Zoe Crow and Andrew Zhang (March 2023)
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Zoe Crow, a grade 12 student at Semiahmoo Secondary School, is a key player on the school’s Senior Girls’ rugby team.
Her rugby journey began as a child when her family got her into playing minis. Over the years, she has played at various levels, which she describes as being both the most challenging and most rewarding aspect of being a rugby athlete. "Playing at many different levels is hard, but also my favourite thing about rugby," she explains. One of her most cherished memories was the opportunity to play four games in New Zealand, a country where rugby is a big part of their culture. Her commitment to rugby is fuelled by the experiences she gains alongside her teammates and coaches. When asked about what keeps her playing at Semiahmoo, she shared that “I like the experience I gain on and off the field with my teammates and coaches. I can’t pick a particular teammate but I like how supportive all my teammates are of me and our opposing team," she says. This supportive environment has also been a key factor in her positive outlook on the season. "My season is going good so far, and I am hoping we get the opportunity to play in provincials this year." As she looks to the future, she aims to make it to the provincial team, a goal that reflects her dedication and passion for rugby. She would also like to start coaching in the future. “I love the many different opportunities I have gotten through playing rugby in both my club and school season.” Rugby has not only provided her with opportunities on the field but has also taught her valuable life lessons. "Rugby has taught me endurance and confidence," she notes. "My coaches inspire me because of the drive and determination they give me to want to be better." Thank you Zoe Crow for this impressive interview and we look forward to seeing your future athletic endeavours and achievements! |
Andrew Zhang, a grade 12 student, is a captain of the Semiahmoo Ultimate Team. Starting his journey in Grade 10, he was initially drawn to Ultimate by a friend's recommendation, when he was looking to join a sports team."I have not looked back since. The community that surrounds the sport and the way this game is played is just marvellous," he recalls. "The community and commitment of the coaches [keeps me playing at Semiahmoo].” He has been playing Ultimate for 3 years now with the occasional extra-curricular club.
Despite facing various challenges, including injuries among key players, the team has demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination. One particularly inspiring moment came when a teammate played through an injury to help boost the team's chances of winning. For Andrew, “the hardest thing about being an athlete [...] is maintaining a positive mindset when the going gets tough. It's easy to get down on yourself when you get scored on, but you have to channel that energy and move on," he says. He has also learned that Ultimate requires an unique approach to leadership compared to other sports. "At the start of the year, I wanted to run the team like a hockey or basketball team with the captains leading the group and everybody following. However, I realized pretty quickly this wouldn't work for a game like Ultimate, which requires a lot more communication and everyone to think for themselves." When asked about his greatest strength and weakness in the sport, he shared that “my biggest strength is my ability to see plays before they happen and call them out for others, while my biggest weakness is my ability to run long distances multiple times in a short window [such as] long distance cardio.” During his time in the team, some memories he cherishes are “playing at South Fraser’s and going to provincials in Junior,” and simply, “meeting new people and just catching the disc over other peoples heads.” Andrew is inspired by “my coaches and my brother. They’re role models that I strive to be [like].” Looking ahead, he plans to continue playing Ultimate in university and apply the skills he has developed both in sports and daily life. Reflecting on his time with the team, he emphasizes the importance of letting others have a chance to lead and think independently. "Everyone needs to have the disc for good plays to form," he notes, highlighting the inclusive and collaborative nature of Ultimate. “We cannot just have a McDavid or Trailblazers Lillard running the team. This aspect of it inherently also makes it accessible to everyone and allows it to grow in a high school setting which is great.” Thank you Andrew Zhang for this inspiring interview, and we wish you all the best and look forward to seeing your future |
Lily Cox and Jack Clayton (February 2023)
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Lily Cox is a grade 12 student at Semiahmoo Secondary. Being on the senior girls' basketball team, as well as participating in other sports and clubs, she is evidently very dedicated to playing on the team.
When asked how the current season is going, Lily says that it is going well. “We are winning most of our games, and everyone is having tons of fun.” She notes that her favourite thing about playing for Semiahmoo is the aspect of teamwork. “All the girls on the team are incredible,” she says. “We all get along super well and have become very close over the 5 years we have been playing.” Over the years, the closeness of Lily and her teammates keeps bringing her back to play. She says that even if the team doesn’t play the best on a certain day, she still enjoys going out with them to just have fun as a team. Even though none of the girls on the team play basketball as a first sport, and with many being dedicated to other sports outside of school, they are still able to keep that team aspect throughout the season. When asked for an admirable act by another player, Lily applauds when a teammate sprained her ankle, she pushed through and kept playing. “[...] we didn’t have enough players to start the game, so she played the first quarter on a sprained ankle so we wouldn’t forfeit.” Even when faced with hard decisions, Lily says that the team likes to look on the bright side of things. Even when they are not playing well, they try not to take it too seriously and keep in mind that having fun is important. “[...] we would try not to be too serious and switch to having fun instead of trying to win.” In the end, the team would not end up stressed and laugh at their mistakes. Lily is an outstanding member of the team, and we thank her for the interview. We wish her luck in her future endeavors! |
Grade twelve Thunderbird Jack Clayton is an athlete in the Semiahmoo basketball, volleyball, and golf teams. Jack has played in the basketball program since grade eight and joined the school’s volleyball and golf team this year.
Jack played on the Senior Boys Basketball Team last year that brought home the Provincial Championship Banner in an all-Surrey final. Jack was named a tournament All-Star at the zone championships this year, and played in provincials again. Thank you Jack for your contributions to the athletics program, and we look forward to seeing your accomplishments in the future! |
Jaia Freer and Jordan Baldwin (January 2023)
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Jaia Freer is a grade 12 student at Semiahmoo Secondary. Although her life can be busy at times, she is clearly passionate about being on Semiahmoo’s girls’ basketball team.
Even though the basketball season has ended for this year, Jaia reflects on how the all-around season went. She says, “(for) none of our players [...] basketball wasn’t their first sport.” Jaia mentions that her teammates were already experienced athletes, with her adding that she also plays hockey. She says that even if the team didn’t have many chances to practice, they managed to exceed expectations, showing their passion for the sport. Overall, Jaia describes the season positively. When asked what she enjoys most about playing basketball at Semiahmoo, Jaia describes that she uses basketball as an outlet to play and be connected with her school. “For hockey, I miss a lot of school” she states, “it’s nice to play and be connected with the school [...].” With Jaia having moved to Semiahmoo in grade 11, she says how being on the basketball team opened her up to the school more and helped her with making connections with others. She also states how she uses basketball as something to have fun with, rather than be worried about the score constantly. “Win or lose, I just had fun.” Jaia mentions how her teammates were able to be strong during crucial moments, such as when one of her teammates had to fill in for another, even with an injured knee. “Our last game, one teammate was sick, and another was away [...]” she says. “Another teammate wasn’t going to play because she hurt her knee, but she had to play because we didn’t have enough players.” Jaia expresses her gratitude for this moment, “She kind of stuck it out for the rest of the game, even though she was in a lot of pain.” Thank you, Jaia, for the insightful interview, and we wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors in basketball. |
Jordan Baldwin is a grade 12 student who is a player on the schools’ rugby and wrestling team.
Jordan started playing rugby during his grade ten year at Semiahmoo, and his favourite memory of the sport is “going to provincials with the Senior Boys’ Rugby Team last year.” The Senior Boys had a strong season last year and worked hard together as a team. His “favourite thing about rugby is being outside and working on a team with my friends.” Jordan started wrestling for Semiahmoo this year, and when asked about how his wrestling season went, he shared that “sadly, I did not make provincials, but I think my wrestling has improved a lot since the start of the season.” Jordan likes “wrestling because it is like a fast paced, more physical version of chess.” |
Joanne Cai and Andre Juco (December 2023)
Joanne Cai is a grade 12 student at Semiahmoo. She is a player on the schools’ Table Tennis team and coaches the team as well.
Throughout her journey in the schools’ Table Tennis Team, Joanne has achieved a lot: “we got first place for girls' team in 2022, and I also got a bronze medal for doubles, and last year we got third place for girls' team and first place for girls doubles.” The team is preparing for the upcoming high school provincials and train twice a week. “My role is mainly to coach the teammates because I also train outside of school.” Her favourite part of playing on the team is meeting different people and becoming friends with them. “Through sports, you can make a lot of good friends (and) I love to make new friends and share experiences with them.” Joanne plays at Semiahmoo because she is very passionate about Table Tennis and wants to use her passion to contribute to the school community, which she has done since “grade ten, (when) we brought back the table tennis team and started to train our players and began working towards the provincials.” Her favourite memory from playing on the team is “working together towards one goal and trying our best (…) to get the best results for our school.” Joanne shares a story from her grade 10 year: “my doubles partner (…) was very new to table tennis, so she was extremely nervous prior to the provincials. However, she did extremely good in the provincials, so I really admire her because she challenged herself.” Thank you Joanne Cai for this inspiring interview! We look forward to seeing your future accomplishments and we wish you the best! |
Grade 12 student Andre Juco plays on the schools’ basketball and volleyball team.
