A highly-decorated rugby player who served as the backbone of Brock University's 2007 championship men's rugby team is hanging up his boots.
Ray Barkwill (BSc '10) announced his retirement from the sport on April 4.
The 38-year-old Niagara Falls native is a three-time Canadian Rugby Championship winner and recently won the 2017 Shield Award as Most Inspirational Player as awarded by members of Canada's Men's Team.
He also helped the Seattle Seawolves win the Major League Rugby title.
Barkwill is retiring due to a brachial plexus injury he suffered during the Rugby World Cup qualifying tournament in France in November.
The injury has kept him from training and competing since.
"Unfortunately this injury has forced me into retiring from the game I so dearly love, but this sport has always been an everyday part of my life and I'm so conditioned to eat, sleep, drink and breathe this game," said Barkwill. "I think it's safe to say that I won't be drifting too far away."
Barkwill retires with 56 caps for Canada.
"It has meant a lot to me as I set out this goal to be a professional and to represent our country, but there have been some incredible challenges along the way that have tested my character and have helped me towards reaching my goals," he said.
Barkwill started playing rugby in high school while attending Westlane Secondary School in Niagara Falls.
"I had a great coach there, Bill Brown, and the school had a very rich rugby tradition," he said.
Barkwill said the choice to attend Brock University wasn't a difficult one.
"Being a local guy, I wanted and needed to stay in my community. Brock also had the program I wanted to get into," said Barkwill. "First were the friends I made within the school and on my team, but also we had a very good rugby program that was successful."
In 2007, Barkwill co-captained the Badgers to a 22-6 win over Queen's to hoist the school's first OUA men's rugby championship alongside the head coach at the time, Les Gilson.
He was named the OUA finals MVP.
After graduating, he went on to study and play in Australia before beginning his rugby career with the Ontario provincial team and Canadian national team in 2012.
"Ray has definitely stayed involved with the team since he left and has been a constant source of encouragement and inspiration for Badger players," said current Badgers head coach Phil Sullivan. "He dropped by our training camp last year for a session."
Barkwill said that the pace and level of university rugby opens a pathway to Rugby Canada.
"I was always motivated to want to be a professional and to play for Canada," he said. "I knew that I would need to play university rugby to allow myself more time to train with a group, but also to improve my strength and conditioning and the university level is a quicker game. University rugby is an important pathway towards playing for Canada."
Barkwill has high hopes for the Badgers' program to build and expand while staying competitive. He said the sport has a lot to offer.
"Rugby to me is this huge chess game that is full contact, but while running a half marathon with max squats every seven minutes," said Barkwill. "I would love to see Brock University move their rugby program towards being a high-performance program with the support of the National Sport Organization and provincial unions. The sport teaches values that are important in life such as integrity, respect and discipline."
While reflecting on his rugby career, Barkwill noted that he can't give credit to just one person.
"At high school Billy Brown was very influential and then Les Gilson while at Brock," he said. "My national coaches have shown me so much about the game and have helped me expand my abilities and my mind in the game. Every coach shows you something that can make you better. Where I feel I was most influenced was by my teammates, many shared things that made me the player and man I am today."
