October Sports Review

 As you may know, things are never dull in the world of Brentwood Athletics. In the first term, we place a heavy emphasis on team sport. There is no better way to get to know your peers and the lessons learned from playing on a team last a lifetime. It is easy to see the benefits of working closely together towards specific goals in both practice and competition, as we learn to work hard, respect and partner with our teammates and coaches and balance our sport with the other commitments in our lives. That said, team sport is also all about building relationships, and thus, sport can serve as a real asset as we welcome students from all around the world into our school in the first term. The times our students spend together in the locker room, on the bus or at the hotel are often the moments they remember and cherish the most. These are the stories that are shared for a lifetime. For our First 11 Girls Field Hockey team, whose season just came to an end with an impressive 4th place finish on the Island, I know this season was filled with such moments. Yes, there were fewer wins than losses, but their commitment to each other, the improvement they showed, and the joy they took from competing was a pleasure to behold. There have been other impressive accomplishments already this term. The Junior Boys Soccer team knocked of Shawnigan in dramatic fashion to capture second place in the Mid-Island league and earn a berth to the Island Championship where they represented the school admirably. They also captured a bronze at the ISAs. Our girls volleyball teams have been showing remarkable progress with our Senior A team medaling for the first time this season at the ISA Championship, while our Junior A team achieved their best result with a 4th place finish at their ISA Championships and captured the Mid-Island title. The Grade 9 rugby team has had many surprising performances. Coached by Shane Thompson, the side plays with a distinct 7s style of flare, with great passing ability and speed in the backs. Most impressive though, has been the tenacity on defense and some impressive tackling by the captain Santiago G., Aiden H. and Ethan Y. We are looking forward to seeing the combined side with the 10s this coming spring. Finally, Tara Blundell showed remarkable grit as she blew away the competition finishing first in the province at the BC Cross Country Championship. November promises to be an equally exciting month as our Senior Boys Soccer, Junior Field Hockey and girls volleyball teams all head into playoffs. Go Brentwood! Mr. Blake Gage, Director of Athletics