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A Life In Sport
A blog by Ian Hyde-Lay
About
ABOUT
Ian Hyde-Lay is a teacher who lives and works in Victoria, BC. He has been heavily involved in sport his entire life, as a player, coach, referee and administrator.
All Posts
The King
Early February in Cardiff. The opening weekend of the 2024 Six Nations, the world’s greatest rugby union tournament. The Millenium...
hydesollie
Feb 5, 20244 min read
Duality
Late October, 2023. Paris. La ville de l’amour. And, if one appreciates rugby union, as so many of us do, how appropriate that the city...
Ian Hyde-Lay
Oct 29, 20234 min read
A Field of Dreams
Late spring, 1985. A seemingly endless air journey, starting in British Columbia and the better part of 24 hours, nears its end. Down...
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Aug 31, 20234 min read
12-21
Saturday June 3, 2023. Rotary Stadium, Abbotsford. The British Columbia Schools Rugby championship, an extravaganza featuring multiple...
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Jun 6, 20234 min read
The Boot
Receiving the ball near halfway, the blue #12 cuts inside. Bumps off one would-be tackler, but then gets crunched, unceremoniously dumped...
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May 15, 20234 min read
A Privilege
January 27, 1991. Super Bowl XXV. A jam packed Tampa stadium and a worldwide television audience of millions watch with bated breath....
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Oct 31, 20224 min read
Simply The Best
Mid December 1974. Along with my high school teammates, we arrive in Monmouth, a Welsh town situated at the junction of the Monnow and...
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Sep 18, 20223 min read
Lack of Vision
A splendid west coast summer stretches on. Victoria seems immune to the global traumas of war, famine, economic woe, and climate chaos....
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Sep 13, 20224 min read
Death Ground
The word, even on its own, packs a hefty punch. Dynasty. A team that, on the way to winning multiple championships, produces excellence...
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Jul 26, 20224 min read
Case Closed
A sticky, stifling May afternoon some twenty years ago. Bent double in a crawl space, I attempt some spring cleaning. The dampness under...
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May 23, 20224 min read
Going Cheap
There is a definite buzz about, as a keenly anticipated weekend looms on the horizon. For diehard fans such as myself, the Guinness Six...
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Feb 2, 20224 min read
Sense of Humour
A few weeks ago, somewhat out of the blue, I receive a note from a friend. I learn that an Australian, Andrew Cole, is to win the...
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Dec 30, 20214 min read
Rock and a Hard Place
04.45. The bright red digits on the bedside clock stare back at me. Normally a sound sleeper, I toss and turn. Memories, emotions,...
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Nov 17, 20214 min read
Lost in Translation
Rugby, a rainy evening in southwest France, some twenty-five years ago. I am the referee. The game, a Top 14 local derby, is only a few...
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Oct 28, 20214 min read
An Orphan
A coaching career stretches into its 40th year. A mixture of rugby and basketball, mostly at the high school level. Add in various...
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Oct 11, 20214 min read
The Messiah
1989. The CANZ series, a round robin, rugby union competition featuring Canada, two Argentinian club teams and three New Zealand...
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Oct 4, 20214 min read
Know The Rules
In a glittering 17-year major league career, Larry Walker does it all. Seven Gold Gloves for defensive excellence, five All-Star...
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Sep 14, 20214 min read
Hubcap
Late spring 1988. A friend rings. He asks if I have seen the teams. I have not, but I know the teams to which he refers. Indeed, a full...
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Aug 25, 20214 min read
Expect the Unexpected
It may not rival Odysseus’ twenty-year trek to and from the Trojan Wars, though at times it feels like it. June 1985. The Canadian Men’s...
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Apr 19, 20214 min read
Words of Wisdom
1883 in the Scottish Borders. Two butchers, Ned Haig and David Sanderson, tire of spending their days weighing and wrapping choice cuts...
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Apr 12, 20214 min read
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