PRFC Beacon Newsletter

Beacon - February 29, 2024

Get Ready for Spring Rugby:  The Men's Team preliminary schedule is posted.  Playoffs are just ahead.  Get out and support the team.

News from the Board:  Permits are granted and field construction is set to begin.  Very exciting times for the club.  See below for details.  

Maine Youth Rugby - Maine Youth Rugby is looking forward to a spring start.  Spring schedules for High School 7's tournaments are set.  Get your kids signed up.  Sign up to coach or ref.  See below for details. 

Read on....

Beacon - January 25, 2024

Combined Team AGM -  Monday January 15 was the combined Annual General Meeting for the club.  The meeting featured a report on our Youth and High School Rugby Programs, Field Development reports (with Financials) and a complete Club Financial Report.  Details follow.

Updates from the Field Committee -  Applications to the Department of Environmental Protection and the Town of Scarborough have been submitted and we are hoping to get approval of our plan in February. See below for more details and a link to a tour of the property.     

Read on....

Beacon - December 28, 2023

Portland RFC AGM Sunday 1/7/24 -   Please join us for the PRFC Annual General Meeting at 3 PM on Sunday 1/7/24 at Gritty's in Freeport. 

Maine Youth Rugby - Maine Youth Rugby is off and running.  In the spring we will be starting our community outreach sessions targeting the next generation of players as well as establishing rugby 7’s as a high school sport here in Maine.  Updates follow.   

Read on....

Beacon - November 30, 2023

One Field, One Dream! - Updates from the Field Committee

What an amazing and historic day for Portland Rugby! Men and Women, young and old - we had 60+ club members all pitching in to clear the perimeters of our new rugby fields. Much sweat and a little blood was shed on our new emerging home.

A big thank you to everyone for the great team work day on Sunday, 11/26. It's amazing what we were able to accomplish there.

Read on....

Beacon - October 26, 2023

One Field, One Dream! - Updates from the Field Committee

We are planning on building one grass field to play on by 9/1/24. That is our goal. One Field, One Dream! That is the short term focus of the field committee and all efforts are laser focused towards that end.

The great news is that we have summitted to the State of Maine DEP for our first, grass, field with associated access, lights and parking. While we had initially planned to get permitting done for the entire site plan, that process would have delayed our clearing and build for at least another year. With this focused approach, we now are planning to begin clearing the land in early 2024.

Read on....

Beacon - September 28, 2023

Fall League Rugby Schedules -  Fall schedules are out.  Make sure you get these dates on your calendars and get out and support your club.  

Message from your Board -  Your board has been busy.  See below for updates on club organization and field development. 

Freejacks Youth & Masterclass Training Series - Join the Freejacks in Freeport on Sunday October 1.  Event Details.   

Read on....

Beacon - August 31, 2023

Fall League Rugby Schedules - Fall schedules are out. Make sure you get these dates on your calendars and get out and support your club.

2023 PRFC Members Lobster Bake - As a “Thank You” to our Social Members for their continued support we are scheduling a Lobster Bake on Long Island for Sunday, September 17. See below for details.

Coach Position Opening - PWRFC is in search of an Assistant/Forwards Coach.

Portadown RFC 140 Anniversary Tour - See notes below from the recent hosting of the Portadown RFC along with reach out from Ireland's Rory Best.

Read on....

Beacon - July 28, 2023

Coach Position Opening - PWRFC is in search of an Assistant/Forwards Coach, beginning August 2023.
Youth Rugby - Free Jacks are offering a Youth Training session in Maine on October 1. See below.
Portadown RFC 140 Anniversary Tour - Just a reminder that we will be hosting the Portadown RFC 8/9 thru 8/13. Join us at Fox Street for a lively match on Saturday 8/12
Portland RFC Sponsorship Program  Please consider joining us as a Sponsor in 2023.  The new Sponsorship Page is up and live on the website. 

Read on....

