THE 2005 BRENTWOOD INTERNATIONAL REGATTA

In the age of the superstar, the colossal production, the megamovie, meaningful superlatives are difficult to find -- words, that is, that have not been diminished by overuse, overkill, or which generate a blasé reaction in the reader. Yet the mammoth undertaking which concluded on Sunday fully deserved any superlative that was applied. With over 1400 rowers competing, well over 500 Brentwood students and staff actively working to ensure the success of the Regatta, and literally hundreds of spectators/family/friends and oarheads in general, the population density of the campus rapidly exploded. All who participated in this, the largest junior regatta hosted by a single high school (and best organised — simply stated and easily verified) in North America, seemed to enjoy the experience. The weather on Friday declined to cooperate and provided our visitors from the South with insight into the meaning of the frozen north, but by Saturday and Sunday all was well, with flat water, eyeshades in evidence, and a schedule that ran with perfect timing.

 
The winners: Everett Junior A 4+

Photo credit above: George Upton

Green Lake Junior B Lightweight 4+

Photo credit above: Fred Zenker

The coach: Kelly Ainsley with
(left) Jill Dearden and (right) Stephanie McClellan.

Photo credit above: Ellen Kutscher

The venture supporters:
Taryn Bodrug, Corey Ranger, and Julia Robinson

Photo credit above: Ellen Kutscher

For pictures taken during the Regatta visit the Regatta Photogallery

For complete details of the Brentwood crews' results, see Head Coach Brian Carr's Report

AN INTERVIEW WITH A ROWING SAGE

For Ms. Debbie Sage, the Regatta process begins a lot sooner than people think. Though her work takes place mostly behind the scenes, a lot more goes on to get the Brentwood Regatta off the ground than meets the eye. Planning for the regatta usually begins in January after the Christmas break; deciding which races to run, mapping out a race schedule, organising entertainment, ordering medals; all these jobs must be taken into consideration. This year, Ms. Sage and Mr. Richard Curry even redesigned the Regatta webpage.

But when everyone returns after Spring Break in March, the heat is really on. Team entries are due, race schedules must be finalised, parent volunteers as well as staff and students must be given jobs and the maintenance department must organise team housing. Finding on-campus accommodation for over 700 people was no easy feat this year. Though the regatta was roughly the same size as it was last year,

more and more people were accommodated on campus, stretching all the way from the Bunch Theater to the lower field next to Ellis House. Finding accommodation for the Rainier Rowing Club, who brought a grand total of two rowers with them, was not so hard a task, but when it comes to housing the Green Lake and Mt. Baker crews who bring over 100 students every year, it is not so easy. These two clubs, together with Lakeside School — the first visiting club to compete in the original event — are longtime supporters of the Brentwood Regatta.

Ms. Sage modestly described her role during the regatta process after spring break:
"Really I just give everybody a big push and they go off in their own little worlds and do their thing; really it should be me thanking everybody for all the hard work they put in every year."

Story and picture by: Amy Weinberg (Grade 12)

ROW IT AGAIN, SAM!

This year marked the 35th Annual Brentwood Regatta. Thirty-five years is quite a long time for such a huge regatta to be successful, attracting crews from all over the west coast who keep returning year after year. The Lakeside School crew is the only crew that has been attending for the full 35 years. What keeps the thirty-four crews that have made many trips to Mill Bay over the years coming back? Head Coach of the Brentwood Rowing Club Mr. Brian Carr says that the regatta attracts so many crews because of its perfect timing. It fits into the regatta schedule for the west coast on a weekend that does not interfere with any other major events. Even though this coming weekend is the Opening Day Regatta in Seattle, the crews still make the journey north. The quality of the event is also high, providing crews with the opportunity to race against good competition, national champions and other clubs and crews they would not encounter if they stuck to local regattas.

