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Caledon Cavaliers RFC Hosts 450 players at U6-U12 Rugby Tournament at Palgrave Park

June 29, 2023   ·   0 Comments

By Jim Stewart

The Caledon Cavaliers hosted a U6-U12 Rugby Festival Tournament at Palgrave Park on Saturday.

The misty morning conditions kept the pitch cool and comfortable for the 450 players who travelled to Caledon from across Ontario.

In addition to the host club, the Toronto Nomads, Markham Irish, Toronto Dragons, Aurora Barbarians, Brock RFC, Oshawa Vikings, Mississauga Blues, Georgian Bay Titans, and Barrie RFC made the trip to Palgrave Park where the booming music and the smells of candy floss and barbecue gave the event a festive atmosphere.

Representatives from Rugby Ontario, the Toronto Arrows, and dignitaries from multiple levels of government participated in the opening ceremonies. 

Cavaliers RFC President Mike Iacovelli said he was pleased with the success of his club’s first tournament of the year.

“It’s all about highlighting the grassroots and development of local rugby.  We had 40 teams here today from 10 clubs. We’re grateful to the Town of Caledon and to the Canadian Government as well for providing grants to help kids play the sport.”

In addition to timely assistance from various branches of government, Iacovelli also thanked the event’s many sponsors for their contributions to the rugby community.

“So many sponsors have not only donated financial support, but also food for the event and restaurant vouchers where kids under 12 eat for free.”

In a tournament featuring 450 kids under 12, the generosity of a local restauranteur was clear. 

Liz Coulter, one of the event organizers, a current Cavaliers Coach, and who played for a previous incarnation of the Club in 2008, noted that “seventeen different families who could not afford to put their children into rugby were helped by various government grants so they could participate in this tournament and enjoy a season of rugby.”

“After the previous organization fell apart in 2008, Mike has been instrumental in resurrecting the Club as we’ve also secured grants to hire and train eight coaches to serve the high demand of kids who want to play rugby in Caledon.”

Coulter spoke warmly of her rugby playing days at Humberview Secondary School and acknowledged the Mayfield SS Mavericks winning their second consecutive AAA OFSAA Girls’ Rugby title this month.

“It’s great to see a Caledon high school win the provincial championship.”

Both Iacovelli and Coulter discussed the importance of developing their grassroots program and extolled the considerable organizational virtues of the Cavaliers’ intern Hailey Hyland whose summer job has included visiting local elementary schools to drum up support for participation in rugby.

Hyland mentioned that she had “just finished introducing the sport of rugby at events at three elementary schools in Bolton, including just-completed field days at Alloa Public School for Grades 6, 7, and 8 students; another field day at James Bolton Public School this coming Monday; and a big event at Ellwood Memorial Public School in September.”

The Caledon Cavaliers RFC is clearly committed to growing the sport of rugby.

The Cavaliers’ dedicated staff members certainly know how to host a festival—a family event that featured hundreds of young players whose love of rugby was evident as they exited Palgrave Park on Saturday afternoon.

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