After a successful OUA campaign, the men’s soccer team took their game to the U Sports national tournament
After successfully defeating Toronto Metropolitan University in the Ontario University Athletic championship game, the Marauder men’s team looked to continue their impressive win streak at the U Sports national tournament. This year’s tournament was hosted in Kamloops, B.C., where the team would face both freezing weather and higher level opponents.
The OUA finals win was already an impressive feat by the Marauders as coming into the offseason, they were not the favourites to make it to the finals.
“The OUA conference is the toughest in the country for soccer and no one really gave us a chance, especially under the circumstances,” said head coach Chris Markou.
Through defeating the Guelph Gryphons, Nippising Lakers and TMU, the team did the seemingly impossible. They subsequently put themselves in a spot to take on the Thompson River Wolfpack, the hosts of this year’s U Sports National Championship.
Facing sub-zero temperatures, the Marauders would have to face two major obstacles. The first being the new weather, which TRU would be better accustomed to. They would also face an opponent who had much older players, bringing more experience.
“We had the youngest team assembled there,” explained Markou.
The first game of the tournament would see the Marauder side lose to TRU in a disappointing fashion. Following a tie at the end of regulation and a scoreless overtime period the team lost in penalty kicks. A missed shot by Justin Woods caused the team to fall to the Wolfpack team, finishing with a 5-4 score in penalty kicks.
Though the team put on an impressive display overall. The game finished 1-1 with a spectacular free kick goal hitting the back of the net by Miles Green. Other notable performances were put on by Ahmad Mansour, Sam Richardson and Justin Wood.
The Wolfpack ended up building on this early momentum, later matchup against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in the final. TRU would go on to win this game by a score of 2-1, taking home the national championship on their home turf. The Marauders on the other hand would head into the consolation bracket as a result of their first-round loss.
The Marauders played the following day against the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes. After a grueling 120 minutes of soccer the day prior, the team was unable to stand up against UQTR.
“We had just played 120 minutes against the host school and then we were back on the pitch for Friday on a quick 16 hour game turnaround for UQTR at 1:30 PM. There is little to no recovery time and we had a few players that physically couldn't carry on the Friday. To be able to mentally pick yourself up from such a close loss to play a consolation match the next day is such a challenge for any athlete,” said Markou.
After a red card was given to centre back Ahmad Mansour, the team lost control of the game. The final score was 5-0, seeing UQTR win and thus, having the opportunity to play a third game to challenge for the fifth place spot in the tournament.
Two disappointing results for the Marauders saw them exit the tournament early. But for such a young team the experience is invaluable.
“U Sport Soccer Championships was a fantastic learning experience for not only the players but for myself and my coaching staff,” said Markou.
Their last game against UQTR marks the end of the team’s season. As a team with a new head coach, and 11 new athletes joining the Marauders, the team will hope to continue their upward growth from here.
C/O Felix Wong
Lessons learned at the end of my first year with the Silhouette
“Make some noise for your . . . McMaster . . . Marauders!”
These are the words I’ve heard countless times this year. In my time as the sports staff writer for the Silhouette, event staff for varsity games and an executive on the McMaster Women’s Football team, I’ve become more immersed in the McMaster sports scene than I expected at the beginning of the year.
I’ve gotten to meet so many people with such interesting stories and it’s been an honour to cover them. I’ve watched the basketball teams struggle and succeed, gained an appreciation for football and volleyball and learned about less-covered sports such as curling, wrestling and Nordic skiing.
I’ve gotten to meet so many people with such interesting stories and it’s been an honour to cover them. I’ve watched the basketball teams struggle and succeed, gained an appreciation for football and volleyball and learned about less-covered sports such as curling, wrestling and Nordic skiing.
Writing for the Silhouette hasn’t been smooth sailing the whole time. Speaking of which, Mac has a sailing team that you should check out if you’re interested. I applied for the position on a whim because I was interested in sports and interested in writing. However, by the end of first semester, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue.
I reflected and ultimately decided to remain in the position. I started writing articles about what I was interested in, one of my favourites being “Body neutrality within dance,” and pulled from all I had learned about interviewing and writing. I focused my attention on the personal side of sports, wanting to hear about the highs and lows from everyone.
