Rugby season at McMaster is officially over. As teams pack up their cleats, it’s time to assess their past season and plan for the challenges ahead. For the Marauders’ men’s rugby team, the 2018 season ends without a medal, despite coming off an Ontario University Athletics Bronze Medal last year.
However, that does not mean this season was a failure for the program, as there were several changes made to the team that have set up the team for success in the near future. One big change for the men’s rugby team was how they approached their training camp and the implementation of their playbook, moving to a problem-based learning method.
“It was very high-intensity. I think it's what we needed,” fourth-year Mitchell Richardson said. “If you want to play in the OUA and you want your team to do well, I think you have to practice like you play and play like you practice. I think [coach Dan Pletch]'s practices and training camp where exactly that, which helped us win a couple of games this season.”
Character Building Weather #risengrind @McMasterSports pic.twitter.com/K75keimA0K
— McMaster Men's Rugby (@MacRugbyMen) October 1, 2018
Richardson has been a mainstay of the men’s rugby team over the last four seasons, anchoring the team at the fly-half/centre role and a name you would regularly see in game reports. The veteran was one of four key players that made up the team’s leadership group this past season, along with Jack McRogers, Jamie McNaughton and Brett Sullivan.
“We're there to provide a leadership role to the team, not just in a rugby sense, but in school and a mental state as well,” Richardson said. “We're there both on and off the field.”
Taking on this leadership role in his second year, Richardson has found this position on the team to be an extremely beneficial experience at a personal level.
“It's really helped me as a person because I think it gave me a few things that I didn't think I had,” Richardson said. “Being a vocal leader, having guys look up to you… it's a really cool thing to be a part of.”
Thanks @UofT for a brave battle @McMasterSports pic.twitter.com/HxasPLpdnp
— McMaster Men's Rugby (@MacRugbyMen) October 13, 2018
The team hoped to collect some more hardware in 2018, and it looked like they had a chance after a 4-4 regular season. Unfortunately, the men lost to the Wilfred Laurier University Golden Hawks in the OUA quarter-finals. Despite the early exit, there is a lot to be positive about for the program.
“I think the season went well. I mean we are a very young team, mixed with a few older guys. So if anything, it's more of a developing year,” Richardson said. “It's really good to see new faces come in, and only gives you a better idea of a brighter future to come. I think in the next two to three years, Mac's going to be a powerhouse again.”
Richardson still counts the team’s quarter-final loss to be a highlight of his season, a game in which the team showed the grit and perseverance that characterized them throughout his tenure.
“I think the last game, when we were at Laurier and we are up at half, we kind of fell down but never gave up,” Richardson said. “I think that was kind of my highlight of the season, just playing to the final whistle, even in our last game.”
[spacer height="20px"]For Richardson, who had been eyeing the McMaster program since he was in high school in Stoney Creek, he will always remember his time at Mac fondly.
“It's amazing. Couldn't have pictured it any other way,” Richardson said about his time at Mac. “It was an amazing experience… I would say the best years of my life to this day. Getting to learn off Dan Pletch… and then making new friends. I have best friends now on this team. And then getting to provide that leadership role for the younger guys that came in this year.”
Although his time on Back 10 Field is over, Richardson is far from done with the game of rugby. Richardson will be on the roster of the Toronto Arrows Rugby Club, Canada’s first professional rugby team to join Major League Rugby.
Although statistically this season may not have gone as the men’s rugby team had hoped, it is clear that the culture of the team has formed a strong foundation for what’s to come. With players like Richardson moving on, there will be holes to fill, but the impact he and other team leaders have made will surely remain.
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By Adriana Skaljin
Sara Svoboda has been playing for the McMaster women’s rugby team for the past five years, and has reached the end of her university career.
While playing for the rugby team, off the field, Svoboda has been busy completing a degree in Kinesiology, a subject that has been helpful for her even outside of the classroom.
“Kinesiology teaches you about the importance of cognitive and physical breaks, which is complementary to playing rugby,” Svoboda said.
She has described her time on the rugby team as one that brought balance into her life, and emphasized the importance of doing everything in moderation.
“I have learned so much through the camaraderie of the sport,” Svoboda said. “It tends to get a bad rep because it is so physical, but it is one of the sports [in which] I encountered the most respectful and all-around great people. Having sport as an outlet allows me to uplift any bad days, whether it is stepping onto the field or seeing my teammates."
