Building on the work of last year’s Rugby Development Consultant Network, we have zeroed in on two areas of focus for 2026: Project Management, and Club Governance and Strategic Planning. Our two returning RDCs, Mark Perrin and Elizabeth McCaw, are available year-round to clubs across the province.
This fall, RDCs are holding office hours every other Wednesday to assist clubs. They are also available for individual club consultations through submission of the Club Inquiries form below.
Fall Office Hour Schedule
Office hours will take place on the following dates:
- October 7th
- October 21st
- Nov 4th
- Nov 18th
- Dec 2nd
Sign up for Club Governance and Strategic Planning office hours with Elizabeth McCaw from 7-8 pm
Sign up for Project Management office hours with Mark Perrin from 8-9 pm
Meet Our RDCs
Mark Perrin
Email: mperrin@rugbyontario.com
Focus: Project Management
Description: Reach out to Mark if you have a lot of ideas but struggle getting them fully executed; you were successful with a grant or bid but now are overwhelmed trying to accomplish what you promised; you are looking for ways to make your workflows more efficient and reduce redundancy; things seem to fall through the cracks, end up behind schedule or over budget, or otherwise get derailed along the way; or your volunteers are doing great work but are disconnected from each other.
Office Hour Dates:
- October 7th, 8-9 pm
- October 21st, 8-9 pm
- Nov 4th, 8-9 pm
- Nov 18th, 8-9 pm
- Dec 2nd, 8-9 pm
Club Consulting: Contact Mark
Bio: A project manager by trade, with extensive rugby experience, Mark brings expertise in project planning, execution, and tracking. With an organized approach, Mark looks to identify and attack all angles of a project, from brainstorming and idea sessions, to setting realistic and attainable goals. Mark strives to run projects with clarity, adaptability and systematic thinking in order to achieve the intended outcomes. Mark attributes much of his personal growth to the game of Rugby, learning the importance of team, camaraderie, and working towards a common goal. In his role as an RDC his sole focus is giving back to the Rugby community that gave so much to him as a teen and young adult.
Elizabeth McCaw
Email: emccaw@rugbyontario.com
Focus: Club Governance and Strategic Planning
Description: Reach out to Liz if you are struggling with running effective board meetings; you have a great group of volunteers however can’t seem to stay organized; you always feel like you are putting out fires instead of strategic planning; you want to run a new program but don’t know where to start, or the realities of running a club have become overwhelming.
Office Hour Dates:
- October 7th, 7-8 pm
- October 21st, 7-8 pm
- Nov 4th, 7-8 pm
- Nov 18th, 7-8 pm
- Dec 2nd, 7-8 pm
Club Consulting: Contact Liz.
Bio: With over 20 years of experience in community sports operations, Elizabeth is a seasoned leader specializing in strategic planning, programming and operational structures. She has contributed her expertise to major organizations including Ontario Basketball, Canada Soccer and FSA Sport, and currently serves at the Director of Business Operations for the Pickering Football Club, a thriving community soccer organization with over 5000 members in the Durham Region. In addition, Elizabeth is a Rugby Development Consultant with Rugby Ontario, where she provides valuable insights and support to the rugby community, drawing on her extensive experience in soccer and past consulting roles. She is passionate about building sustainable sport systems that strengthen communities and enhance participation at all levels.
Club Development Expression of Interest
With the goal of being more hands-on in our approach to club development, we have introduced our Rugby Development Expression of Interest to help support clubs or branches with development ideas that need support or amplification. We encourage you to share your new and ongoing ideas using the Expression of Interest form below.
We want to know what you are doing, trying to do, or wanting to do at your clubs and in your communities so that we can best support you. Our Rugby Development Consultants (RDC) will follow up with every submission to learn more and provide initiative support. Our development staff will then evaluate all opportunities and select one or more at each intake date to invest more support in. The first intake date was November 6th, 2026; however, the EOI remains open for ongoing submissions and review.
Rugby Ontario support through the EOI could look like, allocation of staff or RDC time, development funds and/or resources, grant application in partnership or behalf of the club or region, or other means of support. Expression of Interest evaluation criteria includes:
- Potential impact – number of clubs and members impacted and potential for growth
- Long-term sustainability
- Type and level of support needed
- Alignment with Rugby Ontario and Rugby Canada Development goals
While we do not have unlimited resources, we encourage all stakeholders to submit their ideas to help us guide current and future resource allocation and understand the type of support needed most. We look forward to hearing about your ideas!