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Letters and More Letters on the Morgan Williams & John Tait Firings
[ed. I have to say I'm getting a little worn down with all the back-stabbing and ass-kissing that goes on at the national level in the corporation known as Rugby Canada. It certainly doesn't mirror the virtues we've come to expect in the game of rugby. Anyway my policy is to use someone's name if they ask for it, if it will benefit their career. Or to withhold it if they don't ask to have it published, in other words it may harm their career. So here are the letters in the order I received them. If you want your voice heard, email editor@bcrugbynews.com]
Past National Team Player
No doubt you will be inundated with emails regarding the recent sacking of the ‘Canadian content’ of RC’s coaching staff…
You have my full support. This is not about my friendship with Morgan, but simply the last straw in a constant reallocation of resources to ineffective administration types in lieu of keeping our experienced, home grown coaching in the mix. First it was Shane who was cut as they downsized two coaching jobs into one. And yet they hired 2-3 office staff in that time. Now the rest of the crew is gone. And yet, two office people get admins…
Last time I checked, success can be found by sometimes doing more with less. And most often by having those doing the hard work feel like they are part of something. Given the lack of faith in the entire RC setup, where do we go from here? A lot of Canadian players have given back, continue to pursue the dream of making Canada a stronger rugby nation, and yet what’s the point if we don’t believe in the end product and those running it?
I can only imagine the shit storm that this most recent decision will have. I will be very happy to fan the flames of revolution that perhaps one day may rid us of incompetence, opaque decision making, and fiscal irresponsibility. One can dream right?
I’m stunned.
7s Supporter
Mark, would you include in one of your future editorials the email address of those who we need to put a leash on. Convenience of slotting in our comments and pushing the send button will assist all of us who are challenged by computer techno and pure laziness. I supported the 7's coach Morgan, in his $$$ request for the HK 7's, his teams have been winners. Why do we fire winners? Pacific Pride was a winning team? gone! Time for a revolt and go back to whence B.C. did go it alone, in it's winning ways and still continues to win against international teams. B.C. Bears vs Russia. Strike the colors !!!.
Current Player Supports Admin
Mark,
I'd like to make a few comments on the article you have recently posted regarding the restructuring at Rugby Canada. Please feel free to post this on your website.
To reference everything, I have been a member of the senior mens side since 2003 and have also played 2 seasons for the 7's side. I am currently a member of the player's committee and have had extensive dealings with Rugby Canada and Graham Brown. I believe that the current administration has been in place just about the same amount of time that I have. I have also been coached by David Clark, Ric Suggitt and Kieran Crowley. By my skewed logic, that puts me in a decent position to make my comments on how we are being run.
What I would like to do is to provide your readers some perspective from a current player who understands the inner workings of the organization and can offer perhaps a different side to the story than you present (fairly regularly I might add).
First, to address the following comment:
"However the sad truth of all this is that once again we have impaled our future on the cross and set fire to it.
Firstly, I will ask you if you have spoken to any of the current players and asked them if they think that their future with Rugby Canada is 'blazing high upon the cross'? What about the age grade programs? Or their coaches? I would like to see a written commentary which involved opinions from a cross-section of our players and coaches on the running of our organization. Would your assertions stand up? Perhaps they would, but I would chance a bet they might not.
If you had bothered to asked me, I would have said that Rugby Canada has done an extremely good job in the past 7 years of my tenure as a player and that every time I have had dealings with the upper management, they have done everything in their power to ensure that the players are given everything within their means. Further to that, the steps they have taken towards making our senior men's team as professional as possible have been exceptional in my eyes.
