As much as the Toronto Dingos are centered around Aussie Rules Football here in Canada, the social side of the club is a key part of what makes being a Dingo so much more than just a footy player. As such, the Dingos have a regular series of events that act both to strengthen the bonds between teammates and help out the club and/or club sponsors as a whole.
SOCIAL EVENTS
Pre-Season Winter Tournament - April 21st
An annual event run as part of the Toronto Dingos Winter Trainings: an inter-squad round-robin tournament, played in the indoor field bubbles used for winter trainings, between four teams of rookies, vets, and Dingos new and old. The goal of this tournament is to help both shake off the rust for the vets, and give new players a chance to understand the game they've begun to play.
Round 1 Rookie Night - Toronto - May 25th
With the start of the summer season, the club hosts an annual Rookie Night following the opening match, where Rookie players are honoured for joining the club and have their photos taken with their jerseys. This year we will celebrate our Rookes post game at Dublin Calling in Toronto.
AFL Grand Final Party - September 28th - The Office Pub
The biggest event on the Dingo Social Calendar (aside from the Footy Trip) is by far the AFL Grand Final party. Located at our host pub, the Sports Centre Cafe, it is our biggest fundraiser and recruitment event, where the AFL Grand Finals are broadcasted live on 40+ screens throughout the entire pub. Year after year, the AFL Grand Final party has proven to be an event like no other - the longest running AFL Party in town and by far the most populated, the night is an event not to be missed. Partners and friends welcome.
Awards Night - Date To Be Announced
The Dingos close out the season in style with an annual Awards Night dinner usually held in late October. This event is a full blown wine-and-dine event, with players encouraged to bring out the wives and girlfriends who put up with so much over the course of a season. The event features a number of speeches and awards, including the run-down of the Best & Fairest votes through each round, and has proven to be one of the highlights of the year (especially when the event happens to fall on Halloween).
Annual General Meeting - Date To Be Announced
Rounding out the calendar year is our AGM meeting, usually held in January, where the club elects the exec and the budget is worked out for the coming season. Beers are naturally a part of the process.
Footy Trip - Date To Be Announced
By far the BIGGEST DINGO SOCIAL EVENT is the annual footy trip, a weekend where the club piles into the nearest plane, train or automobile and has a weekend away from Toronto. Past footy trips have taken the club to Ottawa, Montreal, Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Boston, and most recently Cuba in the Dingos first trip to an all-inclusive resort. The footy trip is always a fantastic weekend for all involved, and its destination a hotly-debated topic during the summer months.
