Motherhood,
          Rugby,

          and Apple Pie?

Rugby seems to be an emerging sport here in Lake Forest as several local matches have been in the news lately.  Lake Forest College's club defeated the Lake County Gladiators from Gurnee 14-0 at the college field in April.  Also in April, the Lake Forest Harriers, a new high-school-aged club, defeated the New Trier rugby club 54-8, and the Deerpath Braves  defeated Cicero 41-17 at the Middle School Rugby Festival held at Deer Path Middle School.  You can learn more about these clubs and their schedules by following the links from their names above.
 

Rugby was reputedly invented in 1823 at the Rugby School near Rugby, England and is the only major sport named after the place of its invention rather than an element of the sport itself. (1)  Two versions of the sport developed:  Rugby Union, played by amateurs and pros; and Rugby League, played by pros.  Both versions are played by two teams who kick, pass, or carry the ball toward the opposing team's goal until they can touch it over the goal line or kick it over the goal to score.  Matches move fast with nearly continuous physical play including tackling.  At the end of two 40-minute halves, the team with the most points wins. (2)

If rugby is new to you, you might enjoy learning about it and some of its interesting terms:  scrum, fend, hooker, ruck, and maul.  Follow this link to a list of titles about or relating to rugby:  Rugby Selections in the Lake Forest Library.


References:
1. "Rugby." World of Sports Science. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2007. 583-585. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 17 May 2011.
2. Haden, Andy, and Neville N. Kesha. "Rugby football." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2011. Web.  17 May 2011.

Book Discussion with Judy Levin

Please join Judy Levin on Thursday May 19 at 12:30 pm for a discussion of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson.

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, Simonson’s debut novel, is the story of a retired English widower who copes with the many changes occuring in his quiet village with humor and a sense of absurdity. Finding himself lonely as he approaches 70, he quietly begins to court Mrs. Ali, a local Pakistani shopkeeper who is also alone. The major, an old-fashioned gentleman at heart, and the gracious Jasmina Ali share a love of literature that pulls them closer, even as their relationship is complicated by cultural differences, interfering friends and family, and inexorable social changes. Critics note Simonson’s “dense prose” and “delightful” plot. You won’t want to miss this one.

Simonson was born in England and currently lives in Washington, D.C.  For more information visit the author's website at http://www.helensimonson.com/about_helen_simonson.php  .