Archive for the ‘sports’ Category

The student rugby team took home another win with a 43-26 victory over the Old Boys alumni team March 3, 2012 during the annual Rugby Alumni weekend on campus.

Dozens of spectators gathered along the sidelines on the rugby pitch to enjoy a competitive match and a chance to catch up with friends under the warmth of the Arizona sun.

Although the Old Boys tied the game at 26 after the first 40 minutes, the students’ stamina and frequent practice helped them push ahead in the final 20 minutes, said Thunderbird Alumni Rugby Association leader Chuck Hamilton ’91.

“I thought we were just going to have some fun, but those guys are serious,” said Craig Hammond ’12, student rugby club president.

Despite the fierce competition on the pitch, the student and alumni rugby teams still found time to enjoy their close-knit friendship with social activities, such as a mixer at the pub and a banquet.

Student Rugby player Morgan Siegal ’12 said that the students are honored to host “those who have come before us.”

“The best part is always the camaraderie with old and new friends  you haven’t seen in a year,” Hamilton said. “Our goal for next year is to triple the alumni turnout and continue to demonstrate to the student team what it means to be an Old Boy and how the fun continues even after graduation.”  

Hamilton said that rugby is valuable to the alumni network because after each class graduates, its rugby players join the Old Boys “invigorating the Thunderbird Alumni Rugby Association with new blood.”

Also, the sport gives the alumni a reason to return to campus each year and “visit our old stomping grounds and remind each other how great we used to be,” Hamilton said with a chuckle.

He added more seriously, “It also doesn’t hurt that the networking has paid off for many of our members through internships and jobs.”

During Rugby Alumni Weekend, the Old Boys hold a special mixer for students to meet with alumni and share résumés.

The next trip for the Old Boys will be Croatia-Montenegro in summer 2013. Last year, the group traveled to Iceland to compete and a number of students joined them on the trip.

Future plans for the student team include a fundraising effort to play at the MBA Rugby World Cup hosted by Duke University.

To get involved with the Thunderbird Rugby Alumni Association, e-mail Chuck Hamilton ’91 at chuck.notlimah@gmail.com View more rugby photos here

The student and alumni rugby teams will once again face off on the Thunderbird rugby pitch March 1-3 for the 29^th annual Rugby Alumni Weekend.

In last year’s match, the alumni team “Old Boys” fell short 29-8, but had a good time playing and even traveled to Iceland the same year to compete.

“The great thing about Rugby Alumni Weekend is the gathering of rugby alumni from the 1970s through 2012 getting together to swap lies about how great we were when we played at Thunderbird,” said Thunderbird Alumni Rugby Association leader Chuck Hamilton ’91. “When 80 or more Old Boys show up, you might have to bring your hip waders.”

The weekend’s activities include golf outings, a night at the pub, a baseball game, skeet shooting, a social with the alumni and student rugby players, a rugby banquet – and, of course, the annual match.

Leader of the student rugby team Morgan Siegal said he is looking forward to seeing the alumni back on campus. Siegal helped his team reach a victory against the Old Boys last year and believes the team will come out strong this year – especially with players Clay Adair and Elliot Rossbach.

“Since I’ve started at Thunderbird, I’ve made some powerful connections with a lot of the rugby alumni guys,” Siegal said. “Naturally, I’m looking forward to seeing my friends and introducing current members to our alumni to impress upon them the importance of this tradition and relationship.”

Hamilton said that rugby tours always bring the team closer together, despite the fact that there are more than three decades of alumni. Following Rugby Alumni Weekend, the team will prepare for a Croatia-Montenegro tour in 2013.

For more information on Rugby Alumni Weekend, contact Chuck Hamilton ‘91 at chuck.notlimah@gmail.com

About 20 T-birds and their families and friends enjoyed six days of breathtaking landscapes, delicious seafood and a challenging rugby game during the Mjöður Old Boys Rugby Tour of Iceland.

Although the Old Boys lost 45-27 to the Reykjavik Raiders, they were only down 17-24 at the half and played a good game overall.

“Considering we only play together once a year, we did play well,” said Chuck Hamilton ‘91, president of the Thunderbird Alumni Rugby Association (TARA).

The trip was a mix of planned activities, such as a trip to Blue Lagoon Hot Springs Resort and the Golden Circle Tour, as well as free time and socializing. T-birds even met local alumni Magnús Bjarnason ‘92 and Hafsteinn Þór Einarsson ‘96 at the reception party. The group also enjoyed more than 20 hours of daylight every day in a country that Hamilton said is filled with hospitality and small town warmth.

Thunderbird student and rugby player Morgan Siegal ‘12 attended the trip and was impressed with the strength of Thunderbird’s rugby alumni network. “The inclusion I felt was remarkable,” Siegal said. “I was honored to be invited.”

Siegal said that before this trip, he had wanted to build a relationship with alumni, but found it challenging to begin getting to know them. Rugby gave him the opportunity.

