SEATTLE – The Seattle Quake Rugby Football Club is pleased to announce the release of their 2006 semi-nude rugby calendar.  The calendar features twelve months of semi-nude players in the rough team sport of rugby.  Shot by Seattle based photographer Steven Miller, this professionally executed calendar showcases the predominately gay team in provocative positions.  The 2006 Seattle Quake Calendar is available on the team's website at www.quakerugby.org and in local Seattle outlets, sponsor venues, and directly from team members.  The calendar retails for $15. 

The handsome Quake players disrobe in hopes of attracting attention from fans and sponsors alike.  One of the Club's team captains, Craig Kelly, reveals, "The Quake is full of all kinds of men, different colors, different sizes, even different orientations.  We are, and always will be a part of the gay community, but we also introduce and involve straight folks in a part of the community they never knew existed."

The $15 retail price made from each calendar helps offset a number of operating expenses for the Club.  Success and glory are earned with blood, sweat and tears, but cash certainly helps.  "You can't buy jerseys with black eyes," says George Froehle, coordinator of the highly successful inaugural calendar of 2004.  Due to the high cost of operating an amateur rugby club, reliance on sponsorship and fundraising keeps the Club alive.  The broad support of local business supporters through the purchase of advertising space in the calendar allows 100% of the revenue to go directly to support the club.

"Once more, our dedicated sponsors have stepped up to the plate and made another great calendar possible; we can't thank them enough, but you can help by giving them your business."  Froehle said.  "This sponsorship allows us to continue to challenge the stereotypes of what gay athletes are capable of doing," Froehle explained, "so our sponsors and community genuinely want us to succeed."

Expenses this year will be even greater as the Quake will be traveling to New York City for the Bingham Cup, the International Gay Rugby and Board (IGRAB) tournament, where they will compete against rugby teams from across the globe.  Coming off their success in their own Magnitude 15 Tournament where they defeated the two time Bingham Cup Champions, The San Francisco Fog, the Quake is a top contender for this tournament.  The Quake will be aiming for victory in the cross hairs of teams from the United States, across Europe, and all the way from Australia.

Seattle Quake Rugby Football Club (RFC) is a non-profit, community-based, amateur athletic organization.  The mission Seattle Quake RFC is to foster local, regional, national, and international participation and competition in the game of Rugby Union Football, and to create an environment where members of the community can learn the laws and practice of Rugby Union Football, thus improving their capabilities as players.  Seattle Quake RFC is especially focused on providing opportunities for learning and playing competitive Rugby Union Football to communities traditionally underrepresented in the sport, including gay men and men of color.