News
Shawnigan Spotlight
James M.
While James’s dad had attended Shawnigan for Grade 8 and 9 and often shared memories about the School with his son, it wasn’t until James was on tour with his local rugby club during his Grade 7 year that he set foot on campus for the first time.
“I looked at my dad and said, ‘This is where I want to go,’” James recounts. The family submitted an application for Grade 10, but a phone call two weeks before the start of term offering a late opening in Grade 8 meant his goal of joining the Shawnigan community came to fruition sooner than expected.
As someone who enjoys a close relationship with his family, James’s transition from public elementary to living away from home at boarding school made for a tough first week. However, his new Lonsdale’s family stepped in and before long he found a happy home away from home.
“Boarding life really helped me cope,” he reflects. “Five years down the line, going home to Surrey feels more like going on a vacation. Sometimes when I’ve been on a long break, coming back to Shawnigan is what feels like going home, because I’m missing my friends and this is where I live all year round.”
Since it was rugby that first brought James to the School, it’s not surprising that it has been a formative part of his Shawnigan experience. The standout year for him was 2016-17, a year where the 1st XV won both the Provincial 7s and the Provincial 15s.
“It was a particularly successful year for the rugby program, and I had a lot of fun playing with guys with such skill,” he says. “There’s a real passion for rugby at Shawnigan. The School has a long history of producing players that everyone in the rugby world knows; it’s a big legacy.”
As a U18 player for Rugby Canada, James’s rugby experiences outside of Shawnigan have equipped him with knowledge and confidence that he has been able to bring back to the School. As fullback, he’s grown in his ability to be vocal and directive on the field, to read the game and help his teammates find space. In addition to these technical skills, he’s also come to appreciate that there’s a lot more to rugby than just the sport.
“It’s the rugby values that start on the field and continue off the field that appeal to me,” he shares, “Teamwork, perseverance, character-building. It’s a tough game but also such a respectful game and those skills transfer very seamlessly. There’s also a position that suits everyone, so it’s very inclusive in that regard.”
This focus on values and inclusivity, combined with his enjoyment of boarding life, made an application to take on the Head of House role in his Grade 12 year an obvious step to take.
This focus on values and inclusivity, combined with his enjoyment of boarding life, made an application to take on the Head of House role in his Grade 12 year an obvious step to take.
“The boarding aspect of life at Shawnigan has been so important to me during my time here. As Head of House, you’re always on, and always talking to someone, and that’s something that appealed to me.”
As Head of House, he provides an invaluable connection between the students and staff in the House and fulfils the role of big brother—offering support, advice and guidance. Having enjoyed five years at Shawnigan, James has had four prior Head of Houses to learn from and model himself after. Being accessible to everyone in the House, from Grade 8s through to his fellow Grade 12s, encouraging involvement, building community and hearing opinions are integral qualities to his leadership style.
“My door is always open. That’s what I’m there for,” he explains. “Some of the most memorable guys when I was younger were the guys in Grade 12 who were so willing to have a conversation with you. As a student, it’s nice not only having staff to look up to but to see your friends in positions that you want to emulate. Two years ago, the Head of House in Lonsdale’s was Nicky Mouret, and I really admired his easy-going, friendly, light-hearted leadership approach in the house. He’s someone I’ve tried to model myself after.”
This positive sense of mentorship extends beyond the House and the relationship James enjoys with his peers to key influential figures across the School, in the classroom and on the athletic fields.
“In the House and in the classroom, it’s Mr. Monro. He’s always been there for me, giving me advice or a cup of tea. He and I will sit down all the time and have a little debrief and a chat,” he says. “On the field, Mr. Murdy has been a great role model and has given me advice on my rugby and postsecondary options.”
In a departure from the day-to-day busyness of his life at Shawnigan, James also gives a nod to the time he’s spent out on the lake with Mr. Receveaux as a member of the fly-tying Fine Art group. As a dedicated athlete whose academics and in-house leadership role place many demands on him, fly-tying offers something of a retreat from and a contrast to the fast-paced activity of the school week.
In a departure from the day-to-day busyness of his life at Shawnigan, James also gives a nod to the time he’s spent out on the lake with Mr. Receveaux as a member of the fly-tying Fine Art group. As a dedicated athlete whose academics and in-house leadership role place many demands on him, fly-tying offers something of a retreat from and a contrast to the fast-paced activity of the school week.
“It’s nice to be able to blow off steam doing something that’s not physical activity,” he reflects. “It’s just about sitting on the lake, enjoying the peace and quiet.”
With one stage of his life and education drawing to a close, for James this past year has been as much about reflection as it has been about completion. Earlier in the year, he took to the podium as part of the Lonsdale’s-Groves’ House Chapel to reminisce on his time at Shawnigan and describe the unique bond he shares with his Lonsdale’s brothers.
“The boarding environment has taught me to appreciate all those around me as if they are family,” he said. “We care about each other. As my five years at Shawnigan wrap up, I can truly say I have been blessed with the best family in Lonsdale’s.
“The boarding environment has taught me to appreciate all those around me as if they are family,” he said. “We care about each other. As my five years at Shawnigan wrap up, I can truly say I have been blessed with the best family in Lonsdale’s.
In the fall, James will start a new adventure at Queen’s University’s School of Business, ready to embrace fresh challenges in the form of university life, university-level rugby and achieving his goal of playing on Rugby Canada’s U20 Men’s team. Although graduation means leaving a place that, for the past five years, has represented not just school but also home and family, moving on for James won’t mean leaving things behind, but rather leaving things inside. What is clear is that, wherever life takes him, he will forever retain the most important lessons that Shawnigan has been able to offer him: the importance of care and compassion, an understanding of the value of true connections, and the infinite blessings of family.
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 West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
