The junior Howlers were comprised of 12 under eighteen players from Nova Scotia to British Columbia. Many of the players had minimal experience playing sevens rugby. The squad worked hard during the two days of training prior to the tournament. Coaches Robin MacDowell and Nanyak Dala lead the players through their paces in preparation for a competitive event.

The junior Howlers faced USA 1 in their first outing. The US entered two representative sides that featured all stars from several regions. The junior Howlers showed their inexperience and suffered a 31 – 5 loss to the Americans. Rather than dwell on the loss, the team re-grouped and prepared for their next match, as they faced the BC 2 team. The Howlers dominated the match, scoring a decisive 31 – 0 victory over the representative team from BC. The junior Howlers then played Glendale, Colorado. The team finished the preliminary round with a 15 – 5 win.

A second place finish by the junior Howlers would result in the team facing the BC 1 team on Saturday morning. The teams drew even at 19 points each when the regular time whistle was blown. This triggered a sudden death overtime scenario for the teams. The Howlers prevailed on a try scored by Cameron Lawson and the team would move on to the final of the Eilte Age Grade division; once again facing US 1. The Howlers lead the Americans 7 – 0 at the half. US 1 scored 17 unanswered points and secured the win and the Eilte Age Grade championship 17 – 7 over the Howlers.

The LVI was an excellent opportunity for these young players and they certainly rose to the occasion.

It was anticipated that the Las Vegas Invitational Sevens would provide the strongest competition for the club to date. With national teams from Mexico, Chile and Bermuda, as well as France A and the Kamikazee, in the elite division, the Howlers would need a stellar performance to win the division.Some last minute scheduling changes slotted the Howlers in a pool with the Las Vegas Black Jacks,Kansas City Rogues and France A.

The senior Howlers faced the Las Vegas Black Jacks in their first game of the tournament.  The Howlers scored quickly, on an unconverted try by Daypuck., and added four additional trys (two converted by MacDowell) finishing with a 29 – 0 victory to get the team off to a positive start. Next up, the Howlers would take on the Kansas City Rogues. The Howlers proved to be too much for the Rogues, finishing the match with a 56 – 0 decisi0on over the hapless team from the Midwest.

The Howlers final game of the preliminary round pitted the team against France A. The Howlers suffered a series of tactical errors resulting in an easy 26 – 0 win for the developmental side from France. The Howlers were unable to match their opponents speed and the consistent pressure provided by France kept the Howlers penned in their own half.

The preliminary round finished, the Howlers would face the Kamikazee (a UK based side) in the playoffs on Friday. The Kamikazee lead by a margin of five points at the half. They added an additional two converted trys and a drop goal, handing the Howlers their second loss of the tournament.  22 – 7.  Their final match of the tournament was against the Bermuda National team. The Howlers re-grouped and defeated the Bermuda squad 28 – 7.

Robin MacDowell was the leading scorer for the Howlers with 28 points.

More than $20,000 was raised for the Leader-Post Christmas Cheer Fund at the Bowties & Sweethearts Valentine’s Gala, held Saturday at the Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza.

The inaugural Bowties & Sweethearts Valentine’s Day gala was held Saturday evening at the Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza. The $150-a-plate, by-invitation-only, black-tie event was organized by the Dog River Howlers Rugby Club.
“It was a team effort,” said Karl Fix, one of the event’s five-member organizing committee, which also included Craig Lothian, Herb Wheaton, Tim Wicijowski and Tim Young. “It was instantly sold out,” said Fix, adding that the event even had a waiting list. Fix attributed the event’s success to two things. It was supporting a worthy cause, and no corners were cut in order to offer “top-notch everything — the venue, the food, the entertainment. It’s a win-win situation,” he said.

More than 300 “community leaders” representing different sectors of the community — both urban and rural — attended the posh fundraiser, an evening of elegance, fine dining, and entertainment.Tuxedos and gowns filled the historic downtown hotel’s elegant ballroom. Guests were served gourmet creations by chef Milton Rebello.
Popular Regina entertainer Rory Allen performed at the fundraiser, joined by Jasmine Paige and Jodi Scott.