Beacon - June 30, 2023

Summertime in Maine - All rugby games are over and we're just waiting for the fall season schedule. Congratulations to men's and women's teams for a successful spring season. Kick back and enjoy your summer.

Old Boys and Old Girls - The Ancient Mariners played in the Old Man in the Mountain Tournament and the the Old Girls played in the Free Jacks Golden Oldies Cup. (See details below)

Coach Position Opening - PWRFC is in search of an Assistant/Forwards Coach, beginning August 2023.

Read on....

Beacon - May 26, 2023

It's Summertime in Maine - Kick back and relax. Stay tuned for upcoming news on fields, fall schedules and events.
Congrats PRFC Women's Team
Congrats PRFC Women's Team - The Portland RFC Women's Team finished up strong at the NERFU Cup in Newport. Well done ladies.
Membership Campaign - Please consider joining us as a member in 2023. The new Membership Page is up and live on the website.
Old Man in the Mountain Tournament (June 3)- The Ancient Mariners are resurrected and have a team for the Old Man in the Mountain Tournament.

Read on....

Beacon - April 28, 2023

Spring Rugby is here - Check the schedules and get out and support your teams.  There are lots of options with three sides playing most weekends.   Mark your calendars and get out and support your club. 
Congrats PRFC Women's Team -  The Portland RFC Women's Team posted a win in the inaugural Trailblazers Trophy Tournament  besting Worcester  32-12.  Nice work ladies.   
Field Committee News -   The Scarborough Zoning Board unanimously approved the Special Exception Appeal brought forth by the PRFC.  See details below.  

Read on....

Beacon - March 31, 2023

Rugby Starts in April - The Schedules are set for both Men's and Women's teams.  There are lots of options with three sides playing most weekends.   Mark your calendars and get out and support your club.  Membership Campaign  has been kicked off for 2023.  Special thanks to Joe Loring for joining the team and helping out with this.  The new Membership Page is up and live on the website.   Would be great to have your support this year. 
Scotland - England Tour 2023 -   Well that was fun.  The PRFC Scotland / England 2023 Tour is in the books. 

Read on....

Beacon - February 24, 2023

Women's Team New Coaching -  The Women's team have a new head coach in Geoff Birmingham.  Geoff comes to us with a ton of experience and an equally matched amount of excitement for the position.  Congratulations to both Geoff and PWRFC.   They also have their Forward's Coach Nikki Plumpton back.  We are excited for the team. 

Read on....

Beacon - January 27, 2023

Happy New Year!

Great turnout for this years 35th Annual Lobster Dip.  The Portland RFC made it's mark once again.  Rocky Frenzilli made his 35th dip.   The team raised a total of $9,680 for the Maine Special Olympics.  Total contributions for the cause were a record setting $177,106.  Wow.  Kudos to the PRFC for starting this great event.  Next year we plan on making a bigger splash. 

Read on....

Beacon - December 30, 2022

Field of Dreams:  We have had an amazing turnout for the the Field of Dreams Capital Campaign.  This has been an awesome club event.  We are leaving the campaign open for the coming months to allow all who want to participate to join us.  We are expecting updates on property permitting and construction in coming issues.  We will get this built!

Read on....

Beacon - November 25, 2022

Congratulations to the Boys of Maine for an incredible season.  The PRFC Men's team finished with an 8-1 record besting last year's record of 6-2-1.  November 15 saw the team come up one try short against the Wolfhounds in an absolute battle for the NERFU Div 2 Championship.  Full Time: Wolfhounds 18 Portland 13.  Thanks to the coaches and players for all the hard work and commitment put in to raise the team to this level.  You guys are awesome!  And thanks to all fans and supporters who made this a very special year for the club.  We are not done.  We will rise up!

Read on....

Beacon - October 27, 2022

Rugby Games - Rugby, Rugby, Rugby - Get out and watch a game!!!

