McMaster sports teams, including field hockey, women's curling, men's baseball and fencing among others, fundraise to offset team travel costs and upgrade equipment
First announced on Nov. 23., the McMaster University Athletics and Recreation Department advertised an annual event called Giving Tuesday to fundraise for U Sports, Ontario University Athletics and club teams.
In order to raise funds for teams, the department has urged McMaster alumni, members of the community and university sports fans to pitch in and donate to teams.
Prior to the event, each of the Marauders sports teams identified a fundraising goal they hoped to earn through donors. Some teams had high aims, such as men's volleyball and football who aimed to fundraise $5,000, while others such as women's field hockey aimed to fundraise $300.
Participating teams also posted their reasons for fundraising and what they hoped to accomplish with their donations. Numerous OUA teams looked to offset travel costs, such as field hockey, women's curling and figure skating. Several teams also wanted funding for upgrades to equipment, including men's baseball, fencing and Nordic skiing.
Numerous OUA teams looked to offset travel costs, such as field hockey, women's curling and figure skating.
As Giving Tuesday kicked off on Nov. 28., many student athletes took to social media to garner support and awareness toward their cause. Many Marauders reposted an image by McMaster Sports on Instagram to urge the community to donate.
The event ended successfully with an overall fundraising total of $101,655.22 provided by 667 different donors. In addition to base funding, McMaster Athletics and Recreation awarded prizes for reaching certain donation amounts and donor goals.
The event ended successfully with an overall fundraising total of $101,655.22 provided by 667 different donors.
The department gave an extra $500 to teams that reached $1,000 in funding, the team that had the most donors and the team with the highest donation amount. The women's soccer team was able to capture the most donors while the men's water polo team was received the highest donation amount.
The hope is that this funding will help all teams involved in Giving Tuesday to achieve their set of goals and support athletes for the upcoming season.
After a year of rebuilding their team, Marauders women's ultimate frisbee ended their successful season with a national title
The McMaster University women's ultimate frisbee team has just concluded another great season for themselves. For the third season in a row, the team was able to capture the national title, crowning them the number one team in this year's Canadian university tournament.
The Marauders went into this season full of confidence, as they won themselves the national title in the year prior. However, the team had experienced a high level of turnover for the roster with several key players graduating, including captains Jessica Gao and Safeena Shanjani, both of whom had helped lead the team to last year's national title.
The team's offseason rebuild seemed to be productive, with the Marauders welcoming seven rookie players, including new captains, Katie McMullen and Allison Couwenberg.
The team's offseason rebuild seemed to be productive, with the Marauders welcoming seven rookie players.
McMaster was able to secure their bid to the national championship tournament in this year's Eastern tournament on Oct. 2. The team was able to clinch a third-place finish at the tournament, as they beat University of Guelph, Carleton University, University of Waterloo and McGill University.
This year's national championship began on Oct. 14 in Brampton. The Marauders started their national campaign facing off against McGill University. They clinched a close win with a score of ten to eight.
The final game of the tournament was played on Oct. 15, with the Marauders taking the national championship home, per fourth year player Mackinley Szumlanski, the team won 9-8 against Laval University. The Marauders were also able to bring home a major individual accolade with Katie McMullen being named the tournament's most valuable player, ending a great year and captaincy.
The final game of the tournament was played on Oct. 15, with the Marauders taking the national championship home, per fourth year player Mackinley Szumlanski, the team won 9-8 against Laval University.
With a strong roster and three years of national experience, the team will likely believe in themselves to grab a fourth title.
After winning the OUA title last year, the men's volleyball team kicks off the season with a close win at home
Last year, the McMaster University men’s volleyball team finished the regular season with a near perfect 18-2 record. The Marauders went on to win the 2023 Ontario University Athletics provincial championship and place third at the U Sports national championship.
Amidst the success, the men’s volleyball team gained itself a considerable fanbase, documentary series and some big expectations for this year.
