Rugby Ontario Statement Regarding the Toronto Arrows

The Toronto Arrows have had a profound impact on the sport of rugby in Ontario since their inception into Major League Rugby.  Like so many others, we are saddened by yesterday’s news about the Arrows.

As Canada’s first and only professional rugby union franchise, the Arrows have provided a necessary platform for many Ontario athletes and coaches to pursue professional rugby right here in Canada, while also creating memorable experiences for thousands of fans.   We are proud to be a partner of the Arrows and thank the club’s co-founder, the late Bill Webb, and the club’s leadership, players and staff for all they have contributed to rugby in Ontario and throughout the country.

Rugby Ontario is committed to developing strategies that maximize the performance potential of all aspiring provincial rugby players.  We consistently work to create alignment in support of a clear development pathway for players, coaches and match officials in Ontario, and will continue to offer and support various player development opportunities across the province.

Ontario Blues Development Academy Overview

The Ontario Blues Development Academy (OBDA) is a high-performance program focused on the development of aspiring provincial rugby players. Our targeted demographic is young men and women between the ages of 16– 18 years of age (athletes born in 2006/2007). We aspire to provide an environment in which the demands of high-performance sport and life skills are blended to enable success within both endeavours. Our Central locations are Toronto and St. Catharines, with satellite locations in Guelph, Ottawa and other supporting regions. 

PROGRAM PURPOSE 

Facilitate the Development of Future Provincial and National Team Athletes. 

MISSION STATEMENT 

The OBDA exists to provide an environment that supports rugby players and those athletes recently graduated from high school in achieving their aspirations of competing for the National Senior Women’s and Men’s teams, with a focus on a podium performance. We believe that we give athletes the best opportunity to achieve these goals when we work ethically and with integrity to develop the holistic student athlete. 

KEY PROGRAM PRINCIPLES: 

Growth Mindset 

Consistent application of physical and mental resources is required to achieve desired growth in skills, abilities, and character. This adaptation occurs when an internal or external pressure forces the individual to respond. There will be times in which perseverance is required to overcome adversity. A commitment to this process will lead to success and a developed resiliency for future challenges. 

Personal Accountability 

Personal accountability for how we manage ourselves and interact with others is necessary in order to achieve national team success. Self-management of behaviours including punctuality, attitude, and preparation are required to create a foundation upon which learning can occur. The communication and interaction we have with others must be inclusive, and respectful in order to facilitate team success. 

Community 

We require support from multiple networks to achieve our goals. Maintaining positive and mutually beneficial relationships with schools, families, and local communities are necessary to attain our rugby aspirations. Giving back to these communities in meaningful ways is important to grow these partnerships, develop holistic student-athletes, and represent Rugby Ontario.   

DAILY SCHEDULE 

The Ontario Blues Development Academy in Ontario is a decentralized program. Athletes will train for 3 hours between the hours of 4pm till 9pm, 1-2 times a week and showcase tournament. Key focus areas of training are below: 

  • Rugby specific training: skills, scrimmage, speed, weights, combat, mobility 
  • Sport Performance Seminars, covering a range of topics: Leadership, Nutrition, Time Management, Mental Performance, Communication, Conflict Resolution, Recovery, Video Analysis, Team Building, Post-secondary planning 

Toronto PanAm Sports Centre – Scarborough

Mondays/Thursdays

Canada Games Park – St. Catharine’s

Mondays/Wednesdays

 

Player Assessments & Feedback 

Academy players will regularly receive individual performance feedback to enhance personal growth and development. In addition to the informal feedback that will be provided by coaching staff on a regular basis within the daily training environment, athletes will be given quarterly comprehensive athletic reviews. Quarterly assessments incorporate objective and subjective monitoring in order to track player development and performance across short- and long-term time frames. 

Objective: Data driven performance metrics based on Gold Medal Profile performance metrics as well as national team standards. This feedback will ensure that performance gaps are being addressed and that the player is meeting the expected outcomes of the Rugby Academy program. Examples of these objective measures are sprint times, fitness levels, and strength scores. 

Subjective: Observation and reflection from coaching staff in relation to key performance indicators. This feedback will ensure that performance gaps are being addressed and that the player is meeting the expected outcomes of the Rugby Academy program. Examples of these subjective measures are technical and tactical rugby understanding and ability, approach to training, and coach-ability. 

WHAT IS THE LENGTH AND THE COST OF PARTICIPATING IN THE DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY? 

  • 10-12 weeks between January-March 

  • Cost is $30-$50 per week per athlete 

  • OBDA branded basic training kit will be included in fees 

Who is a good fit for the OBDA program? 

