Royal Bay Girls Lacrosse Program

All enquires please Contact Ray Barkwill  rbarkwill@sd62.bc.ca 

Royal Bay Secondary Girls Lacrosse Academy

In September of 2017, the Sooke School District began a new program at the high school level – Royal Bay Girls Field Lacrosse Academy. Since its inception, our program has doubled in size.

Students in the Royal Bay program will range in skill level.  Students will train Monday through Friday at the artificial turf field at Royal Bay Secondary. We are very proud of the first-class sports facility that will be a vital part of both our school and community as it continues to grow.

Royal Bay Girls Field Lacrosse Academy is the only all-female lacrosse academy in British Columbia.  Our coaching staff is second to none with Brittany Biddinger, who brings her NCAA experience as both a player and a coach and Raymond Barkwill, who rounds out Brittany’s experience as the teacher of the program and is instrumental in working on skill development as well as fitness and physiological concepts.

The academy also provides players with insights and guidance on the recruitment process.  The program offers a framework that will assist players in maximizing their opportunities towards understanding what USA schools look for when offering potential scholarship opportunities.

• Did you know that girls’ field lacrosse is the #1 growing sport in North America?
• Did you know that 95% of NCAA female lacrosse players competed on a high school team?
• Did you know the ratio of high school athletes to college scholarships is 48 to 1 in girl’s lacrosse, compared to 82 to 1 in boys’ lacrosse?

Royal Bay already has alumni who are currently attending an NCAA top 5 Division 2 school on scholarship.  We hope to continue to add to that number.

Excellence through Commitment

What is Royal Bay Lacrosse Academy?

Royal Bay Girls Lacrosse Academy is a dynamic skills and performance-based program. This program is an exciting opportunity for Royal Bay students to be involved in the exciting culture that the school provides.

How will the Lacrosse Academy fit into my child’s schedule?

The Lacrosse Academy at Royal Bay is a program that will be offered inside of the regular timetable, occupying one block of the student’s schedule each semester. Students will receive an average of 3 to 4 field sessions each week, as well as a reviewing practices and games along with some minor PE units, and strength and conditioning.

Is this program the right fit?

Royal Bay Lacrosse Academy pursues excellence on and off the field.  We have a large focus on creating a positive: Character, Culture and Community. The focus of these values helps guide the potential of the academy. Our goal is to provide the student-athletes with the best, enriched experiences that a high school can offer. Through academics, competition, service and travel, the academy aims to provide the students with situations that enhance the student-athlete experience.  We aim to guide the student-athletes in becoming better people, students and teammates, both on and off the field.  It is a program for all female players within the sport and provides travel opportunities for those students who want to pursue post-secondary scholarship opportunities.

What does Royal Bay Lacrosse Academy expect from my child?

The Girls Lacrosse Academy at Royal Bay expects its athletes to achieve “excellence through commitment”. Students of the lacrosse academy need to demonstrate a strong work ethic and desire to improve, keeping in mind that students will only “get out what they choose to put in”. Royal Bay Girls Lacrosse Academy will expect all students to demonstrate respect toward teammates, coaches, officials, opponents, and all other staff that they will interact with regularly. Players of Royal Bay Girls Lacrosse Academy will constantly be reminded of the expectation for them to be exceptional citizens of both Royal Bay Secondary School and our community.

What will the year look like?

It is Royal Bay’s goal is to train players at a consistently high level. We desire to operate an energetic program that will allow students to excel as both players and people. Royal Bay Girls Lacrosse Academy will offer a comprehensive program both on and off the field with potential travel opportunities. The on-field aspect will focus on skill development while the classroom component will allow students to gain greater knowledge of both the game and themselves. The student-athletes involved will have the opportunity to learn from some of the most knowledgeable instructors our lacrosse and athletic community has to offer. It is also our hope that players will appreciate that they are a part of something extremely special.

How will my child be assessed?

The Girls Lacrosse Academy at Royal Bay will focus on the primary methods of assessment including objective, subjective, and self-assessment. Students will be assessed daily concerning their Behavior, Effort, Attitude, and Participation. Students will also be assessed on skill development. Evaluation of Royal Bay students will be reported regularly, including 4 formal reports (report cards).