Last week McMaster’s Athletics and Recreation departments hosted their annual Think Pink event, a week dedicated to raising awareness and funds on behalf of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. A part of national fundraising efforts since its inception in 2007, the event has established a tradition of bringing together student-athletes from across the university for a worthy cause. While each has been touched by cancer in a unique way, their stories offer a glimpse into how the battle against cancer unites us, and what we can do to help.

“I have had friends that have lost their parents to breast cancer,” said Rebecca Steckle, a fifth-year outside hitter on the women’s volleyball team. “To dedicate something so small, that seems so meaningless like a volleyball game... you really gain perspective. You go into [it] wanting to win and working hard and focusing so much, but to step back and say this is for something so much more… is a really special thing”

Steckle was part of a team effort that produced back-to back wins in Burridge Gym last weekend, both of which were dedicated to raising awareness for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. A part of the campus-wide Think Pink initiative, the women’s volleyball team played two of the eight games hosted by McMaster varsity teams over the course of three days, all devoted to the Think Pink cause. But for Steckle, her reason to participate goes even deeper than her own personal relationships.

“I work with cancer patients, and I see the way they fight through their disease,” said Steckle. “It doesn’t overcome them. I see their strength… as athletes we are privileged to be here, so anything we can do to give back and use our platform to fight back is really special and we have an opportunity to do that.”

An oncology nurse in local hospitals, Steckle got involved with Think Pink through McMaster Athletes Care, a student-run organization that aims to use sport as a catalyst for inciting social change. Each year, student-athletes partner with the McMaster Athletics and Recreation department to coordinate a wide-range of fundraising events. Not only have they been able to successfully draw in local members of the community, the partnership of varsity athletes across sport has created a culture of cooperation and family, something Steckle can attest to.

“My coach said in his speech last year that ‘family is not confined to space and time, so when a weekend like this comes, and family gets back together, we have a chance to do something really impactful.”

This “family” of student-athletes has been something Steckle has been a part of from the start of her career as a marauder. When asked about any memories of Think Pink that really struck a chord, she recalled her first experience with the cause.

“In my first year we would have a game or two were we dedicate it to the Think Pink campaign. I still remember my first year, we would get shirts and get to write someone’s name or a group of people we were playing for… it was special to feel so connected to something because everyone is touched by cancer in some way.”

“Everyone is touched by cancer in some way,” said Lexie Spadafora, a fourth-year guard on the women’s basketball team. “For our team especially.”

Since arriving for her first year at McMaster in 2013, Spadafora has seen the development of Ontario University Athletics all-stars, an all-time leading scorer, and been a part of three OUA playoff runs in a deep division. But tough opponents would not be the only challenge her and her team would do battle with.

In 2015, head coach and 22-season figurehead of women’s basketball Theresa Burns would announce the return of her battle with breast cancer. Undergoing treatment throughout the 2015/2016 season, these Marauders have seen up close the fight and perseverance anyone who has been touched by cancer experiences.

“[Think Pink] means a lot to her, it means a lot to us,” said Spadafora. “It is always in the back of our mind, we are doing this for her.”

"Everyone has one goal, and that is to beat cancer. For us to do it in a sport we love, and for a coach we love and look up too... that's a good way to do it."
Lexie Spadafora
Fourth-year guard, McMaster women's basketball

Even before Think Pink, women’s basketball has been at the forefront of breast cancer initiatives. Whether it is wearing pink socks and warm-ups on game day, running the CIBC Run for the Cure, or raising over 20,000 dollars for “Team TB” in 2015, these Marauders are doing everything in their power to make a difference.

“We just want to get everyone involved as much as we can,” said Spadafora. “Everyone has one goal, and that is to beat cancer. For us to do it in a sport we love, and for a coach we love and look up to... that’s a good way to do it.”

And they aren’t alone. Over 400 fans packed Burridge Gym for the Think Pink games against York and Queen’s, a testament to the tight knit community the women’s program has created. But if there is one thing Spadafora wants to emphasis it is that those games were just a starting point.

“This is something that shouldn’t just happen this week,” said Spadafora. “It should happen all year. This week kind of promotes it, but it is important for students and members of the community to know that they are always other ways to contribute.”

