You can’t talk about rugby in St. Albert without mentioning Gareth Jones and Roger Scott.
The two St. Albert rugby pioneers were presented with their plaques for the Edmonton Rugby Union Hall of Fame between the women’s and men’s premier rugby games on Saturday.
Jones and Scott were recognized for the outstanding contributions they have made to rugby in St. Albert over the last 37 years.
“Everyone here today, their lives have been affected by Gareth Jones and Roger Scott. They are the two most instrumental individuals involved in starting the St. Albert Rugby Club. Without either of these men there would not be a rugby club here for us to enjoy or this beautiful deck for us to enjoy,” long-time club member Patrick Fuller said.
In 1980 Roger Scott started the rugby program at Paul Kane High School and invited Jones to help coach the team. One year later the St. Albert Rugby Club was formed, followed by the construction of a clubhouse four years later. Since then Jones and Scott have spent years coaching and developing players along with holding many positions within the rugby club.
Scott has coached rugby at high schools across St. Albert for the last 38 years and was an early advocate for women’s rugby in the community.
Jones has also spent time coaching and recruiting players and was SARFC’s first ever president. Jones was instrumental is starting and developing all the junior programs across the Edmonton Rugby League.
“Along this remarkable journey many people have put in many hours to get where we are today. The honour that has been bestowed on me today I wish to share with all these people – it is not mine, it is ours,” Jones said.
Jones said he fell in love with the sport when he was eight years old after being introduced to the game in his native Wales. Scott said his passion for rugby was born after meeting Jones.
“I feel humbled to be mentioned in the same breath as my mentor Gareth Jones. He had all the wisdom and the knowledge and I supplied all the raw materials and together we did a pretty good job,” Scott said.
Jones and Scott are the first two members from the St. Albert club to be inducted into the hall of fame.