On Sept. 4, the Marauders played their first regular season game at home against the University of Toronto with a close win in the fifth set.
The game opened with a 19-25 first set loss against the Varsity Blues. McMaster fought back to win the second set 25-21 and the third set 25-19 with notable efforts from Maxime Gratton, Robbie Fujisawa, and Tyler Pavelic.
The Marauders lost some momentum and began to stumble in the fourth set, losing 15-25. However, McMaster quickly cleaned up their offense to win the fifth set 15-12 following an electrifying final point from Brendan Mills.
However, McMaster quickly cleaned up their offense to win the fifth set 15-12 following an electrifying final point from Brendan Mills.
Despite the graduation of several veterans players from the roster, including Wojciech Kraj, Mateusz Wlodarski and Sam Cooper, the win showcased some of McMaster’s promising new talent.
Despite the graduation of several veterans players from the roster, including Wojciech Kraj, Mateusz Wlodarski and Sam Cooper, the win showcased some of McMaster’s promising new talent.
Brady Paterson, a first-year outside hitter, was introduced into the starting lineup and finished the game with six kills. Another rookie, Jared Kuiken, also made an appearance in the home opener. Third-year player Haben Yohannes earned more minutes and finished with six kills and three blocks.
This was the first regular season game coached by Hamilton local Brad Douwes, who served as the former assistant coach for the Marauders in the 2021-2022 season. This May, Douwes was named head coach following the retirement of three-time National Coach of the Year, Dave Preston.
Despite all these changes, the first game back shows that there is lots more to look forward to for the men’s volleyball team. The Marauders face off against the University of Waterloo Warriors next on Nov. 10, before heading on the road for a game on Nov. 11 against the York University Lions and games on Nov. 17 and 18 against the University of Windsor Lancers.
Deja Vu hits as the basketball team joins the football team as the second McMaster victims to forfeiture
It’s official, the men’s basketball 101-56 blowout win against the Algoma Thunderbirds from Jan. 21 has been overturned as punishment due to the appearance of an ineligible player in the matchup. Their Jan. 18 game against the Brock Badgers also featured the ineligible player, but as a game that was already lost, the result will remain as is.
In a statement from the department of athletics and recreation, it was explained that the player became ineligible due to a “brief course load violation”, but has since been reinstated. The identity of the athlete has remained confidential.
In a statement from the department of athletics and recreation, it was explained that the player became ineligible due to a “brief course load violation”, but has since been reinstated. The identity of the athlete has remained confidential.
This story may sound familiar to some after the department released a similar statement about the football team this past September, who also forfeited two games due to an ineligible player, though with a different ineligibility violation, before narrowly missing the playoffs.
The basketball team was in the midst of a hot streak, having won eight of their last nine. Following the forfeiture of their biggest win of the year and a one point loss to the Windsor Lancers on Saturday night the team has fallen into a slide, losing three of their last five. On the season they now hold a record of 10 wins and eight losses.
McMaster widens recreational class opportunities for students heading into the 2022-2023 school year
As the fall semester takes off, the McMaster University Athletics and Recreation Department is continuing to provide students with new opportunities and classes to take part in. One of the benefits of their recreational classes this year is the extremely wide variety to be offered.
This fall semester, the university is providing 80 different classes for students, from ballet to spin class to belly dancing to fencing and more. Additionally, many of these programs offer different options for distinct levels of skill, providing beginner, intermediate and advanced classes.
The classes hosted by McMaster Athletics and Recreation do not require personnel to be McMaster students, as anyone is allowed to participate so long as they are high school age and up. No membership is required, but McMaster students receive a discount on the classes. To acquire more information on the scheduling for the recreational classes, you can visit the weekly schedule for the fall term here.
To register for the Fall term classes, you can visit the Athletics and Recreation program website here. The pricing for the programs ranges from $23.90 for yoga to $101.77 for Muay Thai, with most of the programs lasting 10 weeks.