Svoboda has had the chance of playing with both of her sisters, fifth-year flanker Katie and second-year fly-half Tia, on the McMaster team. This is her twin sister Katie’s final year on the team as well, who plays on the back row with Sara.
“Katie has been a huge part of both my team and my own success in rugby,” said Svoboda. “Having a twin is like having a biologically perfect training partner to rely on.”
Svoboda was ecstatic when her younger sister, Tia, moved from playing rugby in British Columbia to McMaster, getting the chance to play with both of her sisters who were already mainstays of the Marauders lineup.
“Seeing my younger sister develop as a player has been exciting,” Svoboda said. “She is only in her second year, but plays fly-half, so she fills a major role. It is cool to see her step into a leadership role and follow her guidance.”
At their last McMaster practice, Svoboda noticed Tia getting emotional; realizing that the three sisters’ time together on the Marauders was coming to an end.
Throughout the regular season, coach Tim Doucette used checkpoint conversations to look at the team’s progress. When entering the playoff season, he emphasized that this was no longer a test, and that the team needed to execute their game plan.
“We internalized what he said and switched to a mindset that focused on having heart and grit,” said Svoboda.
The Marauders effectively implemented this game plan, and finished third in the Shiels division by the end of the regular season. Mac followed up their strong finish with a dominant quarterfinal win, beating the Wilfred Laurier University Golden Hawks 109-0.
“We weren’t happy with our result when we played [Queen’s] on our home field earlier in the regular season,” Svoboda said. “We executed our game plan and pulled off a better performance this time around.”
In their Bronze Medal match on Oct. 19, the Marauders put on another authoritative win, this time rolling over the Brock University Badgers 59-5; sealing the Bronze Medal for the home team.
Women's Rugby -- FINAL: The Marauders repeat as the @ouasport bronze medalists, defeating the @brockbadgers 59-5! #GoMacGo
— McMaster Athletics (@McMasterSports) 20 October 2018
This game was a strong end to Svoboda’s final season with McMaster. Reflecting upon her time as a Marauder, Svoboda expressed her gratitude to both her parents and her teammates.
“Coach Tim always stresses that after the game, we clap to the stands,” explained Svoboda. “Like most parents, mine have never missed a game and are the most supportive fans.”
Each year, the women’s rugby coach implants a word into the player’s heads. This season, Doucette created the hashtag #HFOR, which stands for “Here For One Reason.”
“This really resonated with me and my teammates, because no matter [your age], McMaster women’s rugby has always been about playing for each other and creating an inclusive environment both on and off of the field,” Svoboda said. “We have preserved a culture that stresses inclusivity, whether it be in terms of sexual orientation, ethnicity or background. I am honoured to have been part of such a wonderful community.”
“I am grateful to have been able to inspire the next generation of women to get involved with such a rewarding sport,” Svoboda added.
Over five years with McMaster athletics, women’s rugby star Sara Svoboda has developed as both an individual and a rugby player, with the help of her family and teammates. Mac’s famed number eight will always remember gathering on the field beside her fellow Marauders after a game, and seeing all of their fans and families in the stands.
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While many of us were “studying” (it’s fine if you didn’t study, no judgement here) this past reading week, many McMaster athletes were busy competing in their last few regular season games. Here are four key things you may have missed during the reading week.
1. The Mac women’s rugby team started their reading week off on fire, defeating the Wilfred Laurier University Golden Hawks 109-0 in their Ontario University Athletics quarter-final playoff game on Oct. 5. Unfortunately for them, their championship dreams came to an end less than a week later, when they played the Queen’s University Gaels. Scoring their first try in the seventh minute, the Gaels pulled away with a 29-24 victory. But the season is not over yet for Mac. They will host the Brock University Badgers for one last game to determine who will win the OUA bronze medal, this Friday night at Ron Joyce Stadium. [spacer height="20px"]
2. The Marauders football team started off their reading week on a good note, finding themselves back in the U Sports top 10 rankings at No. 9, following a three-game winning streak. With the return of running back Justice Allin, the Marauders just managed to pull away with a win against the Gaels on Oct. 5. Their hopes of extending their streak to four weeks came to an end after the University of Waterloo Warriors outlasted them in a 34-16 loss. Up next, their last game of the season will be against the University of Windsor Lancers this Saturday at 1:00 pm.
