Rugby Canada Life Membership
Alan E.J. Sharp
Alan Sharp was without doubt the pre-eminent administrator for the sport of Rugby Football in Canada during the 1980’s & 90’s. He was influential in the games growth not only in Canada but internationally as well. For thirteen (13) years he was a member of Rugby Canada’s Board of Directors; a member with vision and passion guiding its development. In addition he served for ten (10) years on the International Rugby Board (IRB) as a Council member overseeing the explosive growth of the game worldwide.
Alan was recognized in 1983 with the British Columbia rugby community awarding him the Jack Patterson trophy for his outstanding volunteer contributions, but his colleagues recognized that his involvement and contribution to the game drew him to much wider fields. His leadership, planning and financial acumen firmly established the Canadian Rugby Union at the “head table” of world Rugby. His term in the office saw the rapid expansion of the Game domestically, while his tenure at the International level with the IRB was as equally significant and impressive if not more so and was highlighted with the Game:
• Becoming truly established in over one hundred countries and territories
• Transitioning it to include the professional game
• Expanding exponentially in terms of participants and programming/games for Women and Junior’s
• Developing its world Championship (Rugby World Cup) into one of the top four sporting competitions in the world.
In the international community he is held in the highest esteem and was honoured at the 2001 IRB Council meeting with a farewell dinner. At this event, Vernon Pugh QC, Chairman of the IRB said, “To all those that had the pleasure of Mr. Sharp’s company over the years he will be sadly missed for his participation, wit, wisdom and astuteness round the Council table. Mr. Sharp has been an outstanding representative of the Canadian Rugby Union and the Game generally….”
He played Flanker for the Vancouver Meraloma’s. Upon retiring from playing, he turned his attention and considerable efforts into administering the game he so loved. Alan sat on many boards/committees over a twenty-seven (27) year period between1974 – 2001:
1974-1976 Vice-President of Vancouver Meraloma Club.
1976-1978 President of the Vancouver Rugby Union.
1980-1984 Vice-President of Brockton Pavilion Society in Vancouver; a volunteer organization formed for the express purpose of raising money to rebuild and restore the heritage designated Brockton pavilion in Stanley Park. Alan Sharp played a leading role in selecting the officers of the society and in securing funds during this period of time.
1981 Awarded Life Membership by the Vancouver Rugby Union
1983 Awarded the Jack Patterson Memorial Trophy by the British Columbia Rugby Union for his outstanding contribution to the Game.
1983-1996 Elected to the Board of the Canadian Rugby Union as Vice-President Finance. In this position with the Canadian Rugby Union for thirteen (13) years he provided a sound financial base which witnessed the Union grow to over 16,500 senior men and women players, over 20,000 school players, a vibrant and domestic game and a world ranking of 8th for the Men’s and 4th for the Women’s Team.
1991-2001 Appointed as Canadian Rugby Union’s first representative to the International Rugby Board. He was a member of the IRB Finance Committee; International Matches and Tours Committee; Games Regulation Committee; Board Policy Committee; IRB representative of the Pacific Rim Rugby Tournament linking Japan, USA, Canada, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa in international competition; IRB representative of the Pan American Rugby Association linking Argentina, Uruguay, Canada and the USA in international Rugby competition.
1996 Elected as the first Life Member of the Canadian Rugby Union.
2001 Retired as the Canadian Rugby Union’s IRB representative.
Alan Sharp was the pre-eminent builder, visionary and leader of the sport of Rugby in Canada over twenty years.