We are pleased to announce that The David Robinson Memorial Award Fund was established in today following the passing of noted Alberta and national Rugby official and educator David R. Robinson.

The Fund is intended to provide funding from its endowment for annual awards that further the broad objectives and purposes of Rugby Canada and the Canadian Rugby Foundation to develop and grow rugby across Canada while meeting CRA requirements. The award is presented annually to a rugby student-athlete entering or already enrolled in a university or college who has been actively participating as a rugby player, coach, official, administrator or volunteer at the club or high school level, and who has expressed an interest in continuing their rugby involvement as an official.

The David Robinson Memorial Award is named for David Russell Robinson.

David Robinson Bio

On Saturday, October 15, 2022, we lost David Robinson, an outstanding member of the rugby community. David was an active referee for 30 years in Alberta and British Columbia but was often found refereeing around the world. David never missed an opportunity to take his boots and whistle with him on his travels, creating a legacy of having refereed in over 20 countries. David was often seen talking to new match officials about his global referring experience. On the field, David was willing to help whenever and wherever he was needed, from his annual run at the Stampede Rugby 7s, shadowing new match officials, refereeing age-grade matches, or the highest level of Provincial tournaments and Provincial finals. David’s community involvement was not limited to the field. David never missed an opportunity to host a visiting match official. He opened his home, shared his family and community, and ensured everyone got the most out of their visit and the game of Rugby, which he loved. David was a founding member of the Rugby Alberta Match Officials’ Association (RAMOA) and sat on its first board, serving as both treasurer and president during his time. David’s connections during his travels played a key role in helping RAMOA set up ongoing Match Official exchanges in Northern California. ln recent years, David became World Rugby Educator, influencing hundreds of new match officials with his personality and style. ln addition he became a Citing Commissioner for World Rugby and Major League Rugby and has been involved in several tournaments throughout Canada, the USA, and the Caribbean. Our thoughts and condolences go out to David’s family, friends and the community he tirelessly served. A life well lived in service of others is a life we should all celebrate. – Rugby Alberta

David was a founding member of the Rugby Alberta Match Officials’Association GAMOA) and sat on its first board, serving as both treasurer and president during his time. David’s connections during his travels played a key role in helping RAMOA set up ongoing Match Official exchanges in Northern California. David was often seen talking to new match officials about his global refereeing experience. David never missed an opportunity to take his boots with him on his travels, creating a legacy of having refereed in over 20 countries. On the field, David was willing to help whenever and wherever he was needed, from his annual run at the Stampede Rugby 7s, shadowing new match officials, refereeing age-grade matches, or the highest level of Provincial tournaments and Provincial finals. David’s community involvement was not limited to the field. David never missed an opportunity to host a visiting match official. He opened his home, shared his family and community, and ensured everyone got the most out of their visit and the game of Rugby, which he loved. – Rugby Canada

While details of the Award application process are in development, the selection criteria will include:

1. High school graduate from Alberta
2. Enrolled in or entering a Canadian university or college
3. Academic achievements
4. Rugby achievements and involvement
5. lnterest in officiating

To continue David’s legacy and honour his contributions to rugby, GO HERE TO DONATE TO THE DAVID ROBINSON MEMORIAL AWARD FUND AND SCROLL DOWN TO THE FUND NAME:

We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Liam Geddes Memorial Award Fund at the Canadian Rugby Foundation. The Award is named in honour of Liam David Geddes (October 27, 1999 – March 11, 2022).

The Liam Geddes Memorial Award is intended to provide funding from its endowment for an annual award presented initially to the outstanding back row player at the Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship (CUMRC) and later when appropriate, the national university men’s Back Row Player of the Year, consistent with the broad objectives and purposes of Rugby Canada and the Canadian Rugby Foundation to develop and grow rugby across Canada, while meeting CRA requirements. The Fund has been kickstarted with donations from Liam’s family and friends.

Liam loved hard, worked hard, and played hard. Liam first began to play rugby for his high school, in Lindsay, ON. He went on to play with the Lindsay Rugby Club, and represented Ontario with U17 and U18 squads. He was a varsity athlete with the Queens Men’s Rugby Program, helping them to achieve gold medals in OUA finals in 2018, 2019, and silver in 2021. He represented Queen’s Men’s Rugby at the Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship (CUMRC) in 2018 in Victoria, 2019 in Montreal, and most recently 2021 in Kingston.

At the time of his passing, Liam was a 4^th-year student at Queens University, about to graduate with Honours with a B.Sc. in Kinesiology. He was an academic all-star during all four years of his studies, and was awarded his degree posthumously in June 2022. His plans for further schooling, with the ultimate goal of acceptance into medical school, were unfortunately cut short by his untimely death.

Liam was known by all for having a kind heart, quick wit, and keen intellect. He was ever humble and known to give the greatest bear hugs to anyone he was with. Liam was also known for being a clothes horse, with an eye for style. In addition to being very close to his parents, sisters and extended family, he had an extremely large group of well-loved friends throughout his home in Kawartha Lakes, ON, as well as his second home in Kingston, ON. Liam was tenacious on the rugby field from his position in the back row, but he also had a kind and caring spirit and was ever ready to lend a helping hand, or a compassionate ear.

Liam had registered as an organ donor of his own accord several years before his passing. Through his gift of organ donation, Liam was able to profoundly impact the lives of 4 organ donor recipients (lung, liver, and both kidneys), and their families.

You can continue Liam’s legacy through the Liam Geddes Memorial Award Fund by making a donation to the endowment fund here and scrolling down to the Fund name.

Liam Geddes Article 20221027