Distance Group
This past weekend was a moment in life when I was reminded of just how fortunate I am as a coach to have the privilege of working daily with the finest of young people in pursuit of their dreams. These young athletes come to practice day in day out, in sun, flood, rain or snow and display the kind of work ethic that leaves me completely in awe. Without complaint and most often with a smile on their face, they take on the most rigorous and demanding of training in almost any sport.
This past weekend at our BC High School Provincial Championship, it became clear just what kind of dedication and commitment to their sport our athletes have. I think every Royals athlete rose to the occasion with not only a personal best but a massive personal best. Against the toughest competition in the Province of British Columbia, our athletes completely and totally stepped up. For this, I am truly honoured and proud.
I truly believe that every one of our athletes who competed this weekend is a champion. -Coach Scott
Valley Royals’ Distance Group Results for BC High School Provincial Championships 2022
- Mark Molina: Provincial Champion – 800m Event
- Maggie Epp: Provincial Champion 800m and 1500m Events
- Sam May: Provincial Silver Medalist 1500m S/C – National Funding Standard
- Riley Simmonds: Provincial Silver Medalist 1500m Event
- Adrianna Buitelaar: Provincial Bronze Medalist 800m Event
- Zoe Unger: 4th 1500m Event; 7th 800m Event.
- Will Van Schagen: 5th 1500m S/C
- Halle May: 8th 1500m Event; 8th 3000m Event
- Luke Gibbons: 9th 1500m R/W
- Arata Nakanishi: strong 1500m Event
Power and Speed Group
Valley Royals power/speed athletes brought their A-game to the BC High School Track and Field Championships this past weekend, in Langley. In all, six Royals athletes competed in the sprints, hurdles, jumps and relays. I am very proud of the hard work they’ve put in this past year. Ry Trustham placed 25th in the senior boys 400.
In the grade 8 division, Emily Tinsley place 17th in the long jump and 8th in the high jump. Emily also ran two strong legs in both relays with her 4 x 100 team placing 13th and her 4x 400 team capturing 5th. Also in the grade 8 division, Gurpartap Sandhu placed 16th in the 400 and 7th in the long jump. Gurpartap’s 4 x 400 team captured provincial bronze medal in the girls 4 x 400 relay. Luke Wight had massive personal best of 45.16 in the junior boys 300meter hurdles claiming 9th. Luke and teammate Arie Wassenaar placed 24th in the junior boys 4 x 100 relay. Though both only in grade 9, Luke and Arie moved up to the senior boys division in the 4 x 400 relay and claimed 13th with their team.
Sanaa Musonge was the performer of the meet with two huge personal bests. She joined the 26-point club in the 200 to capture 6th in the junior girls division with a time of 26.97. In the junior girls 100, Sanaa joined the 12 second club running 12.82 in the finals to claim the provincial bronze medal. As far as we know, Sanaa’s bronze is the first medal by a female athlete from her school (Robert Bateman Secondary) in at least 10 years (if not in her school’s history) as well as the first medal by a Royals athlete in the sprints in quite some time.
Well done team. – Coach Trevor
