Randy Dilk – Builder
There are those in Manitoba rugby who have made a significant contribution to or have attained a degree of excellence in a particular field of endeavour within our sport, some who have accomplished both, but few that have made both a significant contribution to and attained a degree of excellence in a number of fields of endeavour. Player, coach, referee, Randy Dilk is one of those few.
After playing rugby at Churchill High School where he garnered the award as Best Forward in 1979, Randy continued his foray in the sport when he started playing with the Assassins Rugby Football Club in 1980. Awarded Rookie of the Year, Randy continued playing for the Assassins retiring from full time league play in 2004 and during that time was honoured as a five time recipient of the club’s Best Back 1st Division award and a six time recipient of the club’s Most Valuable Player award, a distinction not currently held by any other player in club history. In addition to his club playing activities, Randy represented his province playing for the Mb. Sr. Men’s Provincial Team in 1984, 1992, 1993 and 1995 and was awarded co-recipient Best Back in 1993 for his exploits.
After a few years of playing, Randy turned his attention to the coaching ranks at the High School, Club and Provincial Team levels. At the High School level, looking to aid the recruitment efforts of the Assassins RFC, Randy was to co-coach at Churchill High School from 1988 to 1991 winning the Provincial 11 Aside Championship in 1988 and the Provincial 15 Aside Championship in 1989. At the Club level, Randy coached the Assassins RFC in varying capacities along with Brent Tomchuk and Jim Russell from 1993 – 2003 helping guide the club to 17 various 1st and/or 2nd Division Provincial and/or League Championship titles during those years. Provincially, Randy co-coach the 1997 U-17 Boys team, co-coach the 2005 edition of the Mb. Sr. Men’s team and then later, along with co-coaches Rick Romsa, Brent Tomchuk and Jim Russell, help resurrect after a 5 year hiatus from provincial completion, the Mb. Sr. Men’s program in 2013 and serving in that capacity until 2017.
As if playing and coaching were not enough, Randy undertook to complete the troika of on field endeavours by embracing the ranks of the Manitoba Association of Rugby Referees. Randy began referring in 2001 continuing on in that capacity to this day, referring hundreds of high school, league and representative rugby games throughout. A hallmark of his referring was his teaching approach, first pointing out and then allowing players the opportunity to correct their transgressions and thereby allowing the game to flow. Rising in the ranks as a highly sought after and respected game official in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and south of the border, Randy was to referee ten Manitoba Provincial Championship games (7 - Men’s 1st Div., 2 - Women’s 1st Div. and 1 - Men’s 2nd Div.) between 2004 and 2014. Other highlights emblematic of his stature as a referee included the National Festival Canada U-17 Boys Possibles/Probables game in 2006, the 2009 Sr. Women’s Super League game, the 2011 U-21 Men’s Super League game and the Saskatchewan Sr. Men’s Provincial Final and the Prairies U-21 Men’s Championship games in 2013.
Off the field, Randy continued with other contributions to the game. From 1987 to 1998 he served as a Member at Large in charge of recruitment for the Assassins RFC, served as his club’s Vice President in 2000 and 2001, was a founding member of the Friends of Rugby and continuing on as committee member until 2012, and has served 3 years as Vice President of the Manitoba Association of Rugby Referees and 7 years as that organization’s Game Allocator.
All in all, a truly impressive body of work for one individual and worthy of Hall of Fame induction.
There are those in Manitoba rugby who have made a significant contribution to or have attained a degree of excellence in a particular field of endeavour within our sport, some who have accomplished both, but few that have made both a significant contribution to and attained a degree of excellence in a number of fields of endeavour. Player, coach, referee, Randy Dilk is one of those few.
After playing rugby at Churchill High School where he garnered the award as Best Forward in 1979, Randy continued his foray in the sport when he started playing with the Assassins Rugby Football Club in 1980. Awarded Rookie of the Year, Randy continued playing for the Assassins retiring from full time league play in 2004 and during that time was honoured as a five time recipient of the club’s Best Back 1st Division award and a six time recipient of the club’s Most Valuable Player award, a distinction not currently held by any other player in club history. In addition to his club playing activities, Randy represented his province playing for the Mb. Sr. Men’s Provincial Team in 1984, 1992, 1993 and 1995 and was awarded co-recipient Best Back in 1993 for his exploits.
After a few years of playing, Randy turned his attention to the coaching ranks at the High School, Club and Provincial Team levels. At the High School level, looking to aid the recruitment efforts of the Assassins RFC, Randy was to co-coach at Churchill High School from 1988 to 1991 winning the Provincial 11 Aside Championship in 1988 and the Provincial 15 Aside Championship in 1989. At the Club level, Randy coached the Assassins RFC in varying capacities along with Brent Tomchuk and Jim Russell from 1993 – 2003 helping guide the club to 17 various 1st and/or 2nd Division Provincial and/or League Championship titles during those years. Provincially, Randy co-coach the 1997 U-17 Boys team, co-coach the 2005 edition of the Mb. Sr. Men’s team and then later, along with co-coaches Rick Romsa, Brent Tomchuk and Jim Russell, help resurrect after a 5 year hiatus from provincial completion, the Mb. Sr. Men’s program in 2013 and serving in that capacity until 2017.
As if playing and coaching were not enough, Randy undertook to complete the troika of on field endeavours by embracing the ranks of the Manitoba Association of Rugby Referees. Randy began referring in 2001 continuing on in that capacity to this day, referring hundreds of high school, league and representative rugby games throughout. A hallmark of his referring was his teaching approach, first pointing out and then allowing players the opportunity to correct their transgressions and thereby allowing the game to flow. Rising in the ranks as a highly sought after and respected game official in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and south of the border, Randy was to referee ten Manitoba Provincial Championship games (7 - Men’s 1st Div., 2 - Women’s 1st Div. and 1 - Men’s 2nd Div.) between 2004 and 2014. Other highlights emblematic of his stature as a referee included the National Festival Canada U-17 Boys Possibles/Probables game in 2006, the 2009 Sr. Women’s Super League game, the 2011 U-21 Men’s Super League game and the Saskatchewan Sr. Men’s Provincial Final and the Prairies U-21 Men’s Championship games in 2013.
Off the field, Randy continued with other contributions to the game. From 1987 to 1998 he served as a Member at Large in charge of recruitment for the Assassins RFC, served as his club’s Vice President in 2000 and 2001, was a founding member of the Friends of Rugby and continuing on as committee member until 2012, and has served 3 years as Vice President of the Manitoba Association of Rugby Referees and 7 years as that organization’s Game Allocator.
All in all, a truly impressive body of work for one individual and worthy of Hall of Fame induction.