WATCH ABOVE: The Toronto Inter-City Rugby Foundation was formed to ensure that youth in priority and low income neighbourhoods have opportunities to participate in rugby for free. Susan Hay has the story in this week’s Making a Difference.
TORONTO – Four year ago, the Toronto Inner-City Rugby Foundation was formed.
TIRF is a community development organization that uses rugby to engage kids and provide them with the skills — both on and off the field — in order to impact their lives in a positive way.
They work with Toronto based rugby clubs and schools, with a goal to make rugby more accessible to youth in priority and low-income neighbourhoods.
Ige Egal is a sports enthusiast and the executive director of the organization.
“Rugby is more than just a game. It’s the only sport that I know that has a list of values that everybody in the rugby community tries to live by. That’s passion, hard work, team work and respect” said Egal.
Coach Paul Myers is a retired police officer but knows the game of rugby very well. He has been playing for more than two decades and said the sport has broadened his horizons.
“I just love coaching. I’ve coached since I was 19-years-old,” said Myers.
“It’s the most fulfilling thing at this point in time that I’ve ever done”.
The foundation runs programs year-round that range from rugby to academic support, leader development, career skills, internships and scholarships.
Kyle Lagasca is a rugby and community champion who joined TIRF in grade nine and was later shortlisted for Team Canada.
“TIRF has really given me a lot of opportunities to do things that I wouldn’t be able to do … living with just my mom,” said Lagasca.
Egal and TIRF truly believe that if people want to change communities, “we really have to empower the individuals.”
“We have to empower the youth to be able to see that they can make the change themselves.”
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