Okotoks rugby is once again on the global rugby stage.
Okotokian Rhett Esler is one of 15 Canadians on Team MacDowell at the 2024 Global Youth Sevens U18 rugby tournament held Dec. 13-15 in Auckland, New Zealand.
“It means a lot to me, a lot of the kids here would do anything for this opportunity, so I don’t want to waste it or overlook it,” said Esler, a Grade 12 student. “That’s how it feels when there’s only one other Canadian team, all eyes are on you when you’re on the pitch.
“I’m honoured to represent Canada and I’d like to think one day I can truly play on the global stage and wear the maple leaf.”
The tournament features national squads from New Zealand, Australia and Japan along with top club teams from around the world. Canada is sending two B.C. based teams in both the boys and girls divisions.
In addition to the competition, the Canadians will get a chance to take in Eden Park, the home ground of the New Zealand All Blacks, as part of the tour.
“It’s going to be stiff competition,” Esler said. “I just want to be able to perform and succeed no matter who we’re playing and want to be seen as one of the best players on the pitch.”
Esler first dipped his toes into international competition as the youngest member on his team at an event in Mexico City last year.
“That was just a great experience,” he said. “I’ve been to the U.S twice, in Utah and Tampa Bay, and it’s just another level of competition when you go global and you get an opportunity to play national teams.”
His performances at a recent series of friendlies with Mexico helped him secure a spot on the Team MacDowell squad.
Esler switched from hockey to rugby as his number-one sport in his Grade 10 year, playing with the Holy Trinity Academy Knights and at the club level with the Foothills Lions.
“Me and my dad (Todd) were realizing that this could potentially be a field for me if I really want to work on it and have the right people around me,” Esler said. “It was really thanks to him that we started looking into different areas that I could go and a place with a lot of interest in rugby is the island.”
The training base for Rugby Canada in nearby Langford, Vancouver Island is also home to the MacDowell Rugby Academy based out of the Cowichan High School in Duncan.
Esler joined the academy ahead of his Grade 11 year.
“It’s opened up so many opportunities for me just to have a ball in your hand at all times,” Esler said. “It’s really helped me improve, we have some great coaches and it’s just 24/7 coaching.
“For me, I definitely would not be this far in my career without it and if it’s an option I would recommend it to everyone that’s interested in the sport.”
For more information, go to globalyouthsevens.com.