Andre has been playing basketball since he was a child, and he also won a provincial game in his grade 8 year and played volleyball in his junior year. Andre played on the Senior Boys Basketball team that brought home the title of provincial champion in an all-Surrey final last year. We look forward to seeing Andre Juco’s future accomplishments and wish him the best! |
Rozlyn Abiew and Andy Guo (November 2023)
By Ava Anderson and Joanne Wang
Rozlyn Abiew, grade 12, has been playing for the Senior Girls Volleyball team this year. When asked about her favourite memory from playing on the volleyball team, Rozlyn shared her experience at Seniors Night. “We played Tweedsmuir, and we were actually down quite a few points, but we came back eleven points and ended up winning the set. The same thing happened during the next set, we were down (at first) but we won by one point, so we ended up winning in three sets. It was a great memory and there were posters for all the seniors, the stands were filled, the energy was high and (it had) a great environment. Rozlyn has played sports at Semiahmoo since grade 8 because “the coaches have been so great, and Mr. Chio is a great athletic director, and he takes everything really seriously and wants to make sure that all of the athletes are feeling safe and comfortable.” The coaches, she shares, often prioritize the fun aspect of the sport, making practices and games very enjoyable. Positivity on the team is the reason why Rozlyn loves volleyball. “The energy is always so high and very hyped and fun when you get a point or make a good hit.” She finds the athletic program at Semiahmoo to be a safe community with coaches that are very supportive. “Like Ms. Poelzer, she’s a great coach and very supportive of us, making us feel comfortable during practices and games. It’s just a great environment.” On the team, Rozlyn admires the way the captains can “keep the team’s energy up when we go into huddles after every play. They make sure that we are thinking positively and focusing on the next play, and not dwelling on negative things.” Thank you Rozlyn Abiew for this uplifting interview! We hope to see more of your accomplishments in the future and wish you all the best! |
By Ava Anderson and Joanne Wang
Andy Guo, a grade 12 student, is on the schools’ Senior Boys Volleyball team. He also coaches the Junior Boys Soccer team. The Junior Boys finished up their season with many successful games: “I’m really proud of the boys and what we did in the season, and I think as a team we got a lot stronger, and the boys made new friends and new connections.” During the season, “I thought that the boys did a really good job of encouraging (each other).” When asked what keeps him playing and coaching at Semiahmoo, Andy shared: “Honestly, I just like playing and coaching, having a team environment, and just being part of the program.” His favourite memories from playing on the volleyball team are “those last-minute winners or (…) those hard-fought moments and points where a team really comes together towards one goal and we’re just able to achieve it.” Andy believes that the main point of the Volleyball season was for more people to play and make connections with each other. “Volleyball, (…) it's really about the team and my friends. The guys that I grew up with and it's been five years playing (with them).” Thank you Andy Guo for this exciting interview and your role in the athletic program! We look forward to hearing more from you and best of luck moving forward! |
Eunsoo Oh and Steven Brittain (October 2023)
By Ava Anderson
Steven Brittain, a grade 12 student, has been partaking in cross country at Semiahmoo this year. Unfortunately having been faced with a foot injury due to over usage, he is recovering well and has bounced back from his injury successfully, with Steven recently coming in fourth place at the BC Cross Country Championships in early November. Steven says that while he was injured, his peers encouraged him to keep pushing on during a race at his club, Oceans Athletics. This motivated him to continue, even with being held back by his injury. When asked what keeps him playing at Semiahmoo, Steven says that the atmosphere is “not too stressful”, as well as encouraging. The team environment is motivating, and it is what keeps him passionate and why he continues to pursue his sport here at Semiahmoo. His fondest memory while playing on Semiahmoo’s track team was travelling to Victoria for the British Colombia High School Cross Country Championships, in which he came in 15th place out of 234 participants in the senior boys division. Steven is passionate about is cross-country, stating that his favourite thing about the sport is “how […] you can have control over your own destiny.” With cross-country being an individual sport, he says it is up to the runner to decide where they want to go with the sport and how you are able to have flexibility and choice with what you want to achieve and go forward with in the future. Thank you to Steven Brittain for the extremely impressive interview, we look forward to seeing where cross country takes you in the future! Best of luck. |
By Ava Anderson
Eunsoo Oh is a grade 12 student at Semiahmoo this year. Being on the schools' swim team, as well as coaching the team, she is evidently passionate about her sport, with her even advancing to provincials. Although Semiahmoo is not going to be attending provincials this year, Eunsoo enjoys her sport and competes outside of school as well. She says that since she has been playing with the same people continuously, they have formed a close bond with one another, with her saying that they are all very “close-knit.” Even with her teammates here at Semiahmoo, she says that “I haven’t known many of these people […] for my entire life, but just after just a couple weeks, I think [the bond] was pretty good.” When asked what keeps her playing, Eunsoo says that she simply just enjoys the sport and wants to continue to swim at the school. She also expresses her gratitude that Semiahmoo has a swim team in general, so her passion can extend to school as well as outside of school. Eunsoo also coaches the swim team, with some of her favourite memories being watching swimmers motivate one another and push each other to keep going. “I would say watching the swimmers encourage each other on even if they’re like super tired. […]” The team environment especially stands out to her, and seeing her teamates encourge one another even when exaushted or learning a new skill, keeps her inspired as well as creates memories that will motivate her in the future. Thank you to Eunsoo Oh for the inspiring interview, we wish you the best of luck and we look forward to hearing about your future accomplishments! |
caiden lee (december 2021)
Ocean Athletics runner, Caiden Lee, is a grade 12 IB student who has been attending our school for the past two years.
Caiden was born in Burnaby and went to Sail Academy for three of his high school years, until he moved to Semiahmoo in his grade 11 year for the IB program.
Caiden has been running for as long as 10 years and has been a member of the Ocean Athletics Running Club for just as long. Caiden trains everyday whether it’s running, cross training, swimming, or just going to the gym. Caiden says that the hardest thing about being an athlete are injuries, so being able to maintain good health and a good fitness level is key to avoiding any injuries that may hold you back.
When asked about his strengths and weaknesses as a runner, Caiden said that his greatest strength as a runner is his strength. Caiden has great endurance and says he is always there for his teammates. As for his weaknesses as a runner, Caiden said it would be his focus. Caiden explains that he doesn’t focus on himself enough and puts other people before himself. For example, last year his friend got injured in a race and his first thoughts were to go and help him, which he did. But in the process of doing so, he forgot about his own race that he was running.
Not only is Caiden an athlete at Ocean Athletics, but he is also a coach. Caiden says that he volunteers as an assistant coach for the younger runners in the club. He also mentions that his main motivation as a coach is knowing that the kids look up to him, he says it touches his heart. Caiden says that the best thing about being a runner is getting to know people and seeing them grow, not only as athletes, but as individuals as well. As a young coach, Caiden says, “Being able to give back and volunteer knowing that if you show the same perseverance and the same care, it might spark something good in a younger athlete.” We also asked him, “What is one thing sports has taught you?”, and Caiden replied sincerely with, “No matter what you do you will always make a difference. The small things matter, such as congratulating someone after a race or just letting someone know you are there.”
Additionally, it is clear that Caiden is a very compassionate runner and individual, who many people look up to. Because of this, we asked Caiden if there was anyone in particular that he looked up to, and he immediately said his coach, Ted de St. Croix. Ted de St. Croix is one of the coaches and owners at Ocean Athletics, and Caiden has looked up to him as a young athlete and as a young coach too.
A part from running, Caiden mentioned that he enjoys playing the piano and the clarinet but has little to no spare time as he said, “IB has taken over my life.”
When asked about his future running goals, Caiden says that he wants to continue running in University, but mostly, he wants to focus on his degree. Caiden adds he wants to go to UBC or MIT for his undergraduate, and hopefully get to study the field he is most passionate about, which is material engineering. With this degree, Caiden wants to design running shoes for athletics in the future.
Last, but not least, we asked Caiden how the pandemic has affected him as a runner, and he said the pandemic has done nothing but good. He said it has built up his mental strength and made him look forward to things more. He also said he has been able to connect better with the team and not just persevering as individuals but as a whole. That being able to stay motivated with the team was crucial at this time because a lot of things were getting cancelled because of COVID, and they needed to be there for one another.
Thank you, Caiden, for the impressive interview, we wish you the best of luck for this year, we hope to be hearing a lot more of you!
Caiden was born in Burnaby and went to Sail Academy for three of his high school years, until he moved to Semiahmoo in his grade 11 year for the IB program.
Caiden has been running for as long as 10 years and has been a member of the Ocean Athletics Running Club for just as long. Caiden trains everyday whether it’s running, cross training, swimming, or just going to the gym. Caiden says that the hardest thing about being an athlete are injuries, so being able to maintain good health and a good fitness level is key to avoiding any injuries that may hold you back.
When asked about his strengths and weaknesses as a runner, Caiden said that his greatest strength as a runner is his strength. Caiden has great endurance and says he is always there for his teammates. As for his weaknesses as a runner, Caiden said it would be his focus. Caiden explains that he doesn’t focus on himself enough and puts other people before himself. For example, last year his friend got injured in a race and his first thoughts were to go and help him, which he did. But in the process of doing so, he forgot about his own race that he was running.
Not only is Caiden an athlete at Ocean Athletics, but he is also a coach. Caiden says that he volunteers as an assistant coach for the younger runners in the club. He also mentions that his main motivation as a coach is knowing that the kids look up to him, he says it touches his heart. Caiden says that the best thing about being a runner is getting to know people and seeing them grow, not only as athletes, but as individuals as well. As a young coach, Caiden says, “Being able to give back and volunteer knowing that if you show the same perseverance and the same care, it might spark something good in a younger athlete.” We also asked him, “What is one thing sports has taught you?”, and Caiden replied sincerely with, “No matter what you do you will always make a difference. The small things matter, such as congratulating someone after a race or just letting someone know you are there.”
Additionally, it is clear that Caiden is a very compassionate runner and individual, who many people look up to. Because of this, we asked Caiden if there was anyone in particular that he looked up to, and he immediately said his coach, Ted de St. Croix. Ted de St. Croix is one of the coaches and owners at Ocean Athletics, and Caiden has looked up to him as a young athlete and as a young coach too.
A part from running, Caiden mentioned that he enjoys playing the piano and the clarinet but has little to no spare time as he said, “IB has taken over my life.”
When asked about his future running goals, Caiden says that he wants to continue running in University, but mostly, he wants to focus on his degree. Caiden adds he wants to go to UBC or MIT for his undergraduate, and hopefully get to study the field he is most passionate about, which is material engineering. With this degree, Caiden wants to design running shoes for athletics in the future.
Last, but not least, we asked Caiden how the pandemic has affected him as a runner, and he said the pandemic has done nothing but good. He said it has built up his mental strength and made him look forward to things more. He also said he has been able to connect better with the team and not just persevering as individuals but as a whole. That being able to stay motivated with the team was crucial at this time because a lot of things were getting cancelled because of COVID, and they needed to be there for one another.
Thank you, Caiden, for the impressive interview, we wish you the best of luck for this year, we hope to be hearing a lot more of you!
fiona nie (november 2021)
Canadian U19 National Table Tennis Champion, Fiona Nie, attends our school Semiahmoo Secondary as a grade 11 IB student. Fiona has been playing Table Tennis since the age of nine, making this year her eighth year of playing the sport.
Fiona was born in New Zealand, and after moving to China in 2006, Fiona made her way to Canada in 2016 starting elementary school at Semiahmoo Trail.
Fiona has been a part of our school, as well as the Semiahmoo Table Tennis Team, since grade 8. Currently, she is the captain of the school's Table Tennis Team and also plays on the BC Table Tennis Team in her free time. Additionally, as of this year Fiona holds the honorable title as Canada’s U19 National Table Tennis Champion. When asked how she felt about the monumental win, she said she was extremely proud of herself as she trained four days a week with her team to get there. She was also surprised as she wasn’t sure she was going to end up winning the tournament, as the competition was ambitious. Nonetheless, Fiona battled hard in her last game against a girl in Ontario, and with a close score of 3-2, Fiona seized the win. Not only did she win the tournament, but she also got awarded The Fair Play Award in the final game. In a decisive ball where the umpire gave the point to Fiona, she bravely told the empire that the point was the opponents, resulting in her opponent getting the extra point.
