Two New Appointments at BC Rugby in Fall 2018

Vancouver, BC – October 15, 2018: BC Rugby is pleased to formally announce the appointment of two new members of staff at BC Rugby.  Aaron Takel has been confirmed as the new Rugby Development Office (RDO) for Vancouver Island and Adam Roberts will take on the role of Head Coach for the Elite Youth Sevens Boys’ Program.

Takel joins BC Rugby from Rugby Canada, having previously worked there as the National Program Performance Analyst for the Men’s XVs Program. Originally hailing from Wales, he moved to Alberta where he forged a successful rugby development career.  Highlights of this include working as an RDO for Alberta Junior Rugby followed by Technical Director at Rugby Alberta.  Complimenting this, Takel has worked extensively as a coach in both Sevens and XVs programs in Alberta with clubs, academies and the Provincial Team, Prairie Wolfpack – Winners of the 2015 Canadian Rugby Championships.

Speaking with BC Rugby, he expressed a real interest in getting back involved with growing the game at the community level.  “Rugby has always been a huge part of my life,” explained Takel, “I started playing at the age of 7 in local rugby programs and grew through the ranks to the professional level.  Over the last 12 years, I have focused on coaching and administration at the school, provincial, and most recently, national levels.”

Despite being involved at the National side of the game with Canadian Men’s XVs in his last role, it is clear that something about the Vancouver Island rugby community has really struck a chord with Takel.  “Vancouver Island is a hotbed for Rugby in Canada. The opportunity to be involved in supporting the development of the game with local communities is an exciting challenge.”

As Rugby Development Officer, Takel will be the key contact for clubs and the wider rugby community across the whole of the island. His predecessor, Tony LaCarte, was full of praise regarding the appointment, commenting “His passion for the game and breadth of experience across all levels of the sport will be of great value to the rugby community of Vancouver Island.”

BC Rugby is a leader for the game in Canada, from the experience and passion of the staff to the innovative programs and future-thinking initiatives they are developing.  I am excited to bring my 12 years of experience, spanning grassroots to high-performance rugby in Canada, to the organization. My goal is to work hand-in-hand with clubs and communities on Vancouver Island to help make the experience of being a coach and player the best in the country”.

Adam Roberts is a name known to many in the rugby community here in BC.  Having coached for over a decade, the Earl Marriott Secondary teacher has mentored a number of rising young stars from the Province, as a well as fostering an appreciation for the game the teams he has guided.  In taking on the role of Head Coach for the Elite Youth Sevens Boys’ Program, Roberts will be at the forefront of developing the province’s most talented rugby athletes and guiding them towards National programs.

Roberts has a real knack for working with rugby players in these important transition years as they move through Junior Rugby age-grades and prepare to transition into Senior Rugby.  Recent highlights from his rich coaching career include being Head Coach of the BC U18 Boys’ XV team that toured Ireland in 2017, coming home with a successful 3-0 match record.  This summer, Roberts took up the Assistant Coach role with the Canadian U20 Men’s XV team, from qualifying matches against the USA to competing at the Junior World Rugby Trophy in Romania.  This knowledge of both provincial and national programs makes him an ideal candidate for heading up the Elite Youth Sevens Boys’ Program.

Roberts himself was in high spirits when the role was confirmed, setting his sights clearly on elevating the program to the next level. “I would like to make this program the catalyst to develop future Olympians.  The Elite Youth Sevens Program has the potential to attract the best athletes from across the province, making it a marquee program with the BC Youth Development Pathway”. Tony LaCarte, Senior Manager of Rugby Growth and Development at BC Rugby was full of praise for Roberts, saying “I’m really excited about the vision that Adam is going to bring to the role.  I think he has some great ideas to expand the program and it will be exciting to watch how he challenges everyone to take the next step up.”

BC Rugby would like to formally welcome both Adam and Aaron into their roles and looks forward to the impact both will have in their respective areas.  To stay up to date with news from BC Rugby, follow our social media channels (Facebook/Twitter) and check out our website for regular rugby updates from across the Province.