FIRST TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP MICHIGAN CITY SUMMERFEST

FIRST APPEARANCES AT WINDSOR TOURNEY AND CHICAGO BALL

1974
PRESENT KIT ADOPTED AND ADDITION OF FIRST COACHES BOB SWISHER AND STEVE SWISHER

ONLY APPEARANCE IN MID AMERICA CUP AT GREEN BAY - ONE WIN BY FORFEIT.

CLUB CAPTURES 3RD PLACE MOLSON CUP WINSOR LABOR DAY TOURNEY -A SIDE TAKES 2ND IN CHICAGO BALL CONSOLATION CHAMPS TRI-STATE UNION TOURNEY INDIANAPOLIS

1975
CLUB GOES 3-1 IN ONLY APPEARANCE AT MARDI GRAS TOURNEY HAMMOND, LA (FUTURE VISITS VETOED AFTER TRIP HOME IN RENTED MOTORHOME AND PATTON'S VAN)

CLUB GOES 3-0 (YIELDING ONLY 3 POINTS) TO WIN BLUE DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP ST LOUIS TOURNAMENT.

TELEVISED BENEFIT GAME AT CROWN POINT HIGH SCHOOL INDIANA UNIVERSITY GRACIOUSLY LOSES BOTH HATCHES.

A SIDE AGAIN FINISHES 2ND AT CHICAGO BALL.

ALDO BECOMES CLUB'S 1ST SELECT SIDE PLAYER AS CARFU LOSES TO KITWE, ZAMBIA.

1976
PROGRAM FEATURES 1ST EVER RUGBY CENTERFOLD, DAVE "DOG OF WAR" RALSTON.

A SIDE SCORES RESOUNDING 33-6 WIN VS MIDWEST POWERHOUSE MILWAUKEE AT HOME.

2ND STRAIGHT DIVISIONAL CROWN AT ST. LOUIS RUGGERFEST.

ALDO AND TOMMEY SELECTED FOR CARFU IN LOSING EFFORT AGAINST LONDON WELSH (WE FIND THAT HOSTING FOREIGNERS IS A NOVEL EXPERIENCE)

1977
RUGBY TRADING CARDS ARE INVENTED AS PART OF NOW FAMOUS "ALDO" CENTERFOLD IN PROGRAM.

MIKE PATRICK SELECTED TO PLAY 2ND ROW FOR CARFU.

CLUB GOES 4-1 AT WINDSOR, ONLY LOSS TO TOURNAMENT CHAMPS, MANCHESTER COLLEGE. (LEONARD STARES IN "BURLESQUE" AT MOMMA'S PIZZERIA)

1978
CLUB BEATS BALL STATE U 18-4 TO WIN IST AND ONLY GARY SPRING INVITATIONAL.

CLUB GOES 5-1 AT AMOCO 7'S. BEAT Q.C. IRISH TO WIN 3RD PLACE.

RICK OLSON CHOSEN FOR MIDWEST U-25 SQUAD

1979
IST WINS AGAINST LIONS, WE BEAT THEIR B'S 24-0 AND C'S 23-3

1ST FOREIGN SIDE HOSTED TULSE HILL SCHOOL-LONDON WELSH'S EDDIE AND YESTYN CAME ALONG FOR RETURN VISIT

20-16 VICTORY OVER ROCKFORD CLUB IN CARFU CONSOLATION CHAMPIONSHIP.

ROADTRIP TO 0 OF ILL INCLUDE "WARPAINT" GAME AND TOWING OF POTTER'S TRUCK DURING SUNDAY BRUNCH.

1980
MEYER RICK, A "VERY OLD PROP FROM SOUTH AMERICA TAKES OVER COACHING DUTIES.

IST TIME 2 SIDES ENTERED IN AMOCO 7'S BOTH SIDES FINISH OUT OF MONEY

CONSOLATION CHAMPIONSHIP QUEEN CITY LABOR DAY TOURNEY AT CINCINATTI

ALD0, POTTER AND BABCOKE PLAY FOR CARFU IN MIDWEST SUB UNION TOURNEY.

1981
CLUB MOVES TO RAQUET BARN, SOUTH HAVEN, NAME CHANGES TO NORTHWEST INDIANA RUGBY CLUB.

IST "C" SIDE GAME 0-0 TIE VS GRIFFENS.

