(Facebook/Meadow Lake SheDevils Junior Girls' Rugby)

By Nicole Reis

Makwa Sahgaiehcan Rugby

Ladder Ball fundraiser aimed at Makwa Sahgaiehcan youth attending Vancouver rugby workshop

Mar 2, 2020 | 1:57 PM

A passionate teacher at Makwa Sahgaiehcan School wants to bring the sport of rugby to youth at the First Nation.

Welding instructor, Rufas Crawford told meadowlakeNOW he’s organizing a ladder ball tournament to raise funds so he can take kids on a trip to Vancouver to attend the Indigenous rugby event We Scrum as One.

“Kids will be showing up two days before to do some sight-seeing before a day of rugby camp,” Crawford said. They “will meet other Indigenous kids from all over British Columbia to receive a full day of rugby camp, listen to inspirational First Nations speakers and have an opportunity to see some players from Team Canada. They’ll be at the event speaking and running drills.”

Shaylee Dejarlie and Janelle Shumacher from Meadow Lake SheDevils Junior Girls Rugby will attend.

The rugby training will include instruction from professional coaches, dinner with Indigenous speakers, and a full day for kids to watch some professionals from Fiji, Samoa and New Zealand play rugby at BC Place.

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“There’s not a lot of sports in Makwa for kids, or not a lot of choice or opportunity,” Crawford said. “I’m not a school counsellor so this is the only way I know how to help, is through rugby.”

Crawford said while engaging with students last year and inquiring about what extracurricular activities kids were involved with, student responses shocked him.

“I thought some of the kids would at least play hockey, of the five little kids who were 12 and younger, they had nothing to do. They didn’t even have hockey,” he said. “No wonder there’s some problems; there’s nothing for kids to do to keep them out of trouble.”

Crawford, along with students in his welding class created a steel version of ladder ball in order to raise funds for travel costs to Vancouver.

“We’re doing a fundraiser for ladder ball. We have two golf balls on a string and we throw them at a three tiered thing,” he said. “So we’re going to set them up at the gym today and have a little tournament. The money raised will go towards helping pay for our travel out to B.C.”

Parents and staff are encouraged to support youth participation in extracurricular activities at today’s ladder ball fundraiser.

Registration begins today at 3 p.m. with games to begin at 4 p.m.

The We Scrum as One Indigenous Youth Rugby Workshop is March 6 to 7.

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722