Last weekend, the school saw a total of 1,400 rowers on campus. The record of 1,500 was achieved when the California crews participated. Unfortunately, the regatta this year fell on a weekend that conflicted with their regional championships, apparently a rare coincidence. Parents of Everett rowers said that they love the event and all that comes with it, but they just wish that Brentwood had the ability to control the winds and waves! The visiting rowers all mentioned that one of the highlights of this year's regatta was the annual air band competition which featured some hilarious acts.

Overall, it was another excellent regatta, much enjoyed by all, and one that should give visiting crews incentive to come back year after year.

Story and pictures by: Ellen Kutscher (Grade 12)

THE TRADITION CONTINUES

This last weekend was Brentwood’s 35th year upholding the longstanding Regatta tradition… the tradition, that is, of dividing up 450 students and sending them out to conquer a wide array of jobs! As the job lists are put up throughout the houses, screams of ecstasy or groans of trepidation echo across the tranquil campus; but which jobs exact which reactions from those fated to them?

Upon being asked which job is hardest, many students will claim that their own is the hardest, only to be attacked by a nearby student who claims to have a much harder job — so what must we look at when analysing the difficulty of jobs? None of the jobs are physically demanding, aside from those whose job it is to row, so what other factors are there? Simply put, hours! There are shifts that run for hours, while others are shorter, but take the students away from their beds at 6:30 in the morning or from the celebrated Air Band performance.

Jobs: Melanie Cheshire and Renata De La Pena holding boats at the starting dock

Which is worse? Some jobs simply require more time than others; some students will work for 4 hours all weekend, while other put in 10. Some people would rather have long easy hours than a few early ones, or jobs that require constant diligence. Diligence is another important concept, given that some jobs are not quite as stimulating as others. Several students on parking duty claimed that job was “pretty boring”, while those involved in the Entrepreneurship ventures were constantly swept off their feet. Which is worse? Some would argue that sitting around doing nothing is more painful then constantly being overloaded with work.

Although they are already quite dedicated to the Regatta, the rowers are also put to work. They all spoke fondly of their jobs, such as hosting and house duties and boat storage, but it is the rowing that takes place between their duties make their job hardest of all.

All these factors influence each individual in assessing their allocated task, but — as an impromptu survey — students were asked to rate their regatta job on an enjoyment/satisfaction scale from one to ten. The results appear below.

ROUTINE VICTORY

On the water races are being won and lost. Destinies are being decided with each stroke as boats from all over British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest fight each other to the death for want of a single second, a single metre. Venturing inside, within the bowels of the Brentwood boathouse, Brentwood students are preparing for their entrance into the hustle and bustle of the outside; acting out pre-race traditions which have been passed down through the generations of Brentwood rowing, motivating each new year of rowers to push harder than the year before them. Breaking old records, setting new ones, each year is a blank slate upon which the boathouse captains and their associates must compose their opus.

Races are won not just through Grace and Skill, Practice and Technique.

Although these players do act in the Brentwood epic, they are no match for their counterparts; great men such as Dedication, Motivation, and Drive. When the shells are lined up at the start docks and the start has been called, there is no time for last minute adjustments, whether they be physical or mental. If the boat as a whole is not committed, is not chomping at the bit for this small victory, they stand no chance against the united front of Green Lake Rowing or Everett Rowing Association.

So how is it that a boat comes to be so mentally prepared and united in their burning hunger for victory? Do they call on rowing spirits past to guide them through their times of weakness? Perhaps they symbolically burn a pair of stolen spandex to ignite their fiery passion for the sport? The Brentwood senior women make promises to each other regarding their performance within the boat before important races, strengthening their bonds with the other members of their boat as well as deepening their commitment to excellence.

According to two representatives of Green Lake’s rowing club, their victories are brought on by their propensity for guided meditation which they claim to partake in as their coach verbally walks them through their race plan. Holy Names Academy, an all girls school from Seattle, takes a different approach, reciting a cheer before they go on the water, and following it up with personal prayers, encouragements, and high-fives exchanged within the boat.

