Category: Uncategorized

Annual Golf Tournament – Thursday September 12th

Hello Saracens,

The 2024 Toronto Saracens Golf Tournament is set!  Book it in your calendars now!

Date                   Thursday September 12th 2024

Time                   First tee time is 10:30 AM

Where:             Pickering Glen Golf club (230-7th Concession, Claremont, ON L1Y 1A2)

Price:                 $170 per player  

This gets you the round, your cart, and a full sit-down steak dinner.

Please notify Geoff or Fred to confirm you will be joining us and to advise any allergies or dietary restrictions.  We need to confirm numbers in advance: we cannot have walk-ons.

Geoff Howes                   647 884 3063                 geoff_howes@hotmail.com

Fred Burton                     647 280 9779                 fburton@portfoliomanagement.ca

We would appreciate you paying in advance by sending an e-transfer to Treasurer@TorontoSaracens.com   

We look forward to another great event!

Saracens Alumni Brunch – Sunday October 27th

Saracens Alumni Brunch - Sunday October 27th

Come out and say hello to teammates of the past and help support the continued growth of our club. All Saracens who played during the 2024 season are welcome to attend. The Saracens Alumni would be pleased to buy all playing members their first beer.

Date: Sunday, October 27th
Time: 12PM. Lunch to be served at 12:30PM.
Cost: $20 all-you-can-eat. Tax and tip included.
Location: The Leaside Pub 

Please RSVP here

Toronto Saracens 2024 TRU League “B” Champions

Toronto Saracens 2024 TRU LEAGUE "B" Champions

Congratulations to our Saracens for winning the league in our first season back on the pitch and getting promoted! The Saracens finished the regular season in the 2024 TRU League “B” Division with a record of 7-1-2 and most importantly no defaults. The team then went on to win both of their play-off matches. The Club has made great strides in 2024 after not completing a season of league rugby since COVID struck in 2020. Next year, the Saracens will play in TRU “A” division, with a second XV playing in TRU “B” division

The commitment of our new players and core team, combined with the exceptional guidance of our leadership, brought us to the top. A huge shoutout to our players for their hard work and teamwork, to our alumni for their unwavering support, and to the board for their tireless efforts.

Rebuilding after years of uncertainty due to COVID highlights the true spirit and resilience of the Saracens community, both past and present. Here’s to the next chapter and even greater success ahead!

A Look Ahead to 2025

The Saracens have all the key members who were responsible for our success in 2024 returning for the 2025 season, including our Director of Recruitment, Ian Custadillo, our Head Coach, Sheldon Persaud, our Master Ambassador, Ryan Bacanin and our Director of Communications, Charlie Hoskins.

Message from Head Coach Sheldon Persad:

Well done to all who contributed to the 2024 season. Meaningful success is accomplished with all working diligently together. Thank you to the players, coaching staff, the Leadership Team, the Board, family members and the alumni for 2024. However, this is just the beginning. The challenge ahead (i.e., next season’s competition) will require each of us to step it up a few notches, beginning with everyone taking on the responsibility to bring new members to the club and encouraging former members to return. Upward and onward, preparation for next season starts now!

Liam Casey joins the Toronto Saracens

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Liam Casey as an Ambassador, Advisor and Registered Playing Member. With his wealth of experience and profound passion for the sport, Casey is poised to make significant contributions across various facets of our club’s operations and development.

In this role, Liam will focus on developing rugby skills across all age groups within the club and actively recruiting new players. He’ll also engage with the community, including local schools, universities, and youth development clubs, contributing to coaching efforts, particularly with junior players. Moreover, Liam will build positive relationships with external stakeholders, such as City Rugby, TIRF, and local educational institutions, to enrich our club’s outreach and impact.

We anticipate several key outcomes from Liam’s appointment. He’ll participate in training sessions, represent the Saracens on the pitch, and provide valuable insights to the Board on rugby matters. Additionally, Liam will foster a culture of safety, acceptance, and social cohesion across all teams.

Please join us in welcoming Liam Casey to our rugby family, as we embark on an exciting journey together.

Ian Custadillo joins the Saracens as Director of Recruitment

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Ian Custadillo as the Director of Recruitment for the Toronto Saracens Rugby Club. 

With a proven track record of building successful rugby programs, Custadillo brings a wealth of experience and passion to our team. His journey at Toronto Metropolitan University, where he co-founded the university’s first-ever rugby squad, demonstrates his dedication and commitment to the sport.

 

During orientation week, Custadillo connected with a fellow student over their shared love for rugby. This encounter sparked a passion to establish a rugby presence at TMU, leading him to approach the athletic director’s office with a bold proposal to start a rugby team. Undeterred by the initial challenges, Custadillo rallied support from coaches and players alike to bring their vision to fruition. Through perseverance and determination, they successfully recruited a diverse group of players from around the globe, highlighting Custadillo’s ability to foster inclusivity and unity within the team. His leadership extended beyond the field, as he prioritized building a strong team culture based on camaraderie and mutual respect. This dedication paid off with the team’s on-field success, including a historic win over a seasoned opponent, cementing their place in TMU’s rugby history.

Custadillo’s legacy at TMU is defined by his unwavering commitment to the sport and his ability to inspire others to pursue their passion for rugby. His experience in founding and nurturing a fledgling rugby program demonstrates his expertise in player recruitment, team building, and community engagement—all of which will be invaluable assets to the Toronto Saracens Rugby Club as he assumes his role as Director of Recruitment.