#OUA FBALL
2nd and long? No problem for @McMasterSports, as Andreas Dueck connects with Tommy Nield for the first down and more to put the visitors up 11-9 over the @WlooWarriors!#WeAreONE | #MACvsWAT pic.twitter.com/uKnzlItpSf
— OUA (@OUAsport) 13 October 2018
3. The McMaster men’s cross-country team entered the national rankings at number two during the break, while the women secured the ninth-place spot. The Marauders hosted the Bayfront Open for the second time during the weekend, and saw success once again. Leading the pack, the men’s team won the team title by a 29-point margin, while the women took home bronze.[spacer height="20px"]
4. Both the men and women’s soccer teams remained dominant during the break. The men beat the Badgers 1-0 on Oct. 6, while the women beat them 2-1. By the end of the game, women’s forward Stephanie Roberts became the province’s fourth-leading scorer, with a total of nine goals, just two behind the OUA-leader, Gaels’ Jenny Wolever. The following weekend, the women were able to tie their match against the Waterloo Warriors 1-1, while the men dominated the Warriors in a 3-1 victory.
Men's Soccer -- The Marauders put three past the Warriors on Alumni Day Saturday, keeping hold of third in the @OUAsport West. #GoMacGo https://t.co/BlAirhYopI
— McMaster Athletics (@McMasterSports) 14 October 2018
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By Adriana Skaljin
Conor Marshall has been playing for the McMaster men’s rugby team for three years and has followed the sport since the ninth grade.
The fourth-year chemical engineering student decided to play the sport due to its physicality and challenging nature. However, it was not until he picked the sport back up in the 12th grade that he realized that it was a good fit for himself.
“Rugby teaches you about life lessons, as it challenges you to play as a team, work with each other’s personalities, and ultimately move as a single unit,” explained Marshall. “A rugby team is only as strong as its weakest player, which proves the importance of communication and teamwork.”
[spacer height="20px"]At a high school level, Marshall explained how the differing levels of understanding and skill towards the sport contrast the strong passion for the sport that comes at a university level.
“In university, everyone knows what they are doing in the game, which allows us to come together to build the platform needed to win,” said Marshall.
The team is composed of around sixty players, whose age range is staggered across all undergraduate years. A lot of players were recruited this year, due to the loss of several upper-year players. It was one of the biggest recruiting sessions, as people were pulled from all over Ontario, rather than by joining the team as walk-ons.
“We have many talented veterans on the team, who are joined by lower-years that are stepping up their game,” said Marshall. “Our first-year players are providing us with speed, which is changing the way that we are playing. Others are providing us with size and effort.”
Marshall described how having an age diverse team has contributed to strong levels of mentorship and leadership both on and off the field.
He explained how the upper-year players serve to help correct and assist the younger players on the field. This leadership extends off the field as well, as seen through the implemented mentorship program.
“The mentorship program that has been created for the team, pairs up fourth-year players with younger years,” explained Marshall. “Off the field, these upper-year mentors help lower-year ‘buddies’ with their homework and will check in to see how they’re doing.”
It is evident that this mentorship program is one of the many things that led to Marshall’s classification of the team as being “friendship oriented.” Both on and off the field, the team is described to always have each other's best interest in mind, which ultimately allows them to connect on the field.
[spacer height="20px"]“It’s an interesting dynamic as to how the players smash each other in the game, but then can meet up with one another and have a talk,” said Marshall. “The fact that we can do this with the rival teams prove that rugby is a humble sport.
The team also has six captains who share the responsibility of leading the team. The ‘Leadership Group’ decides themselves who the captains are for each game, and attribute to the team’s purpose of being player-oriented.
These captains sit down with the coaching staff and come up with the areas that they believe need the most work. These improvements are then touched upon during their film study session, which occurs on Sundays, and then becomes the main focus of that week’s practices.
“The fact that we get to figure out our own areas of improvement has created a great environment to play in,” said Marshall. “Coach [Dan] Pletch is a player-oriented person and instead of telling you how to do something, he will ask a question and make us figure it out. He calls it problem-based learning, and I find it to be very effective.”