I'll give you an example - In 2004 we went on a fall trip to England and Italy. We were beaten 70-0 and 51-6 respectively (or something close to that). We had ONE coach and ONE manager. That's it. No video analysis, no strength and conditioning coach, no assistant coaches...nada. Ric Suggit was solo and our results on the field were some of the worst we have had. Now fast forward to the Churchill Cup 2010. Those results along with the 7's season we have had were some of the best in recent memory. The rugby we are playing is some of the strongest I've had the opportunity to be a part of, and I believe it is because we have the full support of Rugby Canada and they have poured all of their resources into making our FLAGSHIP program a stronger one. All of the things that Ric did not have access to in 2004 have been brought on over the past 6 years. Is that a positive step or do you think that the players do not deserve that kind of support? In my eyes, it is Rugby Canada who have created those positions and provided John, Morgan and Tyler the opportunity to step into those roles.
I will not address the actual firing of John, Morgan and Tyler. I will say that all three are more than capable of doing the jobs they held and that I personally benefited from having them as part of the organization from a coaching perspective. It is an unfortunate reality that PROFESSIONAL coaches do not always last with their chosen teams. In your article you write that "We have a proven history of treating our volunteers like crap and this is more of the same...". I don't think this is "more of the same". I think this is a decision that was made with a goal in mind and unfortunately for these guys, they do not fit into that picture. Like it or not Mark, that is the reality of sport and coaching. And if we want to be run as a professional organization - and I do - then those kinds of decisions will be made. I also don't think that the board or Rugby Canada have taken this decision lightly or feel in any way good about what they have had to do to coaches they respect and hold in high regard as servants to Canadian rugby.
Please feel free to make your comments about the quality of play on the field as a spectator and lover of Canadian rugby. I believe that every supporter of our national team(s) has the right to that opinion. It is something tangible that you can see and probably assess fairly accurately. I would suggest you stay away from making assertions about WHY our play is good/bad/indifferent unless you are sure of why it happened.
I also feel that we need more people who are interested enough to write and run a site like you do, and I commend you for it. I do read and enjoy most of the content on there. BUT, if you are going to make comments about the inner workings of our organization, be sure that you are providing the readers with an unbiased opinion or something that is backed up with hard solid facts.
I cannot and will not speak for any of the other players, coaches or administrators within the Rugby Canada umbrella, but I will say that I support the efforts of Graham Brown and the board of Rugby Canada and all they have done for the men's national team and other programs.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss further.
Sincerely,
Ryan Smith
Current Club Coach [comments in blue, RC original press release in black]
Rugby Canada is in the middle of a significant restructuring process,( one that includes transition, termination and the hiring of key positions.
In the middle of? What happened to their plan to adopt a policy of open communication, leading to accountability? I know, there never was one and so we find out what is going on “in the middle”. A bit like the BC government saying “Here’s the HST all”.
The 15s and 7s programs will be formally aligned and a formal residential academy program with full time staff will be created in Victoria.
Formerly aligned? Was it already loosely aligned then?
I think we’d all like to see a full time academy, but many will ask. How will it affect club strength and how can academy and club life be balanced?
Full time strength and conditioning with rugby expertise will be integrated into this structure and a realignment of our national age grade programs will occur to support more capacity within the player pathway to U20.
I wait with baited breath to see how this will develop.
With the inclusion of rugby 7s in the Olympic Games, the coordinated relationship with Sport Canada, Own the Podium and the IRB is even more important. As such, High Performance expertise on a more administrative level dealing with our partners is required and more capacity within High Performance at the Head Coaching levels is also required.
Perhaps it means that Brown, Bourne and Co will be replaced with people who know what they are doing After all Graham does use the word “expertise”. “More capacity with high performance at the head coach levels” – more overseas coaches? As part of the formal alignment of 15’s and 7’s – how about a formal program to develop our coaches, (especially age grade) and referees for that matter. I don’t mean that as a slur towards the Men’s and Women’s Head coaches – both great coaches with great assistants and both have done fantastic jobs, but my point is to invest in our home grown coaches to make sure our kids are being coached properly in schools and junior programs.
PS – John Furlong is on record during an interview with Bill Good on CKNW stating that the women’s 7’s team is slated for investment as one of the teams with the highest chance of medaling in 2016!!
