Programs

Fall Sports Update

There has been plenty of action this fall for Shawnigan sports, with several teams already completing their competitive seasons, and others just getting underway.

Ice Hockey
 
Shawnigan’s ice hockey teams got started right at the beginning of the school year, with camps followed by exhibition games and regular-season games in mid-September.
 
The U15 Prep boys’ team attended a Canadian Sports School Hockey League Showcase in Calgary in late September and early October, and hosted a Showcase at the Charlie Purdey Arena last weekend (Thursday, October 20 to Sunday, October 23), with all 10 of the CSSHL’s BC teams. Battling through adversity, the team has compiled a record of four wins and four losses.
"The Calgary showcase kickstarted a great year of development, learning, and improvement,” assistant coach Mr. Brody Jennings commented. “Together, we are beginning to develop a team mindset that enables our players to strive towards a common goal. As a group, we will continue to push ourselves on and off the ice with hard work and determination to reach our potential."
 
The U15s have a break before their next league game on November 20 against Pacific Coast Hockey Academy at Westhills Arena in Langford.
 
The U17 Prep boys’ team attended the Bauer Elite Invitational Tournament in Abbotsford on Oct. 20-23, going 2-2 against a combination of CSSHL and club teams. In league play, the U17s have put together a record of three wins, one loss and one shootout loss for 10 points in five games. The team will host a CSSHL Showcase of their own in January.
 
The U18 Prep boys’ team sits third in the CSSHL standings with 14 points in seven games on four wins, two losses and one shootout loss. The team collected two wins and a loss at a Showcase in Medicine Hat, Alberta in mid-October. They are off to Abbotsford for a Showcase this weekend, and will host a Showcase on November 24-27, with all 20 CSSHL West teams playing games at Charlie Purdey Arena and Westhills Arena in Langford.
 
Former Shawnigan U18 Prep player Dylan C., now playing for the Vernon Vipers in the BC Hockey League, was named to NHL Central Scouting’s list of Players to Watch for the 2023 Entry Draft. Another former Shawnigan player, Ben W., is playing for the Western Hockey League’s Edmonton Oil Kings and scored his first WHL goal on October 23.
 
It is still early in the season for the female U18 Prep team, but it has already been an eventful campaign. After just a few practices, the team played a series of challenging exhibition games: two against Trinity Western University and one against a Fraser Valley team that had already competed in three tournaments. Shawnigan defeated Trinity Western in a memorable showdown at Charlie Purdey Arena, followed by a one-goal loss in the next game, and then a decisive win over Fraser Valley. The team then opened the regular season with an epic shootout victory over Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna, who Shawnigan hadn’t previously beaten in program history.
 
“The huge takeaway from these early games is that this team can compete with anyone, and they simply won't quit,” assistant coach Tim Coy commented. “After such a great start, the coaches are all excited to see what the rest of the 2022-23 campaign has in store.”
 
In another achievement for the female prep program, co-captain Arnica B. committed to Western University beginning in the 2023-24 season.

Field hockey

It has been a busy fall for Shawnigan’s field hockey teams, who have played a lot of hockey in a short time, with the end of the season already just around the corner.
 
The senior team played in the Friendship Cup and John Ferreira Memorial tournaments on their home turf in September, and competed at the Independent Schools Association championships and Bridgman Cup in September. The team placed third at the Island championships last weekend, achieving the goal they set at the start of the year of qualifying for the provincial championships at the University of Victoria on November 1-4.
 
“It’s very exciting,” head coach Mrs. Andi Conroy commented. “They’ve come so far. They’re peaking at the right time. They’re coming together really well.”
 
One of the senior team’s captains, Ashley M., represented Hong Kong Women’s Junior (U21) AHF Cup in Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan on Oct. 12-20, helping Hong Kong to a fifth-place finish and qualification for the 2023 Junior Asia Cup
 
The junior teams have had an excellent season as well. The junior A team placed fifth at the Junior ISA tournament, which they hosted, and a strong third at the Junior Island Championships this past week. The Junior B team competed in its first-ever tournament, finishing strong in a penalty shootout, a situation they hadn’t previously been in.
 
“We have three fighting teams at Shawnigan,” Mrs. Conroy noted. “Not many schools can put out three competitive teams. It’s very good for the trajectory of our field hockey program.”
 
Rugby
 
All Grade 8 and 9 boys at Shawnigan have to play rugby, including hockey players, when they’re able to. Grade 9 head coach Remi Anctil considers it a terrific opportunity for the boys to experience something that is a huge part of the Shawnigan fabric.
 
“Rugby has a tremendous history at Shawnigan, and they get to be part of that history,” Mr. Anctil said.
 
The Grade 9 team has had a really successful year so far. Although Mr. Anctil emphasizes that it’s not all about winning, Shawnigan has gone undefeated in league play against Brentwood, St. George’s, Collingwood and Quamichan, and went 7-1 in a sevens tournament.
 
The Grade 8 rugby team has been working hard to learn a new game and having fun. The boys have played rugby sevens, touch, tens and fifteens, and improved tremendously. The team played well in a Founder’s Day test against St. George’s last weekend, but came up short on the scoreboard.
 
“The boys love the shared experience,” coach Wes Plater said. “And we look forward to the remaining games after the half-term break.
 
Grade 8 and 9 players will have the opportunity to play with the Grade 10s on the Colts XV in the spring.
 
