From Rugby Canada
BEUKEBOOM TAKES UVIC ROOKIE HONOURS
Friday, April 3, 2009 - Submitted by Andrew Smith in Victoria, BC.
It’s pretty rare for a first year University of Victoria rugby player to break into the Vikes starting lineup. But Brett Beukeboom ’08 (Lake's) of Lindsay, Ontario defied the odds this past season as he ascended the ranks to emerge as a dominant member of the UVic forward pack.
His performance in both a Vikes jersey as well as through representing Canada on the recent Under 20 tour of New Zealand earned him the prestigious University of Victoria Robert T. Wallace Shield Rookie of the Year award on Wednesday, April 1st.
“He’s just played outstanding,” UVic rugby Coach Doug Tate said before adding, “[Brett’s] a mobile a player. He can play in the second row, back row, and he’s done real well as a first year guy to even get into the Vikes.”
His dedication and strong performance while playing in the prestigious UVic program recently earned him a spot on the Under 20 Canadian Men’s Team as the squad toured New Zealand in preparations for the Junior World Cup in June.
For Canadian U20 Men’s coach Tim Murdy, Beukeboom was a key player in his roster against some of the toughest development sides New Zealand had to offer.
“He was one of the forwards that was able to keep up with some of New Zealand’s forwards. He wasn’t intimidated by the situation or by the physicality of play,” Coach Murdy said before emphasizing what makes Beukeboom such an important player to his lineup.
“He’s a very talented athlete but it’s more his character that has helped him excel. He’s a very coachable young man and he works very hard at trying to accomplish his goals.”
The Shawnigan Lake School graduate climbed the ranks while beginning his rugby career at the University of Victoria. After starting for the Jutes – Uvic’s third-string development side back in September, Beukeboom quickly caught the eye of Coach Doug Tate to earn himself a spot in the Vikes’ first string.
Beukeboom has recently been playing in B.C.’s Canadian Direct Insurance Premier League and faces off against some of Canada’s top senior players on a weekly basis.
“[There’s] not too many guys that play in the forwards their first year for the Vikes,” UVic Coach Tate said about Beukeboom’s recent form. “They’re just not physical enough – there’s only been a handful over the years.”
After accepting the award, Beukeboom spoke of how the university’s program has helped him excel as a rugby player and what it meant to be recognized as one of UVic’s finest.
“It’s a real honour being named rookie of the year - there’s a lot of great athletes here,” Beukeboom said before adding, “The coaching staff here is great. There’s a lot of experienced guys that have played for Canada and the Sevens before so they’ve helped me along with the experience.”
With Beukeboom now finishing his first season in Victoria, Doug Tate and his coaching staff have four more years to watch this young player reach his full potential in a Vikes jersey.
“He’s playing with so much confidence. He’s going to really help us down the road,” Tate said.