A Voice in the Wilderness Archive
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2026
2026
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February
A Pivot, A Dream, and a Lot of Support: An Olympian's Journey
Read MoreWhen her ice hockey career ran into a roadblock, Kristen Siermachesky pivoted to a completely different sport – rowing. Within one year, she was invited to join the national program. A year after that, she was representing Canada internationally. Just three years after she started rowing, she won a gold medal in a World Cup race and was named an alternate for the 2024 Paris Olympics. A familiar face at Shawnigan as she regularly trains on campus and on our beautiful lake and joins her teammates for coffee at Duke’s Café afterwards, Ms. Siermachesky was invited to speak at the Gathering on National Women and Girls in Sports Day (Wednesday, February 4), where she talked about her personal journey as an athlete and a leader. This was adapted from her speech.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
