News Archive
Announcing Our Rugby Centenary
Dear Shawnigan Community,
It is with great excitement that I announce our upcoming Rugby Centenary at Shawnigan Lake School.
In 1928, Senior Master “Tiny” Levien recommended to our founding Headmaster, CW Lonsdale, that the School introduce rugby to its sports programming. We have never looked back.
With the introduction of the girls’ program in 1993, our Shawnigan rugby club has developed players who have gone onto university, provincial and national honours, with all players learning the values that underpin the game.
We plan for a year of celebration in 2028.
It is with great excitement that I announce our upcoming Rugby Centenary at Shawnigan Lake School.
In 1928, Senior Master “Tiny” Levien recommended to our founding Headmaster, CW Lonsdale, that the School introduce rugby to its sports programming. We have never looked back.
With the introduction of the girls’ program in 1993, our Shawnigan rugby club has developed players who have gone onto university, provincial and national honours, with all players learning the values that underpin the game.
We plan for a year of celebration in 2028.
In 2023, Shawnigan was invited – as the only representative team from North America – to Rugby School’s Bicentenary U18 Boys’ 7s Tournament. Inspired, we have decided to run our own set of programming in 2028 from tournaments for girls and boys – with, we hope, school representation from across the world – to other celebratory events. We are also in discussion with our partner Rugby Canada to bring some internationals to Canada Field. Hence why we are starting the planning now!
As Head of School, I have a deep passion for the game.
The theme of our Centenary will be “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants” in recognition of the vision of Alfred Hammersley, who first brought rugby to British Columbia, and Tiny Levien and the many other Shawnigan coaches, students and alumni who built on these foundations. We are currently building an International Executive Committee, a staff council and external (and local) advisory committee to focus on the planning stage. This initiative will be led by Tim Murdy, our Director of Athletics, and Bill Nicholas, our Deputy Head of School.
It promises to be an exciting chapter ahead of us and we look forward to welcoming players from schools across the world, our alumni, and rugby supporters to Shawnigan in 2028. Please find our Shawnigan Rugby Centenary logo at the top of the page.
Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat
With best wishes
Richard D A Lamont
Head of Shawnigan Lake School
Head of Shawnigan Lake School
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.
