A graduate of the University of Western Ontario (BA) and Ottawa University (MA), David has worked with humanitarian and non-profit organizations in North America, South America and Africa. Preferring to be in field then in an office, David has specialized in refugee protection, M&E systems and program development/management. 

A competitive football player from the age of 12, rugby was introduced to David in grade nine as a way for him to continue contact sports during the football off-season.  Fifteen years later and David hasn’t stopped playing. As a hooker, David played for the University of Westen Ontario, winning one gold and three silver metals.
 

David is also a world traveler. Son of a pilot, David has traveled, worked, lived and roughed it on five continents.  His travel overseas has allowed him to play rugby for clubs in Venezuela, Niger, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone and the mecca of rugby: New Zealand. 

Currently back home in Canada, David is pursuing a PhD rather then further adult-like obligations. He enjoys the rigours of academic life in the Exercise Sciences Department at the University of Toronto. He does his while enjoying time with friends and family. 

Fraser Matthews is one of the founding members of Gainline Africa.

A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Fraser works as a Management Consultant in the Financial Services Industry. Fraser has worked for various financial institutions in Canada, UK and USA.

Fraser played rugby for the UWO Mustangs, Oakville Crusaders, Niagara Lightning, Oakville Trafalgar High School over the course of 10 years.  Career highlights include OUA Gold 2003, U-18, U-21 Provincial Club Champions and High School Barbarian Cup champions.

No longer an active rugby player, Fraser is a co-head of his companies volunteer initiatives, enjoys travel and currently lives in Toronto. 

Kiel Perchinig is one of the founding members of Gainline Africa.

Kiel fell in love with Rugby at an early age. Since then, the sport has taken him on many amazing adventures. From winning a National Championship with Team Ontario in 2003, to representing Canada at World Junior Cups of Rugby in 2004 & 2005, Kiel has played on many great teams, travelling the world in the process. After captaining Queen’s University varsity rugby team, Kiel graduated as  a four-time OUA All Star and Jim Tait award winner. 

Kiel’s second love is Design. An OCAD graduate, Kiel has built a strong career in the industry. As a celebrated Art Director for a leading Advertising & Design studio in Toronto, Kiel has helped to develop some of Canada’s top brands.

As a founding member of Gainline Africa, Kiel hopes to fuse his love of rugby and design, creating an organization that develops and fosters the virtues of Rugby in the places it's needed the most.

Andrea is the only member residing in Uganda.

In February 2006, Andrea visited northern Uganda and has since returned four times. She now calls Uganda her second home.  In 2010, she spent most of her year living in Gulu working with Athletes for Africa and volunteering with the Gulu Rugby Football Club (GRFC). She has seen first-hand what the GRFC and the Gulu Elephants will accomplish with the help of international friends like GA.

A graduate in African Studies from the University of Toronto, Andrea has a passion for the continent. While working with A4A, Andrea was the global GuluWalk organizer for four consecutive years. Here, she led GuluWalk leaders and volunteers in over 100 cities worldwide to raise awareness about the conflict in northern Uganda.

She is thrilled to be in northern Uganda assisting GA with new projects in Gulu. While working closely with the GRFC and the Gulu Elephants, Andrea hopes to provide everyone in Canada with up-to-date information, stories and pictures about the project and the team.

Go Elephants!

Paul Dicarmine is one of the founding members of Gainline Africa.

Introduced to rugby in grade nine at the Brantford Collegiate Institute, Paul has been involved with the sport ever since and hasn't looked back. As a young man growing up in Brantford, he found relief from his small-town woes working his way through the junior rugby program at the Brantford Harlequins’ RFC and up to the men’s first IV.

While attending the University of Western Ontario, on the extended education program, Paul played varsity rugby for the Mustangs for seven years, winning two OUA gold medals, five silvers, as well as captaining the team in 2007. He also captained the London St. George’s RFC while living in London.

Paul is currently the head coach of the University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s rugby program who are coming off of their best season in years. Attending the University of Toronto in pursuit of a PhD in chemistry, coaching the team gives him much needed solace.

No longer able to play due to old age, Paul is dedicated to helping others reap the benefits that he experienced through rugby.

Tyler Sopik is one of the founding members of Gainline Africa.

