Difference between revisions of "Okinawa"

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(Okinawa (Kadena) Rugby Football Club)
 
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(Insert Club patch here)  Started in 1974 by Sean Edris, USAF, when the American base in Taiwan (CCK) was decommissioned and mostly moved to Kadena, and along with it, most of the CCK rugby team.  The team was originally named the Lyons, and in one of the first games played, had no ref.  So coach Edris ref'd and played scrumhalf at the same time. As he remembers "I was a fantastic ref, which we all know is the mantra of all scrum halfs, who have always been the unofficial deputy refs anyway"
 
(Insert Club patch here)  Started in 1974 by Sean Edris, USAF, when the American base in Taiwan (CCK) was decommissioned and mostly moved to Kadena, and along with it, most of the CCK rugby team.  The team was originally named the Lyons, and in one of the first games played, had no ref.  So coach Edris ref'd and played scrumhalf at the same time. As he remembers "I was a fantastic ref, which we all know is the mantra of all scrum halfs, who have always been the unofficial deputy refs anyway"
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Okinawa RFU was founded in May or so of 1978 and prior to its foundation, the civilian Japanese teams on the island, i.e., Gurukun and Ryukyu University, refused to play against any of the U.S. teams because they considered that we did not play rugby.  They considered us to be playing American football and calling it rugby.  When Mike Malone, USMC, arrived in August of ’77, he began playing with and helping coach the Wild West Show, occasionally refereeing.  In late 1977, PO2 Ed Hutsell [[http://usarmedforcesrugby.com/index.php?title=1977-1978_Kadena_Stories]]convinced the Fukushima Prefecture championship team with which he had played, to come down to Okinawa to play Gurukun in the football stadium on Kadena Air Base, with Kadena’s CG in attendance.  Kadena played the JASDF team as the opener to Gurukun match, refereed by Mike Malone.  Gurukun saw the match against the JASDF team and saw that there was very little, if any foul play.  Having witnessed the US team play a match relatively free of foul play, Gurukun and Ryukyu University were convinced to begin negotiating in forming the Okinawa RFU, accomplished in late spring of 1978. 
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[[File:Wild_West_Show.jpg| x100px|thumb|left |]]  The team was later renamed the Okinawa Wild West Show with Kadena AB continuing as the center of its activity.  In 1983 a team was created on Kadena proper ("Falcons") [[http://usarmedforcesrugby.com/index.php?title=Kadena]], but the Wild West Team carried on.  At some point prior to 1993, the Wild West team changed names to the "Hellcats"
 
[[File:Wild_West_Show.jpg| x100px|thumb|left |]]  The team was later renamed the Okinawa Wild West Show with Kadena AB continuing as the center of its activity.  In 1983 a team was created on Kadena proper ("Falcons") [[http://usarmedforcesrugby.com/index.php?title=Kadena]], but the Wild West Team carried on.  At some point prior to 1993, the Wild West team changed names to the "Hellcats"
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== Men's Seasons ==
 
== Men's Seasons ==

Latest revision as of 00:06, 15 February 2021

Okinawa (Kadena) Rugby Football Club

(Insert Club patch here) Started in 1974 by Sean Edris, USAF, when the American base in Taiwan (CCK) was decommissioned and mostly moved to Kadena, and along with it, most of the CCK rugby team. The team was originally named the Lyons, and in one of the first games played, had no ref. So coach Edris ref'd and played scrumhalf at the same time. As he remembers "I was a fantastic ref, which we all know is the mantra of all scrum halfs, who have always been the unofficial deputy refs anyway"

Okinawa RFU was founded in May or so of 1978 and prior to its foundation, the civilian Japanese teams on the island, i.e., Gurukun and Ryukyu University, refused to play against any of the U.S. teams because they considered that we did not play rugby. They considered us to be playing American football and calling it rugby. When Mike Malone, USMC, arrived in August of ’77, he began playing with and helping coach the Wild West Show, occasionally refereeing. In late 1977, PO2 Ed Hutsell [[1]]convinced the Fukushima Prefecture championship team with which he had played, to come down to Okinawa to play Gurukun in the football stadium on Kadena Air Base, with Kadena’s CG in attendance. Kadena played the JASDF team as the opener to Gurukun match, refereed by Mike Malone. Gurukun saw the match against the JASDF team and saw that there was very little, if any foul play. Having witnessed the US team play a match relatively free of foul play, Gurukun and Ryukyu University were convinced to begin negotiating in forming the Okinawa RFU, accomplished in late spring of 1978.


Wild West Show.jpg

The team was later renamed the Okinawa Wild West Show with Kadena AB continuing as the center of its activity. In 1983 a team was created on Kadena proper ("Falcons") [[2]], but the Wild West Team carried on. At some point prior to 1993, the Wild West team changed names to the "Hellcats"

1970s patch.jpg




Not sure when this patch was popular (do not have a copy with rugby spelt correctly!)




Click on the season below to get to that season's information

Men's Seasons

2017-2018 2016-2017 2015-2016 2014-2015 2013-2014 2012-2013 2011-2012 2010-2011 2009-2010 2008-2009|
2007-2008 2006-2007 2005-2006 2004-2005 2003-2004 2002-2003 2001-2002 2000-2001 1999-2000 1998-1999
1997-1998 1996-1997 1995-1996 1994-1995 1993-1994 1992-1993 1991-1992 1990-1991 1989-1990 1988-1989
1987-1988 1986-1987 1985-1986 1984-1985 1983-1984 1982-1983 1981-1982 1980-1981 1979-1980 1978-1979
1977-1978 1976-1977 1975-1976 1974-1975 1973-1974