Emil Signes was kind enough to write an article for the 2012 Surfside Sevens Program.
When I first played 7s, in 1969, I thought it was an odd game, especially for slow people like me. When I first coached it, in 1977, it was a great way to spend a summer day out, and when my team won its first-ever major tournament (the 1978 Ontario Sevens), I knew a good sevens day could produce quite a rush.
In 1986, I was appointed coach to the US National Men’s Sevens Team. The first international sevens trip I took — Hong Kong and Australia — was the longest and most exotic trip of my rugby life to date, but — as I was to find out later — I hadn’t seen nothin’ yet.