My favourite part of the position was meeting so many incredible people. I’ve talked to McMaster’s first two female football coaches, members of the Black Student Athlete Council, an Olympic gold medalist, a McMaster Sports Hall of Famer, McMaster Sports’ Associate Director of High Performance, some good friends and the rest of the Sil staff. I’ve taken away lessons from my conversations with every individual and I never would have had the opportunity without the Silhouette.
What I’ve taken away from this experience is that without these conversations and without giving these teams and issues the spotlights they deserve, we can never notice the small victories that each team gains. By learning more about them, we can celebrate, mourn and learn with them, helping the teams feel seen as representatives of McMaster and helping us maintain positive school spirit.
What I’ve taken away from this experience is that without these conversations and without giving these teams and issues the spotlights they deserve, we can never notice the small victories that each team gains. By learning more about them, we can celebrate, mourn and learn with them, helping the teams feel seen as representatives of McMaster and helping us maintain positive school spirit.
While I don’t know what I’ll be doing for the rest of my time here at Mac, I hope I can still be involved with the sports scene and the Silhouette.
C/O Travis Nguyen
An in-depth look at the Marauders basketball teams after years of success
Anyone who has been following Ontario University Athletics basketball recently would be quick to note the Marauders as one of the powerhouse teams in the league. Not only have the men’s and women’s teams started their 2021-2022 seasons strong, with both holding a five and one record, but recent history also sits in their favour.
Over the past decade, the men’s team holds a strong record of 122-73 in regular season play. The women’s team holds an even stronger 144-55 record with a championship victory from the 2018-2019 season to top it off, their first since the dominant 2000s run, which saw four championships in a 10-year stretch.
Having attained sustainable success, a rare and difficult to achieve outcome in sports, a deeper analysis into McMaster’s basketball program was completed to understand how the school can continue pumping out strong results year after year.
In reviewing the men’s team, it is an offense-heavy squad which has begun to improve its defense as well. They’re capable of scoring 90+ points on any given day, and find several scorers in double digits each game. On the defensive end, the team has begun to find great success in poking the ball away and racking up steals.
MBB | After bouncing back in the second half, the Marauders brought home the win 96-78!
— McMaster Marauders (@McMasterSports) November 20, 2021
Check it out⬇️
: https://t.co/W2m4XKKUIe
Despite a slow defensive start to the season, the Marauders quickly picked themselves up and have become much more alive on the defensive end. Last time out against the Algoma Thunderbirds they tallied together to set a single game season high of 22 steals, defying their typical reputation as an offense first team.
The team is primarily based around offensive menace Jordan Henry, who holds a season statline of 22.7 points per game while shooting 54.1 per cent from the field and averaging 5.5 assists. The team is very top-heavy, but has a very strong group up top, including Sefa Otchere, Christian Bentley, Mychael Paulo and Mike Demagus, who commonly finish the game among the best performing leaders in several categories (minutes, points, assists, etc.).
When asked about the early season success, Demagus commented on the brand of basketball the team has played and the culture found within the organization.
“We all have one goal in common and that’s to win. Everyone on our team knows their role. Everyone on our team knows what they have to do for us to win and that’s where we come as a collective. No one outshines anyone else because everyone knows what they’ve got to do to win,” said Demagus.
Demagus would later shift his focus to head coach Patrick Tatham, a highly respected coach in the league. Prior to coming to McMaster, Tatham was an assistant coach of the Maine Red Claws of the NBA’s G-League, where he coached future and former NBA players including (but not limited to) Malcolm Miller (NBA champion), Damion Lee, Abdel Nader and Ryan Kelly.
“It’s great knowing we have someone with that type of experience that’s under our wing. He’s constantly trying to prepare us for the next level,” explained Demagus.
“It’s great knowing we have someone with that type of experience that’s under our wing. He’s constantly trying to prepare us for the next level.”
Mike Demagus, point guard
Finally, Demagus explained the close culture within the team and how comfortable each player feels with one another. When asked to choose one word to describe the culture of the team, Demagus chose “brotherhood,” describing the closeness of the team and how the lack of anonymity provides an advantage to the Marauders.
The rich culture was one of the most discussed reasons for success in the interview with Demagus, which soon became a common theme with the women crediting similar reasoning for their success.
The highly successful McMaster women’s team is a highly balanced squad with significant depth up and down the roster. They revolve around star point guard Sarah Gates, who holds season averages of 25.5 points and 7.7 rebounds, while shooting 52.6 per cent from the field. She also holds a season high of 38 points, which was significant in her achieving the OUA player of the month.
