Sport Alumi
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
Welcome to the Sports Alumni Blog a place where former athletes and supporters stay connected through past memories, new achievements, and their lives outside Shawnigan. Our goal is to celebrate and share stories of past athletes that make our school sports program special.
Photo credit: Arden Gill
Meet Our Athletes
Caitlin Pearce
Hi, my name is Caitlin Pearce. I graduated from Shawnigan in 2024, and was co-captain for the Ironwomen during the 2023-2024 season. I’m currently a student at the University of British Columbia where I study kinesiology and play for the women’s rugby team.
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​Shawnigan had a major influence on where I am today, especially in helping me discover my interest in kinesiology. Through my experiences with rugby and working with the athletic therapists at school, I became interested in injury prevention, recovery, and how the body works. Without those experiences and the support I received at Shawnigan, I likely wouldn’t have found the path I’m on now.
​Shawnigan prepared me for university and life beyond high school by helping me develop strong time-management and study skills through my coursework. Balancing school with sports and other extracurriculars taught me discipline, perseverance, and independence. The supportive environment pushed me to work harder, and gave me the confidence to adapt to new challenges outside of Shawnigan.​
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Being part of the Ironwomen taught me how to be a better teammate, leader, friend, and player. The coaches and players consistently set the standard high, and pushed us to be the best. I gained friends for life, and learnt things I didn’t even know about myself. If it wasn’t for the belief the coaches had in me, and the support from the team, I don’t think I would be the player - and person - I am today. Being able to play my last ever game as an Ironwoman with my sister on the pitch next to me will forever be one of the greatest gifts Shawnigan has ever given me, and for that I will always be grateful. Captaining and playing for the Ironwomen was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had, and I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.
​One of my favourite sporting moments at Shawnigan was definitely either when we won provincials in the 2022-2023 season and went undefeated, or when Mr. Murdy gave my tackle a “BOOMFA” on the livestream against DW. Poppy.
I also want to recognise my teachers Mr Wilkie (math), Mr. Doig, Mr. Lupton, Shannon Atkins for always being there for me and helping make my time at Shawnigan so memorable
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My advice to Shawnigan students is to take advantage of everything Shawnigan offers, even if it feels challenging at the time. Get involved in activities, build strong connections with teachers and peers, and don’t be afraid to push yourself outside your comfort zone. It goes by so fast, and the skills and connections you build there will last for years to come.
Sophie Hayes
Hi my name is Sophie and I am currently at Harvard concentrating in Economics with a secondary in Psychology.
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Shawnigan had a huge influence on my life in every aspect. My teachers pushed me harder than I think I would have been able to push myself or been pushed in any other environment, the people that I met at the school, whether it be seniors that I strived to be like, or upperclassmen that I now get to go to school with again because they showed me where I could go, or roommates that I still talk to nearly every day have all definitely influenced me to work as hard as I can. And the facilities that shawnigan had kind of influenced me to not allow myself to settle for less. I think as a whole Shawnigan really influenced me to work not only with others but for others, and it showed me how greatly a community can contribute to an individual.
Obviously having boarded for all five years, Shawnigan helped me manage dorm living and conflict resolution within living. Shawnigan also prepared me to learn how to balance my work life with my personal life, and as an athlete I think that it's really important to have that balance.
Mme Guffens who was my teacher and advisor definitely had a big impact on me because of how deeply she cared for our class and her students. I would also say Mr. Science Wilke (Silke) had a big impact on me because his classes were so interesting that it made me excited to be a student for another four years which is hard to feel as a senior.
I think the biggest piece of advice for me was to work as hard as you can to have as much fun as you can. As important as school is, if you're not also taking time to do things for yourself (spend time with friends, play sports - whatever is fun for you) then you are not taking full advantage of what makes Shawnigan Shawnigan.
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Gigi Yueng
Hi my name is Gigi! I’m currently a professional squash player and I became the first squash player from Macau to win a professional title. I also do part-time squash coaching and university consulting. I help high school students get recruited by varsity athletic teams and get into top US universities. I graduated from Yale University in 2025 and I studied mechanical engineering.
Shawnigan definitely opened many doors for me, and I likely would not have gotten into an Ivy League university without attending the school. SLS taught me how to be independent and manage my time effectively. When many students go to university, it is their first time living away from home, and they struggle with taking care of themselves and might even feel homesick. Because of my experience at SLS, I felt well prepared and was able to handle a busy schedule while staying organized.
One of my favourite memories was Ski week. I remember there was no wifi and cell service the years that I went, so it was a great opportunity to get to know everyone better and get closer with my friends.