Whatever your style or beliefs, the Brentwood Regatta just wouldn’t be complete without some healthy competition, and pre-race rituals such as these act as just the vessel for these age-old battles.

Story and pictures by: Berit Anderson (Grade 12)

AIR BAND

The event starts in the middle of the regatta. Teens are unable to resist the attraction, dropping their oars and ipods in a frenzy. The stage is set, and the hosts arrive wearing… spandex? It seems that Brooke Browning and Tom Dickens know what it takes to pull off fashionably skin-tight clothes, a small tribute to the overwhelming rower majority of the audience. Once past the jokes and the interhouse propaganda, the silliness begins.

The general expectation of Air Band is to have members of the same competitive House lip synching to a popular or humourous song. This definition seems to have evolved into something more, with intricate costumes and choreography as a beginning and the Grade 12s of Rogers dressing up as the Spice Girls as the ultimate. With limited input from the females, the boys put together some highly entertaining acts, involving some normally shy students.

Highlighting the junior section was Rogers' 'Power Rangers' and Ellis' recreation of the boy band hit 'Bye, Bye, Bye'. The seniors were slightly more over-the-top with Broadway worthy numbers such as 'Under the Sea' from Disney's 'The Little Mermaid'. Achieving the most laughs was Rogers' creative twist of 'Turning Japanese,' which hit new heights with its cardboard signs. You really had to be there to appreciate the bravery and creativity that exudes when Brentwood students are put on stage.

Story and pictures by: Jennalee Desjardins (Grade 12)

VICTORIA DANCE FESTIVAL

All participants in the dance program at Brentwood College bused down to the University of Victoria last week to participate in two days of the annual dance festival. Strong prepared numbers from each class were entered into various categories. Not only were the girls able to perform and watch dance routines all day, but were also able to stop at Ice Cream Mountain on the way back, to gorge into some double, chocolate-dipped, ice cream cones!

Entering into the Young Choreographer's category was the beginner class' 'She's Mine,' choreographed by Jennalee Desjardins. Though the troupe began like deer-in-headlights, the inexperienced dancers loosened up by the end and did very well, participating in a competitive category. Also entered into the same category was 'The Same Blood,' a difficult piece choreographed by Amy Van Vliet. The fusion of various styles was accentuated by members of the jazz/hip-hop class, with evident enjoyment on their faces. Finally, 'Bad' the annual Michael Jackson number, choreographed by Stephanie McClellan, was also entered.

Oozing with attitude, sharp moves, and difficult turns, this last routine was an audience favourite. 'Incubus', 'Now' and 'Yeah' were also executed beautifully, and all received positive comments from the adjudicator. More entries in other categories stood out. The catchy tap number 'Suzie Q', choreographed by Head of the Brentwood Dance program Lorraine Oxton, was invited back to the Highlights show next week.

Story by: Jennalee Desjardins (Grade 12)
Pictures by: Lorraine Oxton

DEBATING: NATIONAL SEMINAR

Last week, a student was sent out of the Brentwood fold, out into the world. Only the most heroic of pursuits could demand such a dangerous task as... debating! Accompanied by five other students from around BC, Brentwood student Nicholas Chesterley flew into Saskatoon for the week-long National Seminar. National Seminar, an annual event that debaters qualify for through provincials, is designed to both improve and test debaters' skills, and is held at varying locations around Canada. As he departed the 25 ºC weather of British Columbia, Nicholas may have reflected on the exciting choice of location: Saskatchewan, unlike sunny BC, still had snow on the ground.

INTERHOUSE COMPETITION

the current standings in the Inter-House Competition are shown at right. For full details, see the separate Boys Competition and Girls Competition pages.

