Miami Sharks COO: Mariano Marco
FRU President: Rick Comisky
FCC Commissioner: Kirk Swanner

We all love new, shiny things - even us two salty old farts at TFRO. So this episode we will be focusing on the "new" clubs entering the FRU realm in 2022 (we put new in quotes because one is technically a re-born club). We'll also talk to some folks from the teams making moves between divisions this season.
Guests:

Treasure Coast Armada - Tristyn Gutman – President
}St Thomas – Gavin McLeavy - Head Coach
Pelicans - Graham Knoop – Head Coach
Special guest: Cisco Lopez

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Join us in a special episode of #TFRO to honor our D3 National Champions, the Palm Beach Panthers. After winning the Florida Final in the last minutes of the game, they went on to beat with no doubt every single opponent that came along. They sure have a lot of stories to tell!

Guests:

Brett Stubbs
Austin Parish
Devarius Miller

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Florida Youth Rugby Finals
Guest host: Gavin McLeavy

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Week 11

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The Florida State Finals

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As that highly-acclaimed legendary rock band Staind once sang, “it’s been a while”. But, absence makes the heart grow fonder, so you should all be HYPED for this Sunday’s return of TFRO after a couple of weeks off. We’ll have full playoff previews, as well as chats with the folks from all 3 Tampa Krewe teams and the Boca U19s, coming off their big win over Gibbons. And perhaps we'll even have a chat with referee Tom Ciampa, directly from Ireland! Ladies, please try to contain yourselves.

Guests:
Tom Ciampa - FRRA Referee
Shelby Coleman - Tampa Women
Pascal Felix - Tampa Youth
Matt Guest - Boca Raton U19 Coach
Vicente Allue-Lavin - Boca Raton U19 Player

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After a week off - the O in TFRO does mean occasionally - we make our triumphant return for Week 6, which is really the last crazy-busy week of the season. We’ll review Ruggerfest as well as one of the biggest college men’s games of the season, despite what the standings might say.

Guests: Mike Gomez (FSU, Tallahassee)
Mark Diaz (Hartford Harpooners)

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Week 3 is upon us, and it brings us a monster men’s matchup between Boca and the Tridents. We’ll also talk to the guy behind a new club in Orlando, as well as wrapping up all the rest of the action around the state.

Guests:
Cory FIsher - Orlando Otters
Gonzalo Torres-García - Miami Tridents RFC
Emo Sergile - Boca Raton RFC
Rocky Miyares - Cardinal Gibbons
Nick Vickers - Fort Lauderdale Ruggerfest

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Temperatures will plummet into the 20s in some places in Florida this weekend, but TFRO will fight through the frost as we bring you a recap of all the Week 2 action and talk to folks thawing out in all corners of the Sunshine (?) State. And perhaps we’ll have some special guests from Spain.

TFRO S1 E17 - The UCF Golden Years - 10/4/2020 - 7:00 PM EST

With the cyclical nature of college sports, having a team reach three consecutive national championship games - winning two of them - is no mean feat. Find out how the UCF men’s rugby team did just that from some of the men who contributed to the amazing run.
Guests: Jason Granich, Jason Ross, Scott Watters

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TFRO S1 E16 - Inner City Rugby - 9/20/2020 - 6:00 PM EST

Shane Young was a very good rugby player in his youth spent in Florida, even featuring for the USA at the youth level. However, he has made even more of an impact off the field with his dedication to bringing the greatest sport in the world to the impoverished areas of Memphis, Tennessee.

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If you've had a solid referee in the middle of one of your games over the last 25 or so years in Florida, the chances that Gerry Fitzgerald has played a part in that are pretty good. Along with his years of referee coaching in the Sunshine State, Fitzy has reffed in over 20 countries and has more stories than a NYC skyscraper.
Special Guest: Dai Morgan

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TFRO S1 E14 - Women Movin' Up - 8/30/2020 - 4:00 PM EST

For many young, high-level Florida rugby players, the first big, early step in their pathway is to test their skills outside of the state. In this week's episode, we talk to a pair of women who have ventured to colleges and played on national teams, and two other ladies who are just starting their adventure north of the border.
Guests:
Cortney Kuehl - USA Eagles Performance squad/Selects (no official caps yet), Atlanta Harlequins, UCF (Class of 2018)
Morgan Freeman - USA U20s, Lindenwood sophomore, Fort Miami, Fort Lauderdale Ruckus, Phoenix 7s
Sandra Lezcano - Sacred Heart University, Boynton Beach
Alex Wantlin - ARPTC, Life U (starting in spring), Wellington Wizards
Eyal Hakim - Coach - Boca Raton RFC, Phoenix 7s