Proceeds from the Bowties & Sweethearts Valentine’s Gala will go to the Leader-Post Christmas Cheer Fund, which supports four Regina domestic abuse shelters: the YWCA Regina’s Isabel Johnson Shelter, Regina Transition House, WISH Safe House, and SOFIA House. “It’s just the first of what’s going to be an annual event,” Fix said.
While the event will not grow in size, organizers aspire to raise even more money at next year’s fundraiser, he said.

by Irene Seiferling - Leader Post -Monday February 14.

This is from a February 3, 2011 Economist article....

More and more Americans are being converted to the sport Rugby in America.

This weekend tens of millions of eyes will be glued to television screens as the Pittsburgh Steelers meet the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl, which takes place in Arlington, Texas on February 6th. American aficionados of rugby union can only dream of the Croesian sums of money that are lavished on American football, a sport that vaguely resembles rugby in wimpish armour-plating. But although their resources are far more modest they have achieved some notable successes.

One of them has been to get young Americans engaged with the game. Last year almost 360,000 children played a non-contact form of the sport at school, according to USA Rugby, the sport’s national governing body. That has helped raise rugby’s profile: a study by America’s Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) found that between 2007 and 2009 (the latest year for which data is available), it was the fastest-growing team sport in the country, outpacing rivals such as lacrosse and hockey. In 2009, says the SGMA, some 750,000 Americans played rugby, over 20% more than in 2007. “For the sport to be on our radar screen is a sign it’s got some legs,” says Mike May, an executive at the association.

To bolster the game’s appeal, USA Rugby is launching a college premier league next month that will see teams compete in four regional “conferences”, with the top two from each conference heading to playoffs in May. The league’s promoters hope it will act as a magnet for high-school players, as well as introducing rugby to more students. “This represents an enormously powerful opportunity to promote rugby,” says Bill Campbell, an enthusiastic supporter of the game who happens to be chairman of Intuit, a technology giant.

The sport in America also stands to gain from the fact that a seven-a-side version of rugby (as opposed to the standard 15-a-side contest) will be included in the 2016 and perhaps the 2020 Olympic games. The last time rugby featured in the Olympics, back in 1924, America won the gold medal. Although a repeat performance is unlikely in five years’ time in Rio de Janeiro, the prospect of representing the USA Eagles, as the national team is known, should attract more athletes to the game. Some impressive players already compete in an annual super league competition, which includes teams from some of America’s 2,400-odd rugby clubs.

The notion of Olympic rugby has certainly piqued the interest of television executives. Long the preserve of cable channels, rugby is about to appear on network TV. NBC has acquired the rights to show games from this year’s rugby World Cup and the next one in 2015. And it is planning to broadcast other matches too, including some from an international rugby sevens tournament taking place in Las Vegas later this month.

Those responsible for promoting rugby in America are confident that when more people see it, they will love it. “Americans like combat sports and good athletes,” says Nigel Melville, the head of USA Rugby. True. Yet they also have a penchant for sports that promote superstars and breed controversy, both on and off the field. With its emphasis on teamwork and fair play, rugby doesn’t quite fit that mould.

Below is an article that was written by Kevin Rothbauer of The Citizen. Kevin attended a sevens training session last weekend  that was facilitated by Howlers player and Junior Howlers coach Robin MacDowell.The Howlers would like to clarify that the Junior Howlers are NOT a Canadian representative team, rather a select team from across the country.

The seeds of Canada's future in international rugby sevens were being sowed at the Cowichan Secondary School field last weekend.

The Dog River Howlers junior side -- Canada's nominal U18 national team -- and the B.C. U17 provincial team got together for a camp on the weekend, wrapping up with a series of games on Sunday afternoon.

The camp was presided over by Robin MacDowell, a former Cowichan Piggie and member of the Canadian senior sevens squad, as well as a player with the senior Dog River Howlers and coach of the junior program.

MacDowell envisions a strengthened national sevens program ahead of the sport's inclusion in the Olympics, which is scheduled for the Rio de Janeiro games.