It's back to normal for intramural sports at McMaster University this year
By Miguel Sibal, Sports Staff Writer
As the school year begins, McMaster University students can look forward to getting involved in a variety of intramural sports. This year the department of athletics and recreation will provide students with a wide assortment of intramurals, including indoor sports, outdoor sports and e-sports.
Peter McComie, intramural sports coordinator for McMaster’s athletics and recreations department, is expecting a full return to normality, barring any last-minute government announcements. Any occurring changes to health and safety restrictions set by the province will in turn be followed and enforced by the department.
“I know it comes pretty last minute and everybody does not agree . . . It’s catching us off-guard as well and whenever things have to change, we need to take our time to get things into place,” explained McComie.
Back in the fall semester of 2021, the department of athletics and recreation instituted a set of COVID-19 policies for McMaster intramurals following both provincial health guidelines and health and safety policies outlined by the university. Such procedures included the adherence to the university’s COVID-19 vaccination policy and the limiting of intramural leagues to current McMaster students.
Presently, these mandates are paused for the upcoming term and should have no impact on intramurals for the fall.
“As we go along, if things do change, we will update as necessary,” explained McComie.
Per McComie, the department also plans to reintroduce previously offered sports which were unavailable in recent years, such as cricket and flag football, in the fall intramural lineup.
The department [of athletics and recreation] also plans to reintroduce previously offered sports which were unavailable in recent years, such as cricket and flag football, in the fall intramural lineup.
Registration will begin on Sept. 7, and will run until Sept. 14 for all outdoor sports, such as soccer and ultimate frisbee. Registration will begin on Sept. 18 for indoor sports, including water polo, floorball and volleyball.
Intramural sign-up is done through the IMLeagues website. On the site students can sign-up in pre-organized teams or register as free agents to make and receive requests to join teams still in need of members. Based on their interests, participants can select several different leagues and play styles for their intramurals.
Intramural sign-up is done through the IMLeagues website. On the site students can sign-up in pre-organized teams or register as free agents to make and receive requests to join teams still in need of members. Based on their interests, participants can select several different leagues and play styles for their intramurals.
The league options require a team to meet specific gender-based requirements when fulfilling their roster. Students can take part in a men’s league, a women’s league, an open league for students of all genders or a co-rec league with sport-specific gender-based roster requirements. It is however important to note that students will only be able to participate in one gendered league (either the men’s or women’s league) and one other league per sport they are involved with.
On top of these league options, students can play under a PlayFun or PlayCompetitive style. While both options allow for players of varying degrees of skill, PlayFun allows for a more casual dynamic of gameplay while PlayCompetitive play is typically a choice for more sport specific experienced athletics.
Continual updates through the year will be provided through the McMaster intramural website, as well as on their social media pages: Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
By: Ryan Tse
Have you been following McMaster men’s hockey this year? McMaster men’s hockey club coach and general manager Rob Wilkinson would be surprised if you have.
“Nobody really knows about us,” said Wilkinson with a laugh.
Marauder teams have once again enjoyed success across the board this season, highlighted by another provincial championship for the men’s volleyball team. But one sport most students are not aware of is the men’s hockey team, largely because it is a club and does not participate in the Ontario University Athletics. Yet this club of dedicated Mac athletes has been running strong for the past decade.
As a club, the men’s hockey team gets invited to play in six or seven tournaments a season, which roughly spans from October to February.
These tournaments take place at various schools around Ontario and Québec, such as St. Lawrence College, Bishop’s University and Sherbrooke University. Most of these schools are part of the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association.
Beyond tournaments, the team also plays exhibition games against other school teams, including the University of Waterloo, the University of Toronto and Sheridan College.
They do not always have to travel, though — they face off against Mohawk College and Redeemer College a few times a year as well. Recently, the club played Redeemer on April 4 at Chedoke Arena, a local venue.
This is the ninth season behind the bench for coach Wilkinson, who organizes the tournaments for the team on top of his coaching duties. He is helped by his son Blair, a McMaster alumnus, who serves as the assistant coach.
