Hoisting the cup!

Reminiscing about my first year with Rugby Ontario brought back a host of other memories that stuck with me all these years, thanks to that wonderful game called rugby. I have been blessed to have been gifted the opportunity to coach Team Ontario in two sports ... basketball and rugby ... and incredibly won national championships in both, something I am extremely proud of.


2010 National Rugby Champions
As I've told you in previous posts, I have been blessed with coaching a plethora of talented ONT teens and 2010 was no different. The team was led by rugby friend Tyler Leggatt and I made new friends in Scott Dunham, Heather Vesh and Ed ... Sorry Ed, I can't recall your last name. Together was assembled a team of great athletes who simply needed to learn how to work together before being successful. It was an interesting affair, that summer, as we jointly struggled to find an identity in the friendlies leading up to the trip to Nationals which, by the way, were being hosted by Rugby Alberta at the Calgary Rugby Park. Winning my first rugby National Championship segued into a most memorable post-game coaching love-fest.

Now, that was a lengthy lead up, mostly so that you had an idea of where we were at going into the nationals. Fortunately, it quickly became apparent with the first match of the tournament vs host side Alberta, that the lads had brought their A game. All of that good stuff resulted in a finals berth vs perennial favourite British Columbia ... The Evil Empire as I liked to refer to them. Don't get confused, BC earned their respect through consistently outstanding play, having forced my teams into the bridesmaid position each year I coached a nationals previously.

The game was a CRACKER! Each side took turns asking numerous questions of each other and, with time winding down, ONT was behind on the scoreboard. Lady Karma was on our side that day as our FH Mike Perelli found a seam in BC defence, scoring the winning try and securing the GOLD Medal 29-26.

While winning a National Championship was INCREDIBLE, what happened next is the stuff of Glory Days tall tales around the campfire. You see, the Calgary Rugby Club were rugby culture savants, and had the great foresight to build their stadium pitch then erect a grand clubhouse, complete with a majestic deck, overlooking the one corner of the pitch. Once we had the lads settled and changing, Ty, Scott and I decided were earned a "refreshment" for all of our hard work. Arriving on the deck, which I might add was fully licensed ... rugby culture savants, remember ... we were greeted with the glad tidings of the many parents who had made the trip west to cheer on their son. What could only be described as the 2nd biggest coaching Love-Fest I've ever been a part of, we celebrated the Gold in a most appropriate fashion.
Note: Easily the BIGgest coaching love-fest was winning the 2015 OFSAA crown on home turf.

It would come out later, that the lads also had a memorable celebration. Keeping in mind that these were 16 year olds, and the resulting absence of adult libations, a few took it upon themselves to record their shower activities with Championship Trophy strategically placed, fully supporting the notion that rugby culture is second to none.

Cue the eye rolls.