Howlers’ Colombia trip was an eye-opener

Youngsters mix humanitarian work with international rugby exposure

In late November, the Dog River Howlers travelled to Medellin, Colombia, armed with hockey bags full of everything from toiletries to rugby equipment to donate to the locals, and to compete in a tournament against club and national teams.

What they got in return was much more than they gave.

“The kids from Colombia benefit from the stuff we bring down, but our kids probably benefit 10 times more by realizing how much the petty problems and petty crap really doesn’t matter,” says Darren Beaulac, one of the coaches and chaperones who travelled with the Howlers rugby team. “They came back with the whole idea of how ridiculous we are on some of our cultural values.”

More than 80 people took the trip down to Colombia — 30-plus parents and coaches, and four rugby teams, made up of players attending Athol Murray College of Notre Dame as well from Western Canada and as far away as Holland.

Beaulac was tasked with finding good rugby players, but also good people and leaders by Reginabased organizer Karl Fix, who has put together other humanitarian trips to Colombia with the Howlers in past years.

“Some of these kids who are confident leaders in their sports teams, leaders in their high schools, and leaders in their communities who are going to be adults, you get them in something like this and take them to a country like Colombia, and it doesn’t have to be Colombia,” Beaulac says. “It can be backyard Regina where you see how sport actually is 100 per cent the same.’’

Between rugby matches, mountain climbing and sightseeing, the Howlers were busy helping out the Life by Life Foundation by handing out the rugby gear and other gifts that were collected or donated prior to the trip.

“Probably the biggest take-away from it was being happy with what I got and not taking anything for granted,” says Notre Dame’s Ethan Mattern, 15, who prior to April of this year hadn’t even played rugby, only to become a travelling player learning valuable life lessons.

There was much to learn on the rugby pitch for the four Howlers teams that were made up of under-16 and under-18 girls and boys.

“As much as I think the rugby part of it is incredible, mainly it’s exposure,” Beaulac says. “To get down there and play with kids from all across Western Canada and the world, basically. It was just a good chance for everyone to get some good rugby in and meet some players from other countries.”

The players also benefited from several coaches who have national and international experience.

HIGH-LEVEL COACHING

“Just to be exposed to such highlevel coaching was cool because it elevated our game,” says Abbey Nimegeers, a 17-year-old Notre Dame player. “There was a lot of improvement throughout one week which was really cool to see.”

Despite the Howlers being able to practise only a handful of times in Colombia before the competition and most of the players having not ever played together, Beaulac says the quality of rugby was high, and noted that the sport has come a long way in Colombia.

In the end, the girls under-16 team won gold while the other three Notre Dame teams took home silver medals.

Nimegeers said the trip inspired her to pursue her love of writing and is looking to do so abroad in the future. “Being there made it clear,” she says. “It gave me answers. I know I want to give back to communities and travel the world and see other places like that.”