It takes a lot of work for Wilkinson to oversee the club. Still, he enjoys his role on the team and said it is rewarding to find opportunities for McMaster students to play hockey throughout the year.
“We’ve had a lot of kids get involved,” Wilkinson said. “It’s not just about how good you are — it’s how committed you are to helping out and how dedicated you can be.”
Funding and practice time can be a challenge for the McMaster squad, but the players and coaches are willing to make financial and time sacrifices. To the coaches, it is all about the students and making sure that they can play the game they love.
“We’ve had a lot of kids get involved. It’s not just about how good you are — it’s how committed you are to helping out and how dedicated you can be.”
Rob Wilkinson Coach and General Manager Men’s Hockey Club
Wilkinson takes particular pride in noting that the club is heavily involved in OCAA tournaments, despite not being part of the association. Because McMaster is not part of the OCAA loop, there are certain restrictions and fees that must be overcome to allow the club to participate. Nevertheless, the coaches and players find a way to attend several of them.
“Every year, we’ve had more tournament activity than any team that’s a member,” Wilkinson said. “All that means to me is we get more kids more activity.”
The club even has built up some traditions over the years. Wilkinson mentioned an annual weekend trip to Brockville to play in a tournament before heading to Montreal for the night.
In Wilkinson’s time as a coach, he’s seen many different players wear the McMaster uniform on the ice. Despite the low-profile nature of the club, he’s quick to note that there have been some very successful seasons.
“We’ve won quite a few championships,” Wilkinson said. “One year, we won two tournaments in the same weekend. Another year, we won the St. Lawrence College tournament and we won the Queen’s University Challenge cup in one weekend.”
“We won three tournaments one year,” he added.
This year has seen the team attend five tournaments so far. While results are not the most important thing to Wilkinson and the club, McMaster has still done fairly well, coming away with a consolation championship and two semi-final appearances.
Typically, the club holds tryout skates at the beginning of the school year, where any McMaster hockey players are welcome to come skate and join the club. From there, the coaches select players from the large roster to go on tournaments, depending on the availability of the students.
Though McMaster lacks an official varsity men’s team, hockey still lives on through the McMaster men’s hockey club. Over the past decade, coach Wilkinson and the team have traveled all throughout the province, carrying maroon pride with them. So the next time someone mentions men’s hockey at McMaster, remember that Mac does have a presence on the ice.
For the fans who frequent the Marauders website, one name has continued to appear on the front page throughout the school year. No, it is not a point guard, an outside hitter or a quarterback. It is Sergio Raez Villanueva.
Villanueva is a rising star on the cross-country and track team at McMaster, and since arriving at McMaster from McGill following an illness, his name has been hard to miss.
The second-year biology major earned his third Pita Pit Athlete of the Week honours on Jan. 15 following a gold medal at Windsor’s Can-Am meet. There, Villanueva posted a converted time of 3:50.51 in the 1500m event, which is currently Canada’s third fastest time at that event and the fourth-fastest in McMaster history. Villanueva also ranks seventh in Canada in the men’s 3000m track events, the only Marauder to rank nationally in the top 12 in any category.
“I tend to not think much when I’m running,” Villanueva said. “I think it is partly because I do not want to get super nervous. I find my best races have been when I just went and I was like, ‘hey it’s going to be a fun race, I have no expectations, I’m going to give it my best shot’. I’m thinking right now of a 10km race that I did in 30 [minutes] flat, still my best time to this day. That race I was like I got nothing to lose, I’m just going to run and have fun. Turns out it was still one of the best races I have ever run in my life.”
His excellence in the indoor season is really no surprise to anyone as that is Villanueva’s specialty. The bigger change for Villanueva this year was adapting the uneven terrain of outdoor running.
“Sergio is a team leader, very accepting of everyone on the team. A very kind and thoughtful individual — there is no one like him.”