In his role, Custadillo will spearhead our recruitment efforts, identifying and recruiting top-tier rugby players to join the Toronto Saracens. He will work closely with our coaching staff to coordinate practices and games, ensuring optimal performance on the field. Additionally, Custadillo will play a pivotal role in establishing and nurturing relationships with universities across Toronto, as well as collaborating with the Toronto Inner-City Rugby Foundation (TIRF) to expand our network within the rugby community. We are confident that Custadillo’s leadership and vision will propel our club to new heights, and we look forward to the exciting journey ahead under his guidance.

Coach Sheldon Persad joins the Toronto Saracens

Sheldon Persad, BPE, MSc, CSCS, CPTN-CPT (with Merit), SWC, HPC, CSCP

Sheldon has been involved with rugby as a player, coach, administrator and avid fan for 40 years. He has coached at the high school level, at universities, at the club level, and was part of the coaching staff (as assistant coach) for the Toronto franchise (the Toronto Xtreme) during the early days of the initial Canadian league. Sheldon is also a Toronto Saracens alumni player, and previous board member.

As a co-owner of Personal Best Health & Performance Inc (PB) Sheldon’s clientele has extended to four continents. Sheldon is an NCCP certified coach in several different sports and also a certified Stress and Wellness Consultant (Canadian Institute of Stress & Hans Selye Foundation). 2024 is Sheldon’s 38th year as a sport coach, and he is one of few Certified High Performance Sport Scientist Leaders in Canada.  As a Sport Scientist, his experience includes working with athletes who have competed at world championships, the Commonwealth Games, the Pan-American games, and the Olympics (summer and winter) from close to two dozen different national team programs.

He is a co-founder of the Certified Professional Trainers Network (CPTN), the inaugural President of the Canadian Strength and Conditioning Association (CSCA), an author, and award winning international conference presenter. He has twice hosted his own radio show segment, has taught high performance coaches at two different colleges and through the National Certification Program (NCCP). Additionally, over the past 24 years Sheldon has worked with the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario (formerly the Canadian Sport Centre) in the capacities of Lead S&C, Lead Sport Science, Manager Performance Services, Director Sport Science and Sport Medicine, Director Performance Services, is currently a Senior Advisor and a highly sought mentor for practitioners in our country.

Josiah Morra, Saracens Alumni on Team Canada 7s

Saracens Alumni, Josiah Morra, represents Canada on the National Men’s Sevens squad. In 2016, he made his international debut for Canada as an 18-year-old at the World Rugby Sevens Series in Cape Town. This past week, he joined the squad for the HSBC SVNS Perth in Western Australia. After a tough loss, the team is looking forward to playing on home soil at the end of February in Vancouver.

Annual General Meeting February 22

Please attend our Club’s Annual General Meeting to be held at 7:00pm on Thursday 22nd February 2024.  The distribution list includes all recent Members of our Club to give them the opportunity to renew their membership and attend and vote at our AGM.  

The details for the online Zoom meeting will be sent to Members in advance of the meeting.   

The provisional agenda for this meeting will be:

  1. Welcome and conduct of meeting
  2. Reports for 2023
    1. Financial report
    2. President’s report
  3. Fletcher’s Fields
    1. Our investments 
    2. Updates on our court application
    3. Our lease at Fletchers Fields
  4. Plans for 2023
    1. Our programs
    2. Leadership
    3. Recruitment
    4. Coaching
    5. Fiscal policies
    6. Winter training
  5. Election of Officers
  6. Close 


Please note that only members in good standing will be invited to attend and vote at our AGM.  If you have any questions about your financial standing, please contact any member of the Board of Directors.

Toronto Saracens Annual Brunch

What an unforgettable day at our annual brunch, as we gathered our alumni together! It was great to see so many join us, sharing old stories and catching up over a few pints.
It was a true honour to have Clay deliver a speech, reminding us of the values that make our club so special. At 100 years young, he still knows how to make a crowd laugh with his wit and memories shared.
Thank you to all those who attended and continue to support our club’s growth. This sense of community is what makes our club a family, and we can’t wait to celebrate it in a big way next year as we mark our 70th anniversary!

Toronto Saracens Brunch

As the autumn season is upon us, it’s time to gather for some good food, great company, and the camaraderie that makes our rugby club so special. We are excited to invite you to our upcoming brunch event, details as follows:

Date: Sunday, October 29th, 2023

Time: From 12:00 PM onwards, with lunch being served at 12:30 PM. Feel free to stay as long as you like.

Location: The Leaside Pub
190 Laird Dr,
Toronto, ON M4G 3W2

Cost: $20 per person, which includes an all-you-can-eat, tasty, and healthy brunch. This cost covers the food, including tax and tip. Please be sure to take care of your server for any additional drinks you order.

To ensure we have enough seats and food for everyone, we kindly request that you RSVP your attendance. You can do so by sending an email to Geoff Howes at Geoff_howes@hotmail.com. We want to ensure that no one goes hungry!

This brunch is a great opportunity for all of us to come together, share stories, and enjoy some fantastic food. We look forward to seeing you there and making this event a memorable one.

If you have any questions or require further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re looking forward to another wonderful gathering of our rugby club family.