WTFL Wpg. Touch Football League - WTFL

1155 Posts

Labour Day Classic...

Who's going?

Edmonton's tournament had to cancel the men's portion, this weekend. Wow What a bummer?

Looks like the Winnipeg tourney will be gaining steam for next year, already. Who's in???

For the Labour Day Classic in Regina....So far, Winnipeg has two intermediate,two woman's teams and three elite...not bad.....but in the past we'd be sending 10-12 teams. What's up?

I would have thought with all the teams in Winnipeg, we'd have a few more intermediate teams,women and rec teams.

This tournament is well run, is fun, with more games than you need, plus the Bomber/Rider game happens to follow the Championship finals by about an hour, so if you have tix...you can attend that also.

This weekend is sort of like a little Grey Cup, only somewhat better, because everything in Regina is about 10 minutes away............and it's usually shorts weather, plus you always are meating Winnipeg people!! :)

It's not all about wins and losses!

It's about some football, some partying, and some more Bomber football and more crazy partying.

For touch football,it's the start of getting serious. The competition is varied, and tournament time games are fast and furious. So tuning up the old squad is a nice by-product of playing here.

For partying, bring money, alcaseltzer, barf bags, aspirin, and whatever other meds you can.

The tourney location is the Regina Rugby club, with maybe a couple off site fields. The rugby club has 4 fields of lush lush grass (Winnipeg has nothing like it.......go figure) There are a variety of teams and refs with different capabilities from Edmonton to Winnipeg, but all in all the expertise is quite high.

At the site, parking is adjacent to the fields. There is the rugby clubhouse which is open for food and refreshments, and they even had a beer garden last year, which as you know is a "must" after a day of playing or reffing.

Following the saturday games, they have an organized pub crawl (by rented bus), that includes a meal, a drink and entry into the most popular bar of the day,as the last stop.

That of course is too hedonistic for many. However, cetainly for us serious TFBers...however recently, a group of us, go out for an incredibly awesome steak dinner to one of the ultimate posh steak restaurants in Regina. This will be our 4th or 5th year, doing that, and last year, the owner recognized us and we got some special service and "treats." Following the chowdown, it's usually 10:00pm, and time to find that hot bar.

For the refs, the only problem is, is that I believe they start the first game at 8:30 in the morning!!!say no more.......Of course we are all bagged from reffing 5-7 games, so partying on the night varies! Teams..........notso bad, two games, and it's.........."start your engines." (to party)

Sunday, sees teams play their last game? and play-offs. (there is an option to play friday night, and not Sunday morn)

The Finals all end about an hour away from the kick-off of the Bomber/Rider game, which very much resembles an American college football game day. For a first timer, and even old timers, it can be "intimidating," and definitely breathtaking. (lots going on...or is it just those massive steps on the East side?)

Over the years,I've learned to stay at the Ramada Renaissance, about 7 blocks away from the stadium. The hotel has a gigantic pool, and whirlpool and workout area, with complimentary buffet breakfasts and parking (with certain rates) Across the street is the infamous Regina Inn(it has gone down hill imo) where all the party busses seem to check into. So, it's a dollar taxi ride to the stadium before the game, and usually a seven block walk back.

The Bomber games are alittle unpredictable. They either get killed, or win. But when they get killed,...they get killed. It's almost like they are just happy to get the game over with, and get out alive. The stands are rocking, filled to more than capacity, and if the Blue are loosing, with lots of quieter Winnipeg fans. If we are winning, the poor Sask fans just look at us in amazement

Following the game, there are usually a range of party's/socials to attend, if you have the energy..and that in itself is a learned skill. PACE yourself!!!

Recently, a group of us, return to one of our suites, and as the suite is so large it's a small party. Eventually, one of the gals organizes a call for dinner,and oodles of Chinese is brought in. Following some lounging around, the call to find the ultimate bar rings out, and it's off we go.

Monday morning, (I don't know how they do it) sees a number of players leaving before 10:00am!! for the 6 hour drive back to Winnipeg. My goal is to try and leave before Noon!!

But the most significant part of the weekend, is all the people you either meet or play with that you haven't done so with, before. The festive, committed town of Regina, pretty much "shuts down" and it's total "Football Sunday" What's nice is that it's not a crowd of 75,000, as in the USA, only half of that.

If you have never gone, it is definitely an experience worth enjoying.

So for those of you that have never gone........get on it! It's definitely a one of a kind experience. If not this year,...start planning for next year........and that would include, getting your team ready to play in the new Winnipeg tournament, July_____2010!!!

What's that date Marcus?

11 Posts

Darrell i think you should add in a joke at the end of every post, then you'd officially be the Laurie Mustard of touch football forums! lol... good post, its gonna be a great tourney!

1155 Posts

OK these two guys walk into a bar...............Laurie Mustard??? I didn't think you would be old enough to listen to CJOB??? (man I think you're the first person under 30 that I have ever known, to reveal they listen to CJOB!!

Hey.....I just listen for the sports and the weather in the AM at breakfast..otherwise it's my Cliff kitchen custom programed CDs all day/all the way!

Harlo where ya been???

679 Posts

Not sure when the tourney date will be next year, but it will not be on the same weekend as Super Spike or Hoop it up!

7 Posts

Thanks spider for posting that about the Regina labour day tourny. You pretty well summed it up.
We will once again be having beer gardens at the fields and their will be a sorta pub crawl. Here are the details

$20 – includes steak night at the Press Box & entry to Habanos by 10:30 AND transportation from the box to habanos (for out of town teams)
Contact any Regina wildcat for tix.

1155 Posts

Regina always puts on a great great guaranteed good time.....and that's off the field!!Corey, you might want to throw in the old address or contact e-mail/phone #, so we know who to contact.

Perhaps a note about the "pressbox" This is a new one for this 23 year attendee!

and Habano's, that's the place with the outside patio, dancing on tables/speakers, and a cute "back room" behind the bar, that is only a 7 block walk from the Regina Inn and the Ramada, and probably just across the tracks from the Delta.

Beer Gardens at the fields??? Ohhhhhh No, there's trouble. It's absolutely amazing how good hot dogs and burgers taste, along with a few brooskies after a long day of playing and reffing.............man I am starting to salivate, already.

I haven't mentioned it, as crazy as that is, but, the Elite draw will showcase some amazing high calibre touch football, that willbe second to none on the prairies. Not exactly sure where thre tofour of thesix teams are "ranked" nationally, but it would be safe to say, Meglo, Avengers , Assassins and Eagles would all bein the top ten. On a ratio basis/per division, that's probably one of the more impressive deawas in Canada.

Watching the round robin, of divisional play, has recently become a "draw" in itself, as teams look to establish the "pecking order" for seeding for the play-off round. It's actually quite amazing that unlike some other tournaments, a team may get a "freespace on the bingo card" type game. But as I noted, recently, due to the crafty clever draw design,all games mean something, and therefore are a pleasure to watch....admission is free!!

There are fewer and fewer guaranteed things in life...however, the Regina Touch football tournament and then the CFL Labour day Classic are one such thing ...a guaranteed GREAT time...., and therefore make this a touch football/football fan's Ultimate weekend. Quite simply, if you breathe air....you just gotta be there!

Ohhhh I feel a T-shirt quote coming on......Are you guys going to have a few of those? haven't seen them the last few years. My wardrobe is getting a little empty...

Clue us in to the address for tix, and a note about the Press box!