Dear PAC family:

First and foremost I would like to wish everyone in the PAC family a happy and safe holiday season and a joyous new year. As we leave 2006, PAC is once again building to challenge for the Super League Championship in 2007.

Spring 2006 – Super League & Mark Crick

In the spring 2006 Super League season, PAC qualified for the playoffs and for the third time in four years, and had to travel to Belmont Shore (Long Beach, California). And for the third time PAC came home without a win. After the disappointing loss, Player/Coach Mark Crick met with the PAC Board to announce that he would no longer be able to concentrate on coaching and playing at the same time. After much thoughtful discussion with Mark, the Board agreed to start a search for a full time head coach.

Over the past three years, Mark has helped build PAC to a perennial top team in the Super League and helped develop one of the best forward-packs in the country. While everyone was disappointed to see Mark hand over the coaching clipboard, a new direction seemed to be needed to get the club over, what has been an annual loss in the first round of the playoffs. I would like to thank Mark for all of his hard work on and off the field over the past three years and we all look forward to continuing to see his contributions on the field for years to come.

Fall 2006 – MARFU & Peter Baggetta

After a nationwide search, PAC brought on Peter Baggetta to take over as head coach. The former head coach of the National Team of Guam as well as an IRB coach, Baggetta has built on the existing foundation and brought a new discipline to the club. This fall, PAC had an extraordinarily successful season, going 7-0 in MARFU play with a point differential of +256 points. The season included wins over RSL rival Charlotte, National D-1 powerhouse Life University and a 52-5 win over cross-town rival Washington.

On to 2007

Once again we are looking to the New Year as an opportunity to bring another National Championship back to DC, the first since 1995. This year the journey will take us through New York, Charlotte and Belmont Shore again – this time during regular season play. Our first home game will be March 17 against St. Louis.

As always, support from our Alumni and friends will be a critical ingredient for our success. Support on and off the field is what keeps this club going. So I ask everyone to keep an eye out on our website (www.pacrugby.com) for our spring schedule, and I hope to see as many alumni, family and friends as possible on the sidelines cheering on the boys from PAC.

As for the off field support, this is the time of giving and we hope that everyone considers donating to the old club before the year is over. Competing at the top level in this country is an expensive endeavor, but ultimately worth it. Your contributions will help us pay for travel, practice fields, coaching staff and many more important and needed items. Donations can be made at http://pacrugby.com/index.asp?page=13 or checks made out to PAC rugby can be sent to PAC Rugby, P.O. Box 76030 Washington, DC 20013.

Once again, myself, the PAC executive board and all current players would like to wish you a happy and safe holiday season. We hope to see you all at the pitch soon!

Cheers,

Stefan Hankin
PAC President