The Brome Lake Ducks Mark 40 Years of Rugby

By Rob Paterson

June 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Brome Lake Ducks Rugby Club, a team that has grown into one of the most beloved fixtures in local life. Over the decades, the Ducks have become more than a rugby club—they’re a community tradition, with friendships, marriages, and even multi-generational legacies rooted in the game.

At least 33 sets of siblings have played for the club. Today, sons and daughters of original players help out at community events and bring vibrant energy to the sidelines on game days.

Humble Beginnings

But in 1985, none of this existed. That spring, Chris Severs and Bobby Kay met at the Knowlton Pub with a question: could a local rugby team take flight?

With Chris’s connections in Montreal and Bobby’s deep roots in the community, the Brome Lake Ducks were born. They chose a name that favoured humour over aggression, and their now-iconic orange socks—resembling duck feet—became their signature.

The Ducks won their very first match against St. Lambert with 15 players and no substitutes. In the early years, the team often played shorthanded, with players press-ganged off the sidelines to fill in. Brian Greene even began playing in his 50s.

At the same time, the club began nurturing young talent, with players like Holly Bailey, Jordan Foster, and Johnny Mohler donning the jersey as teenagers.

A Women’s Legacy

In 1989, the Ducks proudly fielded a full women’s team, which quickly made its mark. By 1998, the Lady Ducks won the Quebec 7’s Championship, and in 2002, Heather Baillie scored a try for Team Canada at the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Today, Mahalia Robinson, a former Duck, plays for Canada’s national team and is a strong contender for selection to the 2025 Women’s World Cup.

Resilience Through Adversity

The last decade hasn’t been without its hardships. The club faced the loss of its women’s team, the cancellation of high school rugby at Massey-Vanier, and the profound challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yet through it all, the Ducks have endured. In fact, they’ve gone from strength to strength—winning their league title three years in a row.

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From a pub conversation to a four-decade legacy, the Brome Lake Ducks have proven that heart, humour, and community spirit are as essential to the game as speed and strength.

Here’s to 40 years of rugby—and to many more to come.