Shawnigan Lake School - Yearbook (Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia Canada)

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Ljamed Supplement FIRST RUGBY XV . Back Row: J. Armstrong, R. Yandersluys, I. Robertson, L. Bortles, K. Greenwood, B. Cuppage, C. Kyles. Seated: S. Perry, B. McGavin, R. Cooper, G. Smith, M. Kaye. On Ground: J. Roaf, B. White RUGBY 1955-56— 1st XV Any season in which the 1st XV can play through a stiff schedule without incurring a single injury can be considered a successful one. It must be rare indeed when only seventeen players are called upon during the season to form the 1st XV. Last season (an average one), because of experimentation and injuries, twenty-four played on the 1st XV during the season. Add to this lack of injuries remarkable enthusiasm and physical fitness, a good team spirit and a better-than-fair record and one may safely say that this year ' s school team was a good one. A great deal of the credit must go to Bob Cooper, the Captain and the scrum-half, whose conduct on the field was exemplary and whose play an example for all to follow. He never played a poor game and some of his defensive work was worth going a long way to see. His partner, Cuppage, played very steadily and, were he a little quicker off the mark, he would become a most dangerous attacker. Of the three-quarters, only Vandersluys proved to be a scoring threat; some of his tries were beauties. He is, however, a liability on defence and until his tackling improves his worth is questionable. The rest of the three-quarters were a workmanlike lot without being brilliant. The forwards, led by McGavin, were often in devastating form and in some matches completely dominated their opponents. Outstanding among the pack were Smith and Perry, though the rest were never far behind. Only twice did our pack play below form and in each game we were defeated. Indeed, had there been a litt ' .e more imagination in our play behind the scrum, this Could well have been an unbeaten side. Characters C. KYLES — Full-back. A courageous player, though lacking the co-ordination of a good athlete, he made up for his deficiencies through determination and effort. B. WHITE — Left wing. Handicapped by a slight stature and by a lack of confidence, he has speed and swerve, useful on attack; generally fair on defence he has a good pair of hands but his kicking is weak. R. VANDERSLUYS — Left centre. A player of great natural ability and tremendous potential, he is superb on attack though an individualist; on defence he is atrociously weak and unless he improves his tackling and falling he will always be a liability to the team. Although he is a good kicker, he is inclined to be careless. Page Thirty-One

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While all this was happening a clergyman who had seen the tragedy moved close to the side of the wife of the injured man. Trying to comfort her the parson was surprised to hear the woman give a sigh of relief and to see the look of cheerfulness on her face. What ' s happened ? began the clergyman. Nothing, nothing, smiled the elderly woman. Only I just realized the car ran over his left leg which is ... But before she could finish a loud outburst of cries made the parson raise his head. Goodness, a miracle indeed ! he exclaimed, for before his very eyes the man .he had seen knocked down a moment before was up and walking. Oh no, broke in the woman, it ' s no miracle but only that his left leg is wooden. —A. READ. i? it ft A SUMMER DAY IN PARIS On a hot day I prefer as a rule to soak myself in a cold bath, to sleep as much as possible, and to rouse myself only when the pop and the ice-cream are exhausted. There is, however, one day that I remember as an exception to this rule. Certainly the day was hot, the air humid, and the atmosphere sticky and close. Yet the extent to which the heat bothered me was negligible. This would have been extraordinary but for one reason. On that day I arrived in Paris for the first time in my life. After a long train ride we glided slowly into the Paris Nord, and with the help of some high-school French managed to reach our hotel. My first thought, of course, was to see the Eiffel Tower and following a heated debate with two hot and exhausted parents I was granted my wish. Along the Seine we sped as the driver pointed out innumerable well-known buildings. A small square on the bank I remember was named Place de Canada, and I thought of the distance that separated it from home. We got out at the foot of the Tower and there I left my parents before I ascended to the top. . From the summit I beheld one of the most beautiful and thrilling views I have ever seen. On all sides the city seemed to stretch away to the horizon, a jigsaw puzzle whose pieces are composed of grey buildings. Far below me the Seine, looking attractively cool and extremely blue, cut through the city. As I followed its wavering path 1 counted the bridges across it and was surprised to find almost twenty-four; I noted the ungainly barges and the pleasure craft moving smoothly along, sometimes hidden by a bridge or a building but always reappearing as small toys on the river. As my eyes wandered down the water I found L ' lle de la Cite, an island which is covered with buildings and from which at one end rise the towers of Notre Dame, situated in front of a park. I began to pick out with the help of a small map other famous sights. On the south bank I at once recognized Napoleon ' s Tomb, for its round dome stood out above the buildings clustered around. Below me stretched the cool green lawns of Le Champ de Paris. Far to my right, scarcely visible through the haze, lay the town of Versailles. On the north bank my glance fell on La Place de l ' Etoile and in its centre L ' Arc de Triomphe. The huge monument could be seen, majestic and yet simple, so distinctly that it would have been impossible to miss. Immediately I found l ' Avenue des Champs Elysees. dist inguishable from other streets because of the trees which line it all the way to the Place de la Concorde. Here was the entrance to le Jardin des Tuileries, a park that extends for many blocks and is the perfect place to find shade and peace on a hot day. One famous building I could not help but notice was the Sacre-Coeur, which was outlined distinctly against the clear blue sky. My eyes, instead of lighting upon details, moved then across the whole panorama that stretched around me. At once I was struck by the number of parks, the quantity of tree-lined avenues, and the multitude of green squares which intermingled with the solid grey mass of the city. These spots of green, whether huge like le Bois de Boulogne or minute like the city squares, were to be found wherever one looked and I therein discovered one of the charms of Paris. Everywhere are parks with their cool fountains, beautiful possessions not many other large cities can equal in number or in enchantment. The afternoon had slipped by too quickly and the time to go had come too soon. Regretfully I walked towards the elevator and descended. Only as T drove back to the hotel did I feel again the heat of the day. Yet the discomfort of the hot weather had made little impression on me that afternoon because I had been lost in the enchantment of Paris. —J. LUNDELL. Page Thirty