Beyond Gates, the team has a very deep rotation, where it’s common to see nearly every single player get minutes. Individual game point leaders regularly rotate through and many members of the team can step up when needed. Rebounds and assists are dispersed through the entire lineup and this has become one of the team's biggest strengths.
Tori Rigas-Didomenico, a point guard for the Marauders, discussed the chemistry of the team and the drive that they show in always wanting to be the best that they can be.
“From day one I could tell this was a cohesive group. It’s a “one team, one heartbeat” kind of thing. We’re working together on the court and off the court to have the most successful team possible . . . Our team is always ready to learn. We have that collective mindset and are pushing ourselves to the limit. I think that’s where our success comes from,” said Rigas-Didomenico.
“From day one I could tell this was a cohesive group. It’s a “one team, one heartbeat” kind of thing. We’re working together on the court and off the court to have the most successful team possible."
Tori Rigas-Didomenico, point guard
When asked about the impact the coaching staff has had on the team's success and development, Rigas-Didomenico was very quick to praise the job of coach Theresa Burns and staff.
“We have such amazing and committed coaches that care about us as players and people and that starts with coach Theresa Burns. She really knows how to connect with us on an individual level and make us the best players and people we can be. We all look up to her and see her as a role model, on and off the court,” explained Rigas-Didomenico.
Just as Demagus was asked of the men's team, Rigas-Didomenico was asked to provide a one-word description of the culture within the organization and the answer she provided was very similar to that of Demagus.
“It would have to be ‘home’ or ‘family’ — those two words really stand out to me,” said Rigas-Didomenico.
Although there is no definitive answer, the culture of both teams seems to be a strong reason for their success. The men and women both feel extremely strong connections with their teammates and always try to work as a collective unit, pushing the boundaries both on and off the court.
With a strong culture and coaching staff in place, it makes sense as to why the Marauders can recruit such high-level talent. It also makes sense that they can translate their relationships off the court into on-court chemistry and overall success.
Conversations at Mac Athletics about Black History Month and beyond
Graphic by Sybil Simpson, Production Editor
In November 2020, McMaster University and the athletics department announced a five-point action plan addressing anti-Black racism, stemming from the numerous allegations of racism in the athletics department. The action plan included a variety of components, such as financial awards for Black student-athletes and paid internships for recent Black graduates.
With that being said, many Black students feel there is a disconnect Black student-athletes and non-athletes, as Cheikh Tchouambou, a third-year McMaster men’s soccer player, explained. During last month’s Black History Month initiatives, a specific event Tchouambou helped moderate — Bridging the Gap — explored this disconnect and aimed to alleviate differences.
“It was a perception that we [Black student-athletes] were staying quiet because of privilege, and we want to change that,” said Tchouambou.
Bridging the Gap facilitated discussion focused around understanding each others’ perspectives and holding departments and the university accountable.
“I still think students look up to the athletics department and athletes . . . if we are fighting this racial inequality on two fronts, can we as athletes push the department to be a professional example and get other departments to follow,” said Tchouambou.
“I still think students look up to the athletics department and athletes . . . if we are fighting this racial inequality on two fronts, can we as athletes push the department to be a professional example and get other departments to follow,” said Tchouambou.
From a broader perspective, professional athletes are seen as role models for youth, as seen as using their platform for social causes such as voter registration. On a smaller scale, Tchouambou looks up to his fellow community members, but also believes the youth look up to local athletes, such as those at McMaster.
For the youth, Tchouambou wants to change the narrative for lower socioeconomic students such that their post-secondary options are not only in the field of arts, music, athletics or employment.
“Let’s make being a doctor cool, let’s make being an engineer cool . . . Let’s make student-athletes cool, but mainly the student part,” said Tchouambou.
Tchouambou explained that as a Black student, the duality of parental pressure and schools not believing in you, where stereotypes are thrown around on how you talk and dress.
“People don’t understand it creates doubt in your subconscious,” said Tchouambou.
The student-athlete is also involved with Black Aspiring Physicians of McMaster. He aims to address these accessibility barriers for future students by providing them with mentorship and assisting them with job opportunities.
