History of the Bruins
In 1972, John Hume, a transplanted Scotsman and Commonwealth Athlete acted as the spearhead in the organization, "Maple Ridge Alouettes" who played in the Fraser Valley Rugby Union's 2nd Division. Teachers, Mike Suddaby, Dan Lazar and Bill Stewart were founding members as was Ed Salvail and Andy Ferguson. Hume and Suddaby had previous rugby experience in Scotland, Australia & Vancouver respectively and Salvail was a graduate of the Maple Ridge Senior Secondary (MRSS) Rugby program. The others were keen, but rookies. The next year Jim Pinson joined the club. Jim had played college rugby with the California Golden Bears. This crew made up the scrum! The backs were all graduates of John McKenzie's MRSS football program of the 1960s. This included Mike Mets, Al Hampton, Gord Stevens aka "Flame." The team played at Telosky Park, a field noted for its mud, if not for it's facilities! (The changeroom remained until recent redevelopment in 2020.
Back in those days, rugby was proud (as it is today) of its social dimensions, and the Alouettes more than held their own in competitive sing songs and boat races! Boat Racing in rugby becomes an art when a player reaches 19 in Canada! The Alouettes were pretty good in the playing area too, winning at least one Bert Flynn trophy (the annual FVRU tournament). Sometime in the late 70's, the club acquired top rate coaches in Chris Clark and Alan Joels. Joels was a former British Army Paratroop Sergeant. The club expanded to two teams (1st and 2nd Division) and was a starting point in senior rugby for Ron Van Den Brink, who then represented Canada in the 1987, 1991 and 1995 Rugby world cups.
Other club stalwarts were the Barney Family - Greg, Scott and their 50 year old father, Ollie who came out to watch a few games and then started to play with the Burnaby Twilighters, an over 40 club, which he remained a member of until his passing in 2009.
The Club hosted teams from Limerick, Ireland and Paris, France over the years. When the club was at its best in the 70s, games were played at Mile High Stadium, a wonderful field which now lies in waste, behind the Pacific Vocational Institute at the north end of 248th St.
The Alouettes had a number of undistinguished clubhouses, usually in buildings that had been abandoned and awaiting development. An old chinese restaurant on Lougheed Highway just to the east of the current Best Western, and a shack on West Road where it joins Lougheed Highway (Kitty corner where Staples is now.) For a number of years, the "new" Witch of Endor hosted after game festivities, with a notable evening with the Irish team from Limerick partying through the night!
A club tradition was the annual University of Washington Mud Bowl. Several excursions to Seattle via car, bus (only once - the driver swore he would never do it again!)
By the early 80s, the club was starting to struggle. Those who were once youngsters were now moving away and getting married! The term "oldies" at the club referenced the founders, however, they were also becoming old in age! A decision was made to amalgamate with another struggling club - Pitt River and the Pitt Bruins were born.
The Bruins went on tour to England in 1985 and won the BC championship in the late 80s. Once again rugby stated to slow in the Ride Meadows area by the early 90s. In the late 90s and moving into the millenium, rugby grew drastically.
During the 2000s, the club found a new platform for the future with the graduation of players from Thomas Haney Secondary which laid the foundation for the future of the Men’s and Ladies Rugby teams. By 2010, the youth program boasted numerous representatives in the Valley sides and BC sides. Guiseppe Du Toit joined Ron Van Den Brink on our roll of honor by representing Canada in the 2015 World Cup, and Trent “Bones” Bourke who, in 2015, represented in Canada in Rugby League.
The Ridge Meadows Bruins, now boast a Mini Rugby Program, Ladies team, U12, U14, U16, U18 & Men’s team. Rugby continues to grow in the Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge area of British Columbia!