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K. GREENWOOD — Right centre. He is a sound all-round player, whose only fault is an inclination to delay his pass too long. Good on defence, he possesses a fine pair of hands and a fair kick. J. ARMSTRONG — Right wing. Though too prone to run inwards he is a plucky player who always runs with thrust and speed. A very good tackier, he fell down in handling the ball. B. CUPPAGE — Stand-off. An unspectacular but steady player who is a bit slow off the mark for stand-off, he has a sound knowledge of the game and brings his three-quarters into play sensibly. Seldom did he drop a pass and was the best kicker on the team. R. COOPER — Scrum-half (Captain). He was both an excellent captain and a fine player, particularly on defence. His service from the base of the scrum was good, but he was apt to be caught in possession too often. A good kicker, a splendid tackier and a skilled faller, he backed up the forwards well and ran aggressively with the ball. I. ROBERTSON — Left-prop. A young player, he improved steadily in all departments of the game as the season progressed. All he lacks to become a really good forward is fire. J. ROAF — Hook. He played adequately as a forward but was never quick enough to become a good hooker. Sound on defence, he was, nevertheless, sometimes careless with his passes. L. BORTLES — Right-prop. A large but still rather clumsy player, he plays hard but must try to develop a sense of where the play is likely to go. Though his giving and taking of passes are still rather crude, he uses his weight well in the scrum where, being at close quarters, he is most effective. I. BEARDMORE — Left break. He should develop into a good forward when he has had more experience and when he has overcome a tendency to lean rather than push on the scrum. Good in the loose, he is also an excellent tackier. S. PERRY — Left lock. Excellent in the lineouts and in the loose, he made a grand forward who, being never far from the ball, was in the thick of every play. His tackling and falling are good. M. KAYE — Right lock. Big and strong, he was very good in the loose and effective in lineouts. Erratic defensively, because he was inclined to hang around the fringe of scrums, he unfortunately is inclined also to play in spurts. G. SMITH — Right break. Possessing an excellent pair of hands and a fine kick, he was the best forward on the team. Sound in his tackling and good in falling, he was on the ball all the time and used his head on defence. B. McGAVIN — Number Eight (Vice-Captain). Although he always played hard and pushed more than his weight in the set scrums, he developed bad habits towards the end of the season which spoiled his effectiveness. He played very aggressively and well in the loose but did not tackle low enough. ti ti ti SECOND RUGBY XV Back Row: A. Benson, V. Clarke, P. Pratt, E. Stewart, J. Lecky, G. Keith, D. Ross, C. Macgown. Seated: J. Keate, R. Brown, M. McAlpine, R. McKechnie, C. Crisp. On Ground: J. Neal, J. Brighton. Page Thirty-Two