Not a big fan of writing, Tyler lets his words and actions do the talking for him both at work, in the workplace and on the pitch. A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Tyler now lives and works in Toronto as a Commercial Real Estate Broker.

Tyler currently plays his rugby for The Balmy Beach Rugby Club.

Jesse Hayman is one of the founding members of Gainline Africa.

Jesse graduated from the University of Western Ontario (UWO) and currently works in the not-for-profit industry for Prostate Cancer Canada on the Movember Campaign. Movember is the world’s largest men’s health charity and funder of prostate cancer research. 

He currently plays for the Aurora Barbarians RFC and throughout his tenure at UWO, he also played for the Western Mustangs. His career highlights may still lie ahead, but the two McCormick Cups he has won with the Aurora Barbarians are high up on his list.

Having experienced the impact that coaches and rugby can have on youth, he feels it is necessary to aid less-fortunate people and countries to develop rugby programs. The life lessons and sense of empowerment and community that rugby offers is irreplaceable. This knowledge has inspired him to help through Gainline Africa.  

Justin is a recent graduate from Carleton University where he pursued his undergraduate degree in Honours Finance. He is the proud little brother of Gainline’s Africa’s founder, David ‘Big Papa’ Marchesseault.

Justin has recently hung up his rugby boots for the moment but helped lead his high school team to OFFSA championships and played for the Ontario provincial team as a scrumhalf.

Justin has witnessed and felt the incredible impact this sport can have on individuals and the community that surrounds it. Rugby has taught him self-discipline, respect, and the power of teamwork. Justin hopes to use Gainline Africa as a tool to empower others with the lessons it has taught him.

Katrina King obtained an Honours BA in Communications with an Administration Option from Wilfrid Laurier University. She then went on to obtain a Public Relations Certificate at Humber College. Before traveling to Uganda with Gainline Africa in summer 2011, she was a Strategic Communications Intern at The Hospital for Sick Children.

She has a conscience for social change and a passion for cultural communication and its social, political, and economic dimensions. She believes that rugby is a valued African sport, posing as an uplifting developmental tool. Rugby also synchronizes Canadian and African rugby communities together, bridging the ideological divide between Africa and North America.  

Katrina values both the cognitive and physical benefits competitive sports offer and believes they can deeply move an individual or community for the better.

Chad Harris is one of the founding members of Gainline Africa.

He received his bachelors of science in physics at the University of Western Ontario and is currently pursuing his PhD specializing in MRI systems. He is an active rugby player for the London St. Georges Rugby Club and has been a member of the Western Mustangs for the past seven seasons, winning an OUA medal in each.

Michael Gowland is one of the founding members of Gainline Africa.

Better known as Meatball, a nickname given to him by his fellow rugby mates, that has seemingly never disappeared (not that he hasn’t tried!).  Embracing his new name, Meatball has experienced and embraced the positive effects that rugby has had on his healthy lifestyle, both physically and mentally. These benefits contributed greatly to his success as a rugby player on the pitch, representing Canada on both provincial and national teams. He also spent time playing overseas in England, eexperiencing the game at its highest levels. 

Michael is currently studying business at Brock University, and has recently broken into the project management within the development/building market.  

Acknowledging that anything is possible when individuals come together with common interests, Michael hopes to instil this theory in others through Gainline Africa. By teaming up with some of his best mates who share the passion for rugby, he intends to give back to the sport that gave him so much, ensuring that others will be able to experience its life-changing positive effects.

Zack Myers is one of our western Canadian correspondents for Gainline Africa.

A graduate of the University of Western Ontario in Sociology and criminology, Zack is currently studying in his first year at the University of Victoria in the faculty of law and is currently playing for the University. As a founder of the local summer team The Young Bucks, he has seen how creating a structure encourages action. He believes Gainline is a one-of-a-kind chance to create opportunity within the beneficial confines of sport.

Still actively playing, Zack enjoys the team dynamics within his local rugby endeavors. As head of social coordination at the University of Western Ontario, Zack enjoyed embracing the team and social cohesion that pulled people to rugby.

Going forward in his studies at UVic, Zack wishes to pursue his interest in contract and sports law. Zack s motivated to provide opportunities for others and hopes to do so through Gainline Africa.