Winning the Gareth Jones Shield was a step in the right direction for St. Albert’s rising rugby star.
“I’m happy that all my hard work over these past two winters has paid off. I’ve basically went from wanting to be an amateur rugby player to more of a professional elite one,” said Austen McDonald, a Team Alberta player who attended the recent U17 national identification west camp.
The Gareth Jones Shield – named after one of the founding “Nervous Nine” members and the first president of the St. Albert Rugby Football Club – is presented to the U16/17 player of the year in the Edmonton Rugby Union.
“To be recognized with an award named after Gareth Jones, who is such an influential man in St. Albert rugby, I feel very honoured,” McDonald said.
Previous St. Albert recipients included Graham Brayman (1995), Alex Carter (2008), Lester Smith (2009) and Robert Blunden (2010).
“I knew about the award from the club’s website and who got it, so I made a note to myself that if I work hard enough I could get that award too,” McDonald said. “I was still quite surprised that I won it but at the same time I was happy that I won it.”
Last winter McDonald worked on his strength and cardio during sessions with a northern Alberta-based rugby academy.
“We practiced skills like passing, catching, kicking, lifting and what not. I was able to sharpen up a lot of them and I’m doing the same thing again this year,” said the versatile eight-man and flanker.
This past season McDonald played high school rugby for the Paul Kane Blues, was captain of the U17 St. Albert squad that lost the ERU final to the Nor’Westers and competed at the U16 nationals with the fifth-place finishers from Alberta.
“I felt my summer went pretty good,” said the Grade 11 student.
“High school rugby went quite well. Our junior Paul Kane team went undefeated, but unfortunately I didn’t play that much senior.”
“Club was good too. We made it to the final. The season was hard fought because we were mainly a young junior team with a few older players, like the older side of the age group, so next year we’re looking to not just get to the final but win it.”
“Alberta went considerably well this year too. (At nationals) in Quebec we played our hardest rugby. It was good to see how we measure up against B.C. and we still have a lot of improvement to go forward from.”
McDonald’s only regret was not wearing the club colours at the senior level.
“Unfortunately I was too young. If they would’ve found out at Rugby Alberta they wouldn’t have been too happy.”
McDonald, 16, is hoping to make U18 Alberta, hasn’t ruled out playing for St. Albert’s U19 juniors and is determined to give the senior ranks a shot.
“This year I plan on playing thirds and seconds and maybe if I get the chance I can sub for the prems (first division).”
He got hooked on rugby while rucking and mauling for St. Albert in U14.
“I just love how it’s a team sport. It also makes you the fittest you can be at the same time,” said McDonald, adding the atmosphere, compared to football or soccer is more sociable. “You make friends, even with people on the other team, and then you play them again. It’s more of an enjoyable experience of playing people rather than grudge matches. Rather than having a game against someone and then just leaving and having hard feelings for the next game you drink it all out and party a little bit.”
