Hello Wanderers of the past and present,
With 2015 behind us and many great games, late night shenanigans and training sessions stories to tell. It was a typical Wanderers year with many ups and downs. From team wide votes on a Thursday night practice to touring wins to clench our promotion to the super league. We saw many news faces and many older ones lead them, a generational transition is definitely happening. We have our young leaders like Caleb Jordan, Leonidas Augoustis, Devon Hyver and Nicolas Palfreeman who have been with the club for around 3 years now coming into their own and proving to be some of the best club rugby players in the province, their real test will be this coming year in the show. We saw many old faces like Jonathan Dextras-Romagnino, Matthew Held, Adam Barette and Vin Tin Bi hold teams together all year long; trademarks of great veterans. We saw the resignation of Robert Ahnert as President in 2015, his many years at the helm cannot go unnoticed. I would be hard pressed to find a member of the club that matches his love for this team and his desire for it’s success.
There was rarely a night this summer that I wasn’t thinking of the club this summer. Ideas, problems, people, players, coaches, games – everything would come to me as soon as I was in bed staring at the ceiling. However I was re-assured at the end of every practice, seeing all the boys appear out of the wood work onto our Douglas Field reminded me that just being together, would keep us together. It is with an honor that I cannot explain I was elected to be President of the Montreal Wanderers. As now even as a non-player I can affect and promote the love, upbringing and many lessons I have learned on the Rugby field to other younger players about to step into our family. For this I am ever so thankful to the players, as a wise old Rugby mind told me recently “The club belongs to the players, no one else”.
On that note I have a big announcement to make. Our dear friend and coach Graeme McGravie will be stepping down as coach for the 2016 season and in his replacement will be Andy Richardson. Graeme has helped the club tremendously on and off the field he is a Wanderer through and through and the next time you see him shake his hand and thank him, he deserves that and more. Here are his words to the club at this time –
“I would like to thank all of you for the past great 3 years I have enjoyed with all of you both on and off the field. After 30 years it is always great to see this club improving and trying to go forward. I leave with great memories and many happy blurry thoughts.
Good luck in the your seasons I will be there when I can cheering the best club here, there, and everywhere.”
Spike.
Andy is a respected member of the Quebec Rugby Community. He has coached at the national level and played at a very high level himself (you can ask him over a beer someday). It is with open arms that I and we welcome Andy to the Montreal Wanderers Family. Stay tuned for indoor training dates as we will have 1 session at the Con-U dome per week and 1 session at an gym facility per week in the months of March and April to prepare us for the 2016 Superleague season.
Also take note we are organizing the Awards Banquet for the end of November timeframe this year, so start saving up for your suits now boys. #blackandblue #suitcoloridea
Your proud President,
Matthew Barazin.
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