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Climbing on the Rise at Shawnigan
“You feel really uplifted when you climb,” said Angela C., one of the students behind the creation of Shawnigan’s climbing team, a new student-driven initiative this year. Although that could be taken quite literally, Angela meant it figuratively, referring to the exhilarating rush she and her teammates get from the sport.
Although climbing is not an official sport at Shawnigan, there is a climbing wall in the gym, and a group of passionate students have taken to training on it in their spare time, forming a team and attending competitions on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.
“We started last year with a vision, and turned it into a reality this year,” said Bea H.
Around Spring Break last year, students with varying levels of prior experience started participating in informal sessions with Mr. Vince Hale and then-student Max Chong.
“We fell in love with it and saw the potential for climbing at the School,” said Zoe B.
After successful tryouts at the start of this school year, they had a solid team of nine climbers who have attended a handful of competitions on Vancouver Island this year, with teams from other independent schools. They attended another in Vancouver this week, and have one more after Spring Break.
“We love it, so we find time to do it,” Zoe commented.
One of the things they love most about the sport is the people.
“It’s such a friendly culture,” Zoe explained. “It’s about going to have fun with friends. It’s more of a community than a team.”
Part of the fun is that none of the climbers had climbed competitively before.
“Every one of us is new to it, but that’s what makes the team so close,” Bea said.
Climbing is part of the Outdoors program at Shawnigan, but members of this year’s team are hoping it could be offered as a standalone sport in the future. The group has already come so far this year alone.
“If you could see how we started, we’ve taken big steps this year,” Angela said.
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.
