FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 28, 2011
Media Contact: Diana Anderson 303.475.0038

Glendale Raptors 24
Denver Barbarians 27

Glendale, CO., Feb. 26 -- Trailing 17 to 8 at halftime, the Glendale Raptors rallied for a go-ahead score with less than five minutes remaining only to squander a 19-17 lead with two minutes remaining and fell to the Denver Barbarians in the season's spring opener at Infinity Park here today.

The League leading Raptors absorbed their first loss after going undefeated throughout the fall season, including a win over the Barbos.

Playing on artificial turf at Infinity Park's South Sports Field, backline pressure by the Barbarians came up as hard and fast as the wind to create turnovers. The Barbarians munched yardage and clock as if they were Tostitos and guacamole during the first period, giving up only one try to the Raptors. The home team's two-point conversion kick that would have tied the game at one point during the period went astray with a puff of wind.

After scoring a try midway in the second half, the Raptors again missed the conversion kick to put them in the lead. After taking the lead on a three-point kick to start the game, there was less than five minutes remaining when the home team finally regained the lead. But the windy slugfest -- that saw both teams struggle with ball handling -- ended with the ball grounded in the Raptor's in-goal area by the Barbarians as time ran out.

The Division I men's next home match is an evening contest against Boulder at Infinity Park Stadium April 2, starting at 6 p.m. The Lady Raptors host the women of Beantown (Boston's rugby club) for their spring opener two hours earlier at 4 p.m.

For information about the 2011 Raptors rugby season visit www.glendalerugby.com/raptor-schedule.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 23, 2011
Media Contact: Diana Anderson 303.475.0038

Glendale, CO – Raptors Rugby begins the spring season with an upbeat approach after going undefeated during the fall campaign. Last season's core group of players are bolstered by the return of key Raptors from previous seasons, and the team has been hard at work conditioning under the watchful eye of Strength and Conditioning Coach Nico Rithner.

Returning this season are prop Ken Ishmael, locks Casey Rock and Joe Munson, utility back Ata Malifa and flyhalf Nesse Malifa. Newcomers include centers Paul Emerick and Simon Dogbe, flankers Spencer Scott and Shae Tamati, hooker Chris Baumann, scrum half Greg Tarpey and fullback Michael Hurley. Casey Rock, Ata and Nesse Malifa, Paul Emrick and Chris Bowmann represented the USA Eagles National Team, while Shae Tamati represented the New Zealand U20 All Blacks.

The Raptors face a challenging league and non-league schedule, competing twice against the local Super League Denver Barbarians on February 26 and April 30. The Raptors travel to San Francisco on March 5 to face the Olympic Club at Boxer Stadium, and San Diego's Old Mission Beach Athletic Club (OMBAC) travel to Infinity Park on April 23.

In May, at the conclusion of the Western Rugby Union league schedule, the Raptors will play in the USA West Region playoffs to determine qualifications for the USA round of 16 in Chula Vista, CA.

The Raptor D2 team will have two Eastern Rockies Rugby Football Union (ERRFU) league matches in March. To advance to the WRU playoffs the Raptors must win both matches with bonus point wins. If successful they will travel to Omaha on May 1 to qualify for the D2 USA round of 16, also being held in Chula Vista, CA. The D2 team will conclude their season on May 31 with a match against touring side GHK Club from Glasgow.

"The successful fall season was a perfect buildup for our demanding spring schedule," said Head Coach Mark Bullock. "We expect quality opposition this spring and hope to build on our fall results as we push to enter the playoffs."

For information about the 2011-2012 Raptors rugby season visit www.glendalerugby.com.

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For Immediate Release
Media Contact:  Diana Anderson, 303.475.0038 (cell)

Big Brothers Big Sisters Play Rugby at Infinity Park
Denver’s 7 Community Event for February

Glendale, CO - The Glendale Raptors will bring the community to Infinity Parkon Saturday, February 19th as they spend a day playing rugby with kids from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado(BBBS).  The BBBS organization provides at-risk youth in Colorado with volunteer mentoring programs including the Sports Buddies Programin which ‘Bigs’ (adult mentors) and ‘Littles’ (youth participants) participate in staff supervised and organized sports activities.

According to Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Sports Buddies Programmanager Anne Thul, Infinity Parkhas been a big supporter of the program for almost three years.  “They provide game tickets and often invite the kids to be a part of the competition or half time celebration – whatever that is for the day.”  She says that when the youngsters get to meet the players in the Fan Zone after the game it’s a real treat. “The kids like watching the rugby games, and the Raptors players are so nice – they sometimes visit with us after the games.”

