- Story by Sean McIntyreStyling by Shai ThompsonPhotography by Lia Crowe

North Saanich鈥檚 Connor Way is a rising star on both the football field and the runway. Here, he talks to Pearl Magazine about these two seemingly polar worlds 鈥� and presents spring fashion that is sure to put some prep in your step.

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Twelve months ago, 17-year-old Connor Way was on his way back from Texas, where he had joined the world鈥檚 best high school football prospects at the International Bowl.

Connor still has a passion for the game and, with high school graduation and university application deadlines closing in, he鈥檚 already been courted by colleges south of the border.

Yet Connor finds himself suddenly with more than just scholarship offers to choose from this spring.

Not long after his return to North Saanich following last year鈥檚 big game down in Dallas, the Claremont Secondary School student embarked on something entirely new when he seized an opportunity to do some modelling work. Never one to step away from a challenge, Connor has tackled his budding modelling career head on.

鈥淎s much as football is hard, the game comes easy to me,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hen I started modelling, it required getting to know a whole different thing.鈥�

He recalls the hilariously challenging modelling practise of producing 30 facial expressions in 30 seconds. Walking on a runway, too, it turns out, was also a whole lot different then playing defensive safety for various BC teams.

鈥淚t鈥檚 actually been really humbling to see how far my work has come,鈥� he says.

And Connor has come a very long way. Within the past year, he鈥檚 gone from doing some local photo shoots to signing a contract with Coultish Management, a Victoria-based agency that鈥檚 managed the successful careers of hundreds of models since it was established in 1987.

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Connor is regularly booked for photoshoots in both Victoria and Vancouver, and he鈥檚 slated to make his second appearance at Vancouver Fashion Week in March. He also acts part-time, has appeared in seven movies, a commercial and a soon-to-be launched music video.

The highlight of his rookie season in the fashion world, however, came late last year when Connor won the 2018 Senior Champion Male Model of the World competition at WCOPA (World Centre of the Performing Arts) in Long Beach, California. Competing against contestants aged 16 and up from 62 countries, Connor also won gold medals in the casual, formal, spokesmodel and photo categories.

According to Connor鈥檚 mother, Shauna Dorko, the competition is akin to the 鈥渢alent Olympics鈥� and features performers in categories that include vocals, dance, modelling and acting. To Dorko, who spends about three hours per day managing her son鈥檚 busy modelling career, the event was about so much more than winning medals. Being in Los Angeles, a major hub in the modelling universe, gave Connor the chance to sit down and meet with representatives from modelling agencies, casting agents and directors.

Dorko, who runs her own business, never imagined her son鈥檚 ascendancy in the fashion world. She believed he had what it takes, but she鈥檚 continually amazed at how quickly the process has evolved. Given how far he鈥檚 come in a year, Connor and his mother already have plans to head back to Southern California to follow up on some of the successful networking leads they鈥檝e established.

鈥淭he minute we were in LA, we saw how things were playing out on a whole different scale,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here are a few people who want us to come back and meet with them.鈥�

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Given his meteoric rise, Connor has stayed remarkably grounded. Within minutes of speaking with him, it becomes clear that his confidence, maturity and respectful demeanour are a major reason for his success.

In the notoriously competitive field of fashion and elite sports, it鈥檚 refreshing to hear an aspiring star speak of camaraderie and brotherhood. Rather than pit himself against those around him, Connor seems genuinely interested in their success. His competitive streak is bred not from how he ranks in relation to others, but with regard to how he looks at himself. That鈥檚 a valuable lesson to have mastered so early in life.

鈥淚 respect what鈥檚 best for everyone, and I love to see people succeed,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檝e never been super nervous. Nothing really stresses me out because I feel I can turn to people if I鈥檓 lost.鈥�

He credits his mother and strong network of friends for his success. Teachers and tutors, he adds, have shown great flexibility and patience with helping him fit schoolwork into a busy schedule that sees him travel extensively for one job and train relentlessly for the other. Despite all the excitement, he fully realizes that it鈥檚 nearly time to make a choice.

鈥淚 still haven鈥檛 made the switch from football to modelling, but it鈥檚 time for making decisions,鈥� he says. 鈥淣ow I need to figure out what I want to do for the rest of my life.鈥�

Given his attitude, he鈥檚 likely to make the best of whichever pathway he chooses.

Special thanks to local skateboarder Zachary Wilkinson.

Photographed on location at the Sidney Lawn Bowling Club, Tulista Park and Iroquois Park. A huge thank you to the Sidney Lawn Bowling Club for hosting our team.

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