The focus of this restructuring program is the players. Once the full restructuring program within Rugby Canada has been completed, Rugby Canada believe better structures, better systems and better pathways will be in place to support the athletes not only on our current national teams but the future class of players coming through the Provinces and with the club and schools systems.
“better” structures – “better” systems – “better” pathways.
It can only get “better”, but I would’ve been so impressed if the word “better” had been replaced with words such as – “develop” a structure, because you can’t make ‘better’ what you don’t have. Create systems – same story. “Improve and further develop existing” pathways and player identification by committing to the development and investment of professional players, coaches and referees and remain focused on continually strengthening the game at grass roots and working our way up the world rankings.
Once the full restructuring process is complete, Rugby Canada will be issuing a formal statement and release outlining the details of the restructuring process and the steps forward to continued growth and development of the game in Canada.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m not seeing any growth in BC with numbers of players at most clubs way down on a decade ago – clubs folding or merging and development on a shoe string budget, leading to little development.
Mainland Club Supporter
I just looked over to make sure the facts were right. Since Morgan took over the 7's, the Canadian 7's team by and large has become the James Bay all stars. On the last trip to Scotland of the 12 (not including the staff) there was over half the team from James Bay. One or more played first division for them in the BC final according to the James Bay game report. In that same report they make mention of all the James Bay players now playing for Canada under Morgan. "So now, it’s to rest; Summer Sevens; and cheering on Thyssen de Goede, Sean White, DTH van der Merwe, Morgan Williams, Mitch Gudgeon, Ben Johnson, Neil Meechan, Connor Braid, Phil Mack," and Dan Harlow. There are hundreds of teams in Canada and ten Premier teams in the BCRU. Sorry I just don't think James Bay players have that much of a edge over all the other great players playing in Canada. If the Lomas coach (for example) was the 7's coach and over half the team was from that club would not others be asking the same thing? I think so. Transparency?
David Robertson Comments on Rugby Development and the Role of High Schools
posted June 15 2010
[comments can be sent to editor@bcrugbynews.com]
Mark,
I thought that I might offer a few reflections on the development of rugby in this country, particularly as it pertains to high schools and the crucial role that they can play in that development. We’ve just finished the provincial championships and while there was some excellent rugby and evidence of fine coaching and preparation at all levels, it was disappointing and deflating to hear the amount of complaining that was flying around. My thoughts are that there is such a pressing need for us all to be focused on the bigger picture that, collectively, we have to raise our eyes and look beyond any of our more localised concerns. The reason that BC School Sports is burdened by a plethora of restrictive rules in the first place is that no-one seems to be able to rely on professional educators to act with integrity and therefore we feel the need to legislate it. Sadly, many of the rules are largely counter-productive to the development of the game in the way that the country needs it to develop. I’m not sure that anyone who’s actually played a sport at any level can believe that a 12 week-season will come anywhere close to developing the level of skills necessary for our game to stay in touch at an international level far less to provide the fulfilling experience of successful mastery of something for the young people who play.
What happens, of course, is the unspeakable, the reality that everyone close to every school sport knows but no-one is willing to acknowledge and that is that in most sports both athletes and their coaches find ways around the seasons of play rules, unless I'm fooling myself. While there's an element of ”at least it looks good" about all that, there's also a tendency to the sports equivalent of dumbing down or settling for mediocrity. Kids in school want to be challenged and stretched in all sorts of ways and areas, so to limit the scope of their achievements is to do them a disservice. If we're focusing for a minute on rugby in particular then surely it won't have escaped anybody's notice that it requires more focus and preparation than ever to be successful outside of the country. Most people want Canada to do well at all levels, as you hear frequently on this web-site, and yet few are prepared to wrap their heads around what will have to be sacrificed for that success to happen. You can put anyone you want in charge of Rugby Canada and in the various coaching positions, but they will have limited success, whoever they are, if there is not a system which is conducive to supporting their efforts. In other words, let's create rugby pathways where the recreational can thrive, but where the serious can spend the serious amount of time necessary to hone their skills, strength and fitness to the levels necessary to compete with anyone.
