At just 13 years old, Ariya Jagpal already wears many hats: athlete, entrepreneur, mentor, and student. A Grade 8 student at Seycove Secondary School, she juggles a busy schedule filled with high-level soccer and basketball, schoolwork, and running her own jewelry business, Gummy Bear Wear.
For Jagpal, these aren’t just activities, but expressions of who she is.
Jagpal’s interest in sports was stirred long before she could even play on an organized team. “My love for sports started when I used to watch my older sister play soccer from the sidelines,” she recalls. “I couldn’t wait to play myself! I started kicking the ball around in the yard with my dad when I was about 3 years old and joined my first soccer team with the North Shore Girls Soccer Club when I was 5. I’ve been hooked ever since.”
While soccer was her first love, basketball soon followed. At age 10, she picked up the sport as a way to improve her endurance for soccer, but quickly discovered it was much more than cross-training. She fell in love with the sport, joining her local club team at Vancity Basketball, determined to develop her skills and understanding of the game. Now, she plays at a high-performance level for both soccer and basketball!
For Jagpal, sports have been about more than winning games. They’ve shaped her confidence, resilience, and leadership. “The best part about being on a team is definitely the friendships and connections I’ve made,” she shares. “I’m usually a bit shy until people get to know me, but being part of a team has really helped me build confidence and feel more comfortable socially. I love celebrating wins together and working hard after losses to get better as a group.”
Leadership, Jagpal believes, comes in many forms. “I’ve learned that leadership doesn’t always mean being the loudest person on the team; it’s about leading by example and earning your teammates’ respect and trust.” The star athlete credits her coaches — Amelia Ng, Alex Mulders, and Steph Riedemann — as role models who’ve taught her the value of teamwork, perseverance, and believing in herself.
Inspired, Jagpal has started to pay it forward. She now works as a Junior Coach for Drive Basketball in North Vancouver, helping younger kids develop their skills through an after-school program at Cove Cliff Elementary. “It feels awesome to help younger kids learn and have fun with the game,” she highlights. “Because of my coaches’ influence, I want to help others the same way they helped me.”
That sense of resilience and giving back extends into her approach to challenges. “Sports have made me really resilient,” she points out. “I’ve learned that things won’t always go my way — I’ll lose games, miss shots, or get injured — but it’s important to keep going, work on things that I can control, believe in myself, and stay focused on my long-term goals.” One of her proudest moments came when she represented Team Canada with her VanCity Basketball team at the Taro Cup in Taiwan in 2025. “Our team won the Bronze Medal, and it was such an incredible experience!”, she details.
Beyond sports, Jagpal’s entrepreneurial journey is just as inspiring. Her business, Gummy Bear Wear, began as a Grade 5 school project for a young entrepreneurs' fair. “My idea for Gummy Bear Wear was to be a bright, fun, and inclusive jewelry line,” she fondly remembers. “It turned out to be a big hit! My booth had long lineups, and everyone loved the colorful designs.”
Encouraged by the response, she decided to keep going, with help from her parents. Jagpal began selling at local craft markets in Deep Cove, where she met Heather Radant, manager of the Deep Cove Collective Store. “She loved my designs and offered to sell them in their shop, which was super exciting!” Jagpal exclaims. “Now, my jewelry is really popular with locals, and I often hear from parents who love being able to buy my pieces as gifts for their kids and friends. That kind of feedback makes me so happy and inspires me to keep creating.”
For Jagpal, jewelry design is about more than fashion — it’s about self-expression. “I love that my pieces can help people show off something unique or fun about themselves,” she emphasizes. “I think that’s what makes fashion and design so powerful.” Balancing school, sports, and business isn’t easy, but Jagpal credits her supportive family for helping her stay grounded.
When asked what advice she’d give to other young people hoping to follow their dreams, Jagpal’s message is simple but powerful: “Start with something you’re passionate about or something you truly love,” she suggests. “That’s what will keep you going when things get tough or don’t work out the first time. Believe in yourself, focus on things that are in your control, be patient, and surround yourself with people who will support and encourage you.”
Looking ahead, Jagpal hopes to continue growing Gummy Bear Wear while pursuing her athletic dreams. She has been recognized with the District of North Vancouver’s Youth Recognition Award for her entrepreneurship and has earned a spot on the U14 BCCBA Dream Team for the second year in a row. The trailblazer dreams of one day becoming a professional athlete in soccer, basketball, or maybe even both!
For now, whether it’s hoops, goals, or jewelry, Ariya Jagpal keeps proving that when you play with heart, the possibilities are endless.
