The Ottawa wolves, the city’s only gay rugby club, are kicking off the new season in a kinky way — auctioning off their jock straps at their opening party event ‘Jocks and Knee High Socks.’
Dan Ziemkiewicz, communications coordinator for the Ottawa Wolves, is interested in getting exposure for the club off the field by hosting some “kick ass” parties. The jock strap auction, which has been organized by team member Jeff Fennel, will be held at Babylon, is the first of the events planned for this season.
“I want this to be a fun event — it’s not often that a rugby team auctions off their jock straps,” says Ziemkiewicz.
This is the first year that Ziemkiewicz has been a member of the wolves and he is actively seeking cheerleaders for the Ottawa Wolves — both on the field and off.
“We are a community group,” says Ziemkiewicz. “We do our thing but it also be great to have a cheering squad.”
As part of his promotion plans, Ziemkiewicz has been arranging the team into different poses — from fetish followers to drag queens — for a 2011 calendar. They aim to launch the calendar in August at La Petite Mort Gallery and are also organizing the first gay rugby game on Parliament Hill.
The wolves have invited the Muddy York from Toronto — the only other gay rugby club in Canada — to a friendly game the Saturday before the pride parade.
“We want to promote the idea of rugby in Canada,” says Ziemkiewicz. “Last year we had a friendly game against the Muddy Yorks in Montréal to try and encourage Montréal to have a team.”
Gay rugby teams in Canada are not common and with only two teams the Ottawa Wolves need to drum up some followers. The 2010 season will be their second full season since Carl Pilon and Jay Smidt started the club — in fact, it was only a year ago that the wolves played their inaugural match on May 16, 2009.
This year the pinnacle of the Ottawa Wolves rugby season will be their participation in the Bingham Cup, a biannual international gay rugby tournament. The tournament will be held in Minneapolis from June 17 – 20. Over 30 teams — including the Ottawa Wolves and the Muddy York — will be participating in the tournament.
Until then the Ottawa Wolves will be on the practice field, playing matches in and around Ottawa and creating a scene for themselves at Babylon.
“It’s a great feeling to throw a party that people talk about,” says Ziemkiewicz.
For more information on the Ottawa wolves and how to be a cheerleader on and off the field go to ottawawolves.ca. Jocks and Knee High Socks Bar Night & Jock Strap Auction! June 5th at Babylon Night Club. Featuring hostess LUX, the Rockalily Girls and DJ Gregular. $5 cover. Doors open at 10pm.
Why you can trust Xtra