Girls’ rugby coach Ms. Laura Russell has been in New Zealand this fall with the Canadian team that is competing in the Rugby World Cup. Ms. Russell, who ranks third in Canadian history with 53 games played, has been unable to play in the World Cup due to an injury, but is serving the team as a technical advisor.
 
Boys’ soccer
 
The senior boys’ soccer team was thrust into action, playing their first games at the ISA tournament. They’ve come a long way since then, according to Head of Soccer Blair Sturrock.
 
“Now they’re really comfortable,” he said. “They have a better understanding of concepts, and how to manipulate and affect other teams. We don’t put any stress on them about the end result; we give them the freedom to make mistakes and try things. Everyone has grown and played a lot of minutes.”
 
The team competed at North Islands in Campbell River this past week. After losing their opening game, the boys rallied on the second day and earned themselves a chance to qualify for Islands through a playoff game. Unfortunately, the playoff game is scheduled to take place during Shawnigan’s November Break, but the coaches are hoping to figure something out that will allow the team to compete. Islands will take place in Victoria on November 7 and 8.
 
The junior boys’ team placed third at ISAs, and recently beat Brentwood on penalties. As with the seniors, the junior players have progressed and bonded well through the season, and improved their understanding of the game.
 
Cross country
 
Cross country had its highest rate of participation to date, with 29 Grade 10-12 students on the roster this fall. The team took part in the Cowichan Valley Running Series, which included hosting one of the four stages at Shawnigan on October 4. Runners needed to place well in one or more of those events in order to qualify for the Island championships.
 
Saku I. had first- and second-place finishes in junior girls’ races, and Evelyn W. won the Grade 8 girls’ event on home turf to qualify for Islands. Shawnigan’s most consistent senior girls runner was Miranda F., who placed second twice. Girls’ captain Izzy I. and Sharm P. also had excellent showings.
 
The standout performer in junior boys’ competition was Riley B., who competed in all four races and earned a berth in Islands with one fourth-place result. Captains Eathan L. and Brian P. finished all four races, and Honza T. and Kieran F. earned spots at Islands.
 
The Island championships in Port Alberni on October 19 saw Evelyn W. place second, while Miranda F., Kieran F., and Honza T. all qualified for provincials. Unfortunately, provincials will take place during Shawnigan’s November Break, so Islands marked the end of the season for those athletes.
 
“Overall, a very successful cross country season, with new and exciting talent joining the ranks with our
more established runners,” head coach Mr. Mark Swannell said. “We are looking forward to Winter Term and the Vancouver Island Race Series, which takes place between January and April 2023. Well done and a big thank you to everyone in the team who has competed, marshalled, and contributed to parkrun these past two months.”

Squash

Shawnigan’s squash team has taken part in two tournaments this fall, including the Shawnigan Lake Junior Open, the first gold event of the season, at their home courts on September 29 to October 1. Over 50 participants, including some of the top juniors in Canada, took part in the first gold event of the season. Twenty Shawnigan students all performed extremely well and gained valuable tournament experience.
 
Two of Shawnigan’s top players travelled to Vancouver for the BC Junior Open, a national qualifying event, on October 21-23, both performing well against the top juniors in Canada. Jasper C. finished 11th in the U15 boys’ event, and Eva G. placed 17th in the U17 girls’ bracket.

Volleyball

Head coach Mr. Jon Koltun reports that the first part of the senior girls’ volleyball season has been an “incredible success.” The team has played several league games both at home and on the road, as well as taking part in the Nanaimo Christian School Welcome Back Tournament, the Brentwood Classic, and ISAs.
 
“This has allowed the athletes to improve game play as well as their teamwork skills,” Mr. Koltun said. “During practice we have been working on developing individual ability and team systems. Not only have we had success on the court, but there has also been an evident cultivation of personal growth and leadership off of the court.”
 
The senior team is working toward the North Island championships in early November, where they hope to earn a berth at Islands.
 
With only one returning Grade 10 player, the junior girls’ team welcomed a fresh infusion of Grade 8, 9 and 10 players this year, and, with a focus on development, enrolled in the Tier 2 division for the Mid-Island region and ISAs in Tsawwassen last weekend. After an initial two-set loss to host Southpointe Academy, they approached the rest of the tournament with a positive attitude and what coach Ms. Laura Robson called an “aggressively calm” level of play, eventually placing second in their pool. After a loss in the crossover match, they defeated Collingwood in three sets to take the bronze medal.
 
Rowing
 
Fall isn’t considered a “competitive” season for the rowing program, but the crews have been busy nonetheless, with a highlight being a three-day training session at Brentwood College School in mid-October alongside the host school and 18 rowers from Seattle’s Green Lake Rowing Club.
 
Shawnigan rowing coach Julie Platt brought home a gold medal from the renowned Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Massachusetts last weekend. Mrs. Platt and her Rowing Canada Aviron Alumni crew won the women’s senior master 4+ and were a mere second off the event record. Starting 26th in line, Mrs. Platt’s crew passed about seven boats on their way to the finish line. She also connected with alumnae Abby Dyer '21 (Strathcona) and Lexi Fulton '21 (Renfrew), and Rosie Turnbull (Kaye's), a former Australian exchange student at Shawnigan, all of whom were competing at the Head of the Charles.
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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.