MONDAY'S MUSINGS

                                                              (Credit OCABC)

Kerri Cook is a disclosure coordinator for the Organized Crime Agency of British Columbia (OCABC) at the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU-BC) Island District office. She has been overseeing the disclosure unit for the district offices since 2016. Kerri came to the OCABC with over 10 years of experience working in a policing environment. She was a disclosure specialist with the Victoria Police Department, an information systems and applications specialist (ISAS) with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) and a telecommunication operator at the Victoria Operations Communications Centre (OCC). Kerri is well known for sharing her file management and disclosure knowledge nationally.

Kerri has held a variety of volunteer roles in the rugby community, including managing club teams, regional representative teams, and BC Rugby teams, as well as serving on multiple rugby boards. Having lived in New Zealand, a country where rugby is deeply rooted, the sport is second nature to her. Rugby is truly a family affair—her husband and two daughters also play.



For the past 8 years, Kerri has been a Team Liaison Officer for the New Zealand Black Ferns Sevens Women’s team while on their Langford and Vancouver travel stops for the World Rugby Sevens Series. The Black Ferns Sevens have dominated the Women’s Sevens World Series by winning 7 out of 11 tournaments. Due to her experience with the Black Ferns Sevens, she was recruited by the New Zealand Women’s National 15s Rugby team while they were in Vancouver for the World Rugby WXV event (three-tier global women’s international 15s rugby competition). Additionally, Kerri was referred to Jamaican Rugby, who were in search of a manager competing in the Rugby America’s North (RAN) Sevens Olympic qualifier tournament. Kerri is continuously volunteering her time to the rugby community outside her work life.

Kerri’s experience with the national teams has deepened her appreciation for the pride athletes feel in representing their country and the influence they carry. While women’s rugby has historically faced challenges with limited funding, support, and visibility compared to the men’s game, the past decade has brought a noticeable cultural shift. Gender bias is diminishing, sport is becoming more inclusive, and the growing success and popularity of women’s rugby reflects this positive change.

Kerri is a valued member of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) committee at CFSEU-BC. Her background in rugby has strengthened her understanding of EDI and her ability to advocate for greater awareness and inclusion. Since its beginnings in the early 1800s, rugby has been celebrated as a character-building sport that values respect and embraces players of all shapes, sizes, and personalities. Kerri and her teammates refer to the rugby community as their family – where everyone belongs.

Kerri will assume a new rugby-related volunteer role on June 1, 2025. She is the new incoming President for the Castaway Wanderers Rugby Club in Oak Bay, Victoria. Kerri will make history as the first female president of a BC Rugby club!

FOOTNOTE

Speaking of the CW Board of Directors, Keri notes that; “We would like to extend our gratitude to Merie Beauchamp for her dedicated service as the Communications Director. We are appreciative of the energy she put into her time on the Board, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors.” Ed. Merie served for two terms of office and along with her Communications role she was renowned for her organizational talent, having organized two very successful ventures to the summer Kamloops Tournaments for our age grade teams and two memorable Annual Windup Banquets for our youth players.  ‘onya, Merie.

ON-LINE STORE. So, as you're watching the summer roll by, and you're starting to think about the return to rugby in late August, you may want to think about your sideline swag and supporter kit... hats, hoodies, jackets, and more. Just hop on over to CW / TeamSales Merch Store  The store will be open until July-27. Any merchandise ordered before that cut-off will be delivered to us, and ready for you to pick up during the last two weeks of August, just as training starts.

After that date, we will re-open the store in early August, but the timing of the next cycle is such that we will not receive the ordered goods until some time in early October.


                                                     STARTING YOUNG AT CEEDUB


 

Minis Director, Rod Fraser, has informed the Ruggernut that this coming season the club will provide a program for U6’s. This follows much deliberation about the content and worth of starting at this age and the two coaches whose responsibility it will be, are ‘rugby people’ and are very excited about the potential of the program. Already there have been two registrations. Parents can register HERE for the program.

FROM THE LIONS DEN. The British and Irish Lions continued to maul their way through Australia on the weekend feasting on Wallaby stew to the tune of 27 – 19. It was mostly all the Lion’s way with a blanket rush defense that set up the win in the first half.  The Wallabies battled back, winning the second half, 14 – 12. There is a repeat performance next weekend in Test#2.