This Weekend and a Farewell

[Jason Collelo]

Morning all,

Some of you know that last year I left my job teaching and started to plan to return home to Canada.  That plan was put on hold for a number of reasons and delayed month after month.  I was happy that I was able to see the first team get to play in the first division and they performed far better than I expected, so my thanks to all the new guys who came in and made that possible.

On March 2nd I will be leaving Hong Kong.  This season marks the end of my 5th year as Chairman and 8th or 9th with the club.  I would like to thank everyone who has played and been part of the club.  The people I've met have been the best and are the reason I've stayed here for so long.  After teaching in a low income area and seeing some of the worst in parents and people it was always a relief to head to the pitch on a Saturday and see friendly faces (at least on one side of the pitch).  The things that will be most memorable in Hong Kong will be of places and nights after games, Roadside and Suki, Kangaroo Downunder, Brazilian BBQ and beers with hot sauce and oysters, the washroom in the Tent, BBQs at the Filipino Club, Stuart singing at the Indian Club and many un-remembered nights at All Night Long.

The last few years haves seen more changes in the club than that in the history of the club.  Some popular and some not so popular, but hopefully better.  This club is truly unique in Hong Kong, with players spanning the globe over the years (Americans, Canadians, Brits, Scots, Germans, Austrians, Australians, Kiwis, all those Frenchies, Portuguese, Luxenburgers? Luxenburgians? and many others) as well as the local boys who have been here and been the constant when so many others had passed through or on. The goal has always been to have a club where the guys that we saw growing and developing with club could stay with us and continue to develop and hopefully someday representing Hong Kong on the National side as well as having a good social drink once and awhile.

Today, I believe we are closer than ever to that vision coming true.  This season was a good step in that direction and I have confidence that the round of leadership in club will see that through.  Everyone involved with the club this season has been passionate about rugby and great enthusiasm for where this club can go. The next few years promise to be just as exciting as the last few.

This weekend the 2nd team will play Valley in the semi-finals of the Grand Championship at So Kon Po in Causeway Bay at 4:30 PM.  I will be at the game and hope to see some of you there.  I will try and organize drinks after the game for those who can't make the game, details to come (suggestions welcome, Suki's New Bar?)

Again, thank you all especially to those that stepped up in the first year in Div 2.  It was a year that could have gone terribly wrong but your sacrifices and work made it a success.

-- 

Jason Collelo