Amir Shirazi named athlete of the week for his outstanding performance against Brock Badgers
The men's soccer forward for McMaster University, Amir Shirazi, was selected athlete of the week following his strong performance on September 1st. Following a difficult 2 to 0 setback to the York Lions on Friday, Shirazi was a major factor in McMaster's 2 to 0 victory against the Brock Badgers on the night of Sunday Sep. 8 at 8:15pm, securing the Marauder's first victory of the season by scoring both of of the two goals.
When asked about the honor, Shirazi replied with humbleness. "It feels good to be recognized, but honestly, it’s all about the team. We knew it would be a tough weekend playing our biggest rivals right away. We’re happy with the win, but we could have done better," said Shirazi
It feels good to be recognized, but honestly, it’s all about the team. We knew it would be a tough weekend playing our biggest rivals right away. We’re happy with the win, but we could have done better.
Amir Shirazi, forward, McMaster men's soccer
Between the two games, Shirazi played for 173 minutes, showing his stamina and determination. It can be exhausting to play back-to-back games, but Shirazi explained how he remains prepared. “Last year, I played a lot of minutes during doubleheaders, so I knew what to expect. It’s about preparing well, resting after the first game, and getting mentally ready for the next one,” said Shirazi.
While describing how he scored the first goal, Shirazi mentioned that it was a tactic he had already practiced with teammate Carlos Spiro. “Carlos cut in and played across. I headed it in after the goalie made a great save. We practiced a similar play in preseason, so I kind of knew what was coming,” said Shirazi.
Carlos cut in and played across. I headed it in after the goalie made a great save. We practiced a similar play in preseason, so I kind of knew what was coming.
Amir Shirazi, forward, McMaster men's soccer
Shirazi received a free kick which led to his second goal. “In the game against York, I had a free kick from the same spot, but it hit the post. So, when I got the same chance against Brock and scored, it felt really good,” said Shirazi.
Although the team was frustrated by the outcome against York prior to facing the Brock Badgers, Shirazi clarified that they saw it as a teaching moment. “We made mistakes in the first half, but we created a lot of chances. We just couldn’t finish them. We took what we learned from that game and brought it into the next one, and we got the win,” said Shirazi.
In addition, Shirazi attributed his success to his colleagues. “The midfield, wingers, and fullbacks are all working hard to get me the ball in good positions. Guys like Mohamed El-Shachman, Carlos Spiro, and Damiano Refosco are the reason I’ve been able to score so many goals. It’s a team effort,” said Shirazi.
The midfield, wingers, and fullbacks are all working hard to get me the ball in good positions. Guys like Mohamed El-Shachman, Carlos Spiro, and Damiano Refosco are the reason I’ve been able to score so many goals. It’s a team effort
Amir Shirazi, forward, McMaster men's soccer
Despite his achievement this past game, Shirazi is more focused on the group's future performance than on individual awards. “Every year, we aim to win the OUAs and qualify for nationals. That’s still my goal. I just want to help the team finish in the top two and do well in the playoffs. My job as a striker is to score goals, and I’ll keep doing that to help the team win,” said Shirazi.
As the Marauder's continue their season, Shirazi will be a key player to watch as the team pushes for a strong finish in the OUA standings.
After a home opener loss to Wilfrid Laurier University, the Marauders faced a subsequent defeat to Queen’s University on the road
As the 2024 season has come into swing for McMaster football, the team has struggled to pick up a win. In their season home opener on Aug. 24 against the Laurier Golden Hawks, the Marauders lost with a score of 14 to 31.
Despite leading at the half against the Golden Hawks with a score of 14 to 13, the Marauders were unable to keep the scoring going. After this home opener loss, the Marauders traveled to Kingston to face Queen’s University.
The Queen’s Gaels would not be an unfamiliar opponent for McMaster, as the teams faced off in 2022. That game the Marauder's lost with a score of 10 to 14.
This game would present a new opportunity to quarterback Keagan Hall, as he was not the team’s starting quarterback when the Marauders last faced the Gaels. But defeating the Queen's Gaels, USport’s 10th ranked team, would prove to be a difficult endeavour for the Marauders.
