Caledon Cavaliers Rugby Club is revved up for its 2023 season

By Jim Stewart

Caledon Cavaliers President Mike Iacovelli is reveling in the strides his young rugby organization has made in the last year.

Iacovelli credits many of the improvements and the promise of the 2023 Caledon Cavaliers Rugby teams to the club's Junior Rugby Director, Jordan Higdon.

It's Iacovelli's belief that Higdon is “the main reason the players have performed outstandingly well and were all looking forward to what the new season brings.”

In a selfless gesture that extolled the value of his fellow administrator and coach, President Iacovelli asked us to interview Coach Higdon whose influence is felt throughout the organization from its grassroots program to its upper rep teams.  Coach Higdon took some time from the rugby pitch at Humberview Secondary School to reply to our questions. 

Caledon Citizen: How does your rugby club look heading into the 2023 season?  Have you been doing any winter training to prep for the upcoming season? If so, where does the Caledon Cavaliers Rugby Club conduct their winter workouts?

Jordan Higdon: “The Cavaliers are looking strong this year. Since we've started training outside a few weeks ago, the players have been able to develop and refocus their skills a lot sooner than most. We were lucky to run our rookie rugby program over the winter months for 10 weeks which made the last program our fourth installment which has attracted over 60 new young Rookie players to the sport and that has also helped become a grassroots feeder program into the club. The program was run in partnership with the Town of Caledon at the Caledon Recreation & Wellness Centre. We also had an adult touch rugby team entered in a league which played from January to April which was successful. They had a strong defensive core that allowed the fewest number of tries scored against over the season.” 

Caledon Citizen:  How did the Caledon Cavaliers Rugby Club do last season? 

Jordan Higdon: “Well, I believe all of last season was a highlight reel. Our Mini/Jr programs were extremely confident in their playing abilities from the very beginning of the year. Our U12 group was so committed to playing more, we actually extended our season with four extra events in September 2022. Our U14 group ended on an incredible run not losing a match in their final event in October. As it showed at the events we attended, we did even win some provincial hardware for Minor Rugby Club of the Year. It was our first year competing which speaks about all of the effort every single person put in, from administrative to the players to volunteers that made it all possible and that keep pushing for that excellence.”

Caledon Citizen: Who are the teams we should watch for this upcoming season?

Jordan Higdon: “A team to watch out for would be our U14 boys team. We have some exceptional players in the group that played last year and some U12 players moving up this year that I'm excited to be coaching.”

Caledon Citizen: How long have you been coaching the Caledon Cavaliers Rugby Club and what's the most satisfying aspect of leading this sports organization?

Jordan Higdon: “This is my second season coaching with the Caledon Cavaliers. The most satisfying aspect of leading has to be the ‘never-give-up' mentality that the players develop throughout the season. The drive for them to be successful – that they find within themselves in disparaging moments of the game. Like missing a tackle, getting back up chasing that player down and actually tackling them. Yes, they could have relied on teammates to tackle the player but it's getting up off the floor when you're down and continuing until that very last whistle.”

Caledon Citizen: For someone who is new to the community and would like to see the Caledon Cavaliers play, where is your home pitch and when are your traditional nights for home games?

Jordan Higdon: “Our training pitch is at Humberview SS on Monday and Wednesday (Minis 6-7/7:30 p.m.; Juniors 7-8:30 p.m.) and our home tournaments this year will be June 24-25 @ Palgrave Park. We are also looking to gain interest in our adult touch rugby which will run @ Humberview SS from 8:30-9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. It's a great, fun way to get active and it's a simpler version of the game with no contact that can make it enjoyable for even more people.”

Caledon Citizen:  Please comment on your upcoming Try Rugby event.

Jordan Higdon: “‘Try Rugby' is a free event for anyone that wants to test the waters that has interest in rugby, but isn't quite sure what to expect. As many people haven't seen rugby, it's an amazing opportunity to learn something new, expose the sport to the community, and continue growing it locally. The event is held at Humberview SS from 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, May 8.”