The alternative for me, is that we settle for the comfort of what we're used to, as long as we realize that we give up the right to "bitch and whine" about any lack of success at the highest levels. Similarly, we can stay focused on our own programmes, complaining about the great unfairness of it all from referees to recruiting and again lose sight of the bigger picture. Complaining becomes an attitude to life, a way of being and by its nature it's rarely an active, or productive activity. As a result, in my book, complainers are like " could have been's" and they're about as plentiful. We try to teach kids to accept responsibility for their own successes and failures but we see coaches role-modelling the opposite. If I'm sounding sensitive on this issue then it's because I am. I've always believed in successful teams in any sport 'raising the bar' for everyone else. In rugby, for years the gold standard against which you measured yourself was New Zealand. They inspired countless generations of players and coaches all over the world to subscribe to a level of excellence and to study how to achieve it. If we in Canada, and in BC in particular, are not prepared to 'raise the bar' other than modestly, then it's a given that we will not be soaring to new heights with our game.
With professional rugby thriving in Europe and the Southern Hemisphere, and with Sevens now accepted as an Olympic sport, we have the opportunity to inspire our young players to great achievements, but we can't even get an acknowledgement from the schools' ruling body that Sevens is a different game and therefore, should be allowed to be played outside of an already crowded 12-week season! In that model, we are again condemning our country to a life of frustration and mediocrity in international competition. Whistler 2010 showed us as a nation how good success at that level feels and what it does for the country. Sadly, I fear, that the short-sighted, the small-minded and the self-serving may well prevail and the vision that is needed to direct and channel our passion will remain absent. There's none so blind as those who cannot see! It's hard work to be good at anything and it takes courage to make the commitment to excellence. Many high school programmes in this province have exemplified those virtues over the years but they've done so in spite of the system not because of it. It's time for us to dictate what we think are the best ways of delivering the optimal experience to our young players instead of having a 'one-size fits all' approach to our different sports handed down from above. In the case of rugby, we need longer seasons, home and away fixtures, a sevens strand and a fifteens strand. Of course, the really radical move is to dismantle the Provincial Championship as the focus of the season. In its present form that competition dictates how many days a team can actually play and train and tends to clutter the season with relatively meaningless qualifying stages. Although it has improved, with the recent format at finals time, it still remains a dubious exercise to play 3 games in four days if we are looking for optimal performance.
I won't be surprised when my words prove to be unpopular with many, but change is uncomfortable for most people in some way and yet, as we know, it is fundamental to staying competitive and remaining viable. The collapsing of the grade 10 season into that same already crowded spring period has merely compounded the issue and, in the process, increased the difficulties for some admirable high school programmes, particularly those who have relied heavily on the sterling efforts of one or two coaches only over the years. It is time to re-think our whole approach to school sports in this province because if it is genuinely about the kids then we will create structures which have more players participating( dare I say 2nd and 3rd teams too?) Then it will become less about the whole structure being built to facilitate the sharing of the same top athletes and more about increasing the critical mass playing the game, as well as giving the sport a realistic time-period in which to achieve excellence. Our country needs us to do that if we want to avoid being a nice-looking but under-achieving Tier 2 or 3 nation. I hope for the game’s sake that we will resolve any sourness that’s around and get on with trying to make our high school rugby as good as it can possibly be. We need to be playing longer seasons and separate Sevens seasons. The Yanks are moving on those fronts and they’re not spending a lot of time saddling themselves with restrictive rules and attitudes. What are we going to do?
Respectfully,
Dave Robertson
(Chair of High Performance, Rugby Canada Board)
BC High School Rugby – talent everywhere you look
[ed. from a reader]
posted May 31 2010
Now that the iRB Sevens season is behind us for this year maybe it’s time to look at the High School scene as the Provincial Championships in Abbotsford start on Wednesday of this week.
So far this season there have been a host of sensational games at the high school level which have been most enjoyable. But this is nothing new – there are some wonderful high school rugby programs across BC - all the way to the Alberta border.
