Notice of BCSSRU Annual General Meeting

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To: All Sr. Boys Rugby Coaches for 2016-17

Please accept this communication as notice of the BCSSRU Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, May 31st, at 6 pm at the Abbotsford Rugby Clubhouse, located at 31929 Mercantile Way, Abbotsford.

An agenda, together with the Minutes of the 2016 Annual General Meeting, will be posted on our website at a later date. If you have any items which you wish to bring forward for discussion, please email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. no later than Friday, May 19th, 2017.

Please note, all member schools, not just the schools which qualify for the Provincial Championships, are entitled to attend.

Thank you,

Walter van Halst
Commissioner, BCSSRU

BC School Sports Male Coach of the Year

I just wanted to share some fantastic news. One of our own fraternity, a very dedicated and principled rugby coach named Chris Turpin, from Gleneagle Secondary in Coquitlam, has been selected as the BC School Sports Male Coach of the Year for 2016-17.

This is, first of all, a very prestigious award to win. Not only are there a lot of great rugby coaches out there, but I can't even begin to count how many THOUSANDS of teachers and community coaches give their time for free every year to help make a difference in the lives of student-athletes. When you add up all these coaches from all these sports, this award is truly impressive.

I first met Chris a number of years ago, when we were both being threatened not to coach during a time of limited job action. This guy stood up for our kids' RIGHT to play sports when very few other people wanted to. His words at the Celebration of Life for Tony Whitham were truly moving, and I know Tony is up there, very proud.

In everything he does, this award is well-earned, and if you want to pass a note along, his email has been cc'ed above.

Congrats, Chris, and the Turpin tradition of excellence continues!!

Walter van Halst
Commissioner, BCSSRU

It's a Try: The History of Rugby in Canada

If you have ever thought that rugby faces challenges in Canada, you should truly see what challenges it has already overcome !!  In fact, if you have ever coached rugby or been involved in it as a player, referee, manager or served in any other capacity, you probably know Doug Sturrock, who has given well over 40 years of service to our game. Doug Sturrock coached at Magee Secondary for decades, was deeply involved with the Meralomas Rugby Club and of course, has given endless service with the BC Secondary Schools Rugby Union...and still continues to.

Incredibly, Doug has been amassing rare photographs, game summaries, Test Match reports, high school, club, provincial and International results all this time and has now just written and self-published an amazing book called "It's a Try: The History of Rugby in Canada." At over 1000 pages, it truly is an exceptional labour of one man's love for our sport. And there is truly nothing else like it in Canada.

Attached is a photo showing just how comprehensive this tome of stories, memories, shared sacrifices and achievements really is. To obtain a copy, please email the author or call him directly and he will gladly autograph it personally for you as well. At $ 65 the price is an incredible value, and the photos alone are so rare that this book is worth more than twice that.

Doug Sturrock can be reached via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; or via his landline at (604) 888-3949. This book is a great tribute to the history of our sport, written by a man who has been an incredible tribute of selfless service to it himself.

Walter van Halst
Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary
Commissioner, BC Secondary Schools Rugby Union