Surrey Scorpions Fresher Training Day

On Saturday 19th November Surrey hosted a unique event, aimed specifically at university beginners the Fresher Training Day was meant to be fun and informative climaxing in a good night out...

It can be safely said that all of these objectives were met, from the awesome zone D that Mohawks beginners took back to Brighton and challenged their experienced players with to the Beer Festival which just happened to be organised by one of the Surrey committee to be on the same day! Freshers were expected from Brighton, Holloway, Roehampton, Reading and of course Surrey but when the fog lifted and the frost receded there were two teams missing; Reading forgot and Roehampton… well we’re still not quite sure. Over forty freshers were there with coaches from the Lucky Huckers (Guildford Open Geo Team) putting them through their paces with four stations. Two were designed to take them back to basics working on stack offence and basic throwing and catching, the other two were designed to get the freshers to push themselves a bit further working on zone D and hucking - with Lucky Huckers coaching it had to happen.

The freshers were bunged into random groups with the aim to encourage inter club love and then the same groups formed the teams for the afternoons play. With four teams and two (beautiful) pitches the scene was set for an afternoon of tiring games. Team names were created and such unforgettable concepts as 'Monkey’s Forehead' (a pub near Holloway uni) and Surry-al Genocide (the original Scorpions name which was disallowed by the uni) were created. Four games were played and then it was time to flee from the encroaching darkness in favour of a shower and the pub!

Hitting the Union at about 7:00 we bought some tokens and headed to the bar where the enormous variety of beverages on sale scared some, you could have beer, beer or beer! All in all there were eighteen three pint challenge attempts and some brilliant calling in honour of Rich White which actually brought the pub quiz to a halt...

The two huge tables of ultimate players were saddened to hear that the bar closed at eleven but soon got over it when it was announced that we could get drinks for a pound a pint! Even better news was that we could head downstairs for the No Wave music society beerathon and mad moshing session. Some pretty scary people soon made space for us on the dance floor and before you knew it there was a cross club circle of love and crazy dancing. Apparently everyone made it home or at least to Pete Berryman’s (think there were over twenty staying at his house) for a bit of rest.

Sunday saw Mohawks attend the Surrey indoor training session and continue the growth of commonality in the South East. This year the spirit within the region has been awesome and it couldn’t have been more visible at the weekend. Thanks to everyone who came down for getting so absolutely plastered at the beer festival and of course to Rich White who was the inspiration behind many chants and the subject of far too many random Mohawk dares and bets.

Dan Sidders,
Surrey Scorpions #14 & Club Chairman