Photo credit: Jaime Alfaro

Coaches' Corner

Mark Kohler, U12 Assistant Coach

Coach Mark, new to the Eastside Lions this year, was born in London and raised in Ireland. He played rugby in school but first and foremost, has always been a big fan of the sport. His son (Lions' U12, Ryan) caught the rugby bug at an early age, enabling Mark to continue his involvement.

Coach Mark believes that committing to any team sport will give back than you contribute. For those who've chosen the rugby path, you get to be part of a global culture that includes respect, enjoyment, discipline, and lifelong friendships. He's personally experienced those values throughout his time in Ireland, England, and California.

And the Kohler family has been thrilled with the Eastside Lions' inclusiveness. Coach Mark further shared, "Ryan and I were blown away by the standard of coaching and the warm welcome we got when we pitched up at the Lions. We knew instantly it was the club for us."

Coach Mark maintains a big vision for our club's future, "...a time in which we have our own flood-light pitches with a clubhouse (complete with changing rooms, a gym, and a well-stocked terrace bar to watch the games.)"

Excellent idea, indeed.

Varsity recap, April 29

Eastside Lions Roar to Victory, Setting the Stage for a State Championship Rematch

by Jonny Chambers (father to Eastside Lions varsity players Lewis and Joseph)

In a spectacular display of rugby, the Eastside Lions squared off against Chuckanut Bay Varsity on April 29th, 2023, at Washington's crown jewel of grass field rugby, the Polo Grounds. The sun shone brightly as a gentle breeze blew, providing a picturesque setting for the intense showdown.

Luke Leddy, a sought-after Cal Berkeley recruit, made a triumphant return to the second row, bolstering the Lions after missing the season's initial matches. As the game kicked off, both teams showcased their prowess and tactical acumen, probing each other's defenses with structured forward and back play.

Known for their formidable style, Chuckanut Bay was met with fierce resistance from Eastside. The scoring opened with a powerful play from Eastside No. 8, Peleki Vuatalevu, who broke through Chuckanut's defenses from a scrum on their 5-meter line. The try went unconverted, but Eastside soon increased their lead to 12-0 after No. 15, Parker Jackson, touched down in the corner, followed by a brilliant sideline conversion from Kieran O'Meara.

Unfazed, Chuckanut Bay fought back with strong territorial kicks and capitalized on Eastside's lineout struggles, scoring a converted try. However, Eastside regained control and ended the first half with a 19-7 lead after prop Kolani Masunu powered through for another try.

The second half began with both teams showing signs of fatigue in the afternoon heat, leading to a scrappy start. Eastside's Tristan Lolohea was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes as frustrations boiled over. After substitutions on both sides, the teams regained their composure and resumed their battle.

Eastside continued their dominance with No. 8, Joseph Chambers, scoring a try following a clean catch and lineout drive by Leddy. The final try of the match was a testament to Eastside's teamwork, with a swift break down the right wing by No. 15, Parker Jackson, and swift passes leading to prop Etuate Tuifua's score, which was converted by O'Meara.

The final whistle blew, and Eastside Lions emerged victorious with a 29-7 win, thrilling the entertained crowd. With this victory, the stage is set for a rematch between the Eastside Lions and Chuckanut Bay in the Washington State Championship playoffs next week, on May 6th. The playoffs will also see the Rainier Highlanders taking on the Liberty Rugby Club, and the Budd Bay Barbarians facing off against the Seattle Vikings. The upcoming games promise to deliver high-octane rugby action as the teams vie for the coveted state championship title.

Photo credit: Loren Barton

Notable news

Corporate matching for the Eastside Lions Youth Rugby Club: Don’t forget!

A very easy way for our families and caregivers to raise money for the club is through corporate giving programs. Some organizations match time with a monetary donation while others match financial donations. The Eastside Lions is a registered 501 (c) - (3) and therefore is eligible for these corporate giving programs. Please reach out to our club treasurer, Debbie Chambers, on treasurer@eastsidelionsrugby.com with questions. We’re so grateful for your support in this simple yet extremely impactful effort.

Lions Merch – are you ready to represent at upcoming Lions events?

With several key Lions activities happening over the coming weeks, are you fully stocked with your Lions gear? We have a variety of items still available including Lions' branded t-shirts, hoodies, duffle bags, umbrellas, and baseball caps. Emma Ingram (U14) will be on site with merch inventory at the May 6 matches. You can also reach out to Emma via email to organize your purchase outside of the match days ekingram@hotmail.com.  

Final Seattle Seawolves Run with the Pack

June 11 is also the final Seawolves Run with the Pack event. Run with the Pack is a fantastic opportunity for our younger ruggers in 1^st through 8^th grades, who get to play with Seawolves athletes on the Starfire pitch, learn some new skills and even participate in a meet-and-greet with Seawolves. Participants are given a commemorative t-shirt. To sign up for the final Run with the Pack for this season, please visit this link.

Ellensburg tour, U12 and U14, June 3rd

We're excited for the upcoming tournament hosted by Ellensburg Youth Rugby the first week of June. Lions U12 and U14s will play against teams from Ellensburg, Spokane, Seattle, and a club traveling from Hawaii. Check your U12 or U14 TeamSnap Team Chat for further details. We’re confident this will be a fun experience for our U12 players and families. And don’t forget to RSVP for the group dinner on Friday, June 2, in Ellensburg.  

Eastside Lions at the 2023 Redmond Derby Days

Calling Lions families across all age groups: Please reserve Saturday, July 15, to participate in the Redmond Derby Days 2023 parade. Just as we did last fall with Issaquah Salmon Days, we’re aiming to have strong representation from all age groups participate in the July event. Further details will be shared with the club after we lock on the day’s plans. Stay tuned for more information. 

2023 Island Bowl

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Lions families should consider attending the 2023 Island Bowl taking place on Saturday, May 27, at Saghalie Middle School in Federal Way. The event is open to U8-U14 teams, and a high school match will also be played (details will be shared via TeamSnap in the coming days). It's a fun event to connect with rugby families from several of the local clubs, enjoy homemade food, and of course, rugby. You can learn more about this great event in a recent feature in The Federal Way Mirror.

Enjoying these great pro shots of our younger ruggers

U12 mom, Jaime Alfaro, is a professional photographer who is kindly sharing her talents with the club. Each week, Jaime captures our younger athletes in full action on the pitch. Jaime provided us with a link to these amazing photos should you wish to view and have prints made. Check it out! 

U12s getting the job done

Photo credit: Jaime Alfaro

Photo credits: Loren Barton