But defeating the Queen's Gaels, USport’s 10th ranked team, would prove to be a difficult endeavour for the Marauders.
The Gaels opened the scoring quickly on their home field, as they led 24 to zero for a majority of the first half. But, just before the first half ended, the Marauders were able score themselves a touchdown bringing the score to 24 to seven.
Despite the team’s effort, the Marauders failed to change the tide of the game and secure victory in the second half. . The Marauders were able to score two touchdowns before the game was completed, but these points would not be enough, with the game finishing 27 to 22.
The Marauders were able to score two touchdowns before the game was completed, but these points would not be enough to secure a win, with the game finishing 27 to 22.
Stay tuned as the Marauders face the University of Toronto in their third match of the season on Sep. 7 at Ron Joyce Stadium.
The McMaster Intramurals annual sports calendar has been released, detailing opportunities to partake in multiple indoor and outdoor sports for all students
On Aug 23, the McMaster Intramurals account (led by Athletics and Recreation), released the annual intramurals sports schedule that is available to students for the upcoming year. For the fall and winter terms, there will be a total of 21 and 17 sports available respectively.
Intramurals are an opportunity for non-varsity athletes to partake in activities throughout the week on campus. They are open to McMaster students and alumni who wish to get active throughout the year.
For the fall semester, students will have the opportunity to register from Sep 4. to Sep. 18. for the activities they wish to partake in. While individuals are encouraged to register for as many activities as they wish, there are some rules in place to ensure a fair chance is provided to all participants.
Participants will only be able to take part in one gendered league (open, men’s or women’s) and a co-ed league per sport, meaning that one can only join a maximum of two teams per sport.
Most of the sports in the fall will have a mixture of PlayFun and PlayComp opportunities. PlayFun leagues are built for all participants, but the focus of these leagues is on the fun of the sport and teamwork, rather than competition with other groups. Experienced players are expected to support beginners throughout the league, which would promote a less competitive edge to the sport.
PlayFun leagues are built for all participants, but the focus of these leagues is on the fun of the sport and teamwork, rather than competition with other groups
PlayComp on the other hand has more competitive games that often results in a quicker and more intense league than PlayFun, yet always respectful. Teams are expected to have a good understanding of the rules and be ambitious.
Whilst most of the sports in the fall will have a mixture of PlayFun and PlayComp opportunities, there are sports that will have nights for students to learn the sport called the Learn To Play Night. These are scheduled to be provided for flag football, soccer, ultimate frisbee, H20-Polo, H20-Basketball, Volleyball, and Floorball.
For the winter, all of the sports will be indoor, including some of those sports held outside in the fall. Students can register for the winter semester sports from November, specifically Nov. 11-24.
One thing that stands out compared to the previous years is the steep price increase for activities such as soccer and a general price increase for almost all other sports.
In particular, soccer 11-a-side open registration went up from $165 for the 2023-2024 year, to $225 for the current year, a spike of 36 per cent. While an annual slight uptick in price is normal, it remains unknown as to why such a large rise has occurred, making the activity the most expensive one.
Other sports that saw noticeable price changes include Flag Football, Volleyball and Floorball, with various subcategories, such as co-ed and open, increasing by up to 25 per cent.
To get involved with intramurals this year, students can sign up through the IMLeagues app or website, where they can access all the details. If students have an invite from an existing team, they can join if they first completing a quiz. They can also create their own team within a league of their choice and start inviting their friends or other students that are eligible (McMaster students or alumni) for intramurals.
To get involved with intramurals this year, students can sign up through the IMLeagues app or website, where they can access all the details.
Additionally, students have the opportunity to sign up as agents. There they can describe their skills and give a brief description of themselves, which will provide team captains with information to choose them for their team.
For more information about the upcoming intramurals program, students can reach out to McMaster Intramurals on Instagram or visit their home page.
A look into the varsity wrestling team's progress, and ambitions for the upcoming season under Coach Ahmed Shamiya
As the new school year begins, anticipation is building within McMaster University's varsity wrestling team. Under the leadership of Coach Ahmed Shamiya since 2019, the team is in a position to make a significant impact this season. After five years of steady progress in areas like adopting a winning mentality, the team is ready to transform potential into results.