“This gives future students the space to succeed without feeling imposter syndrome, anxieties of not being there and microaggressions from peers, teammates and teachers,” explained Tchouambou.
“This gives future students the space to succeed without feeling imposter syndrome, anxieties of not being there and microaggressions from peers, teammates and teachers,” explained Tchouambou.
As a Black student in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program, Tchouambou understands that representation in healthcare is important; however, the lack thereof leads to disproportionate health impacts among races. Through his involvement in BAP-MAC as a vice-president, Tchouambou takes a significant role in providing avenues to streamline Black students into healthcare professionals.
“We grow up as kids dreaming of changing the world. That's virtually impossible; we should be changing our reality and circles instead. If everyone does that, imagine what change would happen in the world,” said Tchouambou.
With Black History Month concluding at the end of February, Tchouambou still feels like there is a long way to go.
“BHM was entertaining, but I always wondered why the onus on making BHM a good month is only on Black clubs,” asked Tchouambou.
He further detailed that this appreciation continues next year, but with improvement, as it is never satisfactory.
With that being said, he notes a lack of minority representation on McMaster sports teams. By having adequate representation, less microaggressions will be learned as players are in an environment that is socially acceptable and equitable for all.
Tchouambou calls on McMaster to support their Black students with simple advocacy.
“How can you fix yesterday’s wrong today. It will never be perfect, but as students, we should always hold our schools accountable and stay committed to social issues . . . There’s always more to go; it’s a dynamic process,” said Tchouambou.
Anand Sergeant is going into his third year on the men’s soccer team and is ready to build off of a highly successful campaign that he had the 2018-2019 season. Sergeant is one of the team’s top players and boasts an impressive resume. For his success on the field, he was named a first-team Ontario University Athletics all-star.
With a large portion of the team in their second year and above, the players have a wealth of knowledge at their disposal. Their familiarity with the competitive level of play inherent in varsity athletics will continue to guide them in using their strengths to their advantage. Most importantly, the current roster is one that has grown together.
Anand Sergeant - Men's Soccer
Anand Sergeant (14) M
“I’m optimistic about our team this year. We have a group of players who have been around for a few years now, so we have more experience under our belts. I think that shows in games like yesterday’s against York, where the result wasn't what we wanted but . . . this year I really noticed a good composure amongst the whole team. I think that’s a sign that we’re maturing together. We have the players required for a deep playoff run,” said Sergeant.
Chemistry may play a large role in the team’s ability to succeed this year, many of the players have gotten to a point where they have a deep understanding of the nuances of each other’s game.
“Growing [up] with guys in your year and adjacent years, you get to know everyone's tendencies. I think that's really important when you go on the field together because it’s like [there is an] unspoken chemistry, [you can] communicate and work off the guys around you. I think that experience definitely means a lot to the team this year,” Sergeant said.
The team has its eyes set on gold as they strive to make it to the OUA championship and, hopefully, to the U Sports national championship as well.
“The ultimate goal for everyone is winning a championship, so there’s the OUA championship which would be massive to win, it's been a long time since McMaster has done that. Then the ultimate ultimate goal is the U sports national championship, which is in November and brings together the best teams from every conference,” said Sergeant.
Men's soccer team at a game against the York Lions.
Seeing as though Sergeant is a decorated and talented player, his role on the team naturally developed into a leadership role. Sergeant embraces this role and the challenges that come along with it. He spoke of how he was inspired by veteran players and their desire to lead the team.
From then on, he felt more of a responsibility to be a leader on his team. Due to his experience, he wants to be someone that other players on the team can look to for advice or answers to questions. He said that his ability to lead lies in his preparation, focus and performance.
Sergeant and the men’s soccer team are one to watch this year as they look forward to a great season and deep playoff run. You can catch their next game when they play the Brock Badgers on Sep. 14.
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Ameen Aghamirian, Men’s Wrestling
This weekend, the McMaster wrestling team attended the Ontario University Athletics Wrestling Championships and, for the fourth year in a row, the men took home silver overall. Aghamirian’s dominance on the mats earned him national recognition, as he was U Sports Male Athlete of the Week.