Saturday the Sports Buddies kidswill have an opportunity to do more than watch a Raptors game.  The participants have been invited to Infinity Park and this time they get to play.  Glendale’s Youth Rugby Director Jenna Anderson and Glendale Raptor Men’s Head Coach Mark Bullock along with players from the Raptor’s teams will spend the day teaching the basics of rugby to the kids from Sports Buddie

Coach Jenna has brought Raptors volunteers to Denver community schools to introduce rugby to youngsters during Physical Education class for the past three years.  The USA Rookie Rugby Program has been the model for those sessions and the same approach will be used at Infinity Parkwith the participants from Sports Buddies. 

Anderson says, “It’s a good way to expose kids to the game of rugby and the focus is fun.  We give a quick overview about rugby’s history, a few demonstrations and a chance to handle the ball with some fun skills and games.”

Infinity Parkand their media sponsors, Denver’s 7, are spotlighting a volunteer project each month throughout 2011 as the Denver’s 7 Community Event of the Month.  Channel 7’s Director of Creative Services Robin Hoffman is pleased with the organization the Raptors have chosen this month. “Denver’s 7 has been proud to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado over the years in its efforts to help youth in our area.  Being active is a key part of our station’s Staying Healthy campaign. So we’re thrilled to see these kids be able to learn about and play Rugby at Infinity Park with the Raptors”.

The volunteers for Denver’s 7 Community Event of the Month are players and staff from the Glendale Raptors rugby teams who are doing their part in the community working with some of Colorado’s most dedicated not for profit organizations.

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For Immediate Release:  January 26, 2010
Media Contact: Diana Anderson 303.475.0038 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Glendale, CO:  The Glendale Raptor Women aim to play a big part in supporting the sport of rugby with their inaugural Collegiate and New Player Clinic on Saturday January 29th at Infinity Park.
Raptor Women’s Head Coach Lisa Rosen will be leading the clinic, which has drawn 100 participants including 96 players and four university coaches.  Lisa is no stranger to game development in the rugby community.  She is a USA Rugby Coach Development Course Leader, Advanced Coaching Course Graduate, and IRB Level III Coach & Coach Educator.

Rosen took the reigns of the Glendale Raptor Women’s team in Fall 2010 and she sees her position in Glendale as a tremendous opportunity.  “We have such great resources and great support at Glendale that we feel like it’s our responsibility to reach out to the community and help develop the sport.”  She continues, “If we’re only playing for ourselves, it’s not really making the best use of what we have to offer.”

The Raptors are specifically targeting the collegiate women’s community with this clinic, but they are also doing some sessions for players who are brand new to rugby.   There are over a dozen women signed up who have never touched a rugby ball in their lives.  Add to that a handful of advanced high school players who are honing skills to prepare them for collegiate play, and the training planned for this clinic covers a big slice of the women’s rugby community.

Lisa Rosen is pleased with the response to this first clinic. “I’ve done clinics like this in a lot of areas of the country and this is at the top end.” She explains, “Generally when attendance numbers do get this high, its in an area with a much higher concentration of players than we have here in Colorado; so this is a phenomenal turn-out.”

Coach Rosen be assisted by the entire coaching staff of Glendale’s Raptor Womenand she has also enlisted help from two guest coaches who have recently relocated from the East Coast, Tracy Gola and Ginger Stringer. “We want to get as many people as possible involved to give us a real low player/coach ratio.  With 90 plus participants, we need to have as many helping hands as we can.”

Coaches from several Colorado universities including Colorado School of Mines, CU Boulder, and UNC have signed up to participate in the clinic.
Rosen sees the coaches as an especially welcome addition to the Clinic.  “We’re looking to take advantage of the knowledge that these coaches have as well as seeing how we can help to enrich their programs.”

The City of Glendale, (also known as RugbyTown USA) built Infinity Park, the first municipally owned rugby stadium in the country, as a means of developing community in the little town they govern.  The venue has drawn talent from all levels to the Glendale Raptors Rugby Program.

Lisa Rosen sees the Women Raptors Collegiate & New Player Rugby Clinic as an opportunity for the Glendale Raptors and Infinity Park to walk the talk of the rugby community.  “There’s always so much talk in the rugby community about all the things that need to be done.  Thanks to the City of Glendale, we’re actually able to go out and do them.”