The Yukon Rugby Federation has been awarded $11,500 from the Yukon government’s community development fund to support its five-year strategic plan aimed at increasing rugby participation across the territory.
The rugby federation is laying the groundwork for this expansion with the help of a consultant, hired to develop a comprehensive strategy centred on programming and long-term player development, said head coach Eric Fekete.
The federation plans to increase the number of local tournaments, create performance pathways for youth to pursue the sport more competitively and to expand rugby into communities beyond Whitehorse, including Faro, Teslin and Haines Junction.
“It’ll definitely be a challenge to streamline equipment, the right number of coaches and the training necessary to get those communities off the ground, but that will be a big part of our five-year plan,” Fekete said.
A part of the five-year strategy is strengthening the school-to-club pipeline to cultivate an interest in the sport from an early age. Looking ahead, Fekete told the News that the federation is exploring opportunities for Yukon athletes to compete internationally in rugby sevens tournaments in countries such as Fiji, Australia and Portugal.
The rugby minis program, designed for children aged six to 12, has already seen a five-fold increase in participation since the club re-established itself in 2023, growing from just 10 to approximately 50 players per session. Fekete told the News that the club has also expanded adult participation, adding a third men’s team and successfully filling two full women’s rosters, an achievement that had proven difficult in previous years.
“Schools are a great place for kids to try out the sport for the first time, especially because our high school season runs in the spring. It’s a great recruiting ground,” Fekete said. “For kids who enjoy the sport, they can then sign up for the club’s summer season. That’s going to be instrumental to growing the sport. We’ll have these healthy high school programs, and we’re really going to try to grow through that.”
The Yukon Rugby Federation will send men's and women's teams to compete in rugby sevens at the Canada Summer Games in St. John's, N.L., from Aug. 9 to 14, Fekete said.
The federation’s Canada Summer Games men’s team is set to compete at Rugby Fest in Edmonton this weekend, May 17 and 18, marking its first away tournament, Fekete said.
"We're taking a club to Edmonton for the Rugby Fest this week. So we'll be playing on Saturday, and that'll be the Canada Summer Games mens' team, for the most part, playing their first away tournament as a team. So it's pretty exciting," Fekete said.
To strengthen its player pipeline, the club has been working with schools by aligning recruitment with the spring high school season. Coaches, often local teachers, introduce students to rugby during school hours and encourage them to join summer club teams to continue developing their skills.
“One of our members is in Faro and he’s starting up a rugby program there this summer. So it’ll be our first venture outside of Whitehorse,” Fekete said. “Through SARB funding, we’ve provided him with equipment and balls. He’s the rec coordinator for Faro, so he’s well connected and has been advertising around town. We’ll also be going to Teslin this summer for a weekend to do an exhibition.”
F.H. Collins Secondary and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Secondary in Whitehorse already have strong rugby programs, with coach Charlie Feht playing a key role, Fekete said. From May 9 to 10, the schools jointly fielded four junior and senior boys’ and girls’ teams, made up of both regulars and newcomers, to compete at the Clearwater Cup in Calgary.
“I would say about half the kids have been on the trip before. They competed in the Clearwater Cup last year and have been fully committed to rugby. Every time we have practice, they’re there. But I’d say the other 50 per cent were pretty much brand new. They started practicing at either FH or SFA just this year," Feht said.
With a focus on long-term player development, the federation has structured its coaching to support both school and club teams, where athletes receive consistent training year-round. Some coaches, such as Charlie Feht at F.H. Collins, are local teachers who introduce students to rugby before transitioning them into competitive club play.
The two schools are expected to face off in a high school rugby competition set for June 4 at F.H. Collins. A Grade 9 boys’ team from South Surrey, B.C., will join the event through a YMCA youth exchange program, adding an interprovincial element to the tournament, Fekete said.
Contact Jake Howarth at jake.howarth@yukon-news.com