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When Tropical 7s popped up out of nowhere back in 2017, many people were perhaps unsure what to think about the new kid on the block. Since then, the tournament has exploded into one of the biggest youth and college tournaments in the country. Guests: John Siner - Executive Director and Veronika Muehlhofer (AUT) - Director of Competition

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While Cam Dolan is undoubtedly Florida’s most decorated 15s product, even he admits that Perry Baker has him beat in the overall rugby fame department. Join us this Sunday to find out how the 180-pound Speed Stick went from the pitches of Daytona Beach to being one of the best players in the history of 7s rugby.
Special guests: Mike Friday, Brian Richardson, James 'Doc' Brown, Daniel Palmer

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In episode 11 of #TFRO, we talk to four young rugby players who either learned the game or honed their skills in Florida before taking their talents abroad. Hear their stories and experiences from playing at the next level around the globe.

Guests:
Marcos Young KEY BISCAYNE / C.U.B.A. (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Angus Kelly KEY BISCAYNE / Cardiff Met (Cardiff, Wales)
Tomás Gallo OKAPI / Richmond RFC (London, UK)
José Laphitzhondo FIU / Los MolinosC.U.B.A. (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Special guest: Lucas Baistrocchi

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A rugby match can’t happen without a referee, and a referee can’t thrive without support from his association. In this episode of TFRO, learn about how the Florida Rugby Referees Association works and maybe even how you can become an official.
Guests: Roy Monk, Gary Nation, Kye Martinovic
Special appearance: Jeremy Brown.

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Winning one state title is no mean feat for a team. Back-to-back? Very impressive. But winning four in a row while based in one of the most transient cities in America? That takes some real doing, both on and off the field. Find out the secrets (maybe not all of them!) about how the Miami Tridents came to be the best senior men's team in Florida today.
Guests: Hein Erasmus, Jose Bermudez, L. A. Prieto y Muñoz, Miguel Peña, Oliver Hire, Chris Jewett, Sean Murray.

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When you think of legendary long-time coaches in Florida rugby history, the first name that comes to mind for many people has to be Kenny Simmons. Involved with Fort Lauderdale for three decades, Naples for 12 years, and now UF since 2007, Kenny has made a name for himself in three of the four corners of the state, and for good reason.

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Ronnie Suarez might be the quietest rugby coach you've ever seen on the sideline, and his name has just as quietly risen up the list of the most well-respected coaches in the entire state of Florida, if not the USA over the last few years. Join us this Sunday at 7:30 p.m. as we chat with the former US Marine, current FIU, and Stormers 7s coach and the new coach for Coast Guard Rugby. Busy man.

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Kris Thomas has come a long way from when she first stepped foot on the UCF campus to begin her freshman year back in 2011. The Philadelphia native had never picked up a rugby ball at that point, but 9 years later finds herself as a USA Eagles 7s veteran and looking to make her second Women's Rugby World Cup 15s squad when the event heads to New Zealand next year. Join us for a chat with Thomas and her college coach, long-time Florida rugby stalwart Raoul Besse.

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While the 30 players on the field are the main focus when any game is going on, many don't realize the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to enable teams to take the field. In this episode we talk to those who have played a large part in making Okapi Wanderers and Key Biscayne the clubs they are today.

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Presentation of our project: Talking Florida Rugby ...Occasionally.
By Ross Devonport and Carlos 'Charlee' Velázquez.

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Alex Tucci, ex-Weston and Okapi player, currently playing in the MLR for the Utah Warriors.

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As the current brains behind the Florida Rugby Union, you should know the names Kerri O'Malley and Evan Haigh, President and General Manager for the FRU.

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USA Rugby Eagle Cam Dolan. Ex Naples Bears, Naples Hammerheads. Current MLR NOLA player.
Surprise guests: Steve Young | Shane Young

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Getting yelled at by players and countless fans for the majority of 80 minutes (or 14 minutes in the case of 7s) doesn’t sound appealing for most, but for rugby referees it’s just part of the deal when you pick up the whistle. But, if you have the knowledge, skills and fitness to become a high-level official, you can get to visit far corners of the country and world on other people’s dime, and give back to the greatest sport in the world while doing it.
In our third episode, we will get to pick the brains of four elite referees who got their start on the rugby pitches of Florida: Kahlil Harrison, Cisco Lopez, Haylee Slaughter, and Lex Weiner.
Surprise guest: Gerry Fitzgerald

#TFRO - Talking Florida Rugby ... Occasionally: Recent Episodes

Carlos 'Charlee' Velázqiez

TFRO S1 E17 - The UCF Golden Years - 10/4/2020 - 7:00 PM EST

TFRO S1 E16 - Inner City Rugby - 9/20/2020 - 6:00 PM EST

TFRO S1 E14 - Women Movin' Up - 8/30/2020 - 4:00 PM EST