By Jessica Sheppard, Director, Program Integration

In the follow-up to his cult-classic Once a Runner, John L Parker Jr's protagonist waxes nostalgic about his career in athletics: "win, lose, or draw, just being involved in such an undertaking was itself ennobling. It was an uplifting enterprise that we all intuitively understood to be such, and I now know that almost incidentally the spiritual force of our effort created a slipstream that drew all else in our lives along with it and made us better in other ways as well. Better, happier, more complete human beings than we would have been otherwise" (Again to Carthage, 203-204). That idea of continued growth, of discovering and embracing passions, is really what we strive for in all aspects of our programming at RLC. It's not about the score, or the performance, but what can be learned through those experiences. To that end, we are excited for another fulfilling year of co-curriculars, and look forward to being able to share opportunities for learning, growth, self-discovery, and leadership with our students. As we continuously work to facilitate meaningful experiences for students, and to align our programming within RLC's larger mission and vision, we are confident that this year's co-curricular offerings will provide balance between old favourites and new opportunities. This includes:

• Leveraging the upgrade to the boat docks as we work towards re-introducing sailing—the goal is that all RLC students have the opportunity to try the sport;
• Utilising overlaps between Community Life and Co-Curriculars to offer programming like the Rosseau Lake League, which will allow us to build community connections through sport, reduce our carbon footprint while maintaining participation in sport beyond RLC, and mitigate barriers to participation that student-athletes have faced because of age or gender categories in inter-school leagues;  
• Returning to the Canadian Ski Marathon in Quebec, and—in doing so—honouring the legacy and vision of former Head of School Robert Carreau;
• Ensuring that all RLC students have the chance to engage meaningfully in winter outdoor activity;
• Continuing to broaden the variety of artistic, athletic, and outdoor activities available to RLC students, and to position them more accessibly within our schedule.

Additionally, we are pleased to share that, at this time, the CISAA has paused any restrictions outlined in its Return to Sport Plan, which means that all students—regardless of vaccination status—are once again eligible for inter-school sports and performances. We hope that our larger RLC family is as excited about the upcoming year as we are. Go 'Wolves!