CLUB GOES 4-1 IN DEBUT AT KANKAKEE LABOR DAY RUGGERFEST

IST MATCH ON SPACIOUS RAQUET BARN PITCH SAME WEEKEND AS SPRINGBOKS VS MIDWEST

1982
SOUTH AMERICAN MINISTER "SAKI" ARRIVES ON SCENE AS COACH. CLUB LEARNS MEANING OF FITNESS.

CLUB SENDS A 25 MAN ROSTER TO MEMPHIS TOURNEY AND HOSTS AND BEATS KALAMAZOO IN AN A SIDE MATCH.

SURPRISE, WE HAVE 2 COACHES FOR A WHILE WHEN STEVE PEACHY A SKILLED ENGLISHMAN ON TEACHER EXCHANGE SHOWS UP

CLUB GAINS FINALS AT CARFU TOURNEY, UNFORTUNATELY OPPONENTS ARE THE LIONS. CLUB DROWNS THEIR SORROWS AT GASSER'S BACHELOR PARTY.

1983
IST EVER OLD BOYS GAME HELD TO COMMEMORATE 10 YR ANNIVERSARY.

CLUB BEATS BLAZE FOR IST MAJOR TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP KANKAKEE RUGGERFEST - SCHROEDER SELECTED MOST VALUABLE BACK FOR THE TOURNAMENT.

LIONS SQUEAK OUT A 20-17 WIN TO DENY CLUB IST CARFU CHAMPIONSHIP.

CLUB TOURS ENGLAND TO CAP 10-YEAR ANNIVERSAY, NO WINS, BUT "SS" PLAY BRINGS A PUSH OVER TRY AGAINST IST DIVISION CLUB BEDFORD.

1984
CLUB FIELDS 3 SIDES ALMOST ENTIRE YEAR

WE PLAY IN MIDWEST PREMIER LEAGUE ON STRENGTH OF 83 RECORD. ONLY WIN COMES AGAINST INDY AT HOME.

2ND STRAIGHT KANKAKEE TITLE TOURNAMENT DISBANDED IN OUR HONOR - DAVE GONZOREK WINS MOST VALUABLE BACK CROWN.

1986
LONG TIME PACK STALWART, GEORGE "THE COLONG STEWART

DEPARTS FOR GEORGIA, KFC STOCK PLUMMETS ON LOCAL EXCHANGE.

1ST APPEARANCE ON TOM SOURLIS CLONE. MATT LISSNER,AS HE  LEADS THE BOYS FROM VU, INTO THE RUGBY SPOTLIGHT

ONE WEEK AFTER TAKING A PASTING FROM THE S.S. IRISH, THE CLUB RETURNS THE FAVOR TO WIN THE CONSOLATION TITLE AT THE CARFU TOURNEY.

1986
CLUB MAKES TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO NORTH GLEASON PITCH IN GARY.

CAPT LISSNER SCORES TWO TRIES AND INSTIGATES 3 ON FIELD ALTERCATIONS IN BIG MEMORIAL DAY VICTORY OVER LINCOLN PARK UNFORTUNATELY L.P. CHOSES THIS MATCH TO PRODUCE PROMOTIONAL VIDEO.

1987
FOSSIL BACKLINE INCLUDING FRESS, FOX, AND CERNAK LULLS ELGIN INTO FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY AS "A" SIDE SQUEEZES OUT A 16-10 VICTORY AT ELGIN TO END SPRING SEASON.

ALTHOUGH BEING HANDED 15 PTS IN THE FIRST 10 MINUTES "A' SIDE GRACIOUSLY LAYS DOWN SO DEANO CAN LEAD HIS VISITING PURDUE SIDE VICTORY IN FALL FINAL AT VALPO

1988
CLUB IS INGLORIOUSLY DROPPED FROM PREMIER DIVISION TO "IST" DIVISION IN CARFU TOURNEY. WE RESPONDED BY WINNING 1ST OF BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONSHIPS.

CLUB MAKES IST TRIP TO BATTLESHIP TOURNEY MOBILE, ALABAMA.

