year.
Mayes said RCMP received noise complaints on Friday and Saturday when the group was partying at the city campground; and another report on Sunday night of partiers and an open fire at Jewel Lake, which police determined were rugby participants from some of the teams.
“Thankfully the city gave us a noise bylaw exemption for Friday and Saturday night,” Glaser said. “It [the exemption] is a necessity to keep this tournament happening because these guys play really hard and we want to get together and party hard.”
“My apologies to those that we bothered with the noise,” Glaser said. He later said he would put a sound curfew on the music from the big speakers at midnight next year.
“We had lots of fun,” said Glaser. “We did what rugby players do: kept it on an even keel, played hard and partied hard.”