A reminder re. our JBAA Virtual Gala courtesy Phil Meyer with an addenda re. The Phil Mack Trophy:
On Thursday, June 18, at our House of Bays, JBAA will hold our 2019/20 Rugby Celebration. A limited number of celebrants will attend in person (to mitigate against the bug), others will ZOOM in, and Tommy is working to see if some of us Olde Stars (this is you and me Maxine) might be able to gain access via an email attachment. JBAA is charging $20 per head. (Food can be ordered for takeout, delivery or in-restaurant consumption from Heron Rock Bistro separately.) In these challenging times, JBAA could sure use the money! If you can participate or not, please support this celebration! In person, by Zoom, or because you’ve had many enjoyable JBAA moments over the years – $20 is a small ask and it will have a big impact for our JBAA Family!
Our Rugby Celebration will see presentation of Awards for our 2019/2020 Season. It will also celebrate the recent election of Bobby Ross into the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame! For those of us that were fortunate enough to see him play, Bobby was a #10 wizard with a magic boot – for our Bays, and for Canada.
This event will also celebrate our rugby future – the young ruggers coming up! Initiated by Tommy Woods, now joined by Dave Moonlight, JBAA has supported the Esquimalt Academy since its inception. This year, we are adding a $1,000 annual JBAA Young Rugger Scholarship - to be presented to a deserving player from JBAA’s young player ranks!
Our JBAA celebration, will also provide an opportunity, for a fourth consecutive year - partnering with John Lyle of the VIRU Thunder - to present The Phil Mack Trophy, and a $1,000 Scholarship to a deserving First Nations Rugby Athlete. As most of us know, Phil Mack is only the most recent of a long line of First Nation guys – the Underwoods in the 50’s and 60’s – Bobby Ross in the 90’s – goodness knows how many in between – who “can play our game”.
Together, supporting these Young Ruggers – at JBAA, at the Esquimalt Academy, with First Nations – strengthens JBAA ties with our history, and builds our future as Canada’s No. 1 Club Rugby Team!
Each week, as rugby on-field remains closed, JBAA has send you one of our write-ups from yesteryear, extracted from our vault. This Sunday’s attachment was already on the production line. Given next Thursday’s Celebration, and recent events across the world, sending it to you today seems appropriate.
Huddy Huddy!!!
Please join us to support JBAA!!!
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Phil Mack Trophy Finds a Home at Songhees Wellness Center
More than a hundred years ago, a cedar tree began its life on Nuu-chah-nulth lands on the west coast of Vancouver Island. In 2015, this cedar, now standing straight and tall, was taken to become a totem pole. Crafted by master First Nations carver Tommy Hunt, it stands in Shq’aphut, the Aboriginal Gathering Place at Vancouver Island University near Nanaimo. The top of this mighty tree was saved – put aside to be transformed to altered cultural form.
Phil Mack is a member of the Toquaht Nation, located near Ucluelet, also within Nuu-chah-nulth lands. Phil and Nancy Meyer had enjoyed Phil’s exciting on-field rugby play for more than a decade – initially at James Bay Athletic Association, later, when he attended the University of Victoria, and now playing for Canada. Off-field, we watched Phil grow into an impressive man. So, in 2016, Tom Hunt was commissioned to transform the topmost tip of this Nuu-chah-nulth tree into an Eagle – to become the feature of the Phil Mack Trophy.
Many helped in this creation. John Lyall, leader of The Thunder First Nations Rugby team, and President of the Vancouver Island Rugby Union; Tom Woods, John de Goede and Barry Robbins all at JBAA; John James of Cowichan RFC; Mark Bryant of BC Rugby News.
And so, yesterday, at the Songhees Wellness Center in Esquimalt, Chief Ron Sam graciously welcomed the Phil Mack Trophy to its permanent home. Phil Mack, newly married, offered a few strong words to those gathered round. The Eagle will stand in the Wellness Center from this time forth – offering a powerful message of opportunity that may be possible through rugby to young First Nations boys and girls passing through.
Because we are “sportsmen”, we describe this Eagle as a “Trophy” - to be awarded each year to an outstanding First Nations rugby athlete.
More broadly - from its origin in Nuu-chah-nulth soil – transformed by expert carver’s hands – now celebrating Phil’s accomplishments on and off the field – this Eagle better seems a Traditional Cultural Property – shared by its creators; by Nuu-chah-nulth, Songhees, Esquimalt, and other First Nations peoples who may draw hope and inspiration – and by the rest of us who love our rugby game.