Athletes who are self-motivated and driven to achieve excellence both on and off the field will be best suited for this program. The OBDA program is very demanding both physically and mentally, as the athletes will be challenged in many new and different ways. Athletes must have a growth mindset and be able to conduct themselves professionally and positively in a close– knit team environment. 

How to Apply 

Athletes interested in applying for the OBDA 2024 year must complete the online application by December 1, 2023. Applications will be accepted after December, pending available space. 

APPLICATION LINK: https://forms.office.com/r/hLHr4QbugY  

For questions please contact: 

Amanda Andres – aandres@rugbyontario.com     

Club Development Conference – Retain and Grow on November 25

Club Development Conference – November 25th at Maple Banquet Hall

Join Rugby Ontario’s Director of Rugby Operations and Manager of Rugby Development for the first installments of our free Club Development Series beginning this fall including our hybrid Club Development Conference! We will work and learn together as we take steps towards improved retention and growth at the community club level. The event is open to all who are interested in the development of Rugby Ontario clubs and strongly encouraged for all club leaders.

The Conference is taking place on Saturday November 25th from 11am-4pm at the Maple Banquet Hall 1325 Eglinton Avenue East  Mississauga, Ontario OR online through our virtual event platform.

 

The conference will be facilitated by Rugby Ontario’s Director of Rugby Operations, John Hyland, and Manager of Rugby Development, Jocelyn Poirier but is intended to be primarily interactive and participant led discussion to support the development of inter-club relationships and the sharing of best practices. The conference is broken into two main sections: the morning focused on Retention and the afternoon focused on Growth. Both sections will follow a similar format with a quick intro followed by breakout groups on different topics/areas related to the broader theme and then a full group debrief and discussion. A networking lunch will be provided to those attending in person.

Schedule

10:45am-11:00am | Arrival and Refreshments

11:00am-1:00pm | Facilitated Session 1 – Retention

1:00pm-1:45pm | Working Lunch – Network and Brainstorm

1:45pm-3:45pm | Facilitated Session 2 – Growth

3:45pm-4:00pm | Next Steps and Closing

Missed the first webinar of the series? Catch up by watching the recording which is available through our virtual event portal, which all registered attendees for the series have access to.

The Club Development Series will continue in the New Year with more virtual sessions. The exact dates and topics for those are TBD based on the discussions at the conference and themes drawn from the submitted Club Development Self-Assessments and other sources of club feedback.

For more information and to register: https://site.pheedloop.com/event/ROclubdevseries/home

Questions? Contact jpoirier@rugbyontario.co

Professional Coaching Development at Toronto Arrows Combine

NOV 3 – Professional Coaching Development Opportunity at Toronto Arrows Combine

Combines for athletes aged 18 to 23, professional development sessions for coaches to be held at locations across Ontario in November and December.

TORONTO, ON – The Toronto Arrows announced today, in partnership with Rugby Ontario, that its Academy will be hosting a series of identification combines for athletes and professional development sessions for coaches this fall.

“This will be a first look for me to see what talent is out here in the province,” said Jamie Cudmore, Toronto Arrows Academy Director. “We are looking for raw talent that has a good attitude and is willing to work hard. Speed, size and/or skill are the main requirements needed, but toughness and grit are intangibles I value in players that I coach.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing what the coaches put forward and helping grow the pathway to professional rugby in Ontario and Canada.”

Held at locations across Ontario in November and December and run with support from Rugby Ontario, each full-day session will include a morning of professional development for coaches, followed by an afternoon that features a strength testing combine and skill-based games for athletes aged 18 to 23.

Athletes selected to participate in the identification series will be nominated by post-secondary and club coaches, with Academy staff placing a selection emphasis on confirmed* players.

“I don’t think coaches in Canada get enough opportunities to learn and collaborate in person about best practices in the game, and that is what these professional development sessions aim to provide,” added Cudmore. “From my experience while coaching in France’s Top 14 and Pro D2 leagues, as well as internationally with Canada’s Men’s XV, I’m looking forward to helping coaches across this country grow.”

“I want us to connect and build towards coaching a fast, exciting, heads-up, unapologetically Canadian brand of rugby that we can all be proud of.”

Arrows Academy Fall Identification Series

University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ont.
Friday, Nov. 3, 2023
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. // Professional Development for Coaches
12 p.m. – 3 p.m. // Field and Skills Testing for Athletes

Additional identification combines for athletes and professional development sessions for coaches will be held at locations in Niagara, the GTA, and Ottawa. Details will be announced in the coming days.

