For the Love of the Game: Three-Term CDS Athlete Steps Up to Play Net for First Time

Sportsmanship truly defines an athlete and speaks to character and agility, as well as the length that person is willing to go for their teammates.

When The Country Day School’s Senior Girls’ Hockey team found themselves without a goalie in November, it didn’t take long for Grade 12 student Brynlyn Rowntree to offer to step into net.
Brynlyn has played hockey since the age of five on house league teams for Stouffville and Aurora. She played for CDS in Grade 6 and then took a hiatus until last year when CDS launched its first Varsity Girls team.

“Hockey is my absolute favourite sport so when our coach, Mr. Andersen, asked me about playing goalie, I thought ‘how hard can it be?’,” Brynlyn remembers with a laugh. “It is so great to finally have an all-girls hockey team at CDS, and I know how much the team means to the other girls.”

Midway through their season with a record of 2-1-2, Brynlyn now has a new respect for goalies, and her team feels the same about her. No sooner did she accept, than she found herself suited up in last year’s goalie’s pads and gloves. Years of playing net and serving as mini-stick target practice for her older brother Conner, a long time AA goalie who also played for St. Andrew’s College, gave her only a glimpse of what to expect.

“It’s a lot harder than I thought, about ten times harder, and an unbelievable cardio workout.” Conner has also joined the coaching staff and has worked specifically with Brynlyn as a goalie coach. “It’s great knowing I can look over and see my brother on the bench during a game offering me support.”

Growing up, sports were a big part of Brynlyn and her family’s life. She has played soccer for CDS since Grade 4, helping to lead her team as Captain in capturing a CISAA Silver medal this past season. Brynlyn also plays rugby for CDS (older sister Jordyn ’11 played for CDS, Queen’s University and Team Canada), starting with flag rugby in Grade 8 and now playing contact for what will be four years of high school this spring.

“Brynlyn is a very talented and highly coachable athlete who is a phenomenal teammate on whatever team she is playing for,” says John Andersen, CDS Director of Athletics. “Although she does not have a letter on her jersey, she is a leader on this team and constantly strives to make herself better, her teammates better and the game better. Along with co-coach Ms. Winterink, we feel she is a great role model for her teammates and an inspiration to the whole team. In the spring, it’s likely she will serve as captain of the rugby team - making her not only a three-term athlete, but also a three-term leader.”

Next year, Brynlyn will pursue an Arts degree at Queen’s University in their Castle Program in England. She is fairly certain intramurals will continue to play a role for her as she cannot imagine a life without sport.
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Land Acknowledgment

CDS wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. For thousands of years, these have been the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We also recognize the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and the Haudenosaunee peoples who also shared this land.  CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for these lands and waters for future generations.

School Information

13415 Dufferin Street King, Ontario L7B 1K5 
(905) 833-1220 

communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca

Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.