2007 Philadelphia Whitemarsh Surfside 7s

Paul Bethe Len Borcky, Jr. Grace Gavin Terry Haas Pete Hesler Chris Henshall Brad Kleiner Andrew MacNeaney Jem McDowall Steve Shilling Tom Tani Jason D. Wallach
Len Borcky, Jr.
	Began playing career way back in 1993 with Seton Hall University. Graduated Seton Hall and skipped directly to the Old Boys division playing with Lighthorse RFC as the youngest player by quite a few years. Looking for a bit more in terms of seeing guys my age, I signed up with Second City Troop. While primarily responsible for contributing to the post-game sing-a-longs, I did play with the Troop for more than 6 years and can still to this day be sited playing quite a few 7s games. A season at Hooker assisted in refocusing my efforts into a fruitful career in refereeing. Have played every position on the field aside from prop, but after a few years of refereeing, should be just about fit enough to return to playing as a prop in a few years. Spend time now blowing multiple calls on the field, making random decisions as EPRRS Vice-President, and imparting my years of rugby as the 6th assistant coach for Haverford HS.
top Andrew MacNeaney
	I started refereeing in the 1999/2000 season in Ireland during College after a shoulder injury sidelined me from playing for the season, and the snowball just rolled from there. I moved to London in 2000, and refereed for about 2 months before I was transfered back & forth between London and New York throughout 2001. I finally settled down at the end of 2001 and picked up the whistle again in 2002, and have been refereeing ever since for Met NY. I'm currently ranked B3 and have D1/D2 and D3 play-offs, North East High School Finals and National 7s to my name at the moment, but obviously hope to progress a lot further.
top Terry Haas
	1970-83 played Wing, Flanker, Fly Half- Colgate Univ RFC; South Jersey RFC; MARS; 30+ matches w/ EPRU Select side. Started reffing in 1990. Member East Penn RRS, current Director of Referees, MARR; B1; National appointments include: 96,97,00, 02,03,05 National 7s; 97, ITT 7s; 97, 98,99 CW Final 4; M DII Sweet 16; 00 M DIII Final 4; 00 DIII Men final 4, W Final 4; 01 CM Sweet 16, M DII Sweet 16; CM DII National Championship, 02,03 Super League, 2003 M D1 CR, CM Sweet 16, DIII M Elite 8; 2004 CW Sweet 16, D1 West Final 4, Army-Navy Classic; 2005 CW DII National Championship, TJ CM DI National Championship, Royall Lyme Surfside 7s 2005/2006
top Pete Hesler
	Born 1953, still alive. Started at U. of Delaware 1973, then SJRFC ever since. Played for 18 years, reffing for 16 years. Doesn’t leave much time for anything else, does it? Goal in rugby – to re-kindle the bawdy singing of yesteryear, and make sure that every story told by an old-boy is inaccurate. Got to the level of B-1, because I always wanted to be-one. Secondary goal in Rugby – Along with Borcky and Tani, we will teach Wallach, Bethe, and MacNeaney how to write a real bio.
top Paul Bethe
	Paul Bethe is a B3 with the MetNY referees society. He is also a member of the USARRA Development Referee Panel, and as such he regularly receives appointments to referee at USA Rugby events. As a 7s referee, Paul is considered one of the top referees in the NRU, refereeing consistently at the qualifier level, including NRU semifinals the last two years, and last year’s final. Paul has been refereeing for 5 years. Before that he played 9-15 for 5 years with Williams College, San Mateo (7s only), and Bayonne.
Jason D. Wallach top
	I have played rugby for the following teams: Hiram College, Hiram, OH (Wing 1986; Hooker 1987-1990) Old Red, Washington, DC (Hooker 1990-1991) Montgomery Old Red, DC(Hooker/Flanker 1991-1994) Maryland Exiles, DC (Flanker 1994-2001) Referee: 2001-Present Appointments: Exchange to London 2003 (PRU), Savannah Tournament (PRU 2003, MAAR 2005), Ed Lee Cup (MAAR 2005), Saranac Lake (PRU 2005), Superleague OPSB v. Golden Gate (TJ) (MAAR 2005), Superleague Washington v. Kansas City (TJ) (PRU 2005), Porter Cup (MAAR 2005), Royall Lyme Surfside 7s 2005, 2006.