"Obviously, with sevens in the Olympics for 2016, there are lots of opportunities coming for sevens," he said.

With that in mind, MacDowell started the junior program in conjunction with the website BC Rugby News. While most rugby players focus on the better-known version with 15 players, MacDowell is hoping to open more eyes to sevens, particularly those of players who might not have a future in XVs, but are perfectly suited to the quicker, more wide-open sevens.

Born and raised in the Cowichan Valley, MacDowell spent seven years trying out for the senior national sevens team, driving over the Malahat eight times a year, he estimates, and getting cut every time until he was finally selected at the age of 26.

Despite being a talented player, MacDowell was never a huge guy, and he knew he would have a hard time making the national XVs team, which is why he focused on sevens.

Several years ago, he took gifted local product Thomas Kay under his wing, hoping to give him some opportunities in sevens. When an illness forced Thomas to give up the sport, MacDowell began working with his younger brother, Patrick. In addition to playing with the junior national XVs program, Patrick Kay has also taken the field with the senior Howlers as a 16-year-old in Cuba, last March.

"Through working with him, I've developed a greater group of players," said MacDowell.

While the younger Kay is a singular talent, MacDowell believes there could be "40 or 50 Patricks" on Vancouver Island.

"I'm trying to expose talented players who are off the radar of the national, provincial and regional programs," he said.

He referred to the G.P. Vanier team from Courtenay that won last year's high school provincial sevens championship.

"No one is even taking a look at them," he said.

Late next week, both the junior Howlers and the provincial U17 team will head to Las Vegas for the USA Sevens Rugby Tournament. The Howlers will be the first junior national sevens program to represent Canada. Four of the players will be from B.C., including two from the Cowichan Valley: Patrick Kay and Jordan Bowcott of Chemainus. Bowcott had previously captained a developmental team coached by MacDowell, so it was a no-brainer to bring him on board.

"When the opportunity came up to coach this team, he was the first guy I called to see if he would go for it," MacDowell recalled.
Other local products at the camp last weekend included Kieran Lauridsen and Tyson Stoochnoff. Lauridsen was there to fill out the BC U17 lineup, but impressed the coaches enough with his work ethic to earn a roster spot for Las Vegas.

"He is someone I have a lot of time for," said MacDowell. "There isn't anyone who works harder than him."

Stoochnoff played for the junior Howlers on the weekend and MacDowell will certainly keep an eye on him in the near future.

"The talent is out there," said the coach. "Obviously the Valley is so rich in athletes, I hope a young man like him sticks with it."

 

Senior Howlers
Thursday, February 10, 2011
10:40 am             Game# 1  - Kamikaze International (UK)
12:40 pm             Game # 2 -  Chile
3:40  pm             Game # 3 –  Humless (Utah)

Friday, February 11, 2011
9:00 am                Playoffs

Junior Howlers
Friday, February 11, 2011
10:00 am             Game # 1 v. USA #1
1:00 pm              Game  # 2 v. BC #2
3:40 pm              Game  # 3 v. Colorado (Glendale)

Saturday, February 12, 2011
8:30 am             Playoffs

All games are played at the fields adjacent to the Sam Boyd Stadium, 7000 E Russell Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89122-8338

The Dog River Howlers Whisky night at Buchanan's was a real crowd pleaser. The evening featured six scotch whiskys masterfully paired with several incredible courses. Mike Buchanan educated the patrons of the sold out event on the art and science of whisky tasting; sharing distinct information and entertaining stories about the whisky that was featured.

Howlers honorary captain, Lorne Cardinal (CTV 's "Corner Gas" cop), addressed the group, sharing stories on the importance of rugby in his life and the background on how the Howlers came to be. Howler player-coach   (and Rugby Canada National Senior Men's Team member) shared his experiences from playing with Canada and a players perspective on playing for the Howlers. Howlers founder Karl Fix closed the evening with thanks to the guests and particularly to the Buchanan family. The evening could not have happened without the incredible support of the Buchanan family and all of their staff. The Howlers hope to make this a yearly event.

Visit the Pictures and Videos section of the Howlers website to see pictures from the evening.