REGINA, Saskatchewan — Today, Regina is experiencing increased growth in rugby. One of the rugby clubs that is contributing to this growth is the MacDowell Rugby Academy. As of 2020, MacDowell was one of the five rugby clubs based in the Saskatchewan Province. One of its interests is to help develop rugby at the grassroots. 

MacDowell is a Canadian Rugby Academy based in Regina. It is focused on helping to develop high-skilled performance among rugby players through its mentorship program. The Academy allows beginners to discover and develop techniques, skills, responsibility, intricate details of all the playing positions, the roles of engagement of the game, and prepare players both mentally and physically to play at the professional level. 

In the 2021-2022 school year, the MacDowell Rugby Academy agreed to partner with the Cowichan Valley District to bring rugby to the Cowichan Secondary School. Through the MacDowell Rugby’s Island Program, they hope to help build the student’s skills for a successful rugby career while building strong academic performance and fostering community leadership in all its students.

The Academy has seen dramatic growth since it was opened just around five years ago due to the wealth of experience put into it by the coaching staff and the founder, Robin MacDowell. 

Robin MacDowell, who was born on the 4th of June 1979 (42 years) at Cowichan Valley, has spent over 27 years playing and coaching rugby. MacDowell, who started playing hockey as a boy, switched to rugby when he was a teen. At 19 years, he was already playing professional rugby in France and Italy. 

MacDowell also played for the University of Victoria and the Canada Rugby National team. After his career as a player, he went into coaching. He was one-time head coach of the Cougars (the University of Regina Men’s Rugby Club). Subsequently, he was appointed the head coach for the Canadian Rugby 7’s to help prepare the Canada rugby team for the 2019 FISU Summer Universiade in Italy. 

While announcing the Academy in a press release, Robin MacDowell said that his team believes in developing the untapped potentials in rugby athletes.

Because of the giant strides the MacDowell Academy is making in rugby, young stars like Elle Douglas are joining the Academy to complete her high school. At just 15 years, Elle has caught the attention of the who-is-who of rugby in Canada.

When she was only 13 years, she was made the Gilbert Rugby Canada Brand Ambassador and was later named Team Saskatchewan’s U-18. Elle’s father, Paul Douglas, who introduced her to the game of rugby when she was six, was a rugby player and later became a coach.

Speaking about what she wants to achieve in MacDowell Rugby Academy, Elle said, “My goal for the future is trying to compete in the Olympics one day.” 

One thing that has made the MacDowell Rugby Academy attract the interest of players like Elle is the effort and work the staff members put into making sure players who pass through the academy dream, believe, and succeed in life’s pursuits as well as in the game of rugby. This year alone, the Academy has added Judy Watson and Tyler Buck to their staff team to help consolidate their already tremendous achievements. 

We can’t wait to see the number of Pro-rugby players that the MacDowell Rugby Academy will produce in a few years to come. 

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