Athlete Expressions of Interest

All athletes interested in participating in the Arrows Academy Fall Identification Series are encouraged to alert their coaches (post-secondary, interbranch, club) of their intent.

Coaches will then submit their player lists to Academy staff via email at academy@torontoarrows.com for consideration.

*Academy staff are placing a selection emphasis on confirmed players, including those who meet one or more of the following criteria:

– have represented their province or country at the age-grade level;
– have played for their post-secondary (university or college) team;
– have played for their club team at a first division level;
– under their coach’s discretion, have a speed, size, or skill level that merits a look at the next level

All athletes selected to participate in the combines will be notified directly by Academy staff.

There will be no cost for selected athletes to participate.

Coach Expressions of Interest

All coaches interested in attending Arrows Academy Fall Identification Series professional development sessions are encouraged to confirm their attendance by notifying Academy staff via the club’s registration form.

Please note that there is a $120 cost to attend each professional development session. The fee, which offsets hosting costs and includes coffee, Arrows merchandise, and full immersion in the afternoon combine, can be paid on site.

All additional inquiries can be sent to Academy staff at academy@torontoarrows.com.

Brantford Harlequins win the 2023 McCormick Cup

Brantford Harlequins win this year’s McCormick Cup

The Brantford Harlequins are McCormick Cup Champions! The Harlequins defeated Balmy Beach 26-20 to win the 2023 title. It is the sixth provincial championship for the Brantford Harlequins, whose last win was in 2019. This victory completed a 12-0-1 season for the team. Rugby Ontario would like to congratulate the Harlequins on their McCormick Cup victory. We would also like to congratulate Balmy Beach on an outstanding season and fantastic final match. The game was streamed on our YouTube Channel which you can watch here.

Earlier in the day, Balmy Beach 2XV defeated Crusaders 33-15 earning themselves the Gee Gage Cup once again. At the same time, Barrie and Ajax Wanderers battled it out for third place in the Fall Cup. The game resulted in a 29-12 victory for Barrie. Next was the McCormick Consolation game between Aurora Barbarians and Toronto Scottish that ended with a final score of 24-14 for the Scottish. This game was followed by the Fall Cup Final that featured the Toronto Nomads against the Peterborough Pagans – the Nomads secured the cup with a 35-28 victory.

We’d like to thank all the wonderful teams for competing as well as the support from the community who came out to Fletcher’s to watch the games. A special thank you is dedicated to the Match Officials of the McCormick Cup Final without whom we wouldn’t be able to hold these competitions.

To check out live coverage from the day visit our Instagram page here.

McCormick Cup Preview 2023

McCormick Cup Day Preview

On Saturday, September 30th at Fletcher’s Fields, five Senior Men’s Cup matches will take place, three of which are Cup Final matches: The Gee Gage Cup, The Fall Cup, and the McCormick Cup. Join Rugby Ontario at Fletcher’s Fields for a super rugby day and if you’re unable to attend, the McCormick Cup Final will be streamed on our YouTube Channel. Long-time rugby community members, Matt King and Myles Martin will be commentating on this Saturday’s McCormick Cup Final – so don’t miss out! Check out the upcoming action below.

McCormick Cup Final 

Brantford Harlequins v. Balmy Beach RFC, 3:30 PM

The 2023 McCormick Cup Final will feature the reigning champions, Balmy Beach RFC, and Brantford Harlequins, this year’s Marshall League Champions, battle it out for the illustrious Cup. The two teams met in the Marshall League Playoff Semi-Final which resulted in a 35-24 victory for Brantford.

Balmy Beach enter the Cup Final as the third seed having beat Waterloo County in the semi-finals, 35-32. Beach finished overall 8-0-2 record in regular season and 1st in the East. They’re on the hunt for the record of Most Men’s Championships by a single club, being tied with Markham Irish with 16 provincial championships.

“Balmy Beach is excited to defend our McCormick Cup title this weekend against Brantford. Every year, we play them in the Fall, and it’s always a hard-fought battle. This year will be no different. Brantford always has a strong, experienced pack and we know that containing them will mean the difference between a win and a loss. We’ve got a bit of history with them, and we’re looking forward to writing the next chapter,” says Beach Head Coach, Iain McLeish. 

Brantford, on the other hand, are hoping to secure their first Cup since 2019. Finishing with a 9-0-1 regular season record and coming into the Cup as the number 1 seed after beating the Burlington Centaurs 46-43 in the semi-finals.