Paula Schnurr Head coach McMaster track team
“I’m more of a track guy since it’s just a flat surface, even ground,” Villanueva said. “I’m more of a top speed person that if it’s even ground, I can grind it out. However, when we started cross-country [coach Paula Shnurr] and I talked, and she said [I] should try focusing [my] off-day runs more on the grass. So that’s the one thing that I really changed this year. Every day I was just going to a park and [running] loops on the grass. And it seems to have done something because that was the best cross-country season I’ve had.”
The statistics back the deception up as Villanueva earned himself a Second Team All-Canadian distinction after running the 10km event in 31:43.42 at the U Sports Championships, good enough to place him eighth overall in the country. The drive to win starts at practice and is not lost on the team’s coaching staff.
“Sergio is very driven and focused but more importantly he just loves to run and race,” said Schnurr. “He is very talented and works hard in practice — at times I have to encourage him to slow down. Sergio is not afraid to lead races and make the pace tough for his competitors. He is fearless. His goal is to run faster than the last race and he is always looking to make each race his best.”
Villanueva has always said he prefers the longer distances, like 8km and 10km, with the 1500m being the shortest he likes to run. So it only makes sense he took a long road to get here. Despite his winding path to Hamilton, McMaster always managed to stay on Villanueva’s mind.
“Even before I went to McGill I was always between McMaster and McGill,” Villanueva said. “It’s funny because the summer before I went to McGill I had this placement at McMaster and I contacted Paula like, ‘Hey, I’m around so maybe I could join some practices’. To me this resonated from the very beginning — Paula was just so welcoming from the very beginning and the team was a so accepting, even though they knew that I was going to McGill at that point, they were just so accepting to have me that summer and train with them. I went to McGill and then that whole nonsense happened I recovered and contacted Paula, got back into training because I had a whole year before I started school. That year Paula got me in shape and I managed to do a track race on 10km, and I went to Poland for the World Juniors. So what I’d like to say is that it’s thanks to Paula and the team really — they were so welcoming. It was great being around those guys and we all work together and prosper together and get better together. Who I am now as a runner is thanks to them.”
The change in venue for Villanueva was never a rocky experience for the young runner.
“The only disappointment for Sergio was that he had to sit out a year before he could compete for Mac,” added Schnurr.
The fact that he could ease into the community coming from another program is a testament to the track team, and the university community at large.
“The McMaster community is great,” Villanueva said. “Not only the team but just the community in general honestly. The bumpy stuff was just like you know the paperwork for transferring.Once I got in and it was kind of smooth sailing. I don’t know what else to say to be honest. McMaster is a very welcoming community. I had no problems adapting or starting again at McMaster. So I’m very grateful.”
Villanueva grew up in Peru where he spent most of his time playing tennis. It was only in Grade 8 when his family moved to Canada that he discovered cross-country running. He began to seriously train after joining a club in high school and the rest is history. He even represented Ontario in the Canada Summer Games where he got to meet athletes from all sports.
While Villanueva has his sights set on making the U Sports Championships, he is focusing on improving in the 3000m race right now in addition to the 1500m. While he will focus on statistical improvements during practice, Villanueva also brings the intangibles to every training session.
“Sergio is a real pleasure to coach,” Schnurr said. “When he is absent from practice it is noticeable.He always has a smile on his face and is happy to be at practice. He is extremely supportive of his teammates and in general makes people feel at ease when he is around them.”
The team has only two more competitions to get their reps in before the provincial and national championship meets. When they hit the road towards Boston and then Toronto, the team will only continue to improve.
“The future’s pretty bright,” said Villanueva. “We’re really eager for the next coming years as the team’s progressing very, very well. We came fourth at U Sports as a team in cross-country recently, and we are really excited to try to get to the podium soon.”
Yet regardless of the results, the track team has proven with star athletes like Villanueva that they have a program that is welcoming to all new athletes, and they are successful because of it. In the seasons ahead, Villanueva will continue to be a mainstay on the Marauders home page.