“There are always ways to contribute,” said Ethan Saunders, a fifth-year veteran of the men’s rugby team. “That is one of the things that makes it so great.”

Involved with Think Pink since his first year, Saunders noticed the week as one of the volunteering opportunities brought to athletes by McMaster athletes care.

"Run in unison with marauder alumni weekend, was packed with returning players, coaches and members of the community who were able to partake in the week's fundraising initiatives."

“I was looking for a way to have an impact beyond the field,” said Saunders. “Because I realized early on that’s a pretty limited number of people I can affect there… [Think Pink] is a broader scale for sure.”

For the duration of the week, Saunders spearheaded an athlete run promotion station in the David Braley Athletic Center. Ditching his rugby gear in favor of a pink ballet tutus and matching neon tights, Saunders did everything from pass on information about the cause to selling raffle tickets and t-shirts. He also helped run daily fundraising events such as “Pink Balloon Pop”, and “Dodge For A Cause”.

“My favorite event each year has been pie-in-the-face, I find it absolutely hilarious,” said Saunders. “I had a chance to throw my first pie this year, instead of being on the receiving end of the pies… its just good to have all the other athletes out and have everyone coming by.. it is just such a good community event, what more could you ask for?”

No stranger to helping others, Saunders was the recipient of an OUA community service award last year for his volunteer work with the McMaster Student Therapist program and as a team representative for McMaster Athlete’s Care.

Saunders also voiced his support for the timing of Think Pink this year. Run in unison with marauder alumni weekend, Burridge Gym was packed with returning players, coaches and members of the community who were able to partake in the week’s fundraising initiatives.

“It is cool to have [students and alumni],” said Saunders. “It is kind of a past and present thing which is very reflective of what you are dealing with with breast cancer as well, it is a unifying issue, so there is some neat messaging there… but the more people you have around campus the better”

 

By: Yifan Yang

If you’ve been to the Pulse, then you already know about the no sleeves rule. According to the terms and conditions of the Athletics & Recreation website, “a full shirt with sleeves must be worn. Halter tops, tank tops, shirts bearing midriff or torn shirts are not permitted.” This rule has sparked a lot of controversy, and many people seem to be confused and frustrated when they first learn of it — myself included.

This prompted me to research how the policy came to be. Starting in the early 2000s, the Pulse implemented the no sleeves rule as a response to a growing body of evidence on factors affecting emotions such as anxiety during exercise.

In 1989, Wake Forest University developed “The Measurement of Social Physique Anxiety,” a scale measuring “the degree to which people become anxious when others observe or evaluate their physiques.” The authors found that revealing clothing negatively affected the exerciser’s sense of security. These findings were supported by various studies following it, including ones led by McMaster’s very own Kathleen Martin Ginis, a professor and principal investigator in the Department of Kinesiology. The conclusion based on scientific, reproducible evidence is that people are more secure and more likely to exercise if those around them are dressed in a less revealing way.

Now, this raises the question of what the Pulse’s goal is with respect to their users. Is the goal to cater to already avid gym-goers, or is it to increase accessibility for those who may be new to the gym or intimidated by the environment?

In a previous interview with the Silhouette, Prof. Martin Ginis said,“McMaster has a very lofty goal for getting high levels of participation and attendance at DBAC… they’re not just interested in getting the usual gym rats there… they want people to start [and continue] being physically active.”

Personally, the sea of machines I don’t know how to use and everyone else there seeming to know exactly what they’re doing is intimidating enough. Given the evidence in support of limiting revealing clothing to reducing exercise anxiety, I commend the Pulse for using evidence to inform policy that removes one layer of the barriers that prevent Mac students from active lifestyles.

When I first heard about this policy, I thought that it was completely ridiculous. I did not appreciate feeling that there was an infringement on my freedom to dress how I want to. And yes, I still agree that sometimes, a pit-stained cotton tee is just not what most want to sport after an intense workout. However, I’ve come to understand that this minor inconvenience is a small price to pay for the goal it hopes to achieve. We should remind ourselves that this dress code is rooted in evidence-based policy-making and works towards making McMaster facilities more accessible for those who may feel self-conscious or apprehensive towards the gym. The greater goal is for the McMaster community at large to take strides together towards healthier and more active lifestyles.