Furthermore, I want to recognise Dr. T for always being very supportive of me playing squash and was always flexible whenever I had to miss class for tournaments, as long as I completed the work afterward. He also prepared me very well academically for university, which made adjusting to university lectures much easier. Mike, the squash coach, also had a huge impact on me. He was always willing to support me, stay for extra sessions, and work hard with me to help me improve.
Diving back into sports, my squash team meant a lot to me because they were the people I spent so much time with every day. We pushed each other and motivated one another to work harder. In fact, I only considered applying to an Ivy League university because one of my teammates got recruited to UPenn for squash, and that made me realize maybe it’s possible for me too.
One of my favorite sporting moments at SLS was definitely playing in a tournament at Shawnigan with everyone coming to watch and support! It made the experience very memorable and gave me a real sense of pride in being part of the school and the team.
And to finish off, my advice to you is to work hard and be willing to give everything a try. You never know what opportunities may come from it!
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Ava Ference
Hi My name is Ava and I am a current student at Harvard studying Government on the Law and Justice track.
Shawnigan has influenced me in more ways than I can count, but what I'm most grateful for are the opportunities it offered me to discover who I am. I've always believed in exposing yourself to as many experiences and interests as possible, and Shawnigan really allowed me to do so.
Aside from academics, Shawnigan helped me develop my time management skills. Being involved in athletics, various clubs/extra curriculars, and leadership positions, while balancing my academics really forced me to learn how to properly set priorities and time manage effectively so that I could ensure that I was able to participate in each to the fullest extent.
It’s hard to single out one specific memory from my time at Shaw, however, one of my absolute favorite things was Interhouse. The buzz and excitement around the various interhouse events was always so palpable. Dressing up in your house colours, chanting the house chants, and competing for your house in whichever event was on the docket was so incredibly fun. These events held this collective energy that would pull the whole house together, and that sense of pride and belonging is something I'll carry with me long after Shaw.
So many teachers have influenced my time at Shawnigan. However two teachers in specific stand out for me and that is Mr. Mayes, who was my AP Chem teacher, and Mrs. Edgson, who was my AP Lang teacher. The reason that these two had such a massive impact on me is very similar in many ways. Coming into both of their classes I was not a confident student within the sciences and literature studies. However, they both took so much time and care and fundamentally changed how I am as a student. It sounds corny, but both of them believed in me before I believed in myself, and that kind of investment from a teacher changes you. I left both of those classes not just more knowledgeable, but genuinely more confident as a student, and that's carried over into everything I've done since.
My biggest piece of advice to you would be to involve yourself with a vast array of groups and people. In doing so not only will you get to learn a new skill, and maybe find a new hobby, but you will get to learn from such incredible people whether they're a staff member or a peer. You will notice that in gaining these connections you will come to understand the world and others better but also yourself better. I am a very strong proponent of surrounding yourself with as many different belief systems and outlooks as possible and being “a student of the world”. Shawnigan is a uniquely special place to do this because of its diverse community, students and staff come from all walks of life, from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds, and that richness is something you should take full advantage of. Have the conversations that challenge you. Sit with people who see the world differently than you do. Join the club you never thought you'd enjoy. Some of my most formative experiences at Shaw came from stepping outside my comfort zone and saying yes to things I wasn't sure about. ​
It's so hard to put into words what the rugby program at Shawnigan means to me. To be surrounded by incredible facilities, coaching, teammates, and to have the backing of a vast network of alumni and friends and family was something that is so unique to Shawnigan and not found in many other high schools. Beyond that though, shawnigan rugby not only made me a better player, but a better teammate, leader, and person. I feel so lucky to be a blip in the history of the program and the Ironwomen. What makes the Ironwomen so special is the culture that has been built over generations, a legacy of strong women who showed up for each other, pushed each other, and lifted each other up. That culture of support doesn't happen by accident. It's been passed down and protected by every player who has worn that jersey, and being trusted to carry it forward is something I will always take pride in. Being part of a community of women who genuinely champion one another is rare and not something to be taken for granted.
Winning the provincial championship in my senior year is without a doubt one of my favourite memories. For the two years leading up to it, we had been building toward that moment, so to cap it all off with an undefeated season and finally bring home that title felt like everything came together at the right time. I was so incredibly proud of each and every one of us, but what stands out most is that we did it while genuinely enjoying ourselves. Rugby is fun, and I think that's exactly what made us so successful that year, we never lost sight of that. Staying focused and staying joyful at the same time is harder than it sounds, and we got it right.