This coaching style forces the players to figure out the problems themselves, which is a challenge that the team has accepted.
“It allows us to come up with ways to better the system,” explained Marshall. “By allowing us to come up with our own solutions, Pletch has implemented a method that makes us very player-oriented.”
It is through a player-oriented approach and the strong mentorship between teammates, that players such as Conor Marshall, have recognized their areas of improvement and the fact that they are stronger together.
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The McMaster women’s rugby team is well known at Mac for being one of the top athletic programs over the last few years. Winning the U Sports, formerly know as Canadian Interuniversity Sport, finals in 2015, in addition to taking three trips to the Ontario University Athletics playoffs over the last four years.
“Winning CIS was a crazy unreal feeling. Plus winning in November meant that whole year we were on top, which was pretty amazing,” said fifth-year outside back Madeleine Seatle. “We've also been lucky enough to go to three Nationals, so now just getting back there is all you can think about.”
For Seatle and the Marauders getting back there has not been as easy as the past. The team ended their regular season coming in third place in the OUA Shiels division with a 2-2 record. This is not exactly where they want to be, but they still plan to make the most of it.
[spacer height="20px"]In their last game of the season, the Marauders were faced with an uphill battle. Their opponents, the two-time OUA defending champions, the University of Guelph Gryphons, were not going to go down without a fight. Although coming off a big win against the University of Western Ontario Mustangs, it seemed achievable.
“We had just lost against Queen’s, so we were really just looking to bounce back,” said Seatle on the victory against the Mustangs. “We really wanted to be in a better place so it was really just about getting out there, and getting back into a rhythm and playing a game we wanted to play.”
Against the Mustangs, Seatle lead the team in tries, bringing in three in the 71-10 victory. Madison Cohoon was right behind her with two while Kayla Boisvert, Cassidy Calvert, Britni French, Taylor Price, Tia Svoboda and OUA try leader Sara Svoboda all brought in one try each.
The win showed off the amount of depth the Marauders have in their line up, which is something that they have been able to boast about the past few years. Their incredible talent is what Seatle attributes to keeping her motivated through up and down seasons like this one.
“I have really amazing teammates who are just so motivated and so passionate about rugby,” said Seatle. “It’s hard not to feel motivated when you're surrounded by amazing women every day, and you see how much work everyone puts in in.”
Going into the Guelph game, as hard as it was cracked up to be, the Marauders tried to keep one thing in mind.
“Our coach Tim [Doucette] keeps using the phrase, ‘these are tests’,” said Seatle. “This is our last regular-season game. After that, it's going to be playoffs, and not that regular season doesn't matter but playoffs are where it counts.”
Head coach Tim Doucette wanted the team to use the Guelph game to solidify their playing on offence and defence, pinpoint what they need to work on and to see where they match up with the best of the best. Unfortunately for them, the game did not end in their favour, but it was a learning lesson nevertheless.
“Going into the game, we were very focused because we knew that we wanted to really go out there and prove something to ourselves and to everyone else,” said Seatle. “Though it didn’t go the way we wanted it to, we were probably the most connected than we’ve ever been, and it was a great stepping stone and a learning point that will really help us in the playoffs.”
The lone try of the game was courtesy of Sara Svoboda, one of the few veteran leaders still left on the team. Although Svoboda, Seatle and French and other upper-years bring seasoned talent to the table, the majority of the team is still quite young and it shows in games like these.
Through their losses they are able to identify their weaknesses and to pinpoint what they need work on for not just the playoffs, but if they face a team like Guelph again. But first, the Marauders will host the Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks in the first round of the playoffs, on Oct. 5 at Ron Joyce Stadium. The Golden Hawks are in second place of the Russell division, sporting a 3-1 regular season record, and are not a team to be taken lightly. If the Marauders can pull off a win, they have a chance to bring home that OUA Championship once again.
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Following a successful 2017 campaign that saw the McMaster men’s rugby team bring home a provincial bronze medal, the Marauders will be looking to build upon that success. While the core program remains similar, there have been quite a few notable changes to the team in different areas.
“Every season there's a bit of turnover right,” men’s rugby head coach Pletch said. “We lost a few experienced guys, especially in some of our forwards up front. But we're quite happy with our first-year class this year. This is probably the strongest group that we've had sort of overall as a group in terms of our recruit class.”
