Velox is celebrating its 50 anniversary this Sept, here is a blast from the past…..

Velox, Season One, Victoria Rugby Union-1969 by Stephen Hume

Velox played its first official league game in the Victoria Rugby Union on September 28, 1969, against James Bay Athletic Association at Macdonald Park and won 14-3. I confirmed that with a look-up in Victoria Daily Colonist which said Velox was new to the VRU.

The club actually formed in the winter of 1968 when a bunch of the JBAA juniors staged a revolution and asked Gordie Hemmingway to coach. But I wasn’t there for that part.  (The details of that story can be found at this link as recalled by his father Jim Hume: http://westshorerfc.com/index.php/history-2/history-of-velox-101-by-first-club-president-and-founding-member-jim-hume/ )

In October, 1969, Velox beat Castaways 53-6 in a friendly. It was a harbinger of what came with Gordie Hemmingway’s wide open “attack from everywhere” style of play because in the first half of the season, in the age of the three point try, the club had scored an astonishing 143 points and led the league in scoring by far.

In November Velox moved into second place with a 37-6 win over Cowichan, John Howe had four tries, Tommy Carson had three, Bob Hissink had two, Rick Hughes got one and kicked a convert and Lorne Bunyan kicked a penalty.

In December, Velox beat UVic. Darryl Noulette and Bob Hissink had two tries each. Mark Hume, Steve Hume, Paul Burgoyne and Rick Hughes each got a try. Lorne kicked three converts.

The following week Velox lost 6-5 to Nanaimo but then dumped Oak Bay Wanderers 25-15 just before the Christmas break.

In January, Velox travelled to Seattle and knocked off Seattle Rugby Club 19-5. Bob Hissink scored three tries, one of them an 85-yarder.

March 1 Velox defeated JBAA again 24-6. Doug Hannah, Jack Clarkson, Mark Hume and Paul Burgoyne scored tries. Lorne Bunyan kicked two penalty goals and three converts.

March 15 Velox played UVic at Centennial Stadium in the Island semi-final and advanced to the final with a 23-16 win. Lorne Bunyan kicked for penalties. Bob Hissink had two tries and Paul Burgoyne got one.

In the Island final, Velox played JBAA yet again at Macdonald Park for the Times Cup and won 14-9. With Mark Hume (Stephens brother) scoring the winning try minutes before the final whistle to defeat James Bay.

The following week Velox lost 6-3 to Renfrew Trojans in the B.C. Championship on a long penalty kick from the touch line with 10 minutes to go. Lorne Bunyan almost saved the day with 40-yard kick from the touch line with three minutes left but shaved the post wide.

Stephen Hume

BR L-R: Jim Hume, Wally Laughton, John Howe, Mark Hume, Doug Hannan, Steve Hume, Ralph Delisle, Bruce Johns, Bob Hissink, Tom Carson, Ian Hughes, Leon Dalman, Gord Hemmingway (Coach)

FR L-R: Rick Childerhose, Al Perry, Ian Lendrum, Paul Burgoyne, Brian Butters, Lorne Bunyan, Rick Hughes, Daryl Noulette, Blaze McDonald, Dan Coleman

Westshore RFC would like to congratulate junior girls player Phoenix Skailes on being selected for the U15 BC Provincial team for the upcoming Canadian Rugby Championships. Phoenix spent the beginning and most of her life raised in Dawson City in the Yukon until age 10, when she moved with her family to Victoria.  Her father Jimmy has been playing the sport of rugby for many years, and is currently a member of the Ebb Tide RFC.  This prompted her to want to follow in her fathers foot steps and take up the sport.  She started with the Westshore RFC Family by joining the junior girls program for the U14 team at age 12.  She continued to play rugby at Spencer High School, coached under long time Westshore Valkyrie senior women’s player Brittany Sims.  For the past 2 years Phoenix has made Junior Crimson Tide for the U14 all star team.  Now at age 14, she has made the BC U15 provincial team for the first time being held in Kelowna, BC from 26-29 July.  Her father stated “I am super proud of Phoenix.  Watching my daughter set her goals for a passion and achieve them, she works very hard due to her own drive to succeed.  We are honoured to be part of the Westshore family!!!”  Everyone at Westshore RFC family wishes Phoenix luck at the CRC’s in upcoming weeks.

Westshore RFC was well represented on Men’s Crimson Tide this year. Congratulations on Players selected: Taylor McGuire, Foster Dewitt, Jason Gagnier, Ryan Waldriff and Aaron Frisby as Coach. Tide unfortunately lost to Vancouver Wave 52-32 final score.

Excerpt from BCRU: http://www.bcrugby.com/news_detail/10039258/?tag_id

Abbotsford, BC – May 5, 2018:  Under a blistering sun and cloudless skies, hundreds of rugby players and fans descend on Abbotsford’s Exhibition Park for the 2018 BC Rugby Club Finals. A total of nine Senior Division titles were decided in an action-packed 8hrs, with teams from 11 clubs from Island to Interior battling it out on the fields.  The culmination of a long season of competition, for some teams in excess of 20 matches in the making, the victories were celebrated with jubilant screams that hinted at just how much these titles mean to both players and clubs. The Men’s Division 3 was won by Westshore RFC in a highly charged match against Capilano RFC.  The match was well supported by passionate fans on both sidelines and they were not short of entertainment in the 33-22 match.

This marks back to back 3rd Division titles for Westshore Men’s team, both were under Coaching staff of Aaron Frisby and Dale Grimston.

Excerpt from BCRU: http://www.bcrugby.com/news_detail/10039258/?tag_id

Abbotsford, BC – May 5, 2018:  Under a blistering sun and cloudless skies, hundreds of rugby players and fans descend on Abbotsford’s Exhibition Park for the 2018 BC Rugby Club Finals. A total of nine Senior Division titles were decided in an action-packed 8hrs, with teams from 11 clubs from Island to Interior battling it out on the fields.  The culmination of a long season of competition, for some teams in excess of 20 matches in the making, the victories were celebrated with jubilant screams that hinted at just how much these titles mean to both players and clubs.

The final of the Women’s Premier League, was a very exciting encounter between defending champions Westshore RFC and Burnaby Lake RFC.  The gathered crowds were well entertained as they watched some of the best female rugby players in the Province.  When the final whistle blew, it was Westshore who were victorious, defending their title and cementing themselves as the current benchmark for women’s rugby in BC.  Westshore RFC and Canadian Women’s National Team player Paige Farries was full of praise for her opponents, saying “they came out flying and it took us a while to adapt, it was a real grinder.  Every time we play them it’s different, they adapt so well”.  Reflecting on what the win meant, Farries responded “To defend this title is massive for this club.  At Westshore, we’re trying to build a really high-level women’s environment and this goes a great way to further that.  This match really felt like a phenomenal advert for Women’s Rugby.” 

This marks back to back Premier provincial titles for the Westshore Valkyries, both where Shannon Houston and Barbara Mervin were at the helm.