THE OTHER TEAM

Everyone knows the 1st XI field hockey team. They travel to tournaments, they are supported by Brentwood Red and Black days for important games, and their accomplishments are announced regularly in assemblies. Unfortunately, the first term eventually ends, and field hockey seems to vanish from the campus. The red jerseys and black skirts are filed away in the laundry to await the next year.

For a certain portion of Brentwood field hockey players, however, who refuse to relinquish their sticks and turn into soccer or rugby players, the game is a year-round activity. Led by Catherine Higginson, the group carefully hones their skills indoors throughout the winter, and reappears on the fields for the long established Cowichan Valley Spring League.

Far from the spotlight on ‘C’ field, the Spring field hockey team runs, sweats, and laughs with their coach Miss Rachel Peters. A new face on campus, Yvonne McGuire, also supports the team, attending every game and running for icepacks for the occasional injury. A hodgepodge of girls of all ages, combined with a solitary male figure (Wayne Newman), struts out every Tuesday night to play against equally jumbled Cowichan teams. From the energetic U14 boys team to mixed teams similar to Brentwood’s, the girls and Wayne have played it all.

Story by: Andrea Norlund (Grade 11)

Senior Girls

Brentwood 5,
Woodlands 0

The Senior Girls soccer team kicked off the week with an exhibition game against Frances Kelsey Secondary School on Tuesday, April 26th. The game went into a shoot-out, and proved to be worthwhile preparation for their league game against the Woodlands team from Nanaimo the following Thursday. Last year, Brentwood’s match against Woodlands proved to be very challenging, thus the girls were anticipating a tougher game than they actually encountered. The final result was 5 – 0 for Brentwood, securing their position in a three-way tie for first place in the league. Mariya Young, defence, had an outstanding game, scoring two goals from far beyond the eighteen-yard line. Caroline Philippson has fully recovered from last week’s injury, and announced her comeback with two goals. Anna Huis In 't Veld scored the last goal, securing the easy win. The team has a big week coming up with a crucial game against Balinas, but they are looking forward to the challenge and are feeling optimistic about their chances of winning.

Frances Candy (Grade 11)

Junior Girls

The Junior Girls Soccer team played no league games over the course of the past week, but experienced a series of intense practices in preparation for their upcoming Mid-Islands Tournament this Thursday and Friday (May 5th-6th). The tournament is to be held at Francis Kelsey Secondary School and games will be played at 11:00 AM and 2:30 PM on Thursday, and at 8:30 AM on Friday. They would appreciate all the support that can be mustered, and it should be an exciting tournament for all team members and spectators alike.

Frances Candy (Grade 11)

1st XV: Brentwood XV - 46, SMU XV - 14. Detailed report on this game by Tom Dickens (Grade 12)
           Brentwood XV - 100, Ballenas XV - 6. Detailed report on this game by Tom Dickens

2nd XV: Brentwood 2nd XV - 43, SMU 2nd XV - 5. Detailed report on this game by Tom Dickens

Girls: As the sun comes out, many sports slack off and trade in the last half hour of practice for a sunbathing session. For the rugby girls, this wasn’t an option at their Tuesday practice. Instead, guest coach Marius Felix gave the entire team an intense lesson primarily focused on tackling and driving mauls. It wasn’t easy, but by Thursday, when their shoulders had stopped aching, the girls reaped the fruits of their labor when they traveled to Victoria to play Mt. Doug. This team had played Shawnigan previously and beat them 5 – 0. Brentwood had played Shawnigan just the week before and lost 5 – 0. The girls were expecting a hard game, but they had faith in themselves and it paid off with a 29 – 0 win for Brentwood. Jennalee Desjardins, left wing and as quoted by coach Mr. Burrows, “Related to Haley’s comet,” used her speed to fly past half the opposition and score the first two tries of the game. Soon after, outside center Rebecca Kerswell touched the ball down between the posts for her first try of the game. Kim Ridley took the last try of the first half to ground as she barged her way to the white line. When the whistle blew, Mt. Doug was looking very discouraged in comparison to the high spirits of the Brentwood girls, who were eagerly anticipating another thirty minutes of play. The remainder of the game was spent in the Mt. Doug zone, but Brentwood only managed to score once more, thanks to Rebecca Kerswell. Frances Candy kicked two conversions to score another four points for her team.
The results were very satisfying for both the coaches and the players. Special mention goes to Amy Van Vliet and Sydney Black for taking the toughest tackles for their teammates, and to Marlee Hahn for keeping the backs together even with some position switches due to absent players. Mt. Doug turned out to be very gracious losers and actually asked to face Brentwood again, so the girls are looking forward to playing them in the near future.

