by Sherrin Griffin –
Definitely one of the youngest local “Men to Watch,” at just 17 Connor Way has some pretty admirable accomplishments under his belt, and is on his way to the famed Golden State next. A true “Island Boy,” Connor was born and raised in Sidney, and has been representing Vancouver Island and our local community for most of his young life.
At the tender age of five, Connor developed a passion for football and is now one of the leading “safeties,” or defensive backs, in B.C. in his age category. Over the last several years, he has been chosen to represent our province in several major tournaments, playing football in both Canada and the U.S. This past January, he played against Team USA in the Dallas Cowboy stadium in Texas, winning a coveted MVP award for his efforts. As Connor’s natural skills for the game have developed, so have the accolades, resulting in scouting offers to play throughout North America.
Introduced to rugby at age 14, it was no surprise that Connor exhibited a natural talent for football’s tough cousin, leading to an invitation to play for Team BC in Calgary.
Now attending Claremont High School, renowned for its rugby program, Connor is currently playing for the Provincial Championship with his senior team members. The Claremont rugby team was just overseas during March break scrimmaging and “holding their own” with other high school teams across the U.K.
Rounding out Connor’s sports’ resumé is the game of basketball, where his height of 6’4” obviously serves him well.
And if sports and high school don’t keep Connor busy enough, then Hollywood certainly will!
Last September, Connor was handpicked by Coultish Management in Victoria to represent its male model division, both locally and internationally. As if that weren’t exciting enough, early this year Connor was chosen from applicants across the country to represent Canada in the World Championship of the Performing Arts held in Long Beach, California from July 6 to 15. He will be competing in the Senior Male Model Division where he will be judged by industry professionals in five separate categories: Casual, Formal, Swimsuit, Photo and Spokesmodel. This very prestigious event is considered the Olympics of the performing arts, with Connor competing for the overall title against entries from 27 other countries, with awards and scholarships awarded to winners of the various divisions.
Some pretty impressive achievements for a young man, with even more to come, no doubt. We wish Connor all the best in his future endeavours, and whether his “yellow brick road” takes him to the CFL or to Hollywood, we are proud that he is part of our community!
