Local Athletes inspire Junior School students to keep GOing

April 17, 2020

Academics

GNS

Junior School students will be getting a chance to view a very special series called “Brooks’ Buddies.” The name was coined by Mr. Benjy Brooks, our Junior School Physical Education teacher, who has been taking time since our campus closure to record video interviews with local athletes.

“It shows how we are all in this together, how even top athletes can’t train the way they are used to training,” he said. “I hope to showcase the fact that we all need to stay active at home and not just binge watch Netflix. These athletes are all being active, being creative, demonstrating mental toughness and even showing us some ways we can do it.”

The videos include demonstrations on how to stay active from:

hockey player Brandon Wong, showing Warrior Challenges in his driveway;
Jules Monro, a two-time Rugby World Cup Canadian;
athlete Ander Monro, who focuses on explosiveness and power;
Jules Payne on Yoga; and
three-time Canadian Women’s Olympic Rower Buffy Williams introduces Mr. Brooks to Tabata training.

“There are some real gems they give from fitness to skill development to health, and who best to inspire us then these high-level athletes living in our community,” he said.

Mr. Brooks came up with the idea to do “Brooks’ Buddies” because he wanted to know how these athletes were doing during this time, and how they were adapting to training differently.

“I was curious and I saw it as an opportunity for students to learn from them and maybe try something new —who knows, something might stick,” he explained.

His plan is for students to learn from athletes about team sports, individual sports and more. Students can expect to see these athletes, and others, on their screens in the coming weeks.

Meaghan O’Brien is a marathon runner (including the Boston Marathon) who recently won her last marathon in Haida Gwaii. She is an ultra-trail runner and also won the Finlayson Arm 50km.
Jules Payne is the Co-Founder of Ajna Yoga who trains instructors and has been a speaker at the Victoria Yoga conference.
Brandon Wong played professional ice hockey for nice years and was a Hobey Baker Candidate.
Ander Monro, a two-time Rugby World Cup Men’s Canadian fly-half.
The Heart Hero
Sammy McFoster, a Lawn Bowling Champ.
Buffy Williams, a three-time Canadian Olympic Rower (Bronze medalist).
Cory Renfrew played six years of professional golf on the Canadian Tour and also on the PGA tour in Phoenix. His birdie on the 16th hole is part of Victoria Golf folklore: Cory Renfrew’s ecstatic birdie chip-in on No. 16 at Waste Management
Aleesha Bird, one of our Kindergarten teachers, who represented Canada in the 2019 Disc Golf World Championships.