Fiona’s intentions for after her time at Semiahmoo include her goal of competing in the 2024 Olympics in Paris for Canada’s Table Tennis Team. This is one of her future goals as well as getting accepted to a prestigious university such as Princeton or Berkeley. She knows it will be a lot of hard work to fulfill her goals, but she is willing to do it. Fiona wants to continue playing Table Tennis throughout her university years, as well as undergoing Biochemistry and Pre-Med programs. She is intrigued by the fields of science and hopes to make a career out of her interests, but it all depends on where her Table Tennis abilities will take her.
Moreover, we talked with Fiona about the “never ending” pandemic that we are all presently in the middle of, and how it has negatively affected her as a player. She commented that a lot of tournaments have been cancelled due to COVID-19, and that it is disappointing because she was supposed to play in the World Table Tennis Cadet Championships. Despite the cancelations, Fiona is still thriving as a player and just hopes that everything will cease eventually so she can be a part of more table tennis activities.
Lastly, Fiona vocalized that it’s important to always face your problems because not facing them will continuously make them worse. She also said that hard work will always pay off. If you train a little harder each day, you’ll reach the goal that you thought was impossible for yourself.
Thank you, Fiona, for the inspiring interview. A huge congratulations on winning the Canadian U19 National Table Tennis Championship, we wish you all the best!
Katie Tomas (May 2021)
Katie Tomas is a grade 12 student at Semiahmoo Secondary. She has been playing rugby since grade 8 and started playing because of her brother Alex, who also played rugby at Semiahmoo. As Katie said, she “took it as an outlook on aggression” and started with mini’s first.
Katie will be attending the University of Victoria to study environmental studies in September. Her goal is to get into education and be a teacher. She hopes to give back to the community when she is a teacher and coach rugby.
The pandemic has affected Katie in her graduating year. Katie said, “we just started practices again with rugby as it is a contact sport. So, it does not feel like rugby. But it is giving us an opportunity to work on skills such as passing and a lot of fitness.” Katie has kept her circle small, but she has not been able to see a lot of her friends. But she said that rugby has allowed me to see people, but having no season was not ideal.
One memory that Katie cherishes as an athlete at Semiahmoo was the girl’s rugby provincial championships. As a grade 8, Katie had to dress up like a cowboy for the banquet dinner as a rookie. Katie said, “The whole week, we got to know the team better, especially as a grade 8. We got to spend time with the seniors such as Berlyn Seselja, Kate Richards, Dasha Peters, and Danica Foster.”
When asked what her biggest challenge was in sports, Katie said, “Anxiety. I am very hard on myself when I mess up.” When asked how she overcame it, Katie added, “It is okay to mess up and you learn from that.” She also said, “mindset is a big part of sport. If you are upset, you won’t play well. So, you must stay positive. This will affect the whole team.” One of the inspirational things that Katie said that was instilled in her from her coaches was, “ever since I was in grade 8, we never pay attention to the score. If you are winning, you don’t get ahead of yourself, but if you are losing, you don’t get discouraged.”
Katie has one piece of advice for a young athlete going into high school. She said, “try things! If you are unfamiliar with a sport, go out and try it. See if you like it. You will meet people and find your passion.” Katie added, “For rugby, we just want people to come out. Since it is a contact sport, people fear it, but we hope they come out and bring their friends out.”
Thank you Katie for an awesome interview and we wish you the best of luck next year.
Katie will be attending the University of Victoria to study environmental studies in September. Her goal is to get into education and be a teacher. She hopes to give back to the community when she is a teacher and coach rugby.
The pandemic has affected Katie in her graduating year. Katie said, “we just started practices again with rugby as it is a contact sport. So, it does not feel like rugby. But it is giving us an opportunity to work on skills such as passing and a lot of fitness.” Katie has kept her circle small, but she has not been able to see a lot of her friends. But she said that rugby has allowed me to see people, but having no season was not ideal.
One memory that Katie cherishes as an athlete at Semiahmoo was the girl’s rugby provincial championships. As a grade 8, Katie had to dress up like a cowboy for the banquet dinner as a rookie. Katie said, “The whole week, we got to know the team better, especially as a grade 8. We got to spend time with the seniors such as Berlyn Seselja, Kate Richards, Dasha Peters, and Danica Foster.”
When asked what her biggest challenge was in sports, Katie said, “Anxiety. I am very hard on myself when I mess up.” When asked how she overcame it, Katie added, “It is okay to mess up and you learn from that.” She also said, “mindset is a big part of sport. If you are upset, you won’t play well. So, you must stay positive. This will affect the whole team.” One of the inspirational things that Katie said that was instilled in her from her coaches was, “ever since I was in grade 8, we never pay attention to the score. If you are winning, you don’t get ahead of yourself, but if you are losing, you don’t get discouraged.”
Katie has one piece of advice for a young athlete going into high school. She said, “try things! If you are unfamiliar with a sport, go out and try it. See if you like it. You will meet people and find your passion.” Katie added, “For rugby, we just want people to come out. Since it is a contact sport, people fear it, but we hope they come out and bring their friends out.”
Thank you Katie for an awesome interview and we wish you the best of luck next year.
Jamie Rodgers (Apr 2021)
Jamie Rodgers is a grade 12 student at Semiahmoo Secondary. He has been a member of the Semiahmoo Ultimate Frisbee Team for 3 seasons and is a member of the White Rock Titans (Football) for the past 5 seasons. He also coaches the U14 team for the Titans. We sat down with Jamie and had a chat about what his goals are next season and how the pandemic has affected his senior year of sports.
What are your goals next year? What do you see yourself doing in the future?
I am going to take a gap year next year and work towards paying my tuition. I hope to attend Thompson River University in 2022 and obtain my teaching degree to teach social studies in high school. I also hope to travel to London and South Africa in the next few years and explore the world.
How has the pandemic affected you?
It has made it difficult to exercise and workout. Most gyms are closed or have been closed for a long time. For football, we needed to cover all our skin, so it made it difficult to run and play in the warmer weather. Also, due to COVID, the provincial championships were cancelled so that was disappointing. For ultimate frisbee, my last two senior years cancelled so that was disappointing as well.
What was your biggest challenge as an athlete and how did you overcome it?
Being born in December always made me one of the youngest players on the team. I always had to compete with those players and being a smaller person, I had to develop passion and hard work over most people. This was true in football and in ultimate.
What is one take away from sports that you use everyday?
Not giving up when you are frustrated. You need to continue to push yourself even though it feels like you cannot do something. Even when you are feeling unmotivated, such as doing homework, I know it will benefit me if I do it in the long run.
What is one memory you will cherish as a Semiahmoo athlete?
It must be the ultimate frisbee tournament we played in grade 10 (Pull for Parkinson’s Charity Tournament). We played very well, and I was able to carry the team from last to 8th in the standings. I felt like I did a lot and it helped me grow throughout the tournament. Another memory was volunteering for the BCSS Ultimate Frisbee Provincials in 2019. I felt like it helped improve my confidence as I was working on supporting the webcasting, working on the cameras, and helping at the concession.
What is one piece of advice you want to give to a young athlete at Semiahmoo?
If you are on the edge of joining a sports team, join. You will not gain anything if you do not try something for the first time. Try to take time out of everyday to work on the sports you are playing and continue to develop so you can get better at what you are doing.
Thank you Jamie for your time and we wish you the best in the future
What are your goals next year? What do you see yourself doing in the future?
I am going to take a gap year next year and work towards paying my tuition. I hope to attend Thompson River University in 2022 and obtain my teaching degree to teach social studies in high school. I also hope to travel to London and South Africa in the next few years and explore the world.
How has the pandemic affected you?
It has made it difficult to exercise and workout. Most gyms are closed or have been closed for a long time. For football, we needed to cover all our skin, so it made it difficult to run and play in the warmer weather. Also, due to COVID, the provincial championships were cancelled so that was disappointing. For ultimate frisbee, my last two senior years cancelled so that was disappointing as well.
What was your biggest challenge as an athlete and how did you overcome it?
Being born in December always made me one of the youngest players on the team. I always had to compete with those players and being a smaller person, I had to develop passion and hard work over most people. This was true in football and in ultimate.
What is one take away from sports that you use everyday?
Not giving up when you are frustrated. You need to continue to push yourself even though it feels like you cannot do something. Even when you are feeling unmotivated, such as doing homework, I know it will benefit me if I do it in the long run.
What is one memory you will cherish as a Semiahmoo athlete?
It must be the ultimate frisbee tournament we played in grade 10 (Pull for Parkinson’s Charity Tournament). We played very well, and I was able to carry the team from last to 8th in the standings. I felt like I did a lot and it helped me grow throughout the tournament. Another memory was volunteering for the BCSS Ultimate Frisbee Provincials in 2019. I felt like it helped improve my confidence as I was working on supporting the webcasting, working on the cameras, and helping at the concession.
What is one piece of advice you want to give to a young athlete at Semiahmoo?
If you are on the edge of joining a sports team, join. You will not gain anything if you do not try something for the first time. Try to take time out of everyday to work on the sports you are playing and continue to develop so you can get better at what you are doing.
Thank you Jamie for your time and we wish you the best in the future
Bo Stephen (Mar 2021)
Bo Stephen is a grade 12 student who has competed for the Semiahmoo Girls Volleyball team since grade 8. She started playing volleyball in elementary school (grade 5) and competes for the Seaside Volleyball Club. She has coached at Semiahmoo with the grade 8 boys’ team in 2019 and the U14 and U15 Girls teams for Seaside. She has a tremendous wealth of experience on and off the court and was a great asset to the grade 8 boys’ team.
Bo is hoping to study nursing next year. She is still undecided which institution she wants to study at, but her top choices are Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Camosun University, University of Victoria, UBC Okanagan, or University of the Fraser Valley. Her goal post undergraduate studies are to obtain her Master of Nursing and intends to work in critical care (ICU) and emergency services.
When asked about what one memory that Bo cherishes from Semiahmoo, she said “The friends and people you meet. These girls you play with have been your teammates and friends since day one. You have grown up together and you know how each other play and it becomes a fun and safe place to be.” Bo also added, “The Hawaii trip was extremely memorable. We had a game where we played in a gym with no A/C and we were outside all day. When we were playing, half the team started to suffer from heat stroke and started to collapse.”
Bo states that one thing sports has taught her, and she uses everyday is “compassion.” She said, “When playing a team such as volleyball, you will make mistakes and your teammates will make mistakes. From someone who is competitive, you learn over the years that although we make mistakes, you must be compassionate. You have to move on from it.”
When asked how the pandemic has affected Bo’s senior year.
“It is not as enjoyable without tournaments and not playing for an actual team. You have practicing, but it is for nothing and it becomes unmotivating.”
One thing Bo does say is a positive from this experience.
“You learn that personal space is important, for me and for everyone.”
Lastly, we ask Bo to give one piece of advice to a young athlete starting out in high school. She said, “Try everything and realize that you will gravitate towards one or two. Even if you do not feel welcomed because the people on the team are better than you or play longer, you will eventually become friends with those people and you will never forget the people or the memories.”