By: Melanie Yin

This year, I got a Pulse membership. I’ve been very pleased with my decision thus far, but one part has been worrisome: the no sleeves rule.

The requirement that students wear a full shirt with sleeves at all times has been in place, puzzling students, since the early 2000s. The reasoning behind the policy is that people who are new to the gym feel insecure and intimidated when they see how fit and muscular other people are. As someone who is very new to gyms, I certainly understand feeling like someone is going to call me out as an imposter who does not belong in an environment where people understand how to work bench presses.

However, I have to say that I can tell that everyone around me is way more ripped than I am, even when they are wearing sleeves. That extra bit of fabric does nothing to hide the fact that the bodies of other people are much more toned and well-muscled than my own. I also wonder about the arbitrary decision to enforce dress codes on one small portion of our bodies, but not others. How are long sleeves so different from long pant legs? The premise of the argument in favour of the dress code is confusing. Regardless, I still feel self-conscious and awkward and out-of-place.

Furthermore, the athletics manager who made the no sleeves decision back in the early 2000s clearly did not consider the fact that it is difficult for women to find exercise clothes that are not tank tops. As a result, instead of wearing exercise clothes that wick your sweat away, I am left in the unfortunate position of wearing cotton tees with sleeves that develop pit stains. No one wants to see pit stains. This is something that discourages me, and potentially other students, from enjoying workouts.

Instead, why not let McMaster see my shoulders? I’ve demonstrated the lack of effectiveness of the no sleeves rule in reducing anxieties. If we’re aiming to actually reduce anxieties around working out, why not have specific hours for “gym noobs” like myself? We could meet other gym noobs and crack jokes about how shocked our parents were when we decided to get memberships. Maybe we’d meet up beforehand and enter the gym together with other noobs during regular hours.

There are many policies that would actually aid in reducing anxiety and increase the confidence of people new to working out, but the no sleeves rule is not one of them. Let us have more comfortable, less embarrassingly sweaty workouts. Not everybody will choose to wear tank tops, but give us the choice.

Dina Fanara

Assistant News Editor

An announcement was made to all users of McMaster’s Pulse fitness centre on Nov. 11 with regards to a new usage monitoring system. It will be implemented to regulate the number of users allowed to use the Pulse at any given time.

The new practice is called the “one-in, one-out” policy. The system was put into effect as a result of a greatly elevated attendance level in the facility, resulting in long wait times for equipment.

Students were told in the email that the busiest times for the facilities are between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and were advised to consider using their memberships outside of the peak hours.

According to Debbie Marinoff Shupe, the Manager of Recreation Services at McMaster’s Department of Athletics and Recreation, this year has seen a record number of Pulse memberships purchased, most of which were bought by McMaster students.

A recent ranking of Canadian universities in Maclean’s Magazine said that 79 per cent of McMaster students participate in athletics and recreation in some form, many by purchasing a Pulse membership. It’s a number that, according to Marinoff Shupe, is much higher than the average for Canadian universities.

A steady yearly increase in Pulse fitness facility usage has occurred since the opening of the new facility in 2006.

In the 2005-2006 academic year, close to 8,000 memberships were sold, with a steady increase until numbers reached more than 11,000 this year.

In addition to the increase in Pulse membership purchases, this year has also seen a steady increase in the average number of times per month that the fitness centre is being used.

Not only are more students purchasing memberships, they are also using the facilities more often.

As a result of this increase, the “one-in, one-out” policy has been implemented. This method was first used in January of 2011, as January is typically the busiest month for the Pulse, but this is the first year that the system has been used in the fall.

“Part of what we want to do is educate people on different options,” added Marinoff Shupe, including using the upstairs running track and changing personal exercise schedules.

Athletics and Recreation is currently looking into options for expansion. However, this also raises concern. For example, where would new equipment go?

There is little room left for more cardio machines on the second floor, and the first floor is already packed with weight machines and free weights.

While this issue is seen by Athletics and Recreation as a positive statement on student fitness, this is a serious problem for those who wish to use the facilities, and an issue that will take time and resources to resolve.