For the Men's team the fall schedule is complete. The team has finished on the top of NERFU Div. II with a 7-0 record. Congrats lads! Now they move to playoffs to be played on Nov 5 & 12. Location TBD.

The women's team has one remaining league match this Saturday (10/29) against Charles River. A win will qualify them for the final playoff spot in women's NERFU Div. II. Let's go PWRFC!

Read on....

Beacon - September 29, 2022

Field of Dreams Capital Campaign - The Field of Dreams Capital Campaign is off to a great start. After a month, we are nearly halfway to our goal of $500,000 for the club. That is awesome! This is an important goal for the club to reach. Funds will go towards building our new clubhouse. We need your participation to reach this goal. Every donation, no matter what size, is greatly appreciated and will help us towards our goal. It takes a team to win, be part of that team. Let's build this!

Read on....

Beacon - August 25, 2022

Field of Dreams Capital Campaign - The Field of Dreams Capital Campaign is officially kicked off. Please think about what contribution you may be able to make to be a part of this great endeavor. We are striving for contributions from 90% of our combined club membership, so donate today. Stay tuned and check the website for updates..

Read on....

Beacon - July 28, 2022

Merger News - This is awesome news too. It's official, the PRFC men's and women's teams have officially merged into one unified club. Special thanks to our legal team for the hard work put forth to pull this together. Thanks to Heidi Osborn, Joy Naifeh, Craig Nelson, Mathew Winch and others that have made this happen. You guys rock!

Read on....

Beacon - June 30, 2022

Field of Dreams - The Field Committee is happy to announce that the property at 122/142 Two Rod Road in Scarborough has been purchased by the club and will be the future home to the PRFC. It is located a couple of miles south of Cabela's off Payne Road and is five minutes off the Maine Turnpike. The parcel is approximately 39 acres and is conveniently located 16 minutes from downtown Portland. The committee is now working on a Master plan for the property which will be followed by a permitting process. A full blown Capital Campaign, including a kick-off celebration will be launched within the coming months. This is very exciting news and a very exciting time for the club. Stay tuned and check the website for updates..

Read on....

Beacon - May 26, 2022

Field of Dreams - The property at 122 Two Rod Road, Scarborough (39 acres) is very close to becoming the future home for the PRFC. The final Wet Land Survey is complete and the Field Committee is pulling together a Master Plan for the property. The club has a contract to buy the property and is looking to close on the property within the next month. This is very exciting news and a very exciting time for the club. Stay tuned and check the website for updates.

Read on....

Beacon - April 28, 2022

Scotland - England Tour 2023 - The 2023 PRFC Tour Scotland / England is very close to full. That is exciting news. We have a strong turnout from the players and expect to be bringing a very competitive side on tour. The 2023 Six Nations Fixtures have been announced and Scotland is hosting Ireland on Sunday March 12 while we are in Edinburgh. We are currently working to secure tickets for the match. Tour signup deadline is May 1.

Read on....

Beacon - March 31, 2022

Membership Campaign - 2022 Membership Campaign - The 2022 Membership Campaign is in full swing. Are goal is to sign up 80 Social Members for this year. We are happy to report that we are very close to our goal. Thanks to those that have signed up. If you haven't done so yet you still have time. Help support the club; Sign up as a member: PRFC Social Membership Signup Page Thank you to those that have joined our ranks in 2022. PRFC Social Membership Listing 2022

Read on....

Beacon - February 24, 2022

2022 is shaping up to be a great year for the Portland RFC. There are a lot of things coming together for the club. Here are some highlights for the year.

Membership Campaign - 2022 will be kicked off with a Membership Campaign. We are looking to sign up 80 Social Members for this year. Help support the club; Sign up as a member: PRFC Social Membership Signup Page

Read on....

Beacon - January 28, 2022

Wow, we finally made it to 2022. What a great year 2021 was for the Portland RFC. In 2021 the Portland RFC finished a very strong second place in NERFU Div2 behind a tough Boston club. What an amazing turn around for the club.