Historically some programs have accomplished more than others – some schools have a tradition of excellence built up within their school culture and within their rugby programs which has been present for many years. Other programs continue to grow and expand their influence within the school culture – it’s all good stuff really!
Good people make good programs and when you add to that a mixture of BC’s best athletes then you are bound to register some success.
Throughout BC some of best coaches in the country reside at the high school level – it is no different in Ontario or anywhere else for that matter – these are individuals with passion, knowledge and a desire to provide our youth with an opportunity to play one of the world’s most exciting games.
Many of these coaches and program directors are former players who have achieved success at various levels during their playing days here in Canada and abroad.
These people are valuable assets and we should embrace them at every opportunity for their time and for their devotion to the kids of this province.
Later this week a new BC High School AAA and AA Champion will be named at the conclusion of the Abbotsford tournament.
So far this year in the AAA competition - Shawnigan Lake School from Vancouver Island appears to have dominated the landscape.
In the AA competition it has been Rockridge achieving top ranking going forward into the BC Championship competition.
There are other proven schools not listed below which will attend the Abbotsford tournament and they too will be there to improve upon their position in the Province.
It is a fascinating array of talent and every year these accomplished schools gather to see who will ultimately take home the crown.
For high student athletes it is a treasured trophy especially for the Grade 12 graduates.
Each year provides these players, coaches and programs with huge challenges as they pursue excellence with their teams.
Each school environment is slightly different from the other and provides its own set of obstacles and challenges in order to make it to the BC High School Provincial Championships.
So far this year the high school games have been excellent – with skill and excitement for everyone. But as you trudge up and down the sidelines mingling with players, coaches, parents and observers there have been some mutterings about the state of the game on this year’s landscape.
Canadians generally are a fair minded people and usually seem to come to the rescue of fair play, sportsmanship and ethical conduct – often winning is a by-product.
This short spring schedule of school rugby has seen the emergence of a bright star within the elite ranks – a team which has been brewing, developing and unfolding since their early years in Grade 8.
Most observers close to this program predicted their emergence this year but possibly no one realized just how good this team would become.
The competitive juices and tenacity of others in the competition has taken a swing in the wrong direction – some are crying foul, others make accusations that recruiting is taking place – and still others are just plain envious although they would never admit.
The fact that the top ranked AAA school is an independent school seems to add fire to the situation and to some of the resentment.
The thing about a democracy is that everyone is allowed to express an opinion – right, wrong or downright ridiculous – everyone can have a say.
But in the end if something must be done - then the “chat” must stop and the “doing” part must occur on behalf of the student athletes.
Here’s a point of view to consider:
The issue should not be that the school in question is winning this year – someone has to – last year was their time, this year is yet to be determined.
Within the frame work of the competition we have a variety of schools – mostly public institutions but also some independent schools as well. And while the game is the same for all to play - the governance is a matter left to each particular institution.
It should be remembered that independent schools cast their net far and wide for students as their survival depends on a full enrolment. And their enrolment is far less than the majority of our public schools.
Public schools on the other hand cast a net into our neighborhoods like mine and yours and depending upon where you live a cross-boundary transfer for an athletic endeavor is not an easy affair.
This is the environment – like it or not it is the present reality.
Therefore - the question seems to be - how can all these wonderful high school coaches teach, coach and inspire a group of elite athletes effectively within this environment?
Well the answer is not within the time frame served up by BCHS Sports – not at all.
Four, six or eight weeks of a spring term at high school will not help any elite athlete improve their skills or knowledge in the game of rugby football – it is simply too short a time period.
And let’s not forget – now an element of rugby is an Olympic sport.
Ask any Olympian if they spend this diluted amount of time working on their craft in order to compete for Canada.
Here’s a time-saver – go to Heather Moyse’s website and investigate how she spent her time running up to Vancouver 2010. It will quickly become apparent that 4, 6 or 8 weeks won’t cut it.