The McMaster women’s basketball team has returned from Thunder Bay, the last stop of their five-city road trip, and are now sitting comfortably in first place of the Ontario University Athletics West Division.
One of the biggest contributors to the team is fourth-year guard Hilary Hanaka, who leads the team with an average of 16 points per game. Though she is now a key component of the winning team, Hanaka did not find it easy to assimilate to university-level basketball coming from high school during her first year as a Marauder.
“I actually found it to be a lot different than I thought it would be,” said Hanaka. “The pace at the university level and the speed of the game is so much different than in high school, but it’s still a lot of fun.”
One of the biggest changes coming to Mac was leaving her sister Julia Hanaka behind after playing together for two years at St. Mary’s High School. So when her younger sister made the decision to play for McMaster in Hilary’s third year, it was everything she could have ever wanted.
“When we realized we were actually on a university varsity basketball team together, especially because this doesn’t happen that often, we were so ecstatic,” said Hilary. “Now it’s just so much fun. I think I get more excited to see her succeed than I do myself.”
In the duo’s first year together in maroon, the younger Hanaka did not get the minutes she hoped for. But in her second year, with the departure of many senior players, her opportunities to play increased.
“Being able to get those minutes on court with her has been so memorable to me,” Hilary said.
"When we realized we were actually on a university varsity basketball team together, especially because this doesn’t happen that often, we were so ecstatic.”
Hilary Hanaka Fourth-year guard McMaster women’s Basketball Team
“The first time we played together, I passed to her and that led to her scoring her first three and it was just an amazing feeling.”
As someone who does not show a lot of emotion when she plays, watching her sister in that moment made it impossible to keep a grin off her face.
“Seeing her hit that shot and how happy she was made me so happy,” Hilary added.
Julia is not the only younger player benefiting from having her older sister leading the way. As such a key component on the team in her fourth year, Hilary and the other seniors have been leading by example both on and off the court for the younger players.
“When I first started, I looked up to Danielle Boiago who was one of my senior veterans when I came,” said Hilary. “She was always the first to every ball during the game and the first [one in] and last one out of the gym.”
Now that she has become a senior player, Hilary hopes to set an example at all times to show the younger players that success does not just come to you naturally — you have to work for it.
“The younger girls are starting to realize it, especially the ones who have had to step up the last few games,” said Hilary.
These games include the games the veteran guard was sidelined because of to a knee injury.
“I was playing on a sore knee for a while and in one of the games I was hit,” Hilary said. “I continued to try and play and practice on it but finally I was like, ‘this knee is too bad’.”
After having it examined further, she learned she had torn a ligament on the lateral side of her knee.
“I’m trying to play through the pain as best I can right now and at the end of the season I’ll take care of it,” said Hilary.
So far, the elder Hanaka has definitely been playing well through the pain. She was awarded the Pita Pit Athlete of the Week upon her return to the hardwood. With an 11-game winning streak and only four losses this season, the Marauders will more than likely remain in first place in their division. But Mac’s starting guard knows they cannot let it get to their head.
“We have to just take each game as it comes and not get too ahead of ourselves,” said Hilary. “Whatever game is next is just as important as the one after that, so just going into each practice and game with that mindset to get us in the position we want to be in come playoffs.”
Prior to the Thunder Bay road trip, Hilary knew that getting two road wins would be crucial for the last leg of the season.
“It’s always hard to play away from your home court and in someone else’s gym,” the guard said. “Our main focus is just to play our own game and focus on our own stuff, rather than trying to break down each and every one of their offences, because in the end it’s what we do that will lead us to our success.”
With three games left in the regular season, it is up to Hilary and the Marauders to remain in the number one spot.
“Right now we are just making sure we are focusing on our reads and making sure we have that defensive rotation we have been talking about all season,” Hilary said. “If we do that, I think we’ll be more than okay.”
With Hilary leading the way, the McMaster women’s basketball team is on the right road to suc-cess this season.
