On October 26, 2008 Brandeis Men’s Rugby ended the Season the way it started it. We hit hard and played hard. We left everything on the field: our sweat, and our blood, but there were no tears.

We weren’t just a bunch of guys who all showed talent but didn’t know how and when to hone it. We were a well oiled machine that compromised and made sacrifices and often-times forgot the self in the interest of the whole. Put simply, we were a team. There was nothing to be sad about in losing our last game of the season against the formidable Holy Cross rugby team. We lost to worthy adversaries and neither side had much left after all was all said and done.

While the official rugby season is over the rugby team’s trials and tribulations are anything but. The spring season is time for scrimmage games and honing skills and making all of the necessary modifications to the aforementioned team machine. This season has only made Brandeis Rugby stronger, and while it is losing many of its leaders, there are bright new possibilities for those who are taking the reigns of Rugby team leadership. On that note I would like to congratulate the new Rugby Team President Stephen Robinson. Stephen, who will be replacing former president Jacob Bockelman, is a sophomore who has continuously showed dedication and fortitude on and off the field. He also does a great job of scaring the crap out of the other team with his intensity. I am sure that the team will be safe in his hands. Replacing Jordan Goodnough as Forwards (big guys) captain is Stanley Chen who often takes the game more seriously than is safe. Of course we would not have it any other way. Among his other notable rugby moments Stan is notorious for having to receive head staples after he and fellow forward Gustavo Pardo teamed up to knock a member of the Holy Cross team momentarily unconscious.

Replacing Gary Berkson as Back (agile guys) captain is Adam Greenblatt. Adam has continuously shown a great knowledge of the game of rugby especially in pertinence to controlling field position. Not only is it usual for one to hear the men’s rugby team chant “Thank You Adam” after one of his great kicks saves us from being scored on, but in the game against Stonehill it was Adam’s penalty kick which tied the game and kept us from a loss. Congrats also go out to the new members of the social committee Sean Lassoff, Harry Shipp, John Homans, Eddie Ebani and myself. And last but certainly not least, a big hurrah for the team’s new Match Secretary Martin Singer whose unusually neat handwriting is often confused for that of on of the girls in his class (sorry Martin I had to).

All in all the rugby year, which is far from over, has done an amazing job of showing individuals as the champions they truly are. Champions, as I understand them, no, as the Men’s Rugby team understands them, are those of us who are willing to put the team before themselves; to give of themselves more than they would ever be willing to invest in any personal gain or achievement. Championship isn’t decided by some gold plated chalice or plaque or medal. These artifacts are only significant as symbols of what they represent. Trophy’s represent one’s undying dedication to a discipline, to a sport, to training, to a team. Teamwork is championship and Brandeis Men’s Rugby is a team of Champions.