Coach Pletch noted that the rugby team this year features a strong balance of players spread out in every position, which gives the team good overall depth. In addition to that positional depth, the team features a solid mix of upper-, middle- and lower-year players that make up this year’s roster.
“It's kind of where you want to be as a program, to sort of have these veterans and young guys,” said coach Pletch. “You know you have good performances during the season but you're also developing for the future. I would say this is the best-balanced group that we've had.”
As with any group, leadership is imperative to the team’s success. Being a large program of 60 players, that leadership is taken over by a group of six captains who are selected by the players.
“We do a postseason survey and we ask them questions,” coach Pletch said. “Things like who's the hardest worker on the team, who is the biggest rugby nerd, who kind of watches the most rugby. There's other stuff like who is the best academic student on the team. We have a kind of committee of captains and then I actually let the captains decide each week for the varsity game-day captain, like the one who does the coin toss and goes to speak to the referee but they kind of share the leadership as a team.”
Leading this particularly strong rookie class is wing EJ Rerri, who scored his two first career tries in Mac’s win over the Trent Excalibur on Sept. 9.
“He started the first two games for us this season,” said coach Pletch. “He is very athletic, he's got good game sense. He is a really great finisher, so if he gets the ball with a little of space there's not too many people that can track him down.”
In addition to solidifying the roster, coach Pletch continues to adjust how the program operates, tweaking how training camp is run and putting more of an emphasis on recovery, video and review in his fifth season at the helm. The team is also doing yoga regularly as part of their training.
A high school teacher when he is not coaching varsity rugby, coach Pletch has also been trying to implement an academic-inspired approach to coaching. He’s brought problem-based learning methods that are used by health science programs into their method for teaching the playbook to players. He was able to do so successfully this offseason and is seeing results already.
“We're really trying to get away from sort of the traditional, explicit style of coaching where the coach is basically just telling the athletes what to do,” coach Pletch said. “We're trying to do that with our coaching where the coaches sort of create different drills and games and looking at videos where we kind of set up the situation that we want the athletes to learn from and then we try to get them to problem solve and find answers for themselves.”
“I think it's a more effective style of learning and also players just seem to really enjoy it, I think they get sort of a sense of ownership from it,” coach Pletch added. “They enjoy being involved in the actual creation of what we're trying to do out there. The kids are having more fun I think than we've had in years past.”
In addition to changes on the field, the Marauders added a new member to their coaching staff in April. The Marauders welcomed back one of their own, Aaron Carpenter, who was recently named to the McMaster hall of fame and is Canada’s all-time leader in appearances on the senior men’s team. Pletch actually played with Carpenter during their collegiate days, and in this reunion, the new assistant has already made an impact in his short time with the team.
“It's great to have him back,” said coach Pletch. “He just recently retired from playing professional rugby in England and playing with the national team. So having a guy like that and just his technical and tactical knowledge has been a big bonus this year. He’s a Marauder through and through.”
As the team notched another win under its belt, winning 38-20 over the Brock Badgers over Homecoming weekend, there is still a lot of season yet to be played. As they move on, it is clear the team’s culture and makeup has prepared them to dominate Ontario University Athletics.
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By Graham West
After an impressive performance against the York Lions, Cassidy Calvert is one of a few upper-year players looking ready to lead McMaster’s women’s rugby team to an incredibly successful season.
Calvert was named Pita Pit Athlete of the Week because of her game against York where the fifth-year hooker had two tries and a very strong on-field presence in which she helped lead the team to victory.
“It’s really nice when you work your butt off for something and you get rewarded for it,” Calvert said. “It’s really nice when people notice when you’re working really hard.”
The team is led by a legion of veterans who know that leadership has to be present on the field in addition to in the locker room, as three of the veterans each scored a pair of tries in the game against the Lions. Yet not all leaders see themselves taking on that role until it is time.
“I’ve always said I’m not really someone who has wanted to be in a captain role,” said Calvert. “A leader role is something that’s so broad I’d rather someone hear my name or see me on the field and go, ‘that’s what I wanna do, that’s someone I want to look up to’.”
It is clear that Calvert and the other veterans intend to lead by example, which is especially important this year as the roster boasts a larger number of first-year players than usual.
