Trinity Western Spartans prop Josh Halladay credits the program's shared coaching staff as a source of unity through the tough 2020-21 season. (Photo by Mark Janzen property of Trinity Western athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Rugby University rugby

Trinity Western rugby: By sharing the same coaching staff, Spartans’ men’s & women’s teams strengthen team bonds!

LANGLEY — Its blueprint leads you to believe it has been designed specifically to guide its student-athletes through the unique emotional demands of the current global pandemic.Yet the coaching co-operative which was poured as part of the foundation of the Trinity Western Spartans men’s and women’s rugby teams back in 2019 is proving itself to […]

B.C. high school rugby commissioner Walter Van Halst speaks to the challenges which lay ahead for his and all other high school sports. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca 2019. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Other

05.20.20 edition: Varsity Letters-The Podcast talks B.C. high school rugby with commissioner Walt Van Halst

Welcome to another edition of Varsity Letters-The Podcast. This week, we speak with Walter Van Halst, the commissioner of the B.C. Secondary Schools Rugby Union, on the future of the sport within the provincial high school ranks.   B.C. high school rugby was coming off one of its most successful seasons ever in 2019 with […]

Today, Varsity Letters celebrates the B.C. senior girls cross-country champion Sentinel Spartans, plus the recently-completed 2018-19 season's 72 other B.C. high school senior varsity team champions! (Photo property of Sentinel athletics 2019. All rights reserved)
Feature High School

A Sunday Photo Album: We celebrate all 73 B.C. high school senior varsity team champions from 2018-19

LANGLEY — Welcome to a Varsity Letters first! As part of our season-ending tribute to the student-athletes and coaches who make the B.C. high school sports world such a special fraternity, we started out with a simple idea: Publishing the photographs of every senior varsity team to win a B.C. high school championship over the course […]

Despite playing just one season of football, West Vancouver's Simon Li has been signed by the Canada West power Calgary Dinos. (Photo property of West Vancouver Secondary athletics 2019. All rights reserved)
Feature High School Football High School Rugby University Football

West Vancouver’s Simon Li: Just 15 months after tackling football and rugby, the Highlanders’ raw rookie answers the call of the Calgary Dinos

WEST VANCOUVER — Out of nowhere, he established his high school’s new gold standard for raw rookies. Now, West Vancouver Highlanders’ graduating senior  Simon Li is headed off to a university career as a diamond in the rough.

Behind the stellar play of Landon Clironomos, Vancouver's Lord Byng Grey Ghosts won their first B.C. senior boys varsity rugby tile in precisely 20 years. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca 2019. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Rugby

It was 20 years ago this week! Lord Byng coach Mallette relishes “…a precious opportunity” as Grey Ghosts snap a two decade title drought

ABBOTSFORD — Mike Mallette didn’t need to be reminded that a signature moment had just arrived in his life, and in the lives of the Lord Byng Grey Ghosts rugby program, one which he has made his life’s work.

A field general on the football field, Michael Calvert exerts similar influence on South Delta's B.C. title-contending AAA Tier 1 rugby team which hopes to make a championship run beginning Wednesday in Abbotsford. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
Feature High School Football High School Rugby University Football

Michael Calvert: UBC’s touted QB recruit closes out high school career at South Delta by putting on his rugby shoes

ABBOTSFORD — When Michael Calvert took a second and thought about all the friendships and moments of brotherhood he had shared with the same group of friends since his early elementary school days in Tsawwassen, the answer was pretty simple.And that’s why, after he played the role of spectator back on April 10, watching his […]

Terry Fox Ravens inside centre Devin Passaglia was a key member of the 2017 BC Triple A Tier 2 champions. (Photo courtesy Terry Fox athletics)
Feature High School Rugby

Talent spilleth over as PoCo’s Terry Fox Ravens win first-ever B.C. high school rugby crown

PORT COQUITLAM — Back in December of 2008, the Terry Fox Ravens had a football season for the ages: 12-0 and a wire-to-wire perch at No. 1 in the AAA rankings, capped with a Subway Bowl B.C. championship title. Later that spring, with many of the football team’s stars, the Fox rugby team went out and […]

Bateman's Sam Davenport was simply unflappable in BC JV quarterfinal win over Brentwood College over the weekend, accounting for 21 points off five penalties and three converts. (Photo by Oswaldo Lopez Dantes)
Feature High School Rugby

Sudden Sam can’t miss, Bateman joins Stags, Saints, Eagles in B.C. JV rugby Final 4

ABBOTSFORD — The Robert Bateman Timberwolves survived a dramatic finish over the weekend, in the process earning an opportunity to fashion a memorable hometown finish to their 2017 rugby season.