1989
CLUB WINS 2ND STRAIGHT CARFU IST DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP

2ND CONSECUTIVE TRIP TO BATTLESHIP TOURNEY CLUB BEATS PERENNIAL EAST POWER ATLANTA RENEGADES, WE GET HELP FROM "SUPER RINGER" BRIAN CURRIN AT F.B. 2 YRS LATER HE PLAYS FOR ZAMBABWE IN WORLD CUP.

1990
CLUB CHOSEN TO PLAY IN MIDWEST JUNIOR CUP AS TOLEDO, OHIO WE MANAGE TO POST WIN OVER LONG TIME FOE FT  WAYNE - PAT ISBEY STARS AS "LIVING SCULPTURE".

DEANO PLAYS #8 FOR MIDWST TOURNEY AT JR ITT'S AG PARK CITY, IOWA.

ROBERT DAWSON DECIDES TO TAKE ON COACHING DUTIES AFTER GOOD SHOWING AT LAKEFRONT 7'S MILWAUKEE.

1991
CLUB RETURNS TO ST LOUIS RUGGERFEST AFTER 15 YEAR HIATUS, NO WINS BUT LOTS OF PLANNING FOR "NEXT YEAR".

A BRILLIANT TACTICAL MOVE BY CARFU ELEVATES CLUB BACK TO "PREMIER" STATUS FOR CARFU TOURNEY; WE PROMPTLY LOSE TO GRIFFENS BUT BOUNCE BACK WITH TWO WINS FOR YET ANOTHER CONSOLATION CROWN.

1992
UPSET WIN OVER PALMER COLLEGE TAKES CLUB TO SEMI-FINALS AT ST. LOUIS RUGGERFEST. UNFORTUNATELY WE BOW TO ST LOUIS BOMBERS

INSPIRED EFFORT GETS CLUB TO SEMI-FINALS BEFORE BEING OUSTED BY CARFU FOES S.S. IRISH.

JOHN BELL PLAYS CARFU SELECT, THEN IS CHOSEN FOR MIDWEST JR. ITT S AT BLAIN, MINN

1993
CLUB STARTS CELEBRATION OF 20 YR ANNIVERSARY BY WINNING (WHAT ELSE?) CONSOLATION TITLE AT ST. LOUIS RUGGERFEST.

JOHN BELL HELPS CARFU GET INTO NATIONAL SUBUNION CHAMPIONSHIP BY SCORING TWO TRIES AGAINST DEEP SOUTH UNION. JOHN'S EFFORT IN 2ND GAME FALLS SHORT AS CARFU BOWS IN CHAMPIONSHIP

20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY PICNIC AND OLD BOYS GAME AGAINS S.S. 191SH (7,24)

TRIUMPHANT TOUR TO IRELAND TO CAP 20-YEAR CELEBRATION NOVEMBER 4-5.

1994 TO 1995
CLUB MOVES ON INTO 21ST CENTURY AND MIDWEST AND NATIONAL PROMINENCE BASED ON TRADITIONS DEVELOPED OVER THE FIRST TWENTY YEARS - GOOD LUCK NORTHWEST INDIANA.

1995 - 1997
The club was able to retain many gifted veterans and added one Valpo University student Kris Kauffman and two college graduates to the line up.  Over the next two years NWI was able to put together many wins, over tough CARFU teams.  In the fall of 1997, Kurt banged home a kick that took NWI into the Midwest playoffs.

The club obtained a home in Hobart, across from the lake.  The team added lights and started working on getting more grass than dirt.  Over the next couple of years the field became our 16th man, due to the hard ground.  

1998 - 1999
The team during this time saw our old players getting married, having kids, and slowly moving away from NWI.  Steve Potter was still coach until the spring of 1999. He stepped down after a very successful tenure. Thank you coach!

The team had some young guys from high school that went to IU and had a successful time. Ryan Nystrom became an All-American.

The team was taken over by a new coach. The club had some success in tournament play but the wins were slow to come by when it came to league play.