Even with a fairly new roster with more new recruits than they have seen in a long time, Calvert still says chemistry is strong. Calvert added that the team has the mentality of cooperating and just putting their heads down for the purpose of winning.
Currently ranked fifth nationally, expectations are high for the Marauders, a feeling shared by the team. Calvert said the rankings are positive but not something the team focuses on. She added that the team is more focused on performing and playing well week in and week out than paying attention to the rankings.
After their huge 57-12 victory against York at the end of August, the women’s rugby team is off to a hot start. They will look to carry this momentum back home when they play Queen’s University on Homecoming weekend. The Gaels fell to two spots lower than Mac on the national rankings, but the Marauders are aware that they are a good team who will pose a tough test.
When asked about their upcoming game Calvert said there is no reason they should not be able to perform the way they did against York in this contest or any game for the remainder of the season. With sights set on the national championship, the team is reaching for the stars, although Calvert says they need to focus on the process first.
“Right now it’s winning [Ontario University Athletics] because you have to win that before,” Calvert said. “You can come second but we don’t want that. You have to win one before you get to the other. We do have a lot of fifth-years this year so I know this is our last hoorah, so it’s something we really want. I know it will be a fight no matter what and I think everyone’s taking it very seriously which is good.”
Calvert shared that the team keeps a phrase in mind throughout the entire season as a motivator: ‘Here for one reason’. That one reason is to win rugby games. Calvert said head coach Tim Doucette uses it as motivation to make sure everyone is giving it their all. It is especially important to veteran players such as Calvert as this is their last year playing university rugby and intend on giving their all to the season ahead.
They will next be representing the maroon and grey against Queen’s on Sept. 15, Homecoming weekend. The women’s rugby team is definitely one of the teams to watch this upcoming athletic season at Mac, with one of their biggest rosters yet, packed full of talent and they definitely have the potential to win it all.
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Newly named head coach of the McMaster women’s rugby team Tim Doucette is no stranger to the Mac rugby program. First moving to Hamilton 11 years ago, Doucette played on the men’s rugby team while earning his degree in business. Immediately after graduating, he was offered a job in the university’s payroll and pension department.
It was at that time when former head coach Cam Mitchell gave him his first coaching opportunity.
“A week before [the women’s] training camp, he asked me if I could give him a hand for the week,” said Doucette.
Without hesitation he agreed, and before he knew it he was being offered a permanent position as an assistant coach.
For the next seven years, Doucette found himself supporting Dr. Mitchell and Shaun Allen, the team’s most recent coach, in several seasons of highs and lows. From winning both the Ontario University Athletics and Canadian Interuniversity Sport championships in the 2015-2016 season, to the tough losses that came in the following year, Doucette was on staff helping to guide the team.
Redesigning the mindset of the program is one of Doucette’s main goals coming into his new role.
“We have had this little lull over the past two years,” said Doucette. “Now the athletes again are starting to build up fire and realize that this is not where we want to be. We are building back towards championships and back towards having success.”
In order to do this Doucette is adamant on being very vocal about the team’s goals for the season to come.
“I think it’s very important to define what we are trying to do, how we are trying to do it and how we want to be perceived while we are doing it,” said Doucette. “We've started that conversation and making sure to have that open dialogue from the athletes to the coaches.”
Implementing any fundamental changes to the program is not in Doucette’s immediate plans. Instead, rugby’s new head coach is focusing on keeping everyone involved with the program on the same page.
“As we’re having these team discussions, I really believe that everyone is getting back on to the same page,” said Doucette. “ These conversations have me looking forward to competing in the top spot and continuing to have success.”
Maintaining that open dialogue with his players is important for Doucette. As a former Marauder, he understands more than most what it takes to be a student athlete.
“The experiences I had as an athlete in school, like trying to balance athletics, school, community service, relationships, and family are the same experiences that these girls are going through as well,” Doucette said.
As the manager of the human resources team at McMaster’s Children Hospital, Doucette has the privilege of getting to support some of his athletes not just on the field, but can also help them in the classroom.
“It’s very neat for me when I have our fourth athletes in nursing pop by the office and say hi or tell me about what they're learning,” said Doucette. “It helps me connect with the athletes in a different way than I did before, and I think they appreciate that as well.”
