8th Memorial Antonio Pelino
Report from the visit, Avezzano (Italy), June 17th and 20th 2016Licor Beirao Series 2016
Avezzano (region of Abruzzo), situated at the foot of Mount Velino, is small Italian town known because of the natural beauties/parks that surround it.
Rugby has been played since 1977 when Avezzano SRL had been founded.
In 2005 the veterans formed ASD Avezzano Old Rugby Club, active member of EVRA since 2010. Also this year they organised 8th Memorial "Antonio Pelino" with the participation of veterans from CUS Roma, Rugby Clan Santa Maria CV and Avezzano.
Aristide Amicucci (Old Rugby Club President), Massimo Cherubini (Vice-President), Alessandro Seriti (President of the Club that competes in Serie B of Italian Championship), Carlo Lancia (Old Team Captain), Gianni and Davide Venditti (Team managers), Ian Ferguson (Scottsman that "fall in love with Italy") and Luca Pedriale (Old Team wing), together with many volunteers - club members succeeded also this time to make a memorable event with the real feeling for the main motto of Golden Oldies - Fun & Friendhip & Fraternity.
Perfect weather conditions,soft grass rugby pitch, two excellent young referees and quite a number of "spectators" characterized this traditional Abruzzo Memorial.
Antonio Pelino, that never played rugby, was dedicated supporter of the Club for many years, so decision to have "his memorial" is to honour the dedication to our sport and to "teach" younger generations of Avezzano players about the "love for the Club" and for the amateur sport.
Third Halftime that took place in the Clubhouse give the opportunity to all to taste the art of cooking of "maestro" Massimo.
During the "awarding ceremony" mother of Antonio, Emma Pelino presented to each of the teams rugby souvenirs to remember this nice rugby day.
In the name of EVRA, The Secretary presented European Series plagues to the Oldest Memorial Player - Luigi Amendola (69) from Santa Maria Capua Old Rugby,
to the CUS Roma - Rugby Old and Unione Rugby Old, as well as to the Avezzano Rugby Old as the organisers of the Event that was again the part of EVRA Licor Beirao European Series.
As for the Milano and Torino Rugby festivals, I prepared also for Avezzano Memorial participating teams information about our Associaiton, Information about European Festival in 2017 in Poland.
All these materials, together with EVRA Membership Application Form had been given to the team managers of the present teams.
Especially the talks with CUS Roma - Old Rugby President Maurizio Serini opened the real possibilty of co-operation with EVRA, namely Mr. Serini and his colleagues formed the association Unione Old Rugby Roma, that has 12 Veteran - Old Rugby clubs: CUS Roma, Triari Rugby Old, Ruderi Appia Old Rugby, Anzio Rugby Old, Autumn Rugby Old, Villa Pampilli (all from Rome), Avezzano Rugby Old and Sulmona Rugby Old (both from Abruzzo), Old Rugby Partenope (Napoli), Old Rugby Taranto, Tasci Falisci Rugby Old (Civita Castellana) and Viterbo Old Rugby.
Since 2014 they play "small tournaments" each month in another town, during the whole year, September to September.
For 2017 Unione Old Rugby Roma will join EVRA European Series and on July 7th 2016 Mr. Serini will inform all clubs at that meeting about EVRA and the possibility that these clubs join us and our European activities.
Addtional emphasis Unione Old Rugby has on the teams OVER 50´s
Marko Protega
Heidelberg, June 23rd 2016"
