Hard work pays off
Mudmen, Bulger, French to be recognized for efforts
A remarkable year for the Hunter’s Corner Mudmen RFC and rugby in general will be recognized Tuesday during the Sport P.E.I. Awards.
The Mudmen has already been announced as the team of the year while Natalie Bulger of the P.E.I. Rugby Union board of directors is the volunteer of the year. Softball umpire Mike French is the official of the year.
Sport P.E.I.’s 45th annual awards night will take place at Holland College’s Florence Simmons Performance Hall. The night will showcase the Island’s finest amateur sporting accomplishments. Some of the award winners have already been announced while the winners of the junior, intercollegiate and senior male and female athletes of the year will be announced on Tuesday.
Tickets for the event are $25 and are available by calling Sport P.E.I. at 902-368-4110.
Here are excerpts from three of the winners’ bios:
OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR MIKE FRENCH
French made the move from player to umpire many years ago and hasn’t looked back. Inspired by his experience at the 2009 Canada Games, French decided he would take his officiating to the next level.
Since his decision to take umpiring head on, French has attended numerous national events. It was this fall, however, that his hard work came to fruition.
During the senior men’s national championships, he was selected to umpire the plate at the gold medal game. The committee’s decision was based on French’s overall tournament performance. After the game, French was awarded his level 5 international designation. This is the first level 5 designation received by a P.E.I. umpire since 1988.
French is known for going above and beyond just officiating games. He is also responsible for the administration, training and evaluating of all softball officials in the province. In addition, French has developed a mentoring program for young umpires. The program was then presented at the Softball Canada AGM in November and has now been adopted by provincial bodies from coast to coast.
TEAM OF THE YEAR MUDMEN RUGBY DIVISION I
It was a year to remember for the Island’s top rugby club, the Hunter’s Corner Mudmen RFC. Having come just short of the Caledonia Cup in 2017, the Mudmen returned with a vengeance in 2018. From the first kick of the season, they were a force to be reckoned with.
It was deja-vu as the Mudmen captured the McCurdy Cup for a second year in a row. Following their 41-21 victory over the Halifax Tars in the championship game, they started preparing for the historic Caledonia Cup.
The Maritime championship game was a re-match of the 2017 final between the Mudmen and the Fredericton Loyalists. This time, however, the taste of last year’s defeat drove the Mudmen to an overwhelming victory. They defeated the Loyalists 32-21 and claimed to club’s first ever prestigious Caledonia Cup.
The Mudmen’s success in 2018 is a testament of nearly 20 years of hard work from the club’s players and coaching staff.
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR NATALIE BULGER
The name Natalie Bulger and the sport of rugby are synonymous on P.E.I.
As a member of the P.E.I. Rugby Union board of directors since 1993, Bulger is the union’s longest-serving director and has held every executive position during her tenure. Her dedication to the sport was recognized in 2018 as she was inducted into the inaugural P.E.I. Rugby Union Hall of Fame.
Bulger doesn’t shy away from hard work. She manages the Mudmen rugby club, works with Rookie Rugby, hosts fundraisers and uses social media to help promote the game.
Several Island rugby players have gone on to perform at the national and international level. These opportunities can be difficult for athletes from the smallest province to access. Bulger has played a pivotal role in creating some of these opportunities. Her relationships with rugby unions across the nation ensures Island players are getting a proper look from the national and varsity scouts.
She’s a jack of all trades, but more importantly invaluable to rugby on P.E.I.