This new role is nothing Doucette cannot handle. He’s passionate not just for the sport but also for each individual player on the roster. Add this passion to his experience as a player and a coach, it ensures that the future of McMaster women’s rugby is in good hands.
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The McMaster women’s rugby team took home the Ontario University Athletics bronze medal on Sept. 20 after a tough but well-fought battle against the York Lions.
The 36-19 win at Ron Joyce Stadium was the first win of the post-season after an unfortunate 15-20 loss to the Queen’s University’s Gaels in the OUA semi-finals. Though the team would have loved to have been able to win the silver or gold medal, they were more than satisfied with their bronze medal performance.
“This wasn’t the game we wanted to be in,” said Sara Svoboda who had been named, for a second year in a row, the Shiels Division Player of the Year the day before.
“Obviously we wanted to go for that OUA gold medal and have a spot at nationals, but I feel like the girls rallied around each other really well,” said Svoboda. “We put together a performance we can proud of and I think we ended the year on a high note.”
The Marauders’ performance started off with a slow start, as Megan Pakulis of the Lions was the first out of the two teams to score shortly after the game began. The Marauders responded quickly with an unconverted try of their own, bringing the lead to 7-5.
The Lions remained with the lead until freshman wing Khadija Brouillette broke out past the York players, running a nearly 50-yard try right under the posts. Svoboda followed the try with a successful convert, evening the game at 12.
Reminding the Lions why they were ranked second in the regular season in the Shiels Division, centre Britni French’s try brought the Marauders to lead the game 17-12 right before the halftime break.
Along with another penalty try from Brouillette, Svoboda, Maddi Cohoon and Taylor Price all contributed to the Marauders’ score sheet.
“We had a few goals going into today's game and I think we accomplished a few of those,” said French post game. “We were aggressive, we came out and they scored on us but we gave it right back to them.”
After the game, the team celebrated the win with their family, friends and fellow Mac athletes. Rookie player Brouillette was more than happy with the outcome of her first OUA medal game.
“I think we did fantastic,” said Brouillette. “I’m so glad to be a rookie and part of the McMaster family. I love my team and can’t wait to come here for the next few years.”
Along with the team celebrating the win, they also celebrated Svoboda, French, Cassidy Calvert, and Selena Sequin being named 2017 Women’s Rugby OUA All-Stars.
Though their season just came to an end, the team's focus is already on the next season. Over the next 10 months, they plan to evaluate what they need to do to get to the back to the gold level before they begin training camp in August 2018.
“In the next 10 months were going to work as hard as we can to get as strong, fast and as precise at tackling as we can,” said Brouillette. “So when we come out next season, they’re not going to know what to expect!”
“[We’ll also] hit the weight room,” added French. “The High Performance Area is our home, so we’re going to put in all the work that we can up there for the offseason.”
However, before this preparation begins, the next couple of weeks will be spent on reflecting and reviewing the 2017 season. As the Marauders set their sights on the Canadian University Sevens Championships in March, the team still has work to do.
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WOMEN’S RUGBY
McMaster Women’s Rugby played some of their best rugby this year. With four wins and one loss in the regular season, the team was prepared for defend their OUA title. After defeating the Guelph Gryphons 12-3, the team became back-to-back OUA Champions. Gaining their second consecutive OUA title this year, the team went on to take it all as they defeated the host Queen’s Gaels 27-3. The program claimed their first CIS title in history. After a strong season, captain Cindy Nelles was named Most Valuable Player and Rina Charalampis was awarded the Community Service Award. Nelles, Colleen Irowa, Emily Ricketts, Katie Svoboda and Abi Moody were named All-Stars for their work on the field.
Photo Credit: Ian McAlpine
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
For the fourth consecutive year, the McMaster Men’s Volleyball team were named OUA Champions. Well known for the strong volleyball program that has been built under the leadership of Head Coach Dave Preston, the Marauders hosted the championship game and dominated for the banner. In a straight three-set victory over the Ryerson Rams, the Marauders further cemented the greatness they have created. The team has been playing behind veteran leadership from Stephen Maar who was named OUA MVP. Danny Demyanenko and Andrew Kocur joined Maar as OUA First-Team All-Stars. Libero Pawel Jedrzejewski was named a member of the Second-Team.
Photo Credit: Jon White/ Photo Editor
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