Don Pincock became a member of the Assassins Rugby Football Club shortly after its founding and was an essential contributor in the development of the Club into what it is today. Over the years since Don first donned his cleats he has contributed to the sport in numerous ways: as a member of the executive at the Club level and eventually Club President; as the Manitoba Rugby Union President; as a Director on the board of the Canadian Rugby Union; as a member of the Maple Grove Rugby Park founding committee; and as one of the leaders behind the establishment of the Manitoba Rugby Hall of Fame. Not content to limit himself to just one sport, Don also served as a key volunteer with the 1999 Pan-Am Games, Volleyball Manitoba, and the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.
Don Pincock joined the Assassins in 1968, playing the Standoff and Inside Centre positions and became involved with the administrative side of the Assassins by joining its executive. Don was a principal member during the formative years of the Club’s organizational and management structures that set up the Assassins as a financial success. Don served the Assassins executive in numerous positions including Treasurer and as Club President between 1977 and 1980 before moving on to act as President of the Manitoba Rugby Union from 1980 to 1982. Subsequently, Don went on to serve the Canadian Rugby Union as a Director and Vice-President from 1983 to 1987.
In the early 1980s Don was among those at the center of the effort to create what is now known as Maple Grove Rugby Park, working with Gary MacDonald and Larry Cherrett to create a founding committee of club representatives. Don served on the founding committee as Vice-Chair and was instrumental in securing the early funding necessary to obtain the permit to begin work on the facility. Don was heavily involved with the complex negotiations with other member rugby clubs, the City of Winnipeg, provincial and federal government officials, and private sector funding sources required to complete the park, which opened in 1985.
After the opening of Maple Grove Rugby Park, Don continued to serve on the committee. He was also one of the members present to help lay left-over sod donated from the Western Canada Summer Games around the club house and shower facility in 1990, working from 8:00 pm until 01:00 am the next morning.
Don’s favorite memories of his involvement with rugby are not just of the actual game, but the events that united the clubs towards developing and growing the union and the people, and of course the after-game beers with teammates and rivals alike. While Don went on to support other sports in Manitoba he never ventured too far from his rugby roots and as a founding member of the Rugby Manitoba Hall of Fame committee, he was instrumental in the committee’s inception.
Don Pincock joined the Assassins in 1968, playing the Standoff and Inside Centre positions and became involved with the administrative side of the Assassins by joining its executive. Don was a principal member during the formative years of the Club’s organizational and management structures that set up the Assassins as a financial success. Don served the Assassins executive in numerous positions including Treasurer and as Club President between 1977 and 1980 before moving on to act as President of the Manitoba Rugby Union from 1980 to 1982. Subsequently, Don went on to serve the Canadian Rugby Union as a Director and Vice-President from 1983 to 1987.
In the early 1980s Don was among those at the center of the effort to create what is now known as Maple Grove Rugby Park, working with Gary MacDonald and Larry Cherrett to create a founding committee of club representatives. Don served on the founding committee as Vice-Chair and was instrumental in securing the early funding necessary to obtain the permit to begin work on the facility. Don was heavily involved with the complex negotiations with other member rugby clubs, the City of Winnipeg, provincial and federal government officials, and private sector funding sources required to complete the park, which opened in 1985.
After the opening of Maple Grove Rugby Park, Don continued to serve on the committee. He was also one of the members present to help lay left-over sod donated from the Western Canada Summer Games around the club house and shower facility in 1990, working from 8:00 pm until 01:00 am the next morning.
Don’s favorite memories of his involvement with rugby are not just of the actual game, but the events that united the clubs towards developing and growing the union and the people, and of course the after-game beers with teammates and rivals alike. While Don went on to support other sports in Manitoba he never ventured too far from his rugby roots and as a founding member of the Rugby Manitoba Hall of Fame committee, he was instrumental in the committee’s inception.