Bo finishes off with “go for it and try our best.”
Thank you Bo and we wish you the best of luck next year.
Bo is hoping to study nursing next year. She is still undecided which institution she wants to study at, but her top choices are Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Camosun University, University of Victoria, UBC Okanagan, or University of the Fraser Valley. Her goal post undergraduate studies are to obtain her Master of Nursing and intends to work in critical care (ICU) and emergency services.
When asked about what one memory that Bo cherishes from Semiahmoo, she said “The friends and people you meet. These girls you play with have been your teammates and friends since day one. You have grown up together and you know how each other play and it becomes a fun and safe place to be.” Bo also added, “The Hawaii trip was extremely memorable. We had a game where we played in a gym with no A/C and we were outside all day. When we were playing, half the team started to suffer from heat stroke and started to collapse.”
Bo states that one thing sports has taught her, and she uses everyday is “compassion.” She said, “When playing a team such as volleyball, you will make mistakes and your teammates will make mistakes. From someone who is competitive, you learn over the years that although we make mistakes, you must be compassionate. You have to move on from it.”
When asked how the pandemic has affected Bo’s senior year.
“It is not as enjoyable without tournaments and not playing for an actual team. You have practicing, but it is for nothing and it becomes unmotivating.”
One thing Bo does say is a positive from this experience.
“You learn that personal space is important, for me and for everyone.”
Lastly, we ask Bo to give one piece of advice to a young athlete starting out in high school. She said, “Try everything and realize that you will gravitate towards one or two. Even if you do not feel welcomed because the people on the team are better than you or play longer, you will eventually become friends with those people and you will never forget the people or the memories.”
Bo finishes off with “go for it and try our best.”
Thank you Bo and we wish you the best of luck next year.
Arjan Bolina (Feb 2021)
Arjan Bolina is a grade 12 student who was originally from Wales. He moved to Canada when he was in grade 7 and attended HT Thrift. He is a goal-oriented person and appreciates hard work and will strive to do the best in everything. He feels that he is surrounded by a good support system that has developed his character into who he is today.
Arjan hopes to be studying business at one of SFU, UVic, Western, or Calgary. He has played basketball at Semiahmoo since grade 9 and sadly could not compete in his grad year due to the COVID pandemic. He says that the pandemic has “stopped basketball completely” and that it has been “quite hard” as they are used to playing all the time. Even though basketball is a Winter sport, it is still played year-round with trips in the summer and camps throughout the year. Arjan also said that he had good memories of his trips with his basketball team. He said, “we got to go on cool trips such as Hawaii. It was a good experience as I have never been. We got to experience different culture and being around teammates was good.”
One interesting thing to note is that Arjan is a high-level chess player. He competed in the World Youth Chess Championships in 2010 (Czech Republic) and in 2012 (Greece). He was glad he had that experience as he said it “helped shape his logical aspect of character” and “helps with your mindset of studying in school.” He especially enjoyed that he had a chance to travel to Greece and stay at a 5-star hotel, fully paid in 2012.
Arjan began chess accidently as his friends were playing it so he joined them. He found an interest in chess and “Went from there” as he put it. He said his teacher in Wales was very good at exposing them to tournaments and had connections to county (provincials in BC) as well as connections to the national team. Nowadays, Arjan has “retired” from chess and only plays for fun online. He has been watching Twitch.tv streamers play the game and is enjoying seeing the recognition the game is getting. He hopes that after his studies, he can get back to play competitively again.
Arjan hopes that he can maintain good health during this pandemic and complete his business degree in the next 4 years. He hopes that he can get good co-op experience and build connections on his way to an MBA. He is not sure what he wants to do with the MBA, but it could be start a business. He hopes that in that time, he can also play competitive chess again.
One take away from sports for Arjan is the importance of hard work. He says for basketball, it is a huge commitment especially on top of schoolwork. Working hard carries through to your life and beyond. Although there is no basketball his year, he says that his hard work continues in his studies as he can solely focus on that.
Arjan felt that his biggest challenge in sports help shape who he is today. When he first came to Canada, he had never played basketball and got cut from the grade 8 team. He said that his dad helped him a lot. He would go to the South Surrey Rec Centre and practice a lot. They would also attend camps so that he can continue to improve and develop his skills. He successfully made the grade 9 team the year after and the rest was history.
Arjan has some advice for a young athlete entering high school. He says go join a sport and it will bring you more than you ever anticipated. You will find many sports and don’t shy away from these opportunities. It will pay off and you will make a ton of friends from this experience.
We thank Arjan for this interview and we wish him the best of luck.
Arjan hopes to be studying business at one of SFU, UVic, Western, or Calgary. He has played basketball at Semiahmoo since grade 9 and sadly could not compete in his grad year due to the COVID pandemic. He says that the pandemic has “stopped basketball completely” and that it has been “quite hard” as they are used to playing all the time. Even though basketball is a Winter sport, it is still played year-round with trips in the summer and camps throughout the year. Arjan also said that he had good memories of his trips with his basketball team. He said, “we got to go on cool trips such as Hawaii. It was a good experience as I have never been. We got to experience different culture and being around teammates was good.”
One interesting thing to note is that Arjan is a high-level chess player. He competed in the World Youth Chess Championships in 2010 (Czech Republic) and in 2012 (Greece). He was glad he had that experience as he said it “helped shape his logical aspect of character” and “helps with your mindset of studying in school.” He especially enjoyed that he had a chance to travel to Greece and stay at a 5-star hotel, fully paid in 2012.
Arjan began chess accidently as his friends were playing it so he joined them. He found an interest in chess and “Went from there” as he put it. He said his teacher in Wales was very good at exposing them to tournaments and had connections to county (provincials in BC) as well as connections to the national team. Nowadays, Arjan has “retired” from chess and only plays for fun online. He has been watching Twitch.tv streamers play the game and is enjoying seeing the recognition the game is getting. He hopes that after his studies, he can get back to play competitively again.
Arjan hopes that he can maintain good health during this pandemic and complete his business degree in the next 4 years. He hopes that he can get good co-op experience and build connections on his way to an MBA. He is not sure what he wants to do with the MBA, but it could be start a business. He hopes that in that time, he can also play competitive chess again.
One take away from sports for Arjan is the importance of hard work. He says for basketball, it is a huge commitment especially on top of schoolwork. Working hard carries through to your life and beyond. Although there is no basketball his year, he says that his hard work continues in his studies as he can solely focus on that.
Arjan felt that his biggest challenge in sports help shape who he is today. When he first came to Canada, he had never played basketball and got cut from the grade 8 team. He said that his dad helped him a lot. He would go to the South Surrey Rec Centre and practice a lot. They would also attend camps so that he can continue to improve and develop his skills. He successfully made the grade 9 team the year after and the rest was history.
Arjan has some advice for a young athlete entering high school. He says go join a sport and it will bring you more than you ever anticipated. You will find many sports and don’t shy away from these opportunities. It will pay off and you will make a ton of friends from this experience.
We thank Arjan for this interview and we wish him the best of luck.
Sebastian Brost (Jan 2021)
Introduction
Sebastian is a grade 12 student who will be graduating in June 2021. As a student of Semiahmoo, Sebastian has played on the Semiahmoo Rugby and Hockey team. Sebastian has a younger brother, Alexander who is in grade 10. Sebastian is hoping to get into UBC this fall and study biochemistry and attend medical school. He states that SFU is his back up.
Sebastian has played for the Semiahmoo Rugby team since grade 8 and was hoping for a 5th season, but due to COVID, that was cut short. He was also a member of the Semiahmoo Hockey team in grade 10.
Pandemic Year
Sebastian was hoping to go to Ireland during Spring Break 2020 to play in various Rugby tournaments with the school team but was cancelled due to COVID. He also has no season to play this season in his grad year. Due to the restrictions of COVID, he feels that it is hard to play with friends and having no open access to facilities has made it difficult to train. He says that “everyone is worried about other things, so there is nothing for rugby.”
Goals
Sebastian is hoping to get into medical school and study genetics. His goals moving forward is to be more mature and be a better “planned individual.” He really wants to focus on his future goals in genetics and hopes that one day, he can develop technology that will benefit human quality of health and increase life expectancy.
What sports taught Sebastian
When asked about what he takes away from sports, Sebastian says that everyone must start somewhere, no matter what you do, you must start. “You will start on the bottom of any sport and develop mental fitness and physical fitness. But most importantly, you have to believe in yourself.” Sebastian went on to say, “you will have people around you that will believe in you, so you have to also believe in others and develop that teamwork. You will build connections with coaches, staff, and teammates.”
Biggest Challenge
Sebastian expressed that his biggest challenge in sports is that talent can only take you so far. He says that he is a good player, but when he makes a mistake, he feels like he has messed up the whole game and lose motivation. He feels like he has let his team down and that he gets in his own head which affects performance. How Sebastian overcame this was that he understands that teams needs to work together, “everyone else can work together and uplift that teammate. It made my mood more positive in games as I know that it is not just how well I play, but how well the team plays.”
Most memorable Semiahmoo moment
In terms of most memorable moment of being a Semiahmoo athlete, Sebastian says that the Victoria trip in grade 9 for Rugby was his favourite. He said that “we were a junior team with the grade 10’s. A lot of memorable moments happened on the field, but it was also fun to hang out with the older kids in the hotel. They were very friendly and brought everyone together. We did not have to worry about school and was just there with friends.”
Advice for Young Athletes
“Work your butt off.” Sebastian reiterated that “it does not matter how talented you are, it does not matter how good or bad you are, you can start somewhere.” Sebastian restated that, “starting is the most difficult part. You cannot get anywhere unless you start and work extremely hard. You must push yourself. You must get out of your comfort zone. Nothing good comes from stay in the same space. You must expand and grow and don’t give up if you feel like you will fail. It is part of the learning process.”
Thank you Sebastian for an awesome interview, and best of luck moving forward.
Sebastian is a grade 12 student who will be graduating in June 2021. As a student of Semiahmoo, Sebastian has played on the Semiahmoo Rugby and Hockey team. Sebastian has a younger brother, Alexander who is in grade 10. Sebastian is hoping to get into UBC this fall and study biochemistry and attend medical school. He states that SFU is his back up.
Sebastian has played for the Semiahmoo Rugby team since grade 8 and was hoping for a 5th season, but due to COVID, that was cut short. He was also a member of the Semiahmoo Hockey team in grade 10.
Pandemic Year
Sebastian was hoping to go to Ireland during Spring Break 2020 to play in various Rugby tournaments with the school team but was cancelled due to COVID. He also has no season to play this season in his grad year. Due to the restrictions of COVID, he feels that it is hard to play with friends and having no open access to facilities has made it difficult to train. He says that “everyone is worried about other things, so there is nothing for rugby.”
