DCS students making waves outside the classroom

Former Duncan Christian School star athlete Grayson Dunn is continuing his basketball career with the Lions at Ambrose University in Calgary. The six-foot-four shooting guard/forward will join the team for the 2025-26 season while taking an academic program focused on Christian studies.

Gunn will be joined at Ambrose by schoolmate, Ashten Croswell, who will play for the university's men's volleyball team. The team's captain, Crosswell was a B.C. Christian first team all-star and the Island MVP, leading DCS to a berth in the 2025 provincial 'a' volleyball championships.

DCS graduate Kaylie-Grace Brown is making the move from Bellevue College to the University of Fort Lauderdale to continue her softball career. UFTL is a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).

"I really clicked with the coaching staff at UFTL," she said. "I'm exited to learn more from them."

Headed into her junior year, Brown is majoring in psychology.

"It is very special to see our athletes moving on up and continuing their passions outside of school," said DCS athletic director Tom Veenstra. "We love it when our student-athletes have the confidence to tryout for a spot on a college/university team. It is very special to see them recruited to play at a higher level."

In other DCS athletics news, current students Jordin Bond (first-degree) and Emery Byron (second-degree) have earned their black-belts at Canada's Best Karate, in Duncan. Having trained for six years, Bond now holds the title of 'Kosan' and is a considered a junior instructor. Now a decade into his training, Bond is now an official 'Sempai' or senior instructor.

"It's very rewarding to see student-athletes confidently join and participate in community sports/adult leagues because they have had positive experiences in high school sport," Veenstra added. "We love hearing how current and past students have been able to pursue activities that aren't available in school and discover that they have a natural ability to succeed in them with hard work and perseverance."

For example, Phoenix Elliott and her cousin Sarah Elliot have been selected to for the 2025 IVF World Distance Championship in Niteroi, Brazil, competing in the Junior 16 Women’s V6 event. Phoenix's brother Peter Elliott, will also represent Canada in the Junior 19 Men’s V6 event.

Meanwhile, Chargers badminton standout Ben Kremer has been selected for Team BC to compete in the Canadian Francophone Games in Quebec July 15 to 19.

"It can be a challenge to juggle competitive school sports and/or out of school sports with academics, but it is something that definitely teaches time management," Veenstra noted. "As educators and coaches and sports organizers, it is a privilege to be part of young athletes' lives as they take their sports to the highest level possible — hopefully lifelong participation and enjoyment afterwards, too."