Simon Smoldon – President

Originally from Birmingham, England and having learned his trade at Sutton Coldfield RFC, Simon arrived in Canada with just 3 bags and 3 hundred dollars to his name and joined the BLRC in 1997. 

He was overwhelmed by the warm welcome he received upon arrival and has since served the BLRC as a player, coach, and is enjoying his second stint as Club President.

Simon is committed to working hard with all members of our fantastic club, our generous sponsors, and our partners at the City of Burnaby and Sports Tourism Burnaby. 

The goal being to ensure we do all we can to make Burnaby Lake Rugby Club the best rugby club in North America, a great representative of the City of Burnaby, and a home for all.

We are striving to make Burnaby Lake a model of sustainability as a non profit sports organization and an environment where athletes and members of all ages, genders, and ethnicities can develop, thrive and fulfil their potential. This applies to the sports field, personal life and career. 

Simon is proud that BLRC was built by volunteers for volunteers and is a huge promoter of rugby in the community.

Let’s go Blue & White !!!!!

Lauren Tagg – Vice President

Lauren has been a playing member of the BLRC women’s program since 2006. She has also served as an Executive Committee member for multiple terms during her tenure at BLRC. Her most recent term began in 2022. Lauren is our women’s program representative and is committed to developing the womens game and growing our membership.

Randy Johal – Treasurer

With more than 45 years of involvement in club rugby, I have contributed to the game as a player, executive member, and dedicated supporter. I have been a member of the BLRC since the 1994 merger of the Trojans and Buffaloes and have had the honour of serving as the club’s inaugural President. Over the years, I also managed the 1st Division Men’s team for several seasons. Today, I serve on the executive as Treasurer. On most rugby Saturdays, you’ll find me in the BLOB Zone, proudly supporting the Blue and White.

Natasha Lalonde – Club Secretary

Natasha played rugby for SFU from 2004 till 2016, then made the trek down the mountain to Burnaby Lake in 2018. Has been apart of executive since 2023.

 

Adam Samuels – Director of Youth Rugby

Adam played for the club as a junior from 2010 to 2012 before returning in 2022 as a player for the 3rd Division Men’s team. In addition to playing, he now contributes to the club by coaching junior rugby, helping to develop the next generation of players.

Kelly Shields – Director of Youth Rugby

Kelly began playing rugby in Scotland, competing at the university level before representing the Murrayfield Wanderers, Worcester, and the Scotland Women’s national team. She also played 7s for Scotland and several other elite sides. Kelly joined the BLRC family in 2020, bringing with her 20 years of playing experience and 15 years of coaching. She brings that same commitment to her role as Women’s
Representative on the Executive Board. Kelly also coaches the BLRC junior girls program. Kelly is dedicated to growing and supporting the women’s and girls’ game at Burnaby Lake and beyond.

Emily Van Gulik – Grants/Fundraising Director

Emily Van Gulik, better known as “EV” around the rugby club, joined the BLRC women’s team in fall 2014, after moving to Vancouver from the US. EV began her rugby career at university and has since played for many representative teams – including the Senior BC Women’s Team and the Canadian Classics program. She is committed to sharing her love of rugby with others, especially by lifting up the younger members of the women’s team. EV joined the executive board in 2026.

Michael Devlin – Ex-President

Mike Devlin has been a member of the Burnaby Lake Rugby Club since 2007 and served on the Executive committee since 2008, serving as President from 2010 to 2014. As a player, he captained the Premier Reserve team to a BC Provincial Championship in 2011.
Mike served BC Rugby as a member of the Discipline Committee from 2011 to 2019 and spent numerous years as an Executive member of the Vancouver Rugby Union.

Lalit Bharadwaj – Director at Large

Lalit, also known as Bee, moved to Burnaby from Calgary in 2022 and has since been a part of the Rugby team as well as the executive team since. Bee has played rugby for 12 years in several unions and countries and has captained his university side at the University of Calgary Dinos as well as his previous club, the Calgary Saints. Since his move, Bee has played in the premiership, premiership reserve, 3rd division, the BC bears, has helped coach Burnaby Mountain high school, and the BLRC U19 boys team. He has also helped in organizing several social events and fundraisers. He also makes some incredible Indian food that has featured on several Thursday night dinners as well as the Boxing Day memorial game.

Trevor Flynn – Director at Large

Trevor Flynn has been an integral part of the Burnaby Lake Rugby Club for the past decade, embodying dedication and leadership in various capacities. As a longstanding member, his commitment and passion for the sport have contributed significantly to the club’s growth and success. Beyond his role on the field, Trevor’s involvement in the executive team, including his position as the club’s registrar, showcases his strategic thinking and organizational skills, helping steer the club towards new heights. His dual role as a player and captain of the 3rd team exemplifies his ability to inspire and guide his teammates both on and off the pitch. With a decade of steadfast service, Trevor Flynn has truly become a cornerstone of the Burnaby Lake Rugby Club, leaving an indelible mark on its history.

Naomi Elwood – Director at Large

Naomi started playing rugby in 2023 at Alpha secondary school to try something new. Naomi quickly fell in love with not just playing rugby, but the people and community that came with it. She joined Burnaby lake rugby club that fall in the junior program, and advanced to the senior women’s program the next year. She also helped with coaching the minis at Burnaby lake and girls high school rugby in Burnaby. Naomi is passionate about inspiring women and girls to join rugby with hopes of expanding the amount of attention women’s rugby programs get, and also helping others find their place in the wonderful sport of rugby!

Doug Smith (Tugboat) – Director at Large

Doug has been involved with local rugby for over 36 years. In Canadian Lacrosse and Burnaby Hof in the teams department (JR Lakers). Managed to play premier rugby and WLA through determination and attrition. Currently, Prems Manager (towel boy), high school coach, Alpha BLRC Twilighter and BLRC committees.

Tomas Sadler-Rucht – Director at Large

Tomas has been part of BLRC since 2018. He started as a member of the Men’s Third Division Team and has grown to be a leader on the field. He is now part of the BLRC Executive Board, serving as a game day revenue coordinator. Tom is always ready to lend a helping hand to ensure the success of all club members. When not at rugby, Tom is hanging out with his dog, Stanley.

 

Jory Boychuk – Director at Large

Jory Boychuk, originally from Regina SK, moved to BC in the fall of 2024. He has been playing rugby for ten years, competing on the Sask U18 selects teams, UofR cougars, Regina Highlanders and now completed his first season with the BLRC 3rds. He is grateful for the team’s open arms and welcoming community and wanted to give back, joining the Executive Board with the goal of being a helpful as he can in any way needed. Jory also began coaching the Moscrop High School boys team in the spring of 2025 and is now a coach for the U18 7s and 15s teams this summer and fall. In his off time, Jory spends most days at the gym, watching movies or working on scripts for his own film projects with the goal of helming his own feature film in the future.