Goals
Sebastian is hoping to get into medical school and study genetics. His goals moving forward is to be more mature and be a better “planned individual.” He really wants to focus on his future goals in genetics and hopes that one day, he can develop technology that will benefit human quality of health and increase life expectancy.
What sports taught Sebastian
When asked about what he takes away from sports, Sebastian says that everyone must start somewhere, no matter what you do, you must start. “You will start on the bottom of any sport and develop mental fitness and physical fitness. But most importantly, you have to believe in yourself.” Sebastian went on to say, “you will have people around you that will believe in you, so you have to also believe in others and develop that teamwork. You will build connections with coaches, staff, and teammates.”
Biggest Challenge
Sebastian expressed that his biggest challenge in sports is that talent can only take you so far. He says that he is a good player, but when he makes a mistake, he feels like he has messed up the whole game and lose motivation. He feels like he has let his team down and that he gets in his own head which affects performance. How Sebastian overcame this was that he understands that teams needs to work together, “everyone else can work together and uplift that teammate. It made my mood more positive in games as I know that it is not just how well I play, but how well the team plays.”
Most memorable Semiahmoo moment
In terms of most memorable moment of being a Semiahmoo athlete, Sebastian says that the Victoria trip in grade 9 for Rugby was his favourite. He said that “we were a junior team with the grade 10’s. A lot of memorable moments happened on the field, but it was also fun to hang out with the older kids in the hotel. They were very friendly and brought everyone together. We did not have to worry about school and was just there with friends.”
Advice for Young Athletes
“Work your butt off.” Sebastian reiterated that “it does not matter how talented you are, it does not matter how good or bad you are, you can start somewhere.” Sebastian restated that, “starting is the most difficult part. You cannot get anywhere unless you start and work extremely hard. You must push yourself. You must get out of your comfort zone. Nothing good comes from stay in the same space. You must expand and grow and don’t give up if you feel like you will fail. It is part of the learning process.”
Thank you Sebastian for an awesome interview, and best of luck moving forward.
Mya Yakasovich (Dec 2020)
Mya has been a member of the Semiahmoo girl’s soccer and basketball since grade 8. She is currently in grade 12 and is looking forward to studying nursing next year at either University of Calgary, Queens, or Western University. Mya is also a member of the Semiahmoo Student Council since grade 10 and is currently one of the executive members. She has also been a player at Coastal FC as well as a coach.
In addition to soccer and basketball, Mya has also played in ultimate frisbee and rock climbing. Mya is a multi-sport athlete and has taken each challenge in stride. During the pandemic, Mya’s HPL Coastal FC team folded, and this led to a less busy schedule and gave Mya a test run without sports as she is not pursuing sports in university. She cherished the time she spent on the women’s team as she said the games and practices were “intense” and the skill level was high.
Mya is just like any grade 12 student; she is look forward to passing her N test in January and really wants a grad (this means commencement and grad dinner dance). Once she completes university, her goal is to become a nurse and travel the world. The one place Mya wants to travel to is Australia.
When asked about one takeaway that sports have given Mya, she says that it is family orientated and it taught her how to play as a team, working with each other, and having each other’s back. This is what made Mya so drawn into the sports and will continue to keep her playing sports even after high school.
One of the biggest challenges Mya has had as an athlete is getting hit in the head in grade 7. A concussion was diagnosed, and she had to learn a lot through this experience. She said it taught her to rest a lot and listen to your body. It also taught Mya not to get down on one’s self and that mindset is important. It taught her, even though you are not able to play sports for a while, but to keep going.
For Mya, her most memorable moment as an athlete at Semiahmoo was the 2020 BC Provincials AAAA Senior Girls Basketball finals. She remembered the introduction videos and the moment of winning it all. She was in awe of the full stands and the atmosphere the fans provided. It is one memory she will cherish forever.
Lastly, here is one piece of advice that Mya would give to a young athlete starting out. She says “Don’t be afraid to try something. In grade 8, I didn’t want to tryout for volleyball. But I wish I had that opportunity now.” She also continued with, “To never lose focus on having fun. People get too focused on their mistakes; you just have to go for it.”
We thank Mya for her time, and we wish her the best of luck moving forward.
In addition to soccer and basketball, Mya has also played in ultimate frisbee and rock climbing. Mya is a multi-sport athlete and has taken each challenge in stride. During the pandemic, Mya’s HPL Coastal FC team folded, and this led to a less busy schedule and gave Mya a test run without sports as she is not pursuing sports in university. She cherished the time she spent on the women’s team as she said the games and practices were “intense” and the skill level was high.
Mya is just like any grade 12 student; she is look forward to passing her N test in January and really wants a grad (this means commencement and grad dinner dance). Once she completes university, her goal is to become a nurse and travel the world. The one place Mya wants to travel to is Australia.
When asked about one takeaway that sports have given Mya, she says that it is family orientated and it taught her how to play as a team, working with each other, and having each other’s back. This is what made Mya so drawn into the sports and will continue to keep her playing sports even after high school.
One of the biggest challenges Mya has had as an athlete is getting hit in the head in grade 7. A concussion was diagnosed, and she had to learn a lot through this experience. She said it taught her to rest a lot and listen to your body. It also taught Mya not to get down on one’s self and that mindset is important. It taught her, even though you are not able to play sports for a while, but to keep going.
For Mya, her most memorable moment as an athlete at Semiahmoo was the 2020 BC Provincials AAAA Senior Girls Basketball finals. She remembered the introduction videos and the moment of winning it all. She was in awe of the full stands and the atmosphere the fans provided. It is one memory she will cherish forever.
Lastly, here is one piece of advice that Mya would give to a young athlete starting out. She says “Don’t be afraid to try something. In grade 8, I didn’t want to tryout for volleyball. But I wish I had that opportunity now.” She also continued with, “To never lose focus on having fun. People get too focused on their mistakes; you just have to go for it.”
We thank Mya for her time, and we wish her the best of luck moving forward.
Eknoor Gill (Nov 2020)
Eknoor is a grade 12 student who wants to study sciences in university (hopefully UVic or UBCO) and wants to major in Pre-Veterinary science. As a member of Semiahmoo Athletics, Eknoor has played in Rugby (Grade 8-10), Track and field (Grade 8-11), Basketball (Grade 10), and Volleyball (Grade 11). Eknoor has always taken up coaching the grade 9 girls this year in volleyball with Ms. Snead. He always wanted to volunteer and to give back to the school that he said has “given so much to me”. He said the first day was scary and having done PE Leadership and peer tutoring made the transition a lot easier.
As a new member of the senior volleyball team last year, he wanted to try something new as both his sisters have played for Team BC and always wanted him to play, even though he never did. He said the tryouts were scary at first, even though tryouts never scare him, and he got use to trying out for a lot of clubs and school teams. He also states that being surrounded by two leaders (Andrew Wilk and Jordan Cross) helped made it a smooth transition and it never felt uncomfortable. He said the season was very fun and he learned a lot from the coaches and from the leaders of the team. Although they did not do so well at the AAA BC Provincials, it was a good experience to learn and watch the best BC athletes.
The following is an interview with Eknoor:
What is one thing you take away from sports that you use everyday?
Eknoor: Never settle. Always try to strive to be the best version of yourself. Never be okay with losing and always try to win and give it your best.
What is your biggest challenge as an athlete?
Eknoor: Adapt to the unique challenges that every sport brings. For example, basketball needs basketball IQ, and certain aspects were able to transfer into other sports. Track and field helped with my jumping abilities. Learning what to take from certain sports and leaving others out.
What is your most memorable moment as an athlete at Semiahmoo?
Eknoor: Winning the junior basketball tournament at Semiahmoo (Totems Classic). Being able to play in front of the whole school and representing the school and community was amazing. Also, winning it for the first time in a long time felt good.
What is one piece of advice you want to give to a grade 8 entering high school?
Eknoor: Always ask seniors for help. If you do not know something, ask them as no seniors will say “don’t talk to me”. It is about learning certain aspects of the game and team environment. A lot of seniors have helped me in the past and helped me improve my game on certain levels.
As a new member of the senior volleyball team last year, he wanted to try something new as both his sisters have played for Team BC and always wanted him to play, even though he never did. He said the tryouts were scary at first, even though tryouts never scare him, and he got use to trying out for a lot of clubs and school teams. He also states that being surrounded by two leaders (Andrew Wilk and Jordan Cross) helped made it a smooth transition and it never felt uncomfortable. He said the season was very fun and he learned a lot from the coaches and from the leaders of the team. Although they did not do so well at the AAA BC Provincials, it was a good experience to learn and watch the best BC athletes.
The following is an interview with Eknoor:
What is one thing you take away from sports that you use everyday?
Eknoor: Never settle. Always try to strive to be the best version of yourself. Never be okay with losing and always try to win and give it your best.
What is your biggest challenge as an athlete?
Eknoor: Adapt to the unique challenges that every sport brings. For example, basketball needs basketball IQ, and certain aspects were able to transfer into other sports. Track and field helped with my jumping abilities. Learning what to take from certain sports and leaving others out.
What is your most memorable moment as an athlete at Semiahmoo?
Eknoor: Winning the junior basketball tournament at Semiahmoo (Totems Classic). Being able to play in front of the whole school and representing the school and community was amazing. Also, winning it for the first time in a long time felt good.
What is one piece of advice you want to give to a grade 8 entering high school?
Eknoor: Always ask seniors for help. If you do not know something, ask them as no seniors will say “don’t talk to me”. It is about learning certain aspects of the game and team environment. A lot of seniors have helped me in the past and helped me improve my game on certain levels.
Deja Lee, Izzy Forsyth & Tara Wallack (Oct 2020)
Deja Lee, Izzy Forsyth, and Tara Wallack have been a part of Semiahmoo Athletics since grade 8. They have played on a variety of teams including volleyball, basketball, track and field, ultimate frisbee, and soccer. All three seniors will be graduating in 2021 and they took the time to sit down and share their memories of being a Semiahmoo Athlete. They say that this has been the best 5 years of their life which included back to back senior basketball provincials. They also won the grade 8 basketball provincials together back in 2017. They highlighted that their annual trips to San Diego and Oregon were trips they enjoyed as athletes and bonded together as a team. Lastly, all three of them have represented Team Canada in international competition.
Next year, Deja will be attending UC Irvine, Izzy will be attending rival UC San Diego, and Tara will be more local at Washington State. For Deja and Izzy, they look forward to the California lifestyle and weather (as oppose to the rainy BC weather). Both are also looking forward to finally playing against each other. All three will be hoping to meet new people and try new food.
The rest of the spotlight will be an interview with each player:
What are your goals beyond university?
Deja – I want to play 1-2 years overseas in a professional league and then finish medical school and start my residency.
