FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — MacDowell Rugby Academy on Vancouver Island will soon welcome two Fort St. John athletes.
Hailey Dutchak will join fellow rugby player Waylon Fenton for their first semester at the academy beginning in February 2023.
Dutchak has had a busy year after bringing home gold while representing Team BC at the Western Canadian Championships, bronze from the 2022 BC Summer Games, competing in the LA 7’s International Rugby Tournament, and now, being accepted to MacDowell Rugby Academy.
“It’s really exciting,” said Dutchak.
“I’m super excited to get moving forward in my rugby career and get some high-level coaching every day for the next semester.”
The 17-year-old rugby star will have the opportunity to train in a new, rugby-focused environment under the direction of Robin MacDowell, director of the rugby academy and Team Canada Alumni.
“There’s training in the morning for the first three hours of class, and then I do my academic classes after lunch,”
Dutchak hopes to eventually play university-level rugby and represent Team Canada one day.