In an interview with The Silhouette, Shamiya looked back on his time as coach and expressed confidence in the team's development. "When I started, there was a lot of potential, but [...] a lot of work to be done [...] I believe this year we will reap the fruits of our labour," said Shamiya.
When I started, there was a lot of potential, but [...] a lot of work to be done [...] I believe this year we will reap the fruits of our labour.
Ahmed Shamiya, coach, varsity wrestling team
He admitted that creating a winning culture has been a lengthy process. But that the team's confidence going into the season is a direct result of an altering of the team's beliefs, attitudes, and actions to place an emphasis on cooperation, discipline, and the common goal of success. "Although wrestling is an individual sport, it builds camaraderie like no other," Ahmed noted.
Coach Ahmed has led the club to several significant accomplishments since taking over in 2019 . The team has continuously performed well, winning two Rookie of the Year titles - which recognize outstanding first-year athletes for exceptional talent - to earning both the male and female Athletes of the Year. The women’s team, in particular, has made history with a top-three finish at the U-Sport National Championships.
Despite these accomplishments, the team's objectives for this year are still very high. "Our goal this year [...] is to be national [...] and OUA champions," said Shamiya. However, he also stressed that achieving these titles will need more than simply skill.
Our goal this year [...] is to be national [...] and OUA champions.
Ahmed Shamiya, coach, varsity wrestling team
Perseverance and loyalty to their basic principles will be needed, particularly in the face of difficulties. "When things get difficult, it can be very easy to abandon your goal. It can be easy to abandon your values. It's just a matter of sticking to that no matter what happens," he stressed.
Wrestling is a demanding sport, and injuries have been a significant challenge for the team in the past. "In the past we've had championship teams on paper, but then two weeks, three weeks out from the national championships, one of our key wrestlers will get injured and will not be able to wrestle that tournament" said Shamiya. In the interview, Coach Ahmed emphasizes the need to balance pushing athletes to their limits whilst also ensuring optimal recovery. A key wrestler missing from the lineup can severely impact the team’s chances at a national title, making injury prevention a top priority.
Coach Ahmed is optimistic about the direction of the McMaster wrestling team as they get ready for another tough season. “[Brock has] been very dominant [...] and you got to give them credit [...] but I truly believe that [...] in time, we will pass them. It's not a matter of how, it's a matter of when – and I truly believe that” said Shamiya.
[Brock has] been very dominant [...] and you got to give them credit [...] but I truly believe that [...] in time, we will pass them. It's not a matter of how, it's a matter of when – and I truly believe that.
Ahmed Shamiya, coach, varsity wrestling team
According to Shamiya, the culture of the team, which prioritizes academic and athletic achievement, will also see its members implement the teachings they have learned in their personal and professional life, off the wrestling mat. "Excellence is a transferable skill," Ahmed emphasized, "the pursuit of greatness will make you so much better as a person and that will translate to all aspects of life post wrestling”.
As the McMaster wrestling team heads into the new season, the strong foundation they’ve built over the last five years sets them up for continued growth and success. With a clear vision and a commitment to their values, the team feels ready to take on the challenges ahead.
Following the Marauders basketball team’s 74-67 win against the TMU Bold, they gear up for their next challenge against the Queen’s Gaels
As the McMaster University Marauders continue their Ontario University Athletics playoffs, the air is thick with anticipation.
Coming off a vigorous win against the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold, the team is riding a wave of confidence while maintaining a realistic outlook of the challenges ahead.
The Marauders’ recent victory over TMU began with a rocky start as they fell behind in the early stages of the game. The Bold's aggressive opening led to them securing the first quarter 20-12. However, the resilient mindset within the squad picked up as the game carried on.
Sparked by Nathan Charles' steal and reverse layup, McMaster clawed back, gradually overturning the score through strategic plays and sheer determination.
This win was particularly sweet given the team's journey so far. Facing the departure of some veteran players, the injuries of key players like Ares Culley-Bremner and Brendan Amoyaw and integrating fresh talent have been formidable challenges this year.
"At the beginning of the season, people thought that we weren’t going to win thatt much. We lost a lot of our players [and] our veterans… We really just have to go out there and do what we know we can do," stated Charles.
