For most of my growing-up years, I'd play or watch sports a lot. I’d play with any shaped ball. I had a bat or a racquet and just played a variety of games. I grew up in a generation where there weren’t any computer screens and the TV was limited to 4 channels. I had a very active lifestyle growing up in the Welsh countryside, and I guess this led to my passion for sports and physical activity.
When I was growing up, I was taught to be grounded and humble. If I displayed a little bit of big-headedness because I was good at something, my parents would make sure they would bring me down a notch or two, by commenting that certain sports stars didn’t behave that way when they were successful.
I was very fortunate to play professional rugby back in Wales for the Llanelli Scarlets. Through this experience, I played in high-level games against teams from all over Europe and South Africa. I even had an opportunity to play against the New Zealand ‘All Blacks.’ Please don’t ask me about the scoreline. These playing experiences allowed me to travel to different places and gain an understanding of different cultures. It was so cool to embrace the way of life within each country. Rugby has been a vehicle for me to see other parts of the world. Following my earliest adventures, I was invited to Vancouver to play for a local rugby team called the UBC Old Boys Ravens. This adventure made me stay here and continue my journey at St. George’s School.
As I reflect on my time as a professional athlete, it provided me with an understanding of how to dedicate your time to continually work on specific skills. As a rugby professional, you had to do your weight training, speed training, endurance work, and your skill set. Then, you had to do your teamwork, which included set plays and strategies. To have the exposure of all these elements as a professional performer was very good for my personal development. The boys may begin to connect with this as they start to make choices on whether to be the next artist, scientist, or musician.
The School has given me a sense of home, and it's given me a sense of purpose to do something—something good, something to pass on to others. I feel very fortunate to be here, and I feel the need to share the information I have learnt with our boys. I strive to be a positive role model to all our boys. St. George’s School provided me with a brilliant opportunity, in which I feel I need to give back. I feel very lucky to be here.
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