UCLA WRAA
Quarterly
What’s Inside? Introducing 2014-15 EC! Meet A Rugger: Mary Morris Chevalley Annual Alumnae Game Update Featured Article: Laura West Rugger Halloween USA V.S. The All Blacks Crouch! Touch! Pause! Engaged!
Oct 2014 Volume 6
UCLA WRAA
Quarterly
Oct 2014 Volume 6
Welcome to the 10th collegiate season for UCLA Women’s Rugby! Now let’s meet this year’s Executive Council!
President: Andrea Umali EVP: Aridai Martinez IVP: Emily Hipp Treasurer: Meghna Viswanadha Publicity chair: Brenda Herrera Alumni chair: Katy Jones Webmaster: Wen Toh Travel chair: Yareli Meza Social chair: Sheree Collins
UCLA WRAA
Quarterly
Oct 2014 Volume 6
Meet A Rugger: Mary Morris Chevalley “ I transferred from UCSD to UCLA in 1976 and so played two seasons, 1976 and 1977. I started at fly-half, moved out to center and finished my 'career' at wing. I got married to a Swiss citizen in 1983 and moved permanently to Switzerland. We had three beautiful sons, Christopher, Gregory and Steven, who are all now adults. I am no longer married but have decided to stay in Switzerland. I have been working in the Swiss public school system for 20 years, teaching English as a foreign language to highschool- aged students. And I hope to retire in 3 or 4 years. My best memories playing rugby were the great parties we had after the games but my all-time best memory is UCLA hosting the University All-Blacks from New Zealand, especially one particular fly-half! All my best to all my former team mates �
Mary is playing scrumhalf for UCSD (on the left) in this photo. I'm playing hooker for UCLA on the right. The UCLA scrumhalf is Dana Broadbooks. The loose head prop is Gail Kreutzman (sp) and the tight head prop is Maggie Romero
UCLA WRAA
Quarterly
Alumnae Game Update--- we are sorry but we have NO updates on field space yet. One of the Santa Monica men's team players is helping us and have put in two bids for field space and as soon as we know we will tell you! We know this change/delay severely puts a wrench in people's travel plans and we are deeply sorry. the difficulty is we can't set a date until the college students got to school and figured out their game schedule and held a practice and find out when they have finals. All that happened, finally, only a few weeks ago. If you have any questions or concerns please let us know. Again we are truly sorry for the delay in a set date, time and location for the game. For now please enjoy this funny picture of Katy Jones the alumni chair of the college team
Oct 2014 Volume 6
UCLA WRAA
Quarterly
Oct 2014 Volume 6
Laura West
In 1999, I was new to Los Angeles, and had three years of rugby experience at a Division III school under my belt. I looked up “rugby” in the phone book, and got in touch with the coach of the Santa Monica men’s club. He was kind enough to refer me to Tam Breckenridge at UCLA. I had the pleasure of playing under Tam for three seasons (’99 to ’01), and I also played during the 2003 transition season. UCLA WRC introduced me to a whole new level of athleticism, organization, teamwork, and friendship. During my four seasons, I played a variety of positions, from fullback, wing, and inside/outside center, to flanker and one very, very short stint at prop. I’ll be the first to admit that I had ups and downs in my dedication to off-the-pitch training, and I learned the hard way that my level of enjoyment during game play peaked in the same arc as my level of fitness. It was an important lesson: the more I put into preparation and training, the more gratification and success result on the other side. When a knee injury sidelined me in 2004, I started turning my attention to illustration in my free time. Drawing had always been an interest, but I’d never put much into it beyond sporadically sketching in front of the TV. I started taking classes at night, first at Otis College of Art, then through the Art Center at Night program. For the first time since childhood, I was putting time and energy into art. A dream began to take shape.
UCLA WRAA
Quarterly In 2008, I made a dramatic life change, quitting my corporate job and going back to school full time at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. After three years of equal parts hard work and pure bliss, I graduated with honors and a BFA in 2011. Staring down an economy in recession with an art degree in hand was almost as scary as staring down a charging Berkeley back line. Luckily, I’d done the latter already, so I felt prepared to take on the world. In the years since graduating, I’ve worked for DreamWorks Animation and Walt Disney Imagineering, and most days I can barely believe my good fortune. My friends are quick to remind me that luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity, and the hours spent in training and practice during school have come to fruition now in the outside world. It’s important to me to give credit to rugby as the place where I learned to be brave. When I started playing, I was painfully shy. The pitch was the first place where I heard my own voice rise above a mumble or a whisper, and it was also the place where I learned to move beyond fear into action.
Oct 2014 Volume 6
UCLA Quarterly WRAA How we celebrated...
Rugger Halloween
Oct 2014 Volume 6
UCLA WRAA
Quarterly
USA vs All Blacks
Oct 2014 Volume 6
UCLA WRAA and finally...
Quarterly
Congratulations Diana!
Congratulation to one of the founders of the college team Diana Tran she just got married!!!! Yay
Oct 2014 Volume 6
UCLA WRAA
Quarterly
Oct 2014 Volume 6
Congratulations Dara! Dara Yung will be marrying Micah! Not sure when, but we’re all really excited! And please note that ruggers were well represented at the bachelorette party. We can tell already this wedding is going to be a blast.
UCLA WRAA
Quarterly
Oct 2014 Volume 6
Congratulations Shanny! This past August our very own Shanny Krell (now Shanny Tosounian) got married in what was probably the most perfect and beautiful wedding in the history of ever. Mary Lee and Tia Blythe also made key appearances. Looking well ladies! Yay!
UCLA WRAA
Contact Us Bruin.wraa@gmail.com http://bruinrugbyalumnae.org How To Get Inolved
Pay your dues: They enable us to run everything Participate in fundraisers: Even a little helps. Join the team history committee Media & Marketing: Want to write for the quaarterly? Go to games Share your ideas with us! Reach out to your fellow UCLA Women’s Rugby supporters! Take advantage of social events! would you like to see yourself in the quaterly? are you or another alum up to something? Please contact me with suggestions for features in upcoming editions. Pictures of past, current, and future ruggers welcome! Quarterly Produced by Katie Seibert katieseibert@gmail.com