As attention turns to the upcoming game against Queen's University on Feb. 24, the Marauders know what faces them ahead. Previous encounters have tested their abilities, with the last matchup ending in a 76-67 win for the Gaels. The Gaels’ physicality and focus on dominating the paint present significant obstacles the team will look forward to.
"We know we’re going to have to play physical. Queen’s is one of the better teams. . .I’m going to try and set the tone early so we can hopefully go up in the first and second quarter and keep on building from there," said Charles.
As the team prepares to take on Queen’s, who come into the playoffs with an 11 game winning streak, their strategy aims to match physicality with tenacity, focus on teamwork and maintain the momentum. The playoffs are not just a test of skill but a testament to the Marauders' spirit and resilience.
With their eyes on the prize, the team is ready to give it their all, setting an inspiring example of what it means to compete with heart and hustle.
McMaster men's curling kicked off their season this past November with many invitationals ahead as they look to win big
The McMaster University men's curling season officially started in Guelph on Nov. 11. The Marauders faced three teams in the University of Guelph invitational in their first competition of the season. In their first game they faced off against Wilfrid Laurier University, the 2022-2023 Ontario University Athletics champions.
This challenge at the start of the season was not the only hardship this team has had to endure so far, with many key players leaving the team in their last offseason.
The team's only two returning players this year are Scott McLellan and Daniel Van Veghel. The graduation of Troy Stoner and Thomas Szasz would leave major gaps in the team that the current roster would have to fill.
It's mostly a new team [this year]. A lot of turnover especially in the back end, so you got to just kind of rebuild the entire team. We had a lot of new players.
Benjamin Winchester, second-year player, Marauders men's curling team
With these changes in roster, the team was left to rebuild mostly from scratch, leading to many of the current challenges they're facing this year.
“We didn’t have the greatest start, score wise, but it's been a steady improvement,” said Winchester.
Coming into this season, the team also welcomed in a new head coach. The team's previous head coach was Lori Eddey, an experienced curler who spent time at the national level as a player.
Eddey was replaced this season by Byron Scott, who spent the last seven years coaching at the University of Guelph before leaving to coach the current McMaster team.
Thus far, Scott has proven to be a great fit for the current Marauders' curling team. He consistently emphasizes mindful habits for the current players, who seem to resonate with them quite well.
“[Scott] is big into sports psychology, so he’ll mention a lot of the time pre-game what to be thinking and he’s tried to instill good habits in us. Instead of getting down if we miss a shot, [Scott says to] think "clean slate and just stay steady,"” said Winchester.
Despite some changes to the team dynamic this season, the Marauders have been able to learn and adapt to both each other and their new head coach. They've learned to play off of one another and have been able to see better results.
“We’ve gotten our communication down now. That was one of the big things with a new team; you don’t know how everyone communicates, with hand signals or other little things," said Winchester.
We’ve gotten our communication down now. That was one of the big things with a new team, you don’t know how everyone communicates, with hand signals or other little things.
Benjamin Winchester, second-year player, Marauders men's curling team
This season, the Marauders will hope to capture an OUA title after just falling short of the finals last year. Their loss to Queen's University ended in a 9-2 score.
“Personally, I’d like us to win [an OUA] quarterfinal game. That’s always been the goal... Always a bit more than that, but a quarterfinal game win would be nice,” said Winchester.
Scott and the team's newcomers will hope to make a big name for themselves as the season comes its peak.
In a year of COVID-19 restrictions, student-athletes have found new ways to improve their game during the pandemic
C/O Esra Rakab
In a year where McMaster University sports seasons had to be cancelled and training has become increasingly difficult due to social-distancing restrictions, teams and athletes have had to find new ways to keep improving. Not only are these athletes missing out on the most critical method of improvement — the cancelled games in which they regularly play — but practices have also looked extremely different throughout the school year.
Some teams opted to train via virtual practices, gathering on Zoom to work out together and run drills individually. Others have opted to continue hosting regular in-person practices, simply adhering to the provincial restrictions. That being said, the majority of teams have created a variety of in-between scenarios in their best attempts to keep their athletes on the right track to improvement.
Tyler Pavelic, a middle on the McMaster men’s volleyball team, discussed the differences and difficulties of the in-person practices the team has held this year.
