Loeprich (Silk), Barbara-Lyn ’89 - Rowing

Barbara-Lyn was a decorated oarswoman, swimmer and basketball player during her time at Ridley. She credits the school’s athletic programme with instilling in her a love of sports and establishing a dedicated fitness routine that has served her well over the years. Sport is a daily part of her life, she says, allowing her to “remain up-beat, happy, positive, and have a zest to be a better person.” In fact, she credits it with helping to save her life. “After surviving lung cancer during my first year at university,” she recalls, “it was the drive of wanting to be back in the boat that sped up my recovery.”

And recover she did. Barbara-Lyn rowed for four years as a member of the Women’s Varsity Heavy Eight, first at the University of Washington, then at Temple University. She remains committed to pushing her athletic boundaries, swimming competitively with the Guelph Masters and Milton Masters Aquatic Clubs and challenging herself in triathlons. Just this past summer, she competed in Ironman Italy—a gruelling event consisting of a 1.5-kilometre swim, 40 km/h bike ride, followed by a 10 km/h run.

“I cannot express the gratitude I have for being introduced to sport at a young age, which then allowed me to excel at sport in all levels of my life.”

P.O. Box 3013, 2 Ridley Road St. Catharines, Ontario L2R 7C3 Canada 905 684 1889

With more than 700 students from 60 countries, the largest boarding programme in Ontario and the third largest in Canada, Ridley College is a truly international, co-educational, day and boarding school of the world that prepares students for the world. It has provided enriching learning and life-shaping experiences focused on the arts, academics, and athletics since 1889. Ridley’s Lower School offers JK-Grade 8, its Upper School consists of Grade 9-PG, and Ridley graduates attend some of the top universities and colleges around the world. Ridley is the only co-ed independent boarding school in Canada and one of only three in North America authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum programme.