Rugby Ontario in collaboration with Rugby Canada and the Eastern Ontario Rugby Union, hosted a unique event for women and girls to learn from and connect with leaders in non-playing roles Beyond the Pitch. Across 3 sessions, speakers shared their stories and participated in a discussion and Q&A led by former England International and current women’s rugby advocate and commentator Rachael Burford. In addition to Rachael, participants heard from leaders in a variety of roles, including coach and match official educators, a researcher, a photographer, an athletic therapist, and club, branch, provincial, and national staff and board members, most of whom have ties to Eastern Ontario themselves. The participants – ages 13 to adult – brought great energy and curiosity, demonstrating the importance of engaging in these conversations for the future of our sport.
One participant who attended with her teenage daughter had this to say about the event:
“[My daughter] and I had some great conversations on the way home. She’s excited about all the different opportunities out there. Thank you for encouraging our girls. I am proud to be part of the rugby community.”
Thank you to everyone who participated and spoke. We are excited to see the impact you will continue to have moving forward!
If you would like to collaborate to run an event like this in your region, please reach out to Jocelyn Poirier at jpoirier@rugbyontario.com or submit an Expression of Interest for Development Support here.
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