“Training in the pandemic has been pretty tough, especially considering we have to wear masks during the whole practice . . . With the guidelines here in Hamilton, we are only allowed 10 guys at a time, so for a sport like volleyball where you need six-on-six to play, we can’t really do much,” said Pavelic.
"With the guidelines here in Hamilton, we are only allowed 10 guys at a time, so for a sport like volleyball where you need six-on-six to play, we can’t really do much.”
Tyler Pavelic
Practice might be much difficult in the pandemic, but for Pavelic, it’s the missed gameplay that was the biggest punch to the gut.
“[On] gamedays, it’s a great feeling with a lot of fans, loud music . . . It’s just a great experience in every game that everyone looks forward to during the week,” said Pavelic. When asked what he missed most about pre-pandemic sports, the answer was simple: “Just games, games were awesome,” said Pavelic.
Julian Tymochko, a member of Mac's men's baseball team, is another Marauder who spoke about the hardships the pandemic has caused on his team.
“It’s been tough — we haven’t really been able to get any official practices going. The best we could do was have about 10 guys get out, throw a little bit of live batting practice, and get some ground ball work in and all of that. That was during the summer mostly, we really haven’t done much since then,” said Tymochko.
“It’s been tough — we haven’t really been able to get any official practices going. The best we could do was have about 10 guys get out, throw a little bit of live batting practice, and get some ground ball work in and all of that.”
Julian Tymochko
With practices limited, and limitations surrounding indoor practices, Tymochko has found himself improving within the mental/strategy-based aspects of his game from his own home, something many athletes have turned to this past season.
“Something that I’ve been really excited about recently is that college baseball in the states has started up . . . Typically I’ll start my morning watching two or three highlights from the games, like a Vanderbilt-Arkansas game or something like that,” said Tymochko.
Tymochko enjoys watching his American counterparts to analyze how they play the game. He considers each and every move to help improve the way he goes into each game.
“I’m watching those highlights and seeing those pitchers from our age group in North America, how they’re going about their in-game play. Just looking at how they’re playing, considering that they’re the top of the game, they’re the top competition for our age group,” explained Tymochko.
Tymochko, the 2019-2020 Canadian Baseball Guru Cy Young winner, awarded to the league’s best pitcher, has been working extra hard over the offseason, as McMaster Baseball isn’t all he has been training for.
After his Cy Young-winning season, the fifth-year athlete was signed by the Fort McMurray Giants of the Western Canadian Baseball League.
“During the pandemic it was so hard to get a training routine and a good regimen, so I reached out to a trainer via Zoom. For a while I was doing twice a week training sessions with him on Zoom, just getting a good workout,” said Tymochko.
The primary goal Tymochko was going for was finding ways to workout without the typical training equipment offered by McMaster.
“He knew workouts with minimal amounts of equipment that still made me feel a lot stronger, smoother and way more mobile, and I would say that’s what I worked on the most this offseason,” said Tymochko.
The workload Tymochko has undergone similarly resembles what many McMaster athletes have found themselves striving for during the pandemic. With many struggling to find the resources they would’ve had at McMaster, and the limited and potentially cancelled practices, they’ve had to find ways to keep pushing through.
Whether it’s working with a trainer, finding new training methods at home or doing their best to train with their teams despite the restrictions, these student-athletes have found ways to keep getting better, and they’re undoubtedly looking forward to showcasing these new improvements next season.
Matthew Passalent joins SK Zadruga AICH/DOB as his first professional team after his tenure at McMaster
Before stepping on to the court as a member of SK Zadruga AICH/DOB, Matthew Passalent began his volleyball journey in the various volleyball camps hosted by McMaster Athletics & Recreation. As such, he fostered good relationships with the coaches there, so joining the McMaster University men’s volleyball team was not unfamiliar territory for Passalent. He described his transition as very welcoming.
In his first year on the McMaster volleyball team, he followed the guidance of the senior members. He watched many of their games prior to enrolling at McMaster — he looked up to them and modelled his game after them.
“It was awesome to have the opportunity to practice with [the McMaster athletes], watch them play up close and get a good grasp on their mentality,” said Passalent.
[/media-credit] Passalent as a member of the McMaster Men's Volleyball team.