top Chris Henshall
henshalls@comcast.net	I started refereeing about 20 years ago as a player. I was one of those very skillful cunning players that knew all the tricks and was always very disappointed when the ref either too slow or had no clue what was going on. Been there done that and have a great deal of fun with the layers now as a ref who tries to know at least a % of what goes on behind all the blindness on the field. Played Rugby in SA from 5yrs old, captained all sides I have ever played for at school. Two years of U21 rugby and one open division. Positions include hooker, Flank, number 8 and winger. Also spent some time coaching. Like all of we spend a lot of time committed to one of our passions, refereeing. The best decision I made was to marry my biggest fan, Stacey and have a beautiful daughter to show for it. We refs have to have at least one (now two) fans at every game, just encase! I have been very lucky as a ref having started in the South African schools’ system, first as a player and as a referee starting in Natal, home to my super 14 team, the Sharks. In a moment of madness, I was awarded the rookie of the year award for the most promising referee in 1995. In the end I was up to doing Div one games with about 40-60 games a season. What a blast. Also had the opportunity to be part of a curtain raiser at Ellis Park Stadium, the home of the Lions Super 14 Team. That was a big day, possibly about 45 000 fans as the stadium filled up, but I could be exaggerating! Spent some time in Germany which did two things for my Rugby; on the one hand I had little opportunity to be given regular coaching support, and on the other exposed me to some very high level games. I was put into the National first division league, Bundesliga (very similar to the Super league here in the USA). Some internationals include, refereeing Young Canada vs. Bavaria, Switzerland vs. Baden-Württemberg, and TJ in the full international fixture of Germany vs. Young Canada and the Heidelberg Sevens tournament. Here in the US, I have had multiple local and national fixtures, final playoffs, sweet 16’s, national finals, SL games, LA sevens etc. Some folks still think I have a shot at the big time if my legs will stand the test of time and my wife continues to support me. Let the games begin…oh and I am bribe able, as long as it’s cold, frothy and you are not yelling at me. :-)
top Tom Tani
	Society: Rugby Referee Society of NY Grade: B3 Previous Ref Societies: Only the RRSNY would have me. Rugby/Refereeing Administrative Positions: Too many to name. Currently RRSNY President Previous Clubs: Drew University (Paleozoic Era), Montclair (Dark Ages), Monmouth 1981- on Playing Honors - All time Oriental Point Scoring leader - Monmouth RFC Best Funny Referee Moment: Penalizing someone, and when they said "What the #%#%# for Judge Ito?!" I gave a penalty for the offense and another ten for contempt of court... and saw that player's team crack up while marching back 20. Most Embarrassing Referee Moment - Having both of my whistles get water logged during a tournament that took place during a monsoon. Best Gen-X Referee Moment - Showing up early to referee a High School match between Xavier High School and Keio High School (a team made up of Japanese kids). One of the Xavier players saw me and asked if I was of the Keio kid's parents. I will never forget his expression when I said I was the ref and what # was he. Best Referee Memory: Reffing is fun, so there are too many to name, but they all involve matches with lots of points, not too many penalties, very few questions on my parentage, and a good time hanging out at the party after watching other people drink! Speaking of which... Whatever happened to RUGBY SONGS!?!? - Very popular in the dark ages, almost unheard of now.
top Brad Kleiner
	Playing highlights: 1986-2002 for Michigan, Princeton AC (singing teams), Manhattan, and Old Blue (non-singing teams). Selections to NRU, Atlantis, USA Maccabi. Playing lowlights: Had the misfortune of playing in a match refereed by Hessler. Referee highlights: Stopped playing in 2002 (actually refereed my first match in 1988). Member of RRSNY. Refereed all the matches between non-English speaking countries at the 2001 Hong Kong Womens Sevens. Exchanges to Borders (Scotland) and Leicestershire (England). Played and refereed in the National 7’s tournament on the same weekend. In 2005, not content to referee just 1 local 7s tournament, I have been on a cross country odyssey to referee 7’s in as many far away places as possible. If I find a place where they don’t call me bad names, I may settle there permanently.
top Grace Gavin
	Playing highlights: for Mount Holyoke College, Aberdeen RFC Virgins (not the lipsticks), New York RFC. Selections to Hong Kong, playing in Japan, Australia and Fiji. Playing lowlights: Last match played at #15 instead of #6. Referee highlights: Member of RRSNY. Reffing in various locations in the US and Scotland, England, Wales, Spain and Hong Kong. Developing the RRSNY secret handshake. Referee lowlights: Having one of those "Gee ref, you really efffed up THAT call" conversations with my future husband. In 2005, Brad will have to find a place where people don't call us both names. It may involve some international travel or a ticket on Brandston's shuttle.
top Jem McDowall
	Jem McDowall, MetNY/Natl Panel Born: England (sometime during the last century) Current grade: B+, must try harder. Years playing rugby: approximately 23, though many observers would argue that "playing" on my part constituted standing around in the cold for 80 minutes waiting for an opportunity to drop the ball. Playing honours: the older I get the better I was. I did reach the dizzy heights of the Malawi National Squad. (Playing population - 45, national squad size, 45) Years refereeing: 12, though during some games it feels like decades. Refereeing honours: escaping from most games without seriously hurt feelings. Ambition in rugby: to remember all the words to rugby songs we used to sing and pass them on to my grandchildren. Rugby highlights: an attempted up and under in driving rain and wind that got completely lost until it came down and ko'd the inside centre. Rugby lowlights: what goes on tour stays on tour.... :blush: Rugby ambition: to be older and slower than Pete Hesler.
top Steve Shilling
	Steve Shilling, PSRFR Started playing rugby in graduate school and then settled in with the following men’s clubs as a Wing Forward/Flanker: Bethlehem (now Lehigh Valley) 13+ years; North Jersey 2+ years then also traveled extensively and played with the Old Aztecs (San Diego); Hayward Griffins (Hayward, CA); and Charleston, SC. Referee: 2001 – Present w/ PSRFR 1999 – 2001 w/ Met NY Referee Society 1996 – 2001 w/ EPRU Referee Society Appointments: Referee Exchange to Durham, England 2004; Cape Fear 7s 2004; Jackalop Tournament, Laramie, WY; Ed Lee Cup (MAAR 2005), Collegiate Eastern semi-finals 2005 & 2006 and Saranac Lake (2004 & 2006), Royall Lyme Surfside 7s 2006.
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