August 12th, 2021

(WHITBY, ON) - Rugby Ontario spoke to Canadian Olympian Andrew Coe about his Olympic experience, the biggest influences on his career and his development years with the Markham Irish. Read below to learn more about Andrew’s experience!

Q: First off Andrew, Congratulations on your Olympic selection and competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics! To start off, how would you describe your first Olympic experience?

Andrew: It was unbelievable. Just to be in the village and walking around next to the best athletes in the world was pretty crazy. I was a little star struck at times, walking by NBA players, it was really cool. I’ve never felt so small in my life. I feel like I’m a pretty big guy and then you see basketball players, volleyball players, rowers and they were all 6 foot 7 at least.  You go there and you are a little fish in a big pond. I’m there with people who have won multiple gold medals, the elite of their sport, it humbles you. I remember lining up for food, and I recognized someone in front of me. It turned out to be Shelly-Anne Fraser Price, the sprinter from Jamaica. She is a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist in the 100m and won the Silver medal in Tokyo. It was so cool to be next to someone like that.

As a whole it was great. Obviously with COVID restrictions, I didn’t get the full Olympic experience. I would’ve liked to be able to go to other events and mingle more with the other athletes, but overall a fantastic experience.

Q: You have played for Canada a number of times in your career. What is it like representing your country on the International stage?

Andrew: I definitely don’t take it for granted. I’m representing 38 million people when I put on that jersey. I always take a moment before I put on the jersey to really think about who I’m representing. Most importantly, my family, my friends, all the coaches and teammates who helped me get to where I am. Especially at the Olympics, you have people watching you who may not be rugby fans, so I want to try to play my best and hopefully inspire some young kids to play rugby.

Q: Perfect segue. How did your rugby career get started and who introduced you to the game?

Andrew: My dad played rugby. He was with the Brampton Beavers for awhile. Our family then moved to Markham and he played for the Markham Rugby Club (now known as the Markham Irish Canadian Rugby Club). I was playing soccer growing up. I was a pretty big kid and I kept getting kicked out of soccer games for shoulder checking. My dad said “Enough of this. I don’t want to keep bringing you to soccer games if you keep getting kicked out” so he enrolled me in rugby, playing with the Markham Irish. I played for the Markham Irish all the way through my junior rugby career, until I was 18. I also played high school rugby for Bill Crothers S.S. (2014 OFSAA Champions). Then I went to UBC and that is where my professional career started, getting selected to Canada tours.

Q: Who would you say has had the biggest influence on your career?

It has to be my dad. He was the one who put me in rugby, he coached me through rugby, lacrosse, he coached me in hockey for a little bit as well. He has had the biggest impact on my career for sure. He is very competitive and wants the best for me. Whether it’s in sports or in academics, really anything I do in my life, he wants me to the best version of myself. 

Also, Andrew McCutchen and Mike de Vries from Bill Crothers. They were my high school coaches. They saw the potential in me and knew how to get the best out of me. They gave me a solid foundation of rugby knowledge before moving onto the next step. Those two pretty high up on my list as well. 

Q: You mentioned the Markham Irish, how important was your home club to your development as a player?

Andrew: They were massively important. Words can’t describe my feelings for the Markham Irish.  I made a pact with myself that my very last rugby match I ever play will be in a Markham Irish jersey. The friends I made while playing for the Irish, are friends I am going to have for a very long time. The culture they have created there is unbelievable. They have a bunch of McCormick Cup’s, they are one of the most successful clubs in the province. To have been able to play for the Irish from the time I was 10 till now is one of the biggest factors in me reaching my goal of going to the Olympics.

Q: Having played other sports growing up, What is your favourite part about rugby that sets it apart from other sports?

Andrew: It has to be the culture. Rugby is fun to play, but the best part is taking the field with your friends. I show up to training, and I get to compete against my friends. Being able to grab a beer after beating each other up for 80 minutes and laughing about some things, I can’t think of another sport that does that. The whole culture around rugby, everyone is in it together. Everyone involved in the sport just loves the games, and that sets it apart. 

Q: What would you say to someone who is thinking about trying rugby?

Andrew: I would say you have to dive into it. The best part about rugby is the camaraderie and the sense of belonging to a team. You will make friends through rugby that will last a lifetime. If you enjoy having fun and wanting to stay active, and doing it with some of your best friends, I highly recommend playing rugby.