Congratulations to Ameen Aghamirian, our U SPORTS Male Athlete of the Week! 🤼♂️
Félicitations à Ameen Aghamirian, l'athlète de la semaine masculin de U SPORTS! 🤼♂️
🔗 EN: https://t.co/lK7hWCGOAs // 🔗 FR: https://t.co/neIdzK39lW pic.twitter.com/CFkke2MPeV
— U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) February 6, 2019
Aghamirian helped his team by winning gold in the 82 kg weight class. He defeated the Lakehead University Voyageurs’ Brody Evans and the York University Lions’ Jasman Gill due to technical superiority, and beat the University of Guelph Gryphons’ Simon Chaves 6-1.
This victory took him to the divisional final where he defeated the Western University Mustangs’ Brandon Amboto by tiebreaker after a 5-5 match due to a higher number of takedowns. His efforts from the weekend led him to be named McMaster’s Pita Pit Athlete of the Week. Next up, Aghamirian and the Marauders prepare for the U Sports championships on Feb. 22-23.
Stinellis made Marauders history after taking home the OUA Rookie of the Year earlier this season. The Pita Pit Athlete of the Week is the first female wrestler to win the award since it began in 2008. Stinellis took the 48kg weight class by storm, pinning all three of her opponents: Voyageurs’ Megan Smith, Lions’ Gurleen Tak and former medalist, Western’s Christine Grafe. In the finals, she, unfortunately, was pinned by the Gryphons’ vet Natassya Lu, and walked away with a silver medal. Her efforts helped the Marauders place fifth overall and secured her spot at the U Sports Wrestling Championships.
This weekend, the men’s volleyball team’s victory had two co-stars leading it. The duo helped lead the Marauders to a 3-1 defeat over the University of Waterloo Warriors on the road. Both Richards and Passalent finished the game with 16 kills, with Richards adding four aces and one block assist to the stat sheet, and Passalet adding two aces and two total blocks. The defeat bumped the men up to fourth place nationally, improving to a 10-2 OUA regular season record. Up next, the team will host the Nipissing University Lakers and the Lions for their final home matches of the regular season. The Saturday, Feb. 9, will be a special Pride celebration, followed by a showdown with York the next day.
Gates was once again an on-the-court leader this weekend in Mac’s 65-41 defeat over the Western Mustangs. With a game-high 19 points and 8 rebounds, putting her just two shy of a double-double. The 2018 OUA Rookie of the Year has been performing extremely well this season and is on track to being named an OUA all-star. The victory helped the team move up to third place in the U Sports national rankings, and first place in the OUA West, clinching a playoff berth. Gates and the Marauders will head to Algoma University this weekend to take on the Thunderbirds.
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By: Adriana Skaljin
Rebecca Maxwell, setter for the McMaster women’s volleyball team, is starting off the 2019 with perseverance and a new attitude. As a newer team, the first half of the season was spent trying to figure out how to work together. Now that they have had the chance to play with one another, they are entering the second half with confidence.
“The [influx] of new players brought a new dynamic,” explained Maxwell. “We have had great practices and it’s working. We have found our stride!”
Maxwell described how at the beginning of the season, they focused a lot on developing their team dynamic and skills, such as blocking patterns. Now that they are more comfortable with each other, they have a new mindset focused on pushing for the win and doing what is needed to perform at an Ontario University Athletics gold level.
“We want to win OUA gold and nationals,” said Maxwell. “This is the goal [towards which] we are working.”
Not only is this a new comeback for the team, but Maxwell is coming back from a serious injury as well. During the team’s third practice, Maxwell got a concussion which kept her from playing in the pre-season and the first couple of games of the regular season.
“I came back for one set during the last game against [the University of] Windsor back in November,” Maxwell said. “I am excited to be back in full force, now that I [have the clear] to play again.”
Coach Tim Louks has commended the women’s volleyball team on their performance thus far, as they perform to the best of their ability, resulting in an honest outcome.
“We are going forward fast,” said Louks. “We are building capacity physically and intellectually to contribute to our vision of winning.”
When asked about their toughest competitors going into the season, Maxwell explained how it changes every game.
“Any team that is across from us at that moment in the court is who we want to beat,” explained Maxwell. “There are shocking results across the board, so everyone becomes a good competitor.”
“You have to expect certain elements from certain groups,” added Louks. “This requires our ability to learn more and become better. [Therefore,] we are our own toughest competitor.”