2000- 2001
The club's long time President Dean Ott and Treasurer Greg Scott passed the torch to a new adminstration.  The new officers shook things up and a new name was accepted by the club. The NWI Rustys became NWI Exiles RFC.  The club still worked on the field to improve the pitch.  Again, with new guys out numbering the old, the team struggled in CARFU, but found some wins out of CARFU.  
During this time the team appointed a new coach. Dean Ott decided to "try" to hang up his boots and coach full time.  NWI got a new member Dave "Gone", and he is fast.  Dave managed an indoor soccer complex and came towards the end of Friday night "killer basketball".  
Dean prepared us well enough to string some wins in the spring of 2002. The team also took up sevens again and did good that season as well.

2002 - 2003

The fall 2002 league season proved too much for the Exiles. We were told that we would be in a relegation playoff in the spring to stay in DIV II.  The spring of 2003 came with mixed results.  The club started off well. But, we played two games in one weekend to earn the right to stay in DIV II. The Exiles beat St. Paul, MN and sent them to DIV III.  

The highlight of the season was hosting the 30th year old boy day. We had aprox. 45 old players dating back from 1972. Thank you to all for that day. This will start a tradition of old boy days to come, every two years.

The Fall 2003 season saw Dean Ott step down and put the boots on again.  However, that left a void for a coach, and Paul Vogel (Eagle and Chicago Lion) decided it was his turn to take the reins of the club.  

Fall 2003 season was a new experience.  The midwest took over DIV II and created a new conference.  The Exiles could not get a break and played in the toughest conference.  Every team we faced had been in the playoffs the past two years.  We traveled to MN to play, showed up with 16, and never quit.  The team had two new players join us from Argentina, and their father became one of our assistant coaches.

The team took seven players and Jeremy Smith's dad to Wales for a wonderful tour.  We played sevens and a few of the boys got into a league game. It was a great time.

Spring 2004

The team started the year with the awards banquet.  Players were reconized for their select side play by CARFU President Graham.  The Exiles have three select side players, Dean Ott, Mike McCoy, and Dewitt LeRoux.  Good job guys.  The team dedicated themselves to the process of learning the art of rugby.  Our fitness has improved as well as our rugby knowledge.  While at indoor practice the club picked up several new players.  The season looks very good for us, only time well tell. The team picked up several wins and showed well at the CARFU Ball.  The new players that were picked up played well and learned a lot.  

Summer 2004
The boys kicked off sevens season at the Highland games with 2 wins and lost by one point of the third game.  They then traveled to Wisconsin for Summerfest where again after getting 2 wins and losing the last.  

The club secured two sponors with an option for the next three years. Please see our sponsor section.  Also, the club in August gained access to the Lions Club building for on field storage. No more asking "who's got the goal posts pads"

Fall 2005

The season of promise and injury.  The club started off the season with an inter-squad game of over 35 guys. We started out strong against the Chicago Blaze and with in the first 20 minutes we lost our first A side started for the year.  The season continued that way for each game.  One game one lost starter. We had to play younger players and they got some good PT and that will pay off in the future.  We picked up some soild players and they contributed greatly to the team Big Wess, Mark Trapp, and Garret Washington.  Thanks for coming to the club.  Winter practice was well attended and the spring season looks again promising.  Thanks goes to our sponsors and families.

Spring 2005
The club is learing about team rugby from Coach Vogel.  The boys are learning how to play better defense and attack while we have the ball.  The club made a good run at the Condors B side in their stadium, but fell short.  The Exiles did well at the Chicago Ball and keep it close with the Lions  and Woodsmen.  The club ended the year with the first annual family picnic day.  Thanks for coming out and enjoying this great game.

Summer 2005
The boys got into the full swing of sevens and were 5-5 for the entire summer sevens tournaments.  Summerfest in Wisconsin delivered some good stories.  THe club picked up another South African a lock which we needed.  But, as one player enters another leaves. Mark Trapp Lock is going back to the east coast. The only good thing is that every club he has left goes to the national tournament.  Let's just hope the streak contiues. The club will end the summer by doing our annual parking for the City of Hobart and doing a Duck Sling Fundraiser set up by old boy Greg Scott.  Fianlly, we picked up a new sponsor Web Presence please see our Sponors link.  Also, both of our jersey sponsors picked up their option for another year.  On the players side we had 5 players try out for CARFU select and two players were chosen. DeWett LeRous and Nate Eliis.  It has been a while since we had players named to starting roster of CARFU, good job.

Fall 2005
A lot of wins we hope