WATERLOO, Ont. - Eric Ciezar has been part of a lot of matches at Columbia Icefield's rugby pitch.
The former men's rugby student-athlete was also the first coach in Warriors women's rugby history, and coached the program until 2009, winning back-to-back OUA championships in 2000 and 2001.
"He's a pillar of the rugby community in Waterloo," said Warriors assistant coach Kennedy Frost (Guelph/). "He built rugby from the ground up in the Waterloo region."
Ciezar continues to lead the community as the area's referee coordinator and as Director of Operation and Finance for the Waterloo County Rugby Football Club.
Even with all this experience, Sunday, September 28 will be a first for Ciezar, as he coaches a match at Columbia Icefield from the visitors' sideline.
Now in his second season as Head Coach of the Laurier Golden Hawks, this will be Ciezar's first battle of Waterloo in purple and gold.
"It's going to be a little bit weird for me because I was on the other side for so long," admitted Ciezar. "But overall, rugby wins. Just seeing the number of athletes – female athletes – out there that are playing rugby and enjoying the sport, it's good for the game. I really love it. That's the part I love the most."
This will be the first meeting between the cross-town rivals since 2023, a 15-5 win for the Warriors. The black and gold have dominated the battle of Waterloo of late, with Laurier's last win coming back in 2018.
The matches are always competitive and hard-fought, however, especially considering the familiarity between the players.
"It's always pretty cool because a lot of them play together in the summer at [Waterloo] County," said Frost. "So, it's a good match and there's good vibes and players get along really well, and the coaches have known each other forever."
Kickoff is set for 4:00 PM, admission is free. The team will be hosting an alumni touch-rugby match before at 2:00 PM. Family, friends, alumni and fans are also welcome to join the team for a post-game social at Morty's at 6:00 PM.