The Portland RFC has lots of great forward momentum moving into 2022. It feels like we have the ball on the opponents' 22 and are driving hard. It's a nice feeling. Here are some of the many things that we have to look forward to in the Portland RFC future.

Read on....

Beacon - December 25, 2021

Wishing you and your family health, happiness, peace and prosperity this Christmas and in the coming New Year.

Beacon - November 25, 2021

What a great year for the Portland RFC. For 2021 the Portland RFC posted a total record of 15W-2L-1T ( 6W-2L-1T in NERFU Div2 ). They finished a very strong second place in NERFU Div2 behind a tough Boston club. That's a pretty amazing turnaround from a 2019 record of 1W-6L and a 2018 record of 2W-7L. Watch out Boston in 2022.

Read on....

Beacon - October 28, 2021

Plan on coming out for the next home match on November 6. Portland RFC will be hosting Mystic; 2:30 at Fox Street.. Should be a great match. Keep up the spirit and get out to support our boys in their push to win the payoffs.

The Portland RFC World Cup Tour itinerary has been set. Need head counts for World Cup Rugby Match tickets ASAP. See below for details.

Read on....

Beacon - September 30, 2021

It's fall in New England and time for RUGBY.....

Wow, what an exciting month it's been for the Portland RFC. September 18th was an amazing day for the club. Weather was perfect for a home rugby match at Fox Street. It was an awesome turnout. Fans were provided with a spirited match between Portland RFC and South Shore. Following that match was the PRFC 50th Anniversary Celebration at lone Pine Brewery. What an amazing party (see below for details).
Read

Beacon - August 26, 2021

Are you ready for some RUGBY.....

This fall is shaping up to be great time for the Portland RFC. Our spring season could not have been better, with an 8-0 record. Summer sessions have been going well and the guys are extremely excited to attack the fall season. The season kicks off with a very tough opponent in Newport. If you can get away to support the lads for that road trip it would surely help. On the following weekend, Sept. 18, the club hosts South Shore. Following that match will be the PRFC 50th Anniversary Celebration (see below for details). That will be an action packed day and night. Check the schedule below for other games and get out to support the guys. We are considering hiring a bus for the October 9 game against the Wolfhounds. If you are interested, please shoot us an email. Could be good fun. Read more …..

Beacon - July 29, 2021

The Mad River Rugby Tournament. A Tournament that has taken place annually for 46 years in the beautiful parts of Stowe, Vermont. This indeed was the last box the Portland men wanted to check off their impressive spring/summer season. Portland had one goal on their mind entering the tournament and that was to bring home the hardware.

Going into the tournament Portland was assigned their three matches. The winner of the tournament was determined on a point system, using wins, point differential and bonus points. Each match consisted of two 25 minute halves. Portland's first match-up was familiar faces, the Worcester RFC. Read more …..

Beacon - June 24, 2021

Wow, there's a lot of stuff going on at PRFC. First off, we have a really great team. Kudos to Coach Lovering and President Canon. What an amazing job these guys have done pulling together an awesome force during crazy times. Also, a big thanks to the new team captain, Gareth Roberts. You guys make rugby look fun again.

Put the 50th Anniversary Celebration on your calendars. It's scheduled for September 18 and we plan to host it on our new property off Riverside Street (fingers crossed on that). We will be looking at a big bash, so we hope to see you there.

We also welcome in a NEW Website and NEW Team Store. Read more …..

Beacon - May 27, 2021

Match Report

For the first time since October 26, 2019, your Portland Rugby team kitted up and took the field for a proper match on Saturday, April 24th. Newly elected Secretary Dan Tran jumped on an invitation from the Springfield, Massachusetts rugby club to travel down for a friendly. Springfield, the home of the eponymous Armory, the Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Amazing World of Dr. Suess, added able affable adultish athletes rapidly running, tactfully tackling, and precisely passing to the list of attractions that day. Read more …..