Balmy Beach Rugby Club set to celebrate 70th anniversary with number of events in June

By JOSHUA McGINNIS

After decades of championships, hard-fought victories, and gruelling seasons, the Balmy Beach Rugby Club is celebrating its 70-year history in the community by paying tribute to former members and the organization’s long and storied past.

From June 4 to 7, the club will host a four-day event to honour its long-standing history in Canadian rugby. Community members and alumni are invited to take part.

The celebration begins Wednesday, June 4, with a gala dinner at the Balmy Beach Club. The event will feature a three-course meal and a guest speaker.. Tickets are $100 per person, $180 per couple, or $800 for a table of eight.

On Thursday, June 5, Balmy Beach Rugby Club alumni will host a golf tournament at Riverside Golf Course, a scenic nine-hole course in Pickering Village. Tickets are $125 and include green fees, food, refreshments, and transportation.

On Friday, June 6, a pub night will take place at the Balmy Beach Club.

The festivities conclude on Saturday, June 7, with Club Day at Tubs & Gee Gage Field. The day will feature four senior men’s matches and one senior women’s match, showcasing the depth and diversity of the club’s talent.

Tickets and full event details for the Balmy Beach Rugby Club’s 70th anniversary celebrations can be found at: https://balmybeachrugby.com/70th-anniversary

Founded in 1955, Balmy Beach Rugby Club has become one of Canada’s most successful rugby organizations.

The senior men’s team holds the most provincial titles of any club in Ontario, including the McCormick Cup and Gee Gage Cup.

The Balmy Beach Rugby Club also has a storied football legacy, with two Grey Cup championships in 1927 and 1930 — a separate chapter of the club’s rich athletic history.

The rugby club was launched when Dennis Fletcher and local sports figure Ted Reeve discussed bringing rugby to a neighbourhood dominated by football and hockey.

Reeve introduced the sport to community members, who quickly embraced it and formed the club’s first rugby team in 1955. Some of the team’s surviving members will be attending the 70th anniversary and will be honoured at the event.

Gerry Allan, the club’s current chairman, reflected on the club’s legacy during a recent tour through the building with Beach Metro Community News.

“There is an athletic history here that everyone tries to live up to — from our paddling club to our football accolades, including two Grey Cup wins, and all the other sports we’ve been successful in. When you put on the Beach colours, there’s a feeling of playing for one another,” said Allan.

“Almost all of the junior coaches are former players who return with their sons or daughters playing in the U8 to U18 programs. I don’t know of another club in Canada with that kind of community.”

One of Allan’s favourite memories is from 1981, when a team of retired players won a provincial championship.

“The first team had qualified for the provincial championships, but most of the players had already committed to a tour of Western Canada. For the opposing team from Owen Sound, it was their first time qualifying, so we didn’t want to delay. A group of retired coaches and I organized a team of past players and trained four times a week for a month. The game was close, but we won in overtime. That’s one of my favourite memories — we came together and won another title for the club.”

Balmy Beach Rugby Club alumni, including Brian Spanton, Doug and Matt Underwood, Iain McLeish, and Scott Dunham, are among a long list of alumni who have represented Team Canada on the international rugby stage..

Since 1955, more than 25 players from the club have gone on to represent Canada internationally. Many of them return to the club to coach and mentor younger players.

Spanton, a former national team player and current assistant coach, credits the club’s success to its strong alumni network.

“Many of the former players were also teachers and coaches who brought students to the club. They became senior players after high school,” he said. “The coaching and administration in recent years have been fantastic. Our club president, Iain McLeish, works tirelessly in a volunteer role.”

Spanton also recalled a memorable victory: “In the early 1980s, we played in the McCormick Cup — then known as the Carling Cup. Paul Durr scored a try in overtime and we won in sudden death.”

From 1980 to 1990, Balmy Beach’s senior men’s team captured seven championships in 10 years.

“Rugby teaches values. It builds relationships and helps prepare you for adult life,” said Spanton.

The Balmy Beach Rugby Club continues to thrive, having most recently won the McCormick Cup in 2022 and again in 2024.

Alumni, supporters, and fans are all welcome to join the celebration and honour seven decades of Balmy Beach Rugby Club pride.