And while an independent school might arrange their schedule differently to suit their environment - a public school has some inhibitors. But this is not an independent school problem – if there is a concern about amounts of time spent doing a particular sport in public schools then it is better to cast an eye towards the governing body – BCHS Sports.
Moreover – the public school rugby programs have all the athletic talent needed to be successful – they have the records to prove it - they simply need to spend more time doing it in this new and modern era.
Looking at the list of schools below indicates that fact clearly – Carson, Saint George’s, Oak Bay, GP Vanier, St. Michael’s University School, Rockridge, Brentwood & Collingwood – all have rugby honors along with unmentioned others.
BC High School Sports needs to either change the rules or get out of the business of prescribing what our children can play and for how long they can play it each year.
It is interference plain and simple and if anyone thinks we will have an effective development pathway towards the Olympics in rugby with this type of nominal approach then they had better think again.
That’s just one opinion for consideration.
Good luck and best wishes to all the student athletes, their coaches and their families in the upcoming BC High School Rugby Championships at Rotary Stadium in Abbotsford this week.
The schedule for this week is located on the fantastic British Columbia Secondary Schools Rugby Union site: www.bcssru.com
AAA
1. Shawnigan Lake
2. Carson Graham
3. St. George’s
4. Oak Bay
5. Earl Marriot
6. G.P. Vanier
7. Yale
8. Argyle
9. Robert Batemen
10. SMU
AA
1. Rockridge
2. Brentwood
3. Hugh McRoberts
4. Ladysmith
5. Sentinel
6. Aldergrove
7. Collingwood
8. Southridge
9. Clarence Fulton
10. Heritage Park
A Couple of Feedback Letters from Readers: Relegation Issues and Funding for Women
posted March 3 2010
[ed. a couple of letters from readers, one dealing with the possible relegation issue in the Premier league where it is proposed that three teams be sent down, and the other in response to the article from Stephen Hume in the Vancouver Sun.]
Relegation?
I was just looking over the premier scores this weekend, and it all appears to be extremely competitive straight across the board. Surprisingly the most lopsided score was between two of our perennial powerhouses JBAA 22 - Capilano 0. So one has to ask the question why exactly do we/BCRU feel that it is necessary to relegate 3 teams from this competition. History has shown in the past that relegation in BC virtually destroys the affected clubs, you only have to look at the Rowing Club and Cowichan for evidence of this. Young players want to play at the highest level, and who can blame them for that. Both clubs have taken almost a decade to recover from their first bout with relegation, and now appear to be at an extremely competitive level again. If either of these clubs go down again or if Burnaby/Old Boys go down they may suffer unrecoverable consequences. I guess the question we need to ask is this, how does destroying 3 competitive premier clubs benefit BC rugby??
Women's Funding
Hi Mark... just read the article on women’s funding... if I read it correctly women are getting 49% of the Olympic funding... the author seems to be suggesting that they should get more than 50%. Where I live I watch both men’s and women’s basketball at Western Washington University. I thoroughly enjoy the women’s game (played on different nights from men) and they are very entertaining with a large following. Watching the women’s gold medal game, although very contested, the pace was not high level. I believe the women practice against midget men’s teams. Re: the nude calendars... there is probably a good reason the men don’t pose nude... they wouldn’t sell any.
Letters on League Restructuring and Playing Senior Rugby at 17
posted Feb 4 2010
League Restructuring
Hi Mark:
I think it is important that the rugby community understands what is happening with the recommended league restructuring. Your comment this morning that "for 2011 there appears no move to relegate three teams therefore the Premier will remain with 12 teams" is an understandable conclusion to draw from the result of the Extraordinary General Meeting that was held on Sunday morning, but it is not accurate.
The resolution failed to win approval, but the issue is not going away. I fully expect that it will be back on the table at the BC Rugby AGM in June and that, at a minimum, a motion (which will only require 50% approval) will be put forward to adopt the recommended changes. We would have liked to have had this all agreed prior to the season, but, having been unable to accomplish that, clubs need to fully understand that the current season's results are likely to determine
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