Frances Candy (Grade 11)

Game 4 vs the Sue Fraser team – Loss: 0-3 (May 3)
A valid effort displayed this week against a very experienced field hockey team. Although we came up short on the scoring front, we achieved our goal in the second half by attacking up the right side of the field in order to create some scoring chances (it must have been something to do with the half-time cheer – “Our team is what? Red Hot…”). It is still early in the season and the team is progressing positively for greater results in the remaining games.

Rachel Peters

Brentwood is privileged to boast five of the most talented volleyball players in British Columbia. Four of these girls, Anne Huis In 't Veld, Stefanie Steinbrink-Kelly, Megan Jackson, and Tessa Felix are all on the same local Mill Bay Breakers volleyball team, the defending 2004 National U14 Champions. Also on this team is Dannie Richards, the daughter of Brentwood’s Nurse, Mrs. Jackie Richards. Earlier this year, the girls easily won the Island Championships, and they just recently returned from a victory at the 2005 BC U15 Championships held April 30th – May 1st in Surrey, BC. Special recognition goes to Stefanie for being named one of the six Island All-Stars of the Tournament. Although the victory qualified them for the National finals, the team has opted to participate in the North American Championships instead. They will be travelling to Reno, Nevada, at the end of June, and are anticipating challenging competition as well as good scouting opportunities and lots of fun.

Brentwood’s fifth outstanding volleyball player is Liz Cosulich, of Campbell River. Because she is a year older than the other four, she plays in the U16 division. Her team is the Vipers, from Victoria. They, too, just got back from their Provincial Championships held in Kelowna, and they, too, were victorious. However, this is the end of the road for the Vipers this year, as the coaches decided not to enter them in the Nationals after a largely unsuccessful season. Unfortunately, winning the Provincials doesn’t automatically give them a place at the Nationals, because they had to make their decision to enter earlier this year and, as they opted out, they cannot change their decision now. The girls are surely disappointed, but they are no doubt looking forward to a break and a successful season next year.

Frances Candy (Grade 11)

This past weekend, one of Brentwood’s equestrian students competed in the Saanich Horse Show. Sammy Hull (Grade 8) rode in the Open Hunter Division, and she placed very respectably.
Sammy was riding against competitors ranging from ages as young as fifteen and as old as forty. All her classes were in the Hunter Division, which consists of manipulating a course of jumps (2’6” high) where the horse and rider are judged on their form, as opposed to purely speed. She entered three classes and placed first out of thirty-seven in each. These outstanding results qualify her for the Indio Competition next year, which will be held in California. It will be a long way from home, but she will be just fine. After all, her horse Kaiser knows all about being a long way from home having arrived in December from his birthplace in Holland as a Christmas present for Sammy. Holland breeds the best Dutch Warmblood jumpers, so when Sammy went home to England for Christmas, she finally got her pony, no doubt an item that’s been on her wish-list for many Santas past. This was actually Kaiser’s first show in Canada, and Sammy’s first time showing in the Open Division (open for all ages to enter). Evidently, it looks as though they’re going to make a formidable pair.

Frances Candy (Grade 11)

T. GIL BUNCH CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Future presentations:

Pacific Institute of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts Concert

www.celticperformingarts.com, 250-758-0208, 1-866-301-2358

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