When Regan Yee talks about running, her passion shines through.
“I love to race. I love to push myself. I love the training,” says the professional runner, who is representing Canada at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
TWU at the Olympics
Five Trinity Western Spartans alumni will be representing Canada in the Olympic Games Paris 2024: Eric Loeppky, Brodie Hofer, and Lucas Van Berkel will be competing on the men's volleyball team, Regan Yee in the steeplechase, and Alison Jackson in the road race and time trial cycling events. The Olympic Games in Paris will take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
Stay tuned this summer on TWU's website and social media channels to see their stories.
Passion for running
For Yee, a TWU alumna (’18) from South Hazelton, B.C., it’s her passion for running that has carried her from her early days of joining an elementary school running club to high school track meets to where she is today.
Receiving a scholarship to attend Trinity Western University and joining the Spartans track and field team became the doorway into a professional running career that has included competing in three World Championships (2019, 2022 and 2023), the Lima 2019 Pan American Games, the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, and this summer’s Paris Olympics.
“The one thing that sets Trinity Western apart from other universities is ...a real holistic view of you as a person. It really promotes long-term development: spiritual, academic, and athletic development.”
Developing a holistic view of success
Looking back, Yee recalls TWU as a place that provided a unique environment for her growth.
“The one thing that sets Trinity Western apart from other universities is their Complete Champion Approach™ training system,” she says. “That's a real holistic view of you as a person. It really promotes long-term development: spiritual, academic, and athletic development.”
“Trinity Western's Complete Champion Approach™ training system takes all aspects into consideration, and I think that's a big part of why I've continued to have a successful career in athletics and a healthy one as well.”
“Definitely one of the strengths of Trinity Western is their ability to create community whether that's in the dorms, in the classroom, or athletically.”
Fostering whole-person health
Building upon a whole-person view of life, part of what helps Yee overcome challenges are the people around her.
“I think a big part of what keeps training fun is your training partners,” she says. “I don't think I could do this sport if I was just a solo athlete and didn't have a group to train with, meet with, and hold me accountable."
Persisting through hard days of training and inclement weather is all part of building team resilience. “It's those moments with teammates that bond you and get you through the tougher days,” says Yee.
Building community life
Journeying together with others is something that Yee experienced even as a student at TWU.
“Some of the best memories of my life were made at Trinity Western,” she reflects. “Definitely one of the strengths of Trinity Western is their ability to create community whether that's in the dorms, in the classroom, or athletically. You never felt like you had to seek out community because it was always there for you.”
“Lifelong friendships are made there. They do a really, really good job of making you feel welcome and like you're part of a special community.”
Several campus events and dorm outings were highlights for Yee, and she recalls, “All the classic Trinity Western activities were just a really fun way to spend your first few years.”
“One thing I learned from Trinity Western was how to focus on the process and not the outcome."
Giving back to society
Beyond simply having fun, Yee and her TWU peers also served the community through volunteering at a local residential care home and coaching sports at the local elementary schools.
Through these actions, Yee and her peers learned the importance of being connected with those in the community and giving back to others.
These lessons and more have continued to serve Yee in her career. When it comes to professional sports, Yee relies on the resilience she developed at TWU.
“One thing I learned from Trinity Western was how to focus on the process and not the outcome,” she says. “What that means is enjoying the steps it takes to get there.”
“If you're too oriented on just a single outcome, whether that's a race time or a grade, or if you're too focused on that one single goal, then you lose sight of the journey to get there. One of my major takeaways is that you need to enjoy the process."
See also: Alumna and cyclist Alison Jackson returns to the Olympic race track
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 34 Canada West team championships.
The Complete Champion Approach™ (CCA) helps Trinity Western Spartan student-athletes become champions in all areas of their lives by focusing on whole person development.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is a global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has locations in Canada: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Instagram @trinitywestern, Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn. For media inquiries, please contact: media@twu.ca.