“The Brantford Harlequins are ecstatic to be back competing for another McCormick Cup against such a strong and historic club in the Balmy Beach. With obviously lots of rugby talk and tactics the last couple of weeks at training, veteran back rower Jordan Kozina has provided our group with some words of wisdom from a book, The Beach, written by Alex Garland, that he try’s to live by: ‘I still believe in paradise. But now at least I know it’s not some place you can look for, ‘cause it’s not where you go. It’s how you feel for a moment in your life when you’re a part of something, and if you find that moment… it lasts forever.’ We hope to find that moment this Saturday,” says Brantford Assistant Coach, Will Kelly.

The McCormick Cup Final will be streamed LIVE on the Rugby Ontario YouTube channel! Be sure to follow Rugby Ontario on social media for live coverage of the games.

Fall Cup Final 

Peterborough Pagans Rugby Club v. Toronto Nomads, 1:30 PM

The Toronto Nomads and Peterborough Pagans will meet in the 2023 Fall Cup Final. The Pagans are looking to defend their Fall Cup title after winning in 2022. Peterborough came into the Fall Cup as the 3 seed and knocked off the Ajax Wanderers in the quarterfinals before heading to London for the semis. The Nomads won on the road vs Barrie in the quarters, which put them on the road again in round 2 vs the Oshawa Vikings. Peterborough won their semi-final game against London St George with a shy 38-34 victory, while the Nomads swept in with a 40-5 victory over the Oshawa Vikings in their semi-final game.

Gee Gage Cup Final 

Balmy Beach Marshall 2XV v. Oakville Crusaders 2XV, 11:30 AM

The Gee Gage Cup is another historic Rugby Ontario Championship, which is contested by Marshall 2nd League sides and Branch Union first teams. This year’s Gee Gage final will host Balmy Beach Marshall 2XV and Oakville Crusaders 2XV. Balmy Beach went 2-0-0 in the Gee Gage league and Oakville Crusaders finished with a 1-0-1 record after, unfortunately, losing to the Bay Street Pigs in the first round, but they secured the all-important losing bonus point in that match.

McCormick Cup Consolation Final

Aurora Barbarians v. Toronto Scottish, 1:30 PM

The Aurora Barbarians and the Toronto Scottish will meet in the McCormick Cup Consolation Final. The Scottish finished first in the North Division of the Marshall League regular season and posted a record of 10-0-0. Meanwhile, the Barbarians finished second in the North Division with a record of 4-0-6. Both teams met in the regular season twice resulting in two victories for the Scottish in 36-10 and 38-21 games.

Free ELearning Modules Throughout National Coaches Week

Coach Association of Canada to offer FREE eLearning Modules throughout National Coaches Week 2023

National Coaches Week is the annual opportunity for sports communities around the country to take the time to recognize and celebrate their coaches. This year’s National Coaches Week is taking place from September 16th to the 24th.

This National Coaches Week, the Coaching Association of Canada is saying #ThanksCoach with FREE eLearning! Each day throughout National Coaches Week we’re highlighting free multi-sport eLearning modules to support coaches in continuing their Professional Development on our social media. Log in daily to the Locker to get started!

Note: The paid eLearning modules must be initiated on the day indicated below to take advantage of the free offer.

Saturday, Sept 16 NCCP Making Head Way in Sport* 
Sunday, Sept 17 NCCP Emergency Action Plan*
Monday, Sept 18 NCCP Coach Initiation in Sport
Tuesday, Sept 19 NCCP Creating a Positive Sport Environment
Wednesday, Sept 20 NCCP Sport Nutrition
Thursday, Sept 21 NCCP Coaching Athletes with a Disability
Friday, Sept 22 NCCP Leading Drug Free Sport
Saturday, Sept 23 Mental Health in Sport*
Sunday, Sept 24 Support Through Sport* (4 eLearning Modules)

To learn more and start your coaching journey visit coach.ca.

Rugby Ontario Remembers Bill Webb

Rugby Ontario Remembers Bill Webb

Rugby Ontario is deeply saddened by today’s news of the passing of Bill Webb.

It is incredibly difficult to put into words what Bill Webb has contributed to the sport of rugby in Ontario and across Canada.  Rugby was in many ways weaved into all parts of Bill’s life.  He has made a profound impact on the game here in Ontario, devoting so much of himself to the growth of the game within his local community of Toronto, across the province of Ontario and throughout Canada.  His most recent pursuit of bringing professional rugby to Canada and leading the first and only professional rugby union team in proudly representing our nation across borders is just part of the legacy Bill leaves behind.