Passalent explained that he received more playing time and entered more of a leadership role as the years progressed. He recalled how during his fourth and fifth years, the rookies looked up to him in a similar way that he looked up to the upper-years during his rookie year.
“It was awesome to have the opportunity to practice with [the McMaster athletes], watch them play up close and get a good grasp on their mentality,” said Passalent.
Aside from playing as outside hitter for the team, his position varied from opposite to outside hitter. He did not receive much playing time during his rookie year; he played a few points at the end of matches. It was not until around his third-year Passalent started for the team.
“We have really good older guys, playing for Team Canada, the junior team, etc . . . It was really hard to crack a starting spot in your first or second year,” said Passalent.
“We have really good older guys, playing for Team Canada, the junior team, etc . . . It was really hard to crack a starting spot in your first or second year,” said Passalent.
Passalent recounts his biggest achievement during his tenure at McMaster was winning the Ontario University Athletics gold medal in his third-year.
“It was a record of winning the OUA championship in six consecutive years. That was my third championship. It's really cool to be a part of the team and a part of history,” said Passalent.
With regards to personal awards, he has the most pride for receiving the OUA West Player of the Year during his fourth-year.
“When my coach told me, I was really shocked because I was injured for most of the year,” said Passalent.
In winter 2019, Passalent and the team participated in the 2019 Can Am Holiday Volleyball Showcase in which teams from the United States and Canada competed against one another. Passalent recollected how this was a major downside in his career, having won no games at the invitational tournament. However, after playing in this tournament, the team bounced back with a major win against Trinity Western University, then the top team in U Sports.
Playing overseas has been quite different on the court for Passalent. He stated how many players come from different parts of the world while learning different techniques.
“I just thought it would be how I was used to in Canada. But we were doing drills I never heard of. It was really fascinating. It's definitely good to learn a lot,” said Passalent.
“I just thought it would be how I was used to in Canada. But we were doing drills I never heard of. It was really fascinating. It's definitely good to learn a lot,” said Passalent.
In fall 2020, Passalent joined SK Zadruga AICH/DOB in Austria to play for his first professional team.
[/media-credit] Passalent as a member of SK Zadruga AICH/DOB.
“It was a completely different vibe. This town I was living in was very small. Everyone knew each other. You can walk to anywhere in town within 15 minutes. Being from such a small town, the team had hardcore, dedicated fans. It felt like a really great atmosphere at the few games I participated in,” said Passalent.
Adapting to this new lifestyle was not as difficult as Passalent thought it would be.
“I found that I had to get into a strict schedule. I feel I had to keep eating and fueling myself, doing it at the right times. It's a grind out there. If you don't take care of your body, it will come back and punish you,” said Passalent.
As the team predominantly spoke English, Passalent did not run into many language barrier issues.
“I found that I had to get into a strict schedule. I feel I had to keep eating and fueling myself, doing it at the right times. It's a grind out there. If you don't take care of your body, it will come back and punish you,” said Passalent.
A typical day for Passalent begins with waking up at 7:30 a.m., eating breakfast and then working out at 8 a.m. Afterwards, he would go grocery shopping to make a bigger breakfast and take a midday nap. Then, he would join the team for lunch followed by recreational activities, such as watching Netflix. Around 6:00 p.m., the team would practice until 8:00 p.m. Lastly, he would cook a large dinner and head to bed.
[/media-credit] Passalent spikes the ball past Dinamo MOSCOW player in their first-round pool match of the CEV 2021 Champions League.
Before Passalent tore his rotator cuff this past October, he participated in four qualifying matches as part of the CEV Champions League for the 2020-2021 season.
“The pool we were in was tough. We were slated as underdogs. We had to play the third-ranked team and number one team in Russia,” said Passalent.
In his first game with the team, Passalent led the team in scoring as they captured a win. Despite this victory, the team lost the rest of their qualification matches. Passalent was only able to play in the first three until his shoulder injury occurred. He states that most likely he will need to get surgery, following a four-five month recovery time.
[/media-credit] Passalent sends the ball over Neftochimik BURGAS in their first-round pool match of the CEV 2021 Champions League.