Izzy – I also want to play a few years in Europe and then use my communications degree and help companies such as Nike or Lululemon and be a part of their communications department. Maybe become their CEO eventually.
Tara – I want to help market for companies and eventually start my own company and sell merchandise.
What was your most memorable moment as a Semiahmoo athlete?
Deja – I really enjoyed playing with Faith Dut (Univ. of Florida) as a grade 9 and finally winning a provincial championship with her in grade 10. I really looked up to her, especially because she was a senior.
Izzy – Winning the provincials in grade 10. We were underdogs and it was unexpected. Especially because it was against a strong Walnut Grove team who had a lot of graduating players who had hoped to win.
Tara – Winning back to back provincials and making history. We won the senior provincials in 2020 with the largest point differential in BC Basketball history.
What was your biggest challenge you have experienced as an athlete?
Deja – Trying to balance athletics and academics. Having to make tough choices such as staying up late studying, but also having a big game the next day. It is easy to just choose one but trying to balance that and having a regular life is a challenge.
Izzy – Breaking my foot in grade 10 before the provincials and playing through it. The rehab was a big challenge and not being able to walk after taking the boot off was tough. It was even more difficult because I was hoping to recover and make it to Team Canada tryouts that summer. I had to stay on top of my rehab.
Tara – Spraining my ankle in Chile and a ruptured appendix in grade 9 nationals for Team BC. I lost a lot of weight and got pushed around on the court. I could have done a lot better and it was not one of my highest points.
What did you learn the most about yourself and playing with each other?
Since we have been playing together since grade 4, we know the ins and outs of each others game. We know the strengths and weaknesses of each other. For example, we know where each other will be for passes. Another thing is when Tara’s appendix ruptured, we saw how upset she was about playing time and how she was not doing her best. We tried to comfort her and support her through it.
What is one piece of advice you want to give to a student entering high school or wanting to get involved in athletics?
Deja – Move on from something and do not dwell on it. Move on from embarrassment and it is about your reactions to things. Your performance is mental, and you are only as good as you think you are. Advocate for yourself and have high expectations to get to where you want to be.
Izzy – Work in the gym on your own. Do what you can on your own and do not depend on a coach or a team to get playing time. You must earn it.
Tara – Similar to Izzy. During COVID, work on yourself because you can only do that and work on things you need to improve. There are no games, so keep improving on yourself.
Next year, Deja will be attending UC Irvine, Izzy will be attending rival UC San Diego, and Tara will be more local at Washington State. For Deja and Izzy, they look forward to the California lifestyle and weather (as oppose to the rainy BC weather). Both are also looking forward to finally playing against each other. All three will be hoping to meet new people and try new food.
The rest of the spotlight will be an interview with each player:
What are your goals beyond university?
Deja – I want to play 1-2 years overseas in a professional league and then finish medical school and start my residency.
Izzy – I also want to play a few years in Europe and then use my communications degree and help companies such as Nike or Lululemon and be a part of their communications department. Maybe become their CEO eventually.
Tara – I want to help market for companies and eventually start my own company and sell merchandise.
What was your most memorable moment as a Semiahmoo athlete?
Deja – I really enjoyed playing with Faith Dut (Univ. of Florida) as a grade 9 and finally winning a provincial championship with her in grade 10. I really looked up to her, especially because she was a senior.
Izzy – Winning the provincials in grade 10. We were underdogs and it was unexpected. Especially because it was against a strong Walnut Grove team who had a lot of graduating players who had hoped to win.
Tara – Winning back to back provincials and making history. We won the senior provincials in 2020 with the largest point differential in BC Basketball history.
What was your biggest challenge you have experienced as an athlete?
Deja – Trying to balance athletics and academics. Having to make tough choices such as staying up late studying, but also having a big game the next day. It is easy to just choose one but trying to balance that and having a regular life is a challenge.
Izzy – Breaking my foot in grade 10 before the provincials and playing through it. The rehab was a big challenge and not being able to walk after taking the boot off was tough. It was even more difficult because I was hoping to recover and make it to Team Canada tryouts that summer. I had to stay on top of my rehab.
Tara – Spraining my ankle in Chile and a ruptured appendix in grade 9 nationals for Team BC. I lost a lot of weight and got pushed around on the court. I could have done a lot better and it was not one of my highest points.
What did you learn the most about yourself and playing with each other?
Since we have been playing together since grade 4, we know the ins and outs of each others game. We know the strengths and weaknesses of each other. For example, we know where each other will be for passes. Another thing is when Tara’s appendix ruptured, we saw how upset she was about playing time and how she was not doing her best. We tried to comfort her and support her through it.
What is one piece of advice you want to give to a student entering high school or wanting to get involved in athletics?
Deja – Move on from something and do not dwell on it. Move on from embarrassment and it is about your reactions to things. Your performance is mental, and you are only as good as you think you are. Advocate for yourself and have high expectations to get to where you want to be.
Izzy – Work in the gym on your own. Do what you can on your own and do not depend on a coach or a team to get playing time. You must earn it.
Tara – Similar to Izzy. During COVID, work on yourself because you can only do that and work on things you need to improve. There are no games, so keep improving on yourself.
Brian Lee (Jun 2018)
Brian Lee has been a valuable member of Semiahmoo’s badminton team. He is a hardworking player with excellent work ethics and strong leadership skills. Brian never settles for mediocrity and spends endless hours training both inside and outside school, and never ceases to better himself both on and off courts. He placed an impressive 1st place for boys singles and a 2nd place for boys doubles at the Fraser Valley Championships. Moreover, he constantly encourages his fellow players to strive for excellence and he led the team to a 5th place finish at the 2018 BC Badminton Provincials. Brian also gives back to the badminton community by volunteering and dedicating many hours to help coach the badminton team at HT Thrift, as well as the Jr. badminton team here at Semiahmoo. Brian has proved himself to be a dedicated athlete who brings passion, integrity and inspiration to the Semiahmoo Badminton team. Congratulations Brian!
AVa Mitchell (May 2018)
When did you start playing sports?
I started doing sports when I was 6, I loved all sports but I mostly enjoyed the running. It wasn't until grade 3 When I joined cross country and placed 27th in the first race. From then on I just kept getting better. What drew me to running was the healthy, alive feeling after a long successful run.
What are some of your greatest accomplishments in Track & Field?
My biggest accomplishments this year would probably be running with the Sr girls 4x400m relay team in grade eight. Also my trip up to the Oregon Relays this spring with my coach and teammates, where we raced with older high school kids and performed really well.
Who has inspired you in your athletics endeavours?
My running coach Lynn Kanuka, my basketball coach Alison Mckneel, and all of my teachers have all had an impact on my sports.
These people inspire me because they volunteer their time, are very hardworking and dedicated to what they love to do. They often spend extra time with me to help with my basketball shooting, running form and schoolwork.
What are your goals in your athletics pursuits?
My goals this year are to make it into the BC Summer Games and to break 2:24 seconds in the 800m. I also plan to qualify for BC track and field provincials for both the 400m and 800m.
I started doing sports when I was 6, I loved all sports but I mostly enjoyed the running. It wasn't until grade 3 When I joined cross country and placed 27th in the first race. From then on I just kept getting better. What drew me to running was the healthy, alive feeling after a long successful run.
What are some of your greatest accomplishments in Track & Field?
My biggest accomplishments this year would probably be running with the Sr girls 4x400m relay team in grade eight. Also my trip up to the Oregon Relays this spring with my coach and teammates, where we raced with older high school kids and performed really well.
Who has inspired you in your athletics endeavours?
My running coach Lynn Kanuka, my basketball coach Alison Mckneel, and all of my teachers have all had an impact on my sports.
These people inspire me because they volunteer their time, are very hardworking and dedicated to what they love to do. They often spend extra time with me to help with my basketball shooting, running form and schoolwork.
What are your goals in your athletics pursuits?
My goals this year are to make it into the BC Summer Games and to break 2:24 seconds in the 800m. I also plan to qualify for BC track and field provincials for both the 400m and 800m.
PRIYA GILLAN (Feb 2018)
When did you start playing soccer and what drew you most to the game?
I started playing soccer when I was nine years old and I played in the midfield. My parents encouraged me to play however, I was only an average field player. I didn’t know that I was only average but I still wanted to try out for the Gold team at my club. My parents knew the probable outcome but they supported me anyway. The coaches told me that I was not good enough for any of the select teams (Gold, Silver or Bronze) as a field player. However, I might able to play for the Bronze team if I agreed to play backup goalkeeper and sit on the bench a lot. I agreed and found my new position! Eventually when I saw field time the coaches were impressed with my abilities as a goalkeeper. I played more and more games and when it became time to try out from the High Performance League, I was selected to be the starting goalkeeper.
I love how unpredictable soccer is. A team could be playing the best game of their season and still lose because the game goes to penalty kicks. Or the weather could be crazy and play a factor in the outcome of the game. One of the best parts of the game is getting to work with a great group of players on a team who all love the sport as much as I do and come out every day to do their best on the field.
What are some of your previous accomplishments in the sport?
I have been selected to play on the BC Provincial Team for six years and it’s always a great experience, as we travel to tournaments in different places and play other provincial teams. In 2015, the Provincial Team travelled to Wood Buffalo, Alberta for the Western Canada Summer Games, where we won the gold medal. I was also named the Female Goalkeeper of the Year in 2015. This year, I was selected to the Team BC training camp for the 2017 Canada Summer Games and earned a spot on the reserve team.
Who were some people (players, coaches, parents, etc) that inspired you and encourage you to reach the accomplishment of Signing with Illinois State?
My parent say, “It takes a village to raise a child.” In my village, there are my siblings Aneel and Arjan, my parents, and my grandparents. My coaches, my teachers and my friends have also been part of my journey and they are part of my village. Everyone in my village has been very supportive and I definitely wouldn’t be where I am without them. I especially have to thank my parents. They drove me to every single practice and game and they encouraged me to be the best player I could be. They said that the sky was the limit for my career and when I told them that I wanted to play NCAA Division I Soccer in the US, they were all for it. My parents would definitely be the force helping make my soccer dreams into reality.
What was it like to be invited on Illinois State's campus?
I was nervous! I wanted to please the coaches and the players... and then I realized that if I put on an act, I could not maintain it indefinitely. So I decided to be myself. Luckily they liked me for me and invited me back!
What are your continued goals in soccer?
I want to get better, and I want to continue to challenge myself. For women at this stage of my life, this is one of the highest levels of soccer that one can play and therefore this will continue to improve my play. It has always been my dream to play in the Canadian Women’s National Team and go to the Olympics or play in a professional league. My goal for right now is to prepare myself so I can be my best self for preseason and securing a spot on the roster. I like to focus on the interim, day-to-day, month-to-month, year-to-year goals to get me to the next level and hopefully achieve these larger milestones.
