Highland Rugby
Utah High School Rugby Powerhouse
by Wes Clark & Larry Gelwix

Their team Goal: "To do our best" in rugby, life
From (LDS) Church News, week ending 5 September 1998

Pretend Students at Olympus High School

The import rugby players from New Zealand were expelled from Olympus High School on April 15th 2005, by Carol Lear the attorney at the Utah State Board of Education.

One month later a USA Rugby official at Nationals calls Olympus High School and is told that the boys from New Zealand are exchange students, each has paid $7,000.00 in full tuition and are full time students.

What phone number were they given to call and who gave them this false information. It was not the registration office at Olympus High School.

The players from New Zealand did not return to school at Olympus High School after Nationals in 2005. They were put on a plane and sent home to New Zealand.

Invisible Recruits from New Zealand

2011

Larry Gelwix had a successful recruiting trip to the South Pacific. He was seen in New Zealand actively recruiting 6 to 10 players for the 2011 season.

Interestingly, he recruited 2 players who are not members of the Mormon Church. Not sure how they will figure into the "missionary strong" stories.

No players being dropped out of the sky on to the Highland Rugby door step by the most regular and anonymous rugby recruiting stalk this year. He must have a cold.

All coming to Utah comfortably on a 747, 777 or an A380. Courtesy of the Highland Rugby Club.

He no longer can say..."I know nothing about recruiting import players from New Zealand".

He is the recruiting stalk.

2008

The promotion and marketing machine for the rugby movie Forever Strong has moved into high gear with a Facebook page and a new website called Missionary Strong. The DVD is now being sold at Deseret Book stores in Utah and is available online at www.missionarystrong.com.

There are two sides to every story. The purpose of this blog is to tell a very critical part of the story that was left out of the movie, post 2009. The third leg under this three legged stool. The little known "New Zealand Recruiting Connection."

You will gain a greater appreciation of the true meaning of "Kia Kaha", the Haka, the Maori connection and the amazing annual contribution of the, up to now, invisible recruits from the Land of the Long White Cloud.

I was born in New Zealand. I am a Maori living with my family in St George, Utah.

Download some of the documents on the right. Read them and form your own opinion. Post questions, comments or send me an email. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The movie tells a good Hollywood story.

Do the ends justify the means?

The kiwi rugby players have contributed to winning 50% of the 379 wins and 1/2 of the 18 National Championships?

Yet there are ZERO mentions of there critical contributions in the movie or on the website. ZERO!

* Why was this essential chapter of the story left out of the movie completely?
* Why were 4 players, pretend students, removed from Olympus High School in 2005?
* What is the story behind the 2008 closure of the USC Sports Academy in Murray?
* Why use the Haka and Kia Kaha, yet leave out the young import players that helped fight the fight every season?
* No mentions, thank yous, props, congrats or expressions of gratitude for their invaluable contributions year after year.

Left out because it is a little more difficult to promote the teachings of Jesus Christ,"missionary strong", while telling the complete HR story. Recruiting, pretend students, overstaying visitors visas, pretend exchange students etc.

Peter, James and ? (you know the other guys from the southern hemisphere.)

The Good Samaritan without the Samaritan:
"First guy walked by without stopping and the second guy did the same. The next day I read in the paper that someone picked him up and took him to an Inn." What a great guy. What is his name? Where did he come from? Why was he there? Where did he go? What is his story?

Mormon missionaries on the poster promoting the DVD .......... the Kiwi boys on the cutting room floor and in the waste paper basket.

Not one Maori young man in the picture with all of the missionaries. Actually there are no polynesians at all, despite their amazing collective contributions over 25 years. www.missionarystrong.com.

Visit Rugby Strong

Highland Rugby

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Equal Time

Highland rugby sets the standard

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), May 22, 2006 by Dirk Facer Deseret Morning News

Highland's rugby teams earn results

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), May 18, 2004 by Jay Hinton Deseret Morning News

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