“Hopefully I see myself still playing volleyball but maybe in a higher-level league like in Italy, France, Germany or Turkey, as they also pay better money,” said Passalent.
While recovering from his injury, Passalent will actively seek out a new contract to head back onto the court, either with SK Zadruga AICH/DOB or a brand new team.
After the cancellation of fall sports, Western Mustangs’ football player, Garrett Holmes, created the CSAA to protect student-athletes.
In early July 2020, U Sports made a controversial decision where they maintained their current eligibility policy of disallowing football athletes older than 25 (born on Sept. 1, 1996 or after) from competing in the 2021-2022 season.
After pressure from athletes and the public, the national association made an exception to their policy, where the 2020-2021 season would not be counted as part of their eligibility, thus allowing athletes to participate after competing five academic years and allowing football athletes older than 25 to compete in games.
Official statement from U SPORTS: pic.twitter.com/k95YqNDxkS
— U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) July 27, 2020
A key voice that resulted in this reversal is the newly-formed Canadian Student-Athlete Association, founded by Garrett Holmes, a fourth-year social sciences student at Western University and back-up quarterback for the Western Mustangs.
“COVID-19 really changed college and university sports forever in Canada unfortunately . . . it’s not about the decisions made in the past, but it’s the future decisions that are going to be made, and when those are made, I think student-athletes should have some input. It’s their future and it’s their careers at stake. I don’t think it's right if they don’t [have] input to what’s happening,” said Holmes.
“COVID-19 really changed college and university sports forever in Canada unfortunately . . . it’s not about the decisions made in the past, but it’s the future decisions that are going to be made, and when those are made, I think student-athletes should have some input. It’s their future and it’s their careers at stake. I don’t think it's right if they don’t [have] input to what’s happening,” said Holmes.
On July 20, the CSAA provided a statement to U Sports asking them to revisit their decision regarding eligibility for the 2021-2022 season and onwards. On July 27, U Sports made the reversal, with the CSAA expressing their gratitude to CEO of U Sports Dick White and U Sports as a whole for their willingness to listen and their consequential decision.
“I think Canada will be in limbo for a while. A bubble is a great idea, but I don’t know how they will fund it. It needs a lot of planning. Even for fall sports, the timing is slipping away . . . the season would have started a few weeks ago for football. I think for spring sports, that’s an option, but they have to start planning now for a bubble. But unfortunately, I don’t think U sports is thinking about that; they’re just pretty set on staying safe. But it’s hard to know what they’re thinking without getting input from student-athletes. It’s just tough,” said Holmes.
“I think Canada will be in limbo for a while. A bubble is a great idea, but I don’t know how they will fund it. It needs a lot of planning. Even for fall sports, the timing is slipping away . . . the season would have started a few weeks ago for football. I think for spring sports, that’s an option, but they have to start planning now for a bubble. But unfortunately, I don’t think U sports is thinking about that; they’re just pretty set on staying safe. But it’s hard to know what they’re thinking without getting input from student-athletes. It’s just tough,” said Holmes.
Outside of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CSAA has various goals that comprise its mandate to provide student-athletes with a voice.
“Right now, we are reaching out to key people, like Dick White and key organizations and getting their input and providing my input . . . Obviously COVID-19 is the most important topic right now in U Sports and Canadian university athletics, but aside from that, there are so many big issues that aren’t talked about right now, such as sexual harassment and racism. These issues are pushed away because student-athletes don’t know where to go to talk, but now the CSAA is somewhere to go to bring up such issues,” said Holmes.
“Right now, we are reaching out to key people, like Dick White and key organizations and getting their input and providing my input . . . Obviously COVID-19 is the most important topic right now in U Sports and Canadian university athletics, but aside from that, there are so many big issues that aren’t talked about right now, such as sexual harassment and racism. These issues are pushed away because student-athletes don’t know where to go to talk, but now the CSAA is somewhere to go to bring up such issues,” said Holmes.
Holmes also explained that bringing agent representation to student-athletes is an area that the CSAA would like to focus on, providing them with the best student-athlete experience.
“Change is needed. With COVID-19, we are in very strange times. Student-athletes deserve to see the table. It’s their future being altered and to have no input from them is very wrong,” said Holmes.
