Lake Front 7's Rugby - Kirkwood High School - Milwaukee, WI

Veteran's Park - Site of Lake Front 7's Rugby - Milwaukee, WI

This weekends travels were subject to the debut of the Kirkwood High School Rugby 7's Team... debuting at a glorious and excellently run tournament taking place on the waterfront of Milwaukee, WI. I have never been to Milwaukee - though it was extraordinary weather in the middle of summer - but from what I saw, of downtown, the lakefront, third ward and suburbs, it is a very nice city.

A bit of background: Although the history goes back further - after all I am an alumni of the team - the KWRFC is two years old, and this was our first ever 7's tournament. We were scrambling to put a team together and in the end we fielded nine athletes - two of whom have never even practiced 7's before - and made the trip and took the field.

I have played in a number of 7's tournaments. And as was my first experience - and I am sure was apart of our athletes or even if a veteran of 15's Rugby - you just cannot truly describe... explain what it is like to play 7's, especially a 7's tournament on the scale of the Lake Front 7's - the atmosphere is/was just so much different, something all it's own. Downtown on the waterfront; A summer concert providing live music across a bay; 85 teams + family, friends and fans - I ran into two fellow ruggers from my GT days just by chance - A number of women's teams (and these girls are not the usual keep at arm's length fare. 7's draws the athletes, the physically fit, and there were some fit ones shaking their hips about). A test match is a test match. However, this tournament, can only be described as a Rugby Driven Rock n' Roll Sexually Charged Stomp... and nothing less.

And There Were Nine

We came. We gained valuable experience. We had fun. A great 36hr 800mi Rugby road trip with a detour into Chicago for a walk about and dinner. Rugby is the best way to travel. Or at least it gives you the best stories.