“I hope that I can remain being an impact player on and off the court,” said Hilary. “I just want to bring that excitement to the team and make sure they’re aware that we have so much potential and if we bring that confidence within each other and in ourselves each and every game we’re going to be okay no matter who is against us.”
Being that impact player is nothing new to the venerated guard. With a promising future on the horizon for the Marauders, this will not be the last we hear of Hilary Hanaka.
The Ontario University Athletics’ wrestling season is a grueling affair. Opportunities present themselves through October, November and January, eventually building to the OUA Championships in February.
For McMaster wrestler Benjamin Zahra, the season has certainly been taxing, but has resulted in a rewarding season that is worth writing home about.
As Mac Wrestling heads into the OUA Championships this weekend, Zahra is coming off of an OUA Male Athlete of the Week Award at the end of January, and a perfect performance at the Ontario Junior Championships.
Zahra’s performance at the Junior Championships led to a gold medal in the 79 kg category, posting three clean performances, as he did not give up a point all weekend long.
This performance was even more impressive as it was not Zahra’s first gold medal on the season, adding to his 86 kg Senior Championships gold medal in November. Zahra has already established himself as a top athlete, performing at the top of his game in two weight categories, against two different age categories. He is a wrestler who begs more attention.
However, Zahra is not about to rest on his accomplishments anytime soon. There are still key challenges ahead this season and Zahra treats each practice as an opportunity to work on his technique and continually improve.
“My motivation this season has just been to focus on pushing myself as hard as I can in practice to get better,” said Zahra. “I have been able to push aside all the season’s distractions and really focus on trying to get the best performance out of myself in every practice so that I can be in the best condition for competitions.”
Zahra’s athletic ideology reflects a mindset that was also echoed by head wrestling coach, Cleo Ncube.
Coach Ncube, in his first season at McMaster, brings the mentality of the former Olympian he is, instituting a strict and demanding schedule that challenged many members of the team in the early stages of this season.
Zahra took this challenge and ran with it, still constantly checking in with his motivations and drives.
“It’s a sport that forces you to push yourself harder than you ever thought you could push yourself, which can be very hard,” Zahra said. “This makes the flashes of success throughout the season that much more enjoyable.”
“The motivation for me is the joy I get from the sport,” Zahra added. “It’s important for me to find enjoyment in wrestling because in the big picture, that’s why I have always wrestled.”
Even with what Zahra has accomplished up to this point, he is still looking for more, looking beyond this weekend to the National Championships. Still, one of Zahra’s strongest traits seems to be his poise and focus. He clearly has lofty ambitions, but they are all kept in perspective with clear attention being paid to the small things.
“At the start of the year my main goal was to win the junior national championships at the end of year,” said Zahra. “Although I think this is a goal I am capable of achieving, I have really tried not to focus on it too much throughout the season. Instead, I have set goals for myself in practice that I know if I follow will give me the best chance of becoming a national champion.”
This mindset is one strongly advocated for by Ncube. The wrestling team’s head coach regularly emphasizes the importance of personal growth and consistent effort, not simply a focus on results.
Coach Ncube added that this mentality has been paying off dividends in his eyes, having seen dramatic improvements throughout the roster.
“Up to this point the season has been good,” Zahra added, reflecting on the season. “I have had a chance to compete in many of the university open tournaments along with both the senior and junior provincial championships. I have not had much of a chance to reflect on the season because of the busy tournament schedule, but overall I am happy.”
Looking ahead, the OUA Championships are on Feb. 11 and Zahra is focused on another key performance.
“For this upcoming OUA championships my goal is to compete the best I can and hopefully have an excellent performance,” said Zahra. “This is the same goal I have going into every tournament because it is the one thing I am in complete control of.”
This idea of complete control is something that runs through of Zahra’s competitions. It feels like at this stage in his young career he is in control — in control of his regime, in control of his preparation and in control of his game. Week in and week out, he is in charge. This is a McMaster athlete to keep your eye on, this weekend and beyond.