As a co-founder of the Toronto Arrows and through his leadership within many aspects of the sport, Bill has been a true trailblazer for rugby in North America.  But his love of the game started right here in Ontario, first during his days playing club rugby with the Brantford Harlequins RFC and while attending Wilfrid Laurier University.  He went on to support rugby in many ways, including as a philanthropist benefiting numerous causes, an advisor on the Toronto Inner-City Rugby Foundation (TIRF) Captain’s Council, a Director on the Board of Rugby Canada, and of course, as a proud rugby father.

Bill truly embodied the values of rugby.  He will be remembered for his spirit and drive to see people and organizations realize their dreams, achieve their goals and continuously grow.  As the saying often goes, it was always much more than a game for Bill…it was a way of life for he and his family.

Bill, you are a hero to many, a builder of a better future for our sport and simply, a wonderful person.

On behalf of the Ontario rugby community, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife Agnes, his two sons James and Stephen and the Webb family.

***

The Webb Family has conveyed that it is Bill’s wish that the Arrows will continue to flourish and contribute to rugby in Ontario and Canada.  Rugby Ontario will proudly support this wish and continue Bill’s indelible legacy in Ontario.

In lieu of flowers, the Webb Family respectfully requests a donation be made in memory of Bill to the Toronto Inner-City Rugby Foundation (https://tirfrugby.ca/make-a-difference/donate/), the Canadian Cancer Society (https://cancer.ca/en/) or True Patriot Love (https://truepatriotlove.com/).

Junior Cup Day Recap

Oshawa Vikings, Waterloo Lions and Oakville Crusaders are 2023 Junior Cup Champions

Junior Cup Day took place on Sunday, August 20th at Fletcher’s Fields and saw some excellent action across the U16 and U18 Divisions. With U16 Boys games starting at 9am, things wrapped up around noon and saw the Waterloo Lions crowned first place after a tight game against the Kingston Panthers who took second place while the Georgian Bay Titans finished third.

Over on the girls side, the Oshawa Vikings seized the championship after their victory against the Oakville Crusaders, placing them in second and North Halton Highlanders in third. The U16 Vikings girls seemed to have begun a trend as this was just ONE of two championships earned that day in the Girls’ Divisions.

After a win against the Aurora Barbarians, the U18 Girls Oshawa Vikings secured first place as a result of the round robin tournament that took place. The Guelph Redcoats who also won against the Barbarians landed second place, leaving Aurora in third after a highly competitive day.

As for the U18 Boys, the Oakville Crusaders took home the gold for the second year in a row after winning their game against the Bytown Blues, putting them in second place. The Peterborough Pagans battled with Balmy Beach for third place and came out on top.

We look forward to next year’s extraordinary young talent!

To check out live coverage from the day visit our Instagram page here.

2023 Marshall League Wrap and McCormick Lookahead

2023 Marshall League Wrap and McCormick Cup Lookahead

On Saturday August 19th, the Marshall League wrapped up and saw the 2023 Cup go home with the Brantford Harlequins. We would like to congratulate all of the teams who competed and those who excelled in their divisions.

Marshall League

2023’s Marshall League Champions, the Brantford Harlequins, finished off their season with a 42 – 10 win over the Oakville Crusaders in the championship game, giving them an overall 11-1-0 season record. They faced off against Balmy Beach in the semi-finals, winning 35 – 24. As for the Club Championship, it was a hotly contested championship that came down to the final ultimately seeing Balmy Beach take home the cup with a 99 point season.

As for the Marshall 2XV, Oakville Crusaders came out on top in a tiebreaker with Balmy Beach. With a fantastic point difference of +306, Crusaders took home the cup.

McCormick Cup & Fall Cup

Naturally, the McCormick and Fall Cups are next on the agenda. Based on this summer’s results, the schedules and seeding has already been decided and will be as follows:

Round 1 Sept 9th 2023
Round 2 Sept 16th 2023
Round 3 – Championship + Consolation Playoffs Sept 30th 2023

McCormick Cup –

1. Brantford Harlequins

2. Crusaders

3. Balmy Beach

4. Toronto Scottish

5. Burlington Centaurs

6. Aurora Barbarians

7. Waterloo County

8. Bytown Blues

Fall Cup –

1. Oshawa Vikings

2. London St George

3. Peterborough Pagans

4. Barrie

5. Toronto Nomads

6. Ajax Wanderers

7. Vaughan Yeomen

8. Ottawa Beavers

All finals will be played at Fletcher’s Fields. Best of luck to all the teams competing!