Albany Sportsfest
It wasn't much of an ask really - an overnight trip to Albany, for $25 with accommodation in a fairly nice place (ie not camp woody), and a 2x20 minute half game of footy. But only 7 Piranhas signed up which meant that we ended up taking South Fremantle, 2x East Fremantle, and 1x Swannie down for the ride.
It was actually really good having players from other teams down. Sure we sat in our own 'teams' during 'off' times (as Eagle put it, you don't go to the pub and sit with someone else's friends - well, unless you're Smash), but we got to know each other and that kind of knowing makes you less prone to stupid angry incidents on field.
Aimee and Boxer came down with us, Aimee as Prez, and Boxer as team runner/water runner, though she didn't really run. Tupps was a trooper and drove the bus.
The bus was fucked. We stopped in North Bannister to pump up the tyres, and Tupps got it a bit stuck when she tried to turn around. We finally got the other side of the bus done, and took off up the hill. Then there was this pop and a hiss. Some of the girls in the back screeched about doing a tyre, but we pulled over and checked - it wasn't a tyer. But when we went to take off again, there was no power. There was a hissing sound somewhere under the driver's seat. We turned around and went back to North Bannister (slowly) to call the bus company and their answer was just keep driving, it isn't going to do any more damage - it was the air connection to the turbocharger. I think they must have put the wrong type of hose on it - because it had popped off. Tupps managed to get it back on and off we went again. The hose popped countless times during the trip both up and back and Tupps burned her arms a few times working in the hot engine bay. It was awesome that she managed it each time though, otherwise the bus would have reverted to being a tractor from the 1970s.
We stopped again and bought some drinks, and I went shares in a carton with Katie and the two East Freo girls. I got a little bit tipsy but not too mad. We finally got to our accommodation, and I was in with the 'safe' or 'quiet' girls - it was me, pup, lana, katie, aimee and boxer. Aimee and boxer got the best double room, and Pup decided to share with Katie. I got relegated to the bunk with Lana. I chose the top bunk which was a big mistake because every time I moved it wobbled and I woke up. I got a really awful night's sleep.
Anyway, we had a chat with Coops, the organiser, and then we wandered into town to a pub. The one we were going to had shut down so we picked the one we were standing next to when we found out. I had beers with Boxer and pup, we shared 3 jugs of Kirin. I got a little tipsy but I wasn't drunk like alot of the others. Boxer was saying I didn't get on the piss anyway. I was like, yeah, not so much now, I'm getting old Boxer, you should understand that. I don't think she remembers how much of a piss head I was 5 years ago, making a fool of myself at the Court, sliding around on the floor when it leaked on a Sunday night and crash tackling my team mates on the dance floor. Dinner was good, if a little slow, and then we headed back after Aimee and Boxer bought some port. I am becoming a fan of port. It was supposed to be a little tipple, but Aimee and I pretty much drank half a bottle between us. She did her little sales pitch for her new business venture Baredownthere and we had many interesting conversations before going to bed around midnight. We got up and had a buffet breakfast in the morning, then headed off to do the clinics and play the game.
I was with Eags and Boxer at the bump and tackle clinic and got hammered a lot because I was on the bump bag. My entire right side is sore now. Grah. For the game it was South Freo, Chippie (Swannie) + Albany girls, vs Claremont + East Freo + Albany girls. We won 5 goals 3 to 2 goals 4. It was a pretty cool game. But my right shoulder was already hurting. Damn.
It was a long drive home with the broken bus and the pee stops for drinkers but I think I've pulled up OK after all that, and I think we bonded with girls from other clubs. I think Chippie was probably the most misunderstood because of her tendency to get a bit vicious on field but really she's a pretty even tempered normal person! Em from South Freo hopefully won't cop so much crap from the Piranhas for looking like a boy now either. I'd like to think I had a hand in that.
When I got home the house was spotless. And dinner was waiting for me!
It was actually really good having players from other teams down. Sure we sat in our own 'teams' during 'off' times (as Eagle put it, you don't go to the pub and sit with someone else's friends - well, unless you're Smash), but we got to know each other and that kind of knowing makes you less prone to stupid angry incidents on field.
Aimee and Boxer came down with us, Aimee as Prez, and Boxer as team runner/water runner, though she didn't really run. Tupps was a trooper and drove the bus.
The bus was fucked. We stopped in North Bannister to pump up the tyres, and Tupps got it a bit stuck when she tried to turn around. We finally got the other side of the bus done, and took off up the hill. Then there was this pop and a hiss. Some of the girls in the back screeched about doing a tyre, but we pulled over and checked - it wasn't a tyer. But when we went to take off again, there was no power. There was a hissing sound somewhere under the driver's seat. We turned around and went back to North Bannister (slowly) to call the bus company and their answer was just keep driving, it isn't going to do any more damage - it was the air connection to the turbocharger. I think they must have put the wrong type of hose on it - because it had popped off. Tupps managed to get it back on and off we went again. The hose popped countless times during the trip both up and back and Tupps burned her arms a few times working in the hot engine bay. It was awesome that she managed it each time though, otherwise the bus would have reverted to being a tractor from the 1970s.
We stopped again and bought some drinks, and I went shares in a carton with Katie and the two East Freo girls. I got a little bit tipsy but not too mad. We finally got to our accommodation, and I was in with the 'safe' or 'quiet' girls - it was me, pup, lana, katie, aimee and boxer. Aimee and boxer got the best double room, and Pup decided to share with Katie. I got relegated to the bunk with Lana. I chose the top bunk which was a big mistake because every time I moved it wobbled and I woke up. I got a really awful night's sleep.
Anyway, we had a chat with Coops, the organiser, and then we wandered into town to a pub. The one we were going to had shut down so we picked the one we were standing next to when we found out. I had beers with Boxer and pup, we shared 3 jugs of Kirin. I got a little tipsy but I wasn't drunk like alot of the others. Boxer was saying I didn't get on the piss anyway. I was like, yeah, not so much now, I'm getting old Boxer, you should understand that. I don't think she remembers how much of a piss head I was 5 years ago, making a fool of myself at the Court, sliding around on the floor when it leaked on a Sunday night and crash tackling my team mates on the dance floor. Dinner was good, if a little slow, and then we headed back after Aimee and Boxer bought some port. I am becoming a fan of port. It was supposed to be a little tipple, but Aimee and I pretty much drank half a bottle between us. She did her little sales pitch for her new business venture Baredownthere and we had many interesting conversations before going to bed around midnight. We got up and had a buffet breakfast in the morning, then headed off to do the clinics and play the game.
I was with Eags and Boxer at the bump and tackle clinic and got hammered a lot because I was on the bump bag. My entire right side is sore now. Grah. For the game it was South Freo, Chippie (Swannie) + Albany girls, vs Claremont + East Freo + Albany girls. We won 5 goals 3 to 2 goals 4. It was a pretty cool game. But my right shoulder was already hurting. Damn.
It was a long drive home with the broken bus and the pee stops for drinkers but I think I've pulled up OK after all that, and I think we bonded with girls from other clubs. I think Chippie was probably the most misunderstood because of her tendency to get a bit vicious on field but really she's a pretty even tempered normal person! Em from South Freo hopefully won't cop so much crap from the Piranhas for looking like a boy now either. I'd like to think I had a hand in that.
When I got home the house was spotless. And dinner was waiting for me!