Congrats Priya, TOTEMS Athletics is proud of your accomplishments! All the best!
I started playing soccer when I was nine years old and I played in the midfield. My parents encouraged me to play however, I was only an average field player. I didn’t know that I was only average but I still wanted to try out for the Gold team at my club. My parents knew the probable outcome but they supported me anyway. The coaches told me that I was not good enough for any of the select teams (Gold, Silver or Bronze) as a field player. However, I might able to play for the Bronze team if I agreed to play backup goalkeeper and sit on the bench a lot. I agreed and found my new position! Eventually when I saw field time the coaches were impressed with my abilities as a goalkeeper. I played more and more games and when it became time to try out from the High Performance League, I was selected to be the starting goalkeeper.
I love how unpredictable soccer is. A team could be playing the best game of their season and still lose because the game goes to penalty kicks. Or the weather could be crazy and play a factor in the outcome of the game. One of the best parts of the game is getting to work with a great group of players on a team who all love the sport as much as I do and come out every day to do their best on the field.
What are some of your previous accomplishments in the sport?
I have been selected to play on the BC Provincial Team for six years and it’s always a great experience, as we travel to tournaments in different places and play other provincial teams. In 2015, the Provincial Team travelled to Wood Buffalo, Alberta for the Western Canada Summer Games, where we won the gold medal. I was also named the Female Goalkeeper of the Year in 2015. This year, I was selected to the Team BC training camp for the 2017 Canada Summer Games and earned a spot on the reserve team.
Who were some people (players, coaches, parents, etc) that inspired you and encourage you to reach the accomplishment of Signing with Illinois State?
My parent say, “It takes a village to raise a child.” In my village, there are my siblings Aneel and Arjan, my parents, and my grandparents. My coaches, my teachers and my friends have also been part of my journey and they are part of my village. Everyone in my village has been very supportive and I definitely wouldn’t be where I am without them. I especially have to thank my parents. They drove me to every single practice and game and they encouraged me to be the best player I could be. They said that the sky was the limit for my career and when I told them that I wanted to play NCAA Division I Soccer in the US, they were all for it. My parents would definitely be the force helping make my soccer dreams into reality.
What was it like to be invited on Illinois State's campus?
I was nervous! I wanted to please the coaches and the players... and then I realized that if I put on an act, I could not maintain it indefinitely. So I decided to be myself. Luckily they liked me for me and invited me back!
What are your continued goals in soccer?
I want to get better, and I want to continue to challenge myself. For women at this stage of my life, this is one of the highest levels of soccer that one can play and therefore this will continue to improve my play. It has always been my dream to play in the Canadian Women’s National Team and go to the Olympics or play in a professional league. My goal for right now is to prepare myself so I can be my best self for preseason and securing a spot on the roster. I like to focus on the interim, day-to-day, month-to-month, year-to-year goals to get me to the next level and hopefully achieve these larger milestones.
Congrats Priya, TOTEMS Athletics is proud of your accomplishments! All the best!
Sami Janzen & Blake Bradburn (Dec 2017)
Sami was a major key to this year’s Senior Girls Volleyball Team. Sami has played Volleyball at Semiahmoo Secondary since grade 8 and has constantly shown the great skill and leadership of a Totem for 5 amazing years. Sami was an important setter and led her team to a strong 4th place finish at the Best of the West Volleyball Tournament in Kelowna. Also, at the 2017 BC Senior Girls Volleyball Provincial Championships they finished 4th place for the second year in a row. Sami also plays club Volleyball for Fraser Valley Volleyball Club. Congratulations Sami!
Blake has had a major role on the Senior Boys Volleyball team for the past two years. As Libero, Blake is a backcourt specialist, deemed the best passer on the team. In the past two years, Blake has dug up hits from some of the best players in the province. He is a fearless defender that moves his feet to get behind every spike regardless of its velocity. The Libero position is often over looked and not highlighted, as most spectators watch the setting and especially the spiking. Neither occur unless the setter receives great passes and this is exactly where Blake steps in to make the big plays. He has brought passion and excitement to the Senior Boys Volleyball Team, is a great encourager and teammate to the guys. Well done Blake! TOTEMS Athletics is proud of your impact in the Boys Volleyball Program.
Kalissa Beltran (Nov 2017)
This Month's (November) TOTEMS Spotlight Athlete's go to Kalissa Beltran & TBA. Kalissa was MVP at Douglas 2 years ago, UBCO last year, and BOTW this year. Her Academy team won provincials and Canadian Nationals last year, as well as 8th in US Nationals. She is known for her speed and energy on the court. She started as a gymnast at 6, and trained 25 hours a week. She competed for BC at 11, she competed nationally at 11, and her team represented Canada at Gymnaestrada in Lausanne, Switzerland in 2011. Kalissa trains at the gym 5 days a week, practices with Academy 2-3 days a week, on top of school practice. Her goal is to play post secondary.
Pavel, Hosea, & Mark Potashov (Oct 2017)
This Month's (October) TOTEMS Spotlight Athlete's go to Pavel Potashov, Hosea Potashov, and Mark Potashov. The Semiahmoo brother trio of Pavel, Hosea and Mark have been tearing up the grass, gravel and other ground surfaces over the last few weeks in cross country. The results have seen all three brothers receiving top 3 finishes in their respective age categories. The family connection has allowed for each brother to encourage not only each other but the rest of the cross country team. We look forward to seeing these three race at Fraser Valleys next Wednesday!
Nicole Pajic & Carli Puskas (May 2017)
This Month's (May) TOTEMS Spotlight Athlete's go to Nicole Pajic and Carli Puskas. This year has turned out to be a very special one, especially for grade 8 female athletics in Semiahmoo. The TOTEMS grade 8 girls have won 5 Surrey Championships - Cross Country, Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, and Track and Field. They have also won 4 Fraser Valley Championships, finished a very close 2nd in one other and won a BC Invitational Championship in Basketball.
We had 2 grade 8 girls who played on all 5 teams, Nicole Pajic and Carli Puskas. They were both major contributors on all of the teams. Nicole is a true multi-sport athlete, having played club soccer, volleyball, basketball and track and field, as well as taking ballet for the past 11 years. Carl is a feisty, competitive athlete with a passion for soccer and running. Together the 2 girls are also a part of the 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m relay teams that won the 4 x 100m BC Championships running a team 52.89 in Langley.
It is so rare these days for student athletes to play on many teams and yet here we have 2 grade 8 girls that have shown such commitment and enthusiasm for 5 school teams. We are not sure we will ever see it again. Well done TOTEMS!
We had 2 grade 8 girls who played on all 5 teams, Nicole Pajic and Carli Puskas. They were both major contributors on all of the teams. Nicole is a true multi-sport athlete, having played club soccer, volleyball, basketball and track and field, as well as taking ballet for the past 11 years. Carl is a feisty, competitive athlete with a passion for soccer and running. Together the 2 girls are also a part of the 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m relay teams that won the 4 x 100m BC Championships running a team 52.89 in Langley.
It is so rare these days for student athletes to play on many teams and yet here we have 2 grade 8 girls that have shown such commitment and enthusiasm for 5 school teams. We are not sure we will ever see it again. Well done TOTEMS!
Evan Mcmartin (May 2017)
This Month's (May) TOTEMS Spotlight Athlete goes to Evan McMartin. It's an incredibly busy month of May for Grade 8 Evan McMartin. As captain of the rugby team, he will lead his team into both the Surrey and Fraser Valley Rugby Championships over the next three weeks. As the only player on the team with any significant background in the game, Evan has not only led by example, but has helped teach and model the game for his teammates. But rugby is a team game and it must be noted that to a man, the grade 8 rugby players have brought a terrific attitude and willingness to learn. It's been a great season to date.
Individually Evan also represents Semiahmoo in Field events capturing Second in the Discus and Third in the Shot Put at the recent Surrey Track Meet. Next week Evan will attempt to improve upon these results at the Fraser Valley Meet.
Congratulations Evan on your work to date, and good luck with the events to come.
Individually Evan also represents Semiahmoo in Field events capturing Second in the Discus and Third in the Shot Put at the recent Surrey Track Meet. Next week Evan will attempt to improve upon these results at the Fraser Valley Meet.
Congratulations Evan on your work to date, and good luck with the events to come.
Brian Wallack (Feb 2017)
This Month's (February) TOTEMS Spotlight Athlete goes to Brian Wallack. Brian is a high level, multi-sport athlete, as he was also a member on the Senior Boys Volleyball team that won the BC Banner this year. This winter he has been the Senior Boys starting point guard, starting every game he has played. Wallack has helped the team to some great successes, including: competitive team play south of the border (Astoria, Tillamook, Portland, and San Diego), finishing 1st in the Southwest League, and winning the Surrey RCMP Basketball Tourney. He has also accumulated a number of personal accolades, such as: 1st team Allstar at the prestigious Leagle Beagle Basketball Tournament, 1st team Allstar at the Western Canadian Basketball Invitational Tournament in Kelowna, and MVP honours at this year’s Surrey RCMP Tournament. Wallack nearly broke a Western Canadian Basketball Tournament single game scoring record, when he notched 43 points against Raymond, Alberta. Not only is Wallack a leader on the team as captain, he is also a leader in the classroom, currently earning a 95% average. He is a constant leader on the court, in the hallways and in the classroom. Wallack has also participated in TOTEMS Athletics Mentor Refereeing program, refereeing grade eight, nine, and elementary basketball games. Wallack plans to play university basketball. While his destination is unknown, there are many suitors as over 10 universities are currently recruiting him. With his high academic average, his high athleticism, and his dedication and commitment to excellence, Brian Wallack will do great things in the future in whatever he decides to do. TOTEMS Athletics is very proud of you, Great work Wallack!
Jennifer Tinnes (Jan 2017)
This month's (January) TOTEMS Spotlight Athlete is Jennifer Tinnes. Jennifer is a key player for the Senior Girls Basketball team this season where she is averaging a team high 20 points and 8 rebounds a game. As a result of her exceptional performance during the recent Surrey Firefighter's Goodwill Tournament, where she lead the team to a first place finish on the Ladder side of the draw, Jennifer was named MVP. As well, Jennifer has taken home "player of the game honors" in previous tournaments this season. Her attitude, determination and confidence inspires her teammates to play hard in order to maintain a high standard of success. We look forward to watching Jennifer play the rest of the basketball season and leading her team into the playoffs. Outstanding play Jennifer!
Michael Dowhaniuk (dec 2016)
This month's (December) TOTEMS Spotlight Athlete is Michael Dowhaniuk. Michael was a key player for the Senior Boys Volleyball team this season. He helped to lead the team to a first place finish in not only the Fraser Valleys, but also Provincials. As a result of his exceptional performance, he was named MVP at both tournaments. He has shown excellent character, sportsmanship and leadership skills. His passion for volleyball is contagious and inspires his teammates to also get excited about the sport. We look forward to watching him play in club and next year for the Totems. Way to lead the troops in bringing home the 2016-17 BC Provincial Banner! Great job Michael!
