‘We never get that opportunity’: UBC-led rugby camp in Meadow Lake opens door to next-level play

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(Image Credit: SheDevils and EL Diablos Rudby)

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To bridge that gap, Crawford worked with Merton to shape the session around what athletes would face at the university level, including measurable testing and clear performance benchmarks. 

For many athletes, it was the first time seeing exactly how their skills stack up beyond local competition. Crawford said the experience quickly shifted how players viewed their own potential.

“I think they also came out with a lot more confidence, realizing that, ‘OK, we do some of these same drills, you know, we can do this,’” he said. “And we’re not that far away from being university quality.”

The camp also introduced players to a different style of high-performance coaching. Led in part by Thiel, the session emphasized decision-making and game-based learning rather than repetition alone.

“Even at the high level, he made the practice very fun and showed me how to do certain drills where you can add a competitive component into it.”

Jake Thiel, a former Canadian Olympic rugby sevens player, works with a player during a training session at the Co-op Centre in Meadow Lake on April 11, 2026. (Image Credit: SheDevils and EL Diablos Rudby)

Initial nerves among players gave way to a more relaxed and encouraging atmosphere.

“They really thought they were going to be scrutinized or criticized,” Crawford said.

By the end of the session, the impact was already showing. Crawford said some athletes began asking questions about university programs and what it takes to move up.

“He’s already got some of our athletes thinking about the next level,” he said.

That shift is beginning to translate into opportunities. Several players attended an academy camp in Moose Jaw earlier this year, and three travelled to Florida for a tournament after being identified through those connections.

“We’re starting to open some eyes and realize that there are pathways to higher levels of rugby,” Crawford said.

(Image Credit: SheDevils and EL Diablos Rudby)

The Meadow Lake program remains open to anyone who wants to play, with no tryouts or cuts, a model Crawford said helps grow the game while still building toward higher levels.

“We have absolutely zero tryouts. So nobody ever gets cut,” he said. “Everybody plays.”

Crawford said there are already discussions with Murton and his group about bringing the camp back, with hopes it could become a regular opportunity for athletes in the North.

“We’re starting to get our name out there and people are starting to come to us,” he said.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com