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Dylan Parson (continued from page 47) play. I also liked the continuous action, and that any player on the team could carry the ball and score a try. In football, might never have touched the ball in the course ofa game.” His initial experience with the sport came in Grade 9 at Port Perry High School. Soon, he added a second team, the Oshawa Vikings, to his athletic workload, often play- ing with competitors beyond his age ip. His dedication and skill were noticed. “When I first saw him two years ago, he was on the verge of being great,” says Kalil Ajram, who coached Dylan with Rugby Toronto. “His work ethic stood out and he took improving his skills seriously. It paid off in being selected for the Ontario team.” Last season, his provincial team narrowly missed the national title. But his play drew notice from the national program’s organizers. “He stood out among the best players in five Canadian regions,” explains Mike Curran, his Ontario coach. “His size and general physicality earned him consideration for a tryout with the national team.” Just as specific physical attributes define ideal candi- dates for a football team’s many available roles on the field, Dylan possesses the qualities for his rugby position. “At six-two and 260 pounds, he certainly has the size and power to be a“prop,’” says Mike. “He’s able to chan- nel force inside the scrum and manipulate the angles to our hooker’s advantage. Prop’s a challenging position, 4179 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa {just 1okm south of Port Perry) 905-655-3291 ¢ 1-800-575-5656 @ Kubota. When Quality Counts 50 FOCUS - DECEMBER 2015 Dylan’s dedication and hard work has now earned him a spot on the Team Canada Rugby Team. and an important one. The ability to control the scrum is critical, like winning face-offs in hockey.” With the exciting possibility of national recruitment in the back of his mind, Dylan will begin a Kinesiology program at Guelph in September. His studies, he hopes, will lead to a career in an area with which he would be well familiar after P physical demanding a sport. “Once I graduate, I’d like to work in sports training and Physiotherapy working with athletes to prevent injuri Ad, of course, he expects he'll continue to enjoy play- ing rugby. “Tt would be a huge thrill and an honour to play with the nationals,” he says. “And you can carry on playing for years. The Vikings have an ‘old boys’ league.” Blending the speed, physical intensity, and intricate strategy which make football such a popular spectator sport, you might wonder why rugby isn’t as well known. “It’s the lack of a pro league here in North America, and there are already a number of popular contact sports like football and hockey. Overseas, it’s neck and neck with soccer and cricket as the most popular sports, and there is a professional level.” Darryl Devine sees the game becoming increasingly more popular. “{The Sports Network] TSN is giving coverage to tugby, which will popularize it. And that exposure will help it grow it at the grassroots.” Dylan himself views the sport’s recognition philo- sophically. “Rugby has a lot to offer. But you either love it or hate it.” As he moves steadily toward a future which may well include a generous helping of international competition, it’s easy to see where Dylan’s opinion lies. By Scott Mercer, Focus on Scugog 5 & 3 a 8 A 5 8 3 6 dz