Royce Dhillon (Nov 2016)
This month's (November) TOTEMS Spotlight Athlete is Royce Dillon. Royce was an integral part of the grade 8/9 boys’ soccer team’s success this year. His versatility to play midfield and forward showcased that he has unbelievable playmaking ability and also a natural scoring instinct. Royce demonstrated a winning attitude from the beginning of the season, at practice and at every game. He is currently in grade 8 and has been playing with Surrey United HPL in the community. As of late, he has been playing a year up with the club, hoping to win the Provincials with the U14s. Royce has been invited to several Team BC soccer camps and continues to play for the program. His attitude towards and confidence in not only himself, but his teammates, has made Royce a leader on the soccer team and at school.
Jag Gill (Oct 2016)
This months (October) Totem Spotlight Athlete is Jag Gill. Jag is a committed athlete to the sport of Volleyball. He continually impresses with his determination to try harder and get better within the sport. Jag not only plays on both the Jr Boys and Sr Boys volleyball team but as well he helps mentor the newer Jr boys athletes during their practices. Jag makes sure that everyone is warmed up before the coach arrives and leads by example during games by showing heart and keeping the team mentally in the game. Jag has proven himself to be a key member in the Totem Boys Volleyball program, and even greater, within the Semi Totems Athletic Program. Well done Jag!
Berlyn Sesejla & Kate Richards (Sep 2016)
This months (September) Totem Spotlight Athletes are Berlyn Sesejla, Kate Richards, and Hera Sifkas (graduated) played on the U18 Team BC girls rugby team this summer. The girls helped the team place 1st at the National Championships this summer in Toronto. Well done girls! We are excited to see you on the field competing for Semi this Spring!
Hera Sfikas (Jun 2016)
This months (June) spotlight athlete is Hera Sfikas. Hera has been a five year starter for the Totems Girls Rugby Team and led the team to two straight fourth place finishes at the BC Provincial Championships. Hera has a great passion for the game and has been a team leader for several years and captain of the team in her senior year. Hera is proof that size is overrated on the rugby field as her skill, fitness, energy and heart allow her to play above her size and made her one of the elite players in the province. Hera made the BC U-18 last year as a grade 11 and plans on continuing her rugby at UBC in the fall. Hera is loved by her teammates and respected by her opponents and has been a huge part of the Semiahmoo Girl Rugby Team for the past five years. Well done Hera, the Semiahmoo Athletic Department would like to wish you all the best in your student-athlete endeavors at the University of British Columbia.
Adam PAige (May 2016)
Full Name: Adam Paige
Age: 16
Sports: Ultimate, Volleyball and Basketball
Height: 6'6"
Club teams: White Rock Volleyball Club & Basketball BC
This month's (May) spotlight athlete is Adam Paige. Adam has been a fantastic multi-sport athlete since he arrived at Semiahmoo Secondary School in grade 8. This past year he has made a large leap. He started every game for the senior boys, while only being in grade 10. The talented forward shot his way to player of the game awards in the Sir Winston Churchill and Vancouver College tournaments. He posted double digit scoring in 26 or 32 games this season. Since the Totems season ended, Adam was selected to be on the u17 Basketball BC Provincial team. This feat is extraordinary because he is the only underage athlete to be a part of the this group and consensus is that this is the best u17 provincial team in years.
Semiahmoo is very proud of Adam in his growth as a responsible young man, great teammates and personal accomplishments in sports. We are lucky to watch him continue to develop for the next two years. Keep up the hard work!
Age: 16
Sports: Ultimate, Volleyball and Basketball
Height: 6'6"
Club teams: White Rock Volleyball Club & Basketball BC
This month's (May) spotlight athlete is Adam Paige. Adam has been a fantastic multi-sport athlete since he arrived at Semiahmoo Secondary School in grade 8. This past year he has made a large leap. He started every game for the senior boys, while only being in grade 10. The talented forward shot his way to player of the game awards in the Sir Winston Churchill and Vancouver College tournaments. He posted double digit scoring in 26 or 32 games this season. Since the Totems season ended, Adam was selected to be on the u17 Basketball BC Provincial team. This feat is extraordinary because he is the only underage athlete to be a part of the this group and consensus is that this is the best u17 provincial team in years.
Semiahmoo is very proud of Adam in his growth as a responsible young man, great teammates and personal accomplishments in sports. We are lucky to watch him continue to develop for the next two years. Keep up the hard work!
Julia Greer (Apr 2016)
This month's (April) spotlight athlete is Julia Greer. Greer is a grade 12 student-athlete at Semiahmoo Secondary School who just completed her 5th year on the Totems Track & Field team. Greer has a great passion for running and pursuing excellence on the track. She has shown to her teammates and coaches that she has a great work ethic, determination, and drive to become the best she can be on the track. Excellent accomplishment Julia for receiving a scholarship to run for the University of Victoria Vikes. All the best!
Kara Lauer & Tower Li (Mar 2016)
This month's (March) spotlight athletes are Kara Lauer and Tower Li. Kara Lauer is a grade 12 student-athlete at Semiahmoo Secondary School who just completed her 5th year in the Totems Girls Basketball Program. Tower Li is a grade 12 student-athlete at Semiahmoo Secondary School who also just completed his 5th year in the Totems Boys Basketball Program. Both Kara and Tower have exemplified a strong pursuit of excellence within their sport and most importantly in the way they compete in each practice and game. Each have led their respected basketball programs with integrity and in an "uncommon" style of leadership. We have had the pleasure of experiencing their hard work, determination, dedication, and passion and wish them all the best as they graduate.
They have asked them both a few questions and they have given their thoughtful and passionate responses back, here they are:
Mr. Janzen: What was a highlight of playing basketball as a totem?
Kara: There are two moments that stick out to me as highlights of playing basketball as a Totem. At the beginning of my career at Semi in grade 8 we had no expectations of how the season would play out. We fought hard and formed relationships that made our team strong. We ended up finishing 3rd in Fraser Valleys and I wont ever forget that moment. I was so happy and proud of what we had accomplished. Fast forward 5 years of an unforgettable journey with these girls to my senior year of basketball. We have had an amazing season with so many achievements (big and small) to look back at and memories to last a life time but one that will always stand out it is winning the surrey firefighters tournament. The proudness felt from our whole team on being able to bring home a trophy and banner that showed how our hard work and determination payed off was an extraordinary moment.
Tower: The most memorable highlight from my basketball stint as a Totem will always be making and playing in the 2015 BC Provincials (first time Semi has gone since nearly four decades ago!). Our team that year went on a roll at the end of the season, and every game just felt so fun and exhilarating with those guys.
Mr. Janzen: What have you learned from playing basketball at semi that will help you with the game of life?
Kara: Playing basketball has taught me a lot of things that I hope to carry with me for the rest of my life. You need to be able to work with others around you and share in accomplishments and failures. Adversity occurs no matter where you go, it's how you deal with it that defines who you are. Hard work goes along way, put in the time and effort and good things will come. As well, surrounding yourself with people you trust can lead to confidence in yourself and others.
Tower: Playing for both teams that struggled and teams that thrived really taught me how to fully commit to a team and contribute whatever was necessary in order to help my team win. It's the same with life; it isn't always going to be about you, but when it is, be sure to take full advantage of it.
Mr. Janzen: What are your plans next year after you graduate?
Kara: I plan to attend Simon Fraser University in the fall to study Law, I want to be able to help people stay honest and responsible for their actions. As well, I can see myself playing some intramural basketball on the side as sports are and always will be a huge part of who I am.
Tower: After I graduate, I plan on heading out east for post-secondary. I am not sure of which school I'll be attending yet, but I am sure that I want to work with youth and somehow incorporate that with medicine. You can also be sure that whenever I get the chance, I'll be back in that Semiahmoo gym cheering our guys on or playing some pick-up.
A few shots of Kara and Tower in action!
They have asked them both a few questions and they have given their thoughtful and passionate responses back, here they are:
Mr. Janzen: What was a highlight of playing basketball as a totem?
Kara: There are two moments that stick out to me as highlights of playing basketball as a Totem. At the beginning of my career at Semi in grade 8 we had no expectations of how the season would play out. We fought hard and formed relationships that made our team strong. We ended up finishing 3rd in Fraser Valleys and I wont ever forget that moment. I was so happy and proud of what we had accomplished. Fast forward 5 years of an unforgettable journey with these girls to my senior year of basketball. We have had an amazing season with so many achievements (big and small) to look back at and memories to last a life time but one that will always stand out it is winning the surrey firefighters tournament. The proudness felt from our whole team on being able to bring home a trophy and banner that showed how our hard work and determination payed off was an extraordinary moment.
Tower: The most memorable highlight from my basketball stint as a Totem will always be making and playing in the 2015 BC Provincials (first time Semi has gone since nearly four decades ago!). Our team that year went on a roll at the end of the season, and every game just felt so fun and exhilarating with those guys.
Mr. Janzen: What have you learned from playing basketball at semi that will help you with the game of life?
Kara: Playing basketball has taught me a lot of things that I hope to carry with me for the rest of my life. You need to be able to work with others around you and share in accomplishments and failures. Adversity occurs no matter where you go, it's how you deal with it that defines who you are. Hard work goes along way, put in the time and effort and good things will come. As well, surrounding yourself with people you trust can lead to confidence in yourself and others.
Tower: Playing for both teams that struggled and teams that thrived really taught me how to fully commit to a team and contribute whatever was necessary in order to help my team win. It's the same with life; it isn't always going to be about you, but when it is, be sure to take full advantage of it.
Mr. Janzen: What are your plans next year after you graduate?
Kara: I plan to attend Simon Fraser University in the fall to study Law, I want to be able to help people stay honest and responsible for their actions. As well, I can see myself playing some intramural basketball on the side as sports are and always will be a huge part of who I am.
Tower: After I graduate, I plan on heading out east for post-secondary. I am not sure of which school I'll be attending yet, but I am sure that I want to work with youth and somehow incorporate that with medicine. You can also be sure that whenever I get the chance, I'll be back in that Semiahmoo gym cheering our guys on or playing some pick-up.
A few shots of Kara and Tower in action!
Aidan Cowell (Feb 2016)
This month's spotlight (February) athlete is Aidan Cowell. Aidan is a grade 8 student representing Semiahmoo Secondary in his gymnastic competitions. Aidan is a very dedicated athlete who commutes to Delta to train for his competitions. Hard work always pays off, and because of Aidan's hard work he found himself on the 1st place podium at the Fraser Valley Championships. Aidan demonstrates great character as he was very humble in his accomplishments
