I am honoured to take on the role of Chief Executive Officer of BC Rugby and grateful for the confidence the Board has placed in me, as well as for the support and encouragement I have received from across the rugby community during my time with the organisation.
My commitment is straightforward: to grow and strengthen rugby across British Columbia, while continuing to improve the quality of our competitions, programs and the experience we provide to everyone involved in our game. That means putting our members, athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and clubs at the centre of what we do, while building a BC Rugby that is ambitious, accountable and sustainable for the future.
I recognize that not everyone in our wider rugby community will have the same view of me or of my appointment. I respect that. I also understand that, for some in particular, my appointment may bring forward concerns or uncertainty. I don't expect trust or confidence to be given simply because I have been appointed to this role. I believe those things are earned — through how I conduct myself, how I listen, how I collaborate, and ultimately through the results we achieve together. My experiences throughout rugby have taught me the importance of reflection, meaningful action, and creating an environment where people feel safe, supported, and able to speak openly. I ask only for the opportunity to do that work and to earn the trust and support of our rugby community over time.
Rugby has been a significant part of my life at every level — as a player, coach, manager and, perhaps most importantly, as a father of three young women, two of whom are rugby players. Those experiences have given me a broad perspective on our game and on what it means to be part of a rugby community.
My experience at the highest levels of the game, including international and professional rugby, has also taught me some important lessons. Perhaps the most important is that challenging goals are achieved through collaboration, communication and a willingness to bring people together around a common purpose. I believe that principle will be essential as we work to move BC Rugby forward.
There is enormous potential in rugby in British Columbia. We have passionate clubs, talented athletes, committed coaches and officials, dedicated volunteers and a strong rugby community. My goal is to help bring those pieces together, strengthen the foundations of our game and create more opportunities for people to participate, develop and succeed in rugby.
I look forward to listening, learning, working alongside our members and partners, and building the next chapter of BC Rugby together.
John Tait
BC Rugby CEO
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