News
Ice Hockey Playoffs a Success!
March break was a time for many to get away, travel, visit with family and friends and decompress after the winter term. For our hockey teams, March Break was filled with hockey, hockey and more hockey as our teams took to the ice and played as they have never played before. There were many ‘firsts’ for our teams, and parents and coaches alike were beaming with excitement as they got to cheer on the Black and Gold as they competed in the CSSHL Western Championships in Penticton. We had four teams represented at the tournament: our U18 female Prep, U15 Prep, U17 Prep, and U18 Prep, with three of the four teams advancing out of round-robin play and all four playing at a high level throughout.
The level of play seen during the tournament did not go unnoticed. The U15 Prep team made it into the league's top 12 tier for the first time, the U17 Prep and U18 Prep teams advanced to the quarterfinals, and the U18 Female Prep team advanced to the semi-finals for the first time. Following their performance in the playoffs, the U18 Prep team received an invitation to play in a prestigious tournament in Calgary in early April. Known as The Mac’s World Invitational U18AAA Hockey Tournament, it has been taking place since 1978 and it welcomes the top teams from Canada, the USA, and Europe. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the U18 players is a direct result of the hard work they have put in this season and to say they are pumped is an understatement.
In its fifth year in the CSSHL U18 Prep division, the Shawnigan Female hockey program has seen remarkable growth. As a new team, the first three years saw great player development, many university commitments, and a strong desire to improve in order to make the playoffs. A global pandemic then hindered the opportunity to shine in the fourth year as no games were played against other teams. All of the pent-up excitement certainly seems to have paid off as the team, in its fifth year, was poised to show just how far the program has come. At the end of the regular season, the team finished fourth out of 12 teams and made it to the semifinals for the first time in team history. Mikayla B. was the leading scorer in the entire league with linemate Abby W. coming in right behind her in second, while Jada L. was in the top five when she sustained an injury before the end of the season.
With the trademark of the team being to never give up, fighting hard the entire 60 minutes of each game has paid off as this approach saw them come from behind to win many games. In the playoffs, this determination paid off as the team trailed in the first two round-robin games but came back to win, advancing the team to the next stage for the first time in Shawnigan’s history! Defeating the reigning champions, Edge, in the quarterfinals, the semifinal game against Delta did not produce a win, but it did lead to Mikayla B. and Abby W. finishing first and third in playoff scoring, despite playing one less game. The coaches will remember this team for not only their great successes on the ice but also for the quality of their character off the ice. They couldn’t be more proud of what the team has accomplished this season.
Shawnigan Lake School is adhering to all COVID-19 guidelines released by the BC Ministries of Health and Education.
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.
