Doug Manning has gone above and beyond in his passion and commitment for developing rugby in the Okanagan.
Doug spearheaded the creation of the Central Okanagan Rugby Enthusiasts in 2010, uniting rugby lovers and furthering sport and academic goals of local youth through bursaries and scholarships. He's brought many a major Canadian rugby personalities to town.
Doug says there are two things about rugby that made it important for him to get the sport started in the Central Okanagan.
The first, he said, is that "it's a very inclusive sport. Every size and shape has got a place, and its traditions are very inclusive." After every game played by adults, both teams "get together and have a beer. After the kids' games they have a barbecue." That way the competitive rough edges are smoothed out and a true community, bigger than rugby, starts to develop.
Number two is that it's "the only game that has an oval ball that allows the chaos to continue." In American-style football the game stops after key plays, while in rugby "the chaos is unleashed from the unpredictable roll of the oval ball.
"You can have all the plans you want but you have to adjust and think on your feet," Doug says.
And that's a great lesson to apply to every aspect of life.