“Participating in rugby at Thunderbird is not something you only do while you are at the school; It’s part of your identity going forward,” Siegal said.

Next up for TARA will be another trip with a new competitor, possibly in Croatia.

“We lost this time, yet nothing builds friendship like making your hosts look good,” Siegel said. “The Icelanders were exceptional hosts and many lasting friendships were built with them.”

To get involved with future trips and games or to receive the Rugby Alumni e-newsletter, contact Hamilton at chuck.notlimah@gmail.com. Hamilton also would like to thank association sponsors Playstation 3 and Suntron Corp. as well as an anonymous rugby alumni donor who generously covered the costs of three students to play on the tour.

More than 20 Thunderbird Alumni Rugby Association (TARA) players along with their friends and families will arrive in Iceland on July 1, 2011 for the Mjöður Old Boys Rugby Tour

On July 3, 2011, the Old Boys will take on the Reykjavik Raiders in a Rugby match at the Valdur Sports Club.

After the competition is over – and hopefully our Old Boys win! – the T-bird group will take a trip to Blue Lagoon Hot Springs Resort and to the Golden Circle. They will also enjoy general sightseeing, good company and 20 hours of daylight.

So far, 35 have joined the trip. There is still room for spectators. Contact Arturo at Tours Gone Wild, tgwtravel@gmail.com, for travel details.

For inquiries regarding this event or to be included on the Rugby Alumni e-newsletter, please contact Chuck Hamilton ‘91, President, Thunderbird Alumni Rugby Association at chuck.notlimah@gmail.com

Greetings fellow Tbird Alumni!

At the 19th Annual ‘Day at the Races’ we’ll be celebrating World Trade Week and the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby, our designated group race, and live races throughout the afternoon. Joining us this year are Women in International Trade- LA, the Foreign Trade Association, the German American Business Association, and the Institute of Management Consultants (SoCal).

For 14 years Tbird alumni – representing all decades (50s through present day) – have come from throughout California, Arizona, New York, and even in transit from the East Coast to Asia – to join us at the Races. In 2005 Dr. Cabrera and his family joined us.

The afternoon includes a delicious gourmet lunch on the Finish Line Café, a private area with a perfect view of finish line. Between races everyone will have ample opportunity to network with one another. Join us for lunch and several races, or spend the entire afternoon. As always, there’s opportunity to participate in the ever popular ‘Lost Ticket Raffle.’

Tickets must be mailed in advance of the event. We have 50 tickets, available on a first come basis. Confirm your participation, purchase your tickets early. You can register at http://www.wit-la.org/Day at the Races (note Thunderbird & year as group).

I look forward to seeing you at the Races on Saturday, May 7th!

Elizabeth Glynn ‘ 84
2011 Coordinator, 19th Annual ‘Day at the Races’
Tel: 310.890.2108 I elizmglynn@global.t-bird.edu

By Ashish Namjoshi ‘10

A few years back, if anyone would have made a statement that cricket would be ruling the roost on a campus in Glendale, Arizona, it would have probably just been dismissed as a canard, but in an environment that constantly encourages inclusiveness and unity, nothing is impossible to integrate into the global community.

With all the cultural integration happening in a close-knit community, sport could not be left too far behind for too long. Thanks to the passion of a few committed individuals and the backing of the Thunderbird community, I got the opportunity to be a part of the first cricket team from Thunderbird to participate in the American College Cricket Tournament in Fort Lauderdale Florida in Spring 2010.

A sport that is truly global in nature had to slowly make its way up the popularity ladder in the Thunderbird community. Much of it could just be attributed to the lack of awareness, given the diverse group of people on campus. Once the awareness was created, that spark was enough to light up the fire of cricket on the Thunderbird campus. Rugby fields turned into cricket pitches and an aspiring and enthusiastic bunch led by a motivated captain suddenly was on the brink of something big on a national level. Suddenly the talk of the town shifted from goals or points to runs and wickets. Knowledge is power. The more information we shared about the game, the more support we got.

Its been a year since we (Spring 2010 team) experienced cricket’s 1.0 at Thunderbird. It’s now time for cricket 2.0. With a strong base established last year, the preparation and promotion this year has been nothing short of spectacular. Social media has had a catalyzing and galvanizing effect to the cricket movement on the Thunderbird campus and the cricket-o-mania that has spread in no time. While a few of us from the Spring 2010 cricket team might be on a hiatus from actually playing the sport with the same regularity, it would be a real travesty of justice to believe by any stretch of imagination that the interest and passion has dwindled by any means.

As a member of the spring 2010 team, I would like to sign off by wishing the current team the best for this year’s tournament. We all sincerely wish and hope that Cricket 2.0 builds on the foundation Cricket 1.0 laid for them and more importantly, keeps the sport alive and well on campus!

Connect with the Thunderbird Cricket Team on Facebook.

(photo: members of the 2010 cricket team at the American Southwest Cricket Championship.)