Despite the governance of the CSAA still being under development, current student-athletes and alumni are encouraged to view the association’s website and reach out to Holmes to discuss the future of the CSAA.
The team now gets its chance to compete for the provincial championship over a full season
Up until the 2016 season, the McMaster University women’s field hockey team competed in exhibition games and tournaments strictly as a club. In 2016, the team entered the Ontario University Athletics tournament still as a club, but not the league; they were allowed to play exhibition games, but could not be involved in the league standings with the other seven teams.
“It’s extremely hard to grow a program when you’re not getting enough of that game experience. All these other teams are playing their whole season but then we show up with maybe a couple of exhibition games of playtime. The rest is just practicing,” said Briana Wice, a fourth-year kinesiology student and current co-president of the team.
“It’s extremely hard to grow a program when you’re not getting enough of that game experience. All these other teams are playing their whole season but then we show up with maybe a couple of exhibition games of playtime. The rest is just practicing,” said Briana Wice, a fourth-year kinesiology student and current co-president of the team.
Now, the team is officially an OUA team, meaning they can participate in the entire league and its entirety of games. There is still limbo on when the season will resume. Regardless, training will commence with fitness programming during virtual Zoom sessions. As tryouts cannot be done right now, members will be recruited as part of the training program and then will have to try out once they are given the green light by the OUA and McMaster. Thus, members will have great conditioning prior to their first interaction on the field.
With regards to how the team functions, the team is a full-year team, playing in both the outdoor (September to October) and indoor (January to March) seasons. The team operates in a similar function to an MSU club, with two co-presidents who manage the administrative and financial responsibilities; they report to their club coordinator in part of the McMaster Athletics department.
Whereas U Sports has coaches who are hired on full-time contracts with a predetermined salary, OUA coaches are recruited as volunteers, sometimes being rewarded with compensation, as Wice explained to us.
“I think another thing is that other teams have conditioning and strengthening trainers that are not their coaches. So we have to plan all the fitness training by ourselves,” said Rebecca Jiang, a third-year health sciences student on the team.
Financially, the team is self-funded either through individual payments or through fundraisers.
“We try to fundraise as much as we can to offset [team costs], so paying to play isn’t a major stressor on our athletes,” said Wice. “The big financial burden is going to be all of the travel costs associated with games for a full outdoor season. So that’s travel for every week. Either taking a bus or reimbursement for gas and parking costs . . . As part of OUA sports, it’s required for us to stay in hotels. So when travelling to McGill [University in Montreal], as it’s in the OUA league, there are big hotel costs with that. Financially, we have done a lot of budgeting. We expect our expenses to double the next year; it’s really the travel and hotel costs that increase the cost of the season,” said Wice.
“The big financial burden is going to be all of the travel costs associated with games for a full outdoor season. So that’s travel for every week. Either taking a bus or reimbursement for gas and parking costs . . . As part of OUA sports, it’s required for us to stay in hotels. So when travelling to McGill [University in Montreal], as it’s in the OUA league, there are big hotel costs with that. Financially, we have done a lot of budgeting. We expect our expenses to double the next year; it’s really the travel and hotel costs that increase the cost of the season,” said Wice.
Despite these challenging logistics, the team has high aspirations for its first full OUA season.
“We’re hoping to place higher than previously in the OUA championship. Another goal is to increase the visibility of McMaster field hockey everywhere . . . A lot of McMaster students and athletes are not aware we have a field hockey team so we hope over the upcoming years, we hope a lot of people learn about us and have a couple of home games to raise awareness,” said Jessica Lim, a third-year software engineering student. The team plans to also conduct community outreach for high school students and give more recognition for the sport in its entirety.
“We’re hoping to place higher than previously in the OUA championship. Another goal is to increase the visibility of McMaster field hockey everywhere . . . A lot of McMaster students and athletes are not aware we have a field hockey team so we hope over the upcoming years, we hope a lot of people learn about us and have a couple of home games to raise awareness,” said Jessica Lim, a third-year software engineering student.
As they now prepare for their first season, while a medal would be wonderful in the short run, the overall movement of field hockey to become a global sport remains the ultimate goal. An official announcement from the team regarding their OUA status will be released in the coming weeks.