On Jan. 13 and 14, the Marauders kicked off the new year against Windsor and the University of Western Ontario on their home court. The team went into the matches with an enthusiastic approach and a high level of determination.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsVoKLaBMPi/?hl=en
“Windsor is a game that we want back,” said Maxwell. “We want to take that three-setter away from them. [The game against] Windsor is going to be a battle, because we know what they can do and what we can do. Our last game against Windsor gives us some confidence, and the loss against Western gives us motivation towards taking the win away from them.”
“A common question we get is, ‘are you ready?’ I think that we are as ready as possible which is important,” said Louks on the team’s readiness. “Western is a great opponent, so there could be some uncertainty in terms of results. We will need to turn it around in a day, after the game results against Windsor [the day prior].”
Unfortunately, a 3-1 loss against Windsor would result in the team’s fourth loss of the year; a tough way to reopen the season. The next day, the Marauders bounced back in a strong comeback-win against Western, winning 3-2.
👩🏐 The Marauders completed the comeback Sunday, re-entering the win column with a thrilling, five-set victory over Western! #GoMacGo pic.twitter.com/a16KLmVM49
— McMaster Marauders (@McMasterSports) January 13, 2019
It is this motivated attitude that will help push them towards the OUA and national championships, while proving that they are strong competitors.
It is certain that the McMaster women’s volleyball team will use their losses as motivation towards a strong second-half of their season, while continuing to build momentum off of their victories.
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By: Ryan Tse
Have you been following McMaster men’s hockey this year? McMaster men’s hockey club coach and general manager Rob Wilkinson would be surprised if you have.
“Nobody really knows about us,” said Wilkinson with a laugh.
Marauder teams have once again enjoyed success across the board this season, highlighted by another provincial championship for the men’s volleyball team. But one sport most students are not aware of is the men’s hockey team, largely because it is a club and does not participate in the Ontario University Athletics. Yet this club of dedicated Mac athletes has been running strong for the past decade.
As a club, the men’s hockey team gets invited to play in six or seven tournaments a season, which roughly spans from October to February.
These tournaments take place at various schools around Ontario and Québec, such as St. Lawrence College, Bishop’s University and Sherbrooke University. Most of these schools are part of the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association.
Beyond tournaments, the team also plays exhibition games against other school teams, including the University of Waterloo, the University of Toronto and Sheridan College.
They do not always have to travel, though — they face off against Mohawk College and Redeemer College a few times a year as well. Recently, the club played Redeemer on April 4 at Chedoke Arena, a local venue.
This is the ninth season behind the bench for coach Wilkinson, who organizes the tournaments for the team on top of his coaching duties. He is helped by his son Blair, a McMaster alumnus, who serves as the assistant coach.
It takes a lot of work for Wilkinson to oversee the club. Still, he enjoys his role on the team and said it is rewarding to find opportunities for McMaster students to play hockey throughout the year.
“We’ve had a lot of kids get involved,” Wilkinson said. “It’s not just about how good you are — it’s how committed you are to helping out and how dedicated you can be.”
Funding and practice time can be a challenge for the McMaster squad, but the players and coaches are willing to make financial and time sacrifices. To the coaches, it is all about the students and making sure that they can play the game they love.
“We’ve had a lot of kids get involved. It’s not just about how good you are — it’s how committed you are to helping out and how dedicated you can be.”
Rob Wilkinson
Coach and General Manager
Men’s Hockey Club
Wilkinson takes particular pride in noting that the club is heavily involved in OCAA tournaments, despite not being part of the association. Because McMaster is not part of the OCAA loop, there are certain restrictions and fees that must be overcome to allow the club to participate. Nevertheless, the coaches and players find a way to attend several of them.
“Every year, we’ve had more tournament activity than any team that’s a member,” Wilkinson said. “All that means to me is we get more kids more activity.”
The club even has built up some traditions over the years. Wilkinson mentioned an annual weekend trip to Brockville to play in a tournament before heading to Montreal for the night.
In Wilkinson’s time as a coach, he’s seen many different players wear the McMaster uniform on the ice. Despite the low-profile nature of the club, he’s quick to note that there have been some very successful seasons.
“We’ve won quite a few championships,” Wilkinson said. “One year, we won two tournaments in the same weekend. Another year, we won the St. Lawrence College tournament and we won the Queen’s University Challenge cup in one weekend.”
“We won three tournaments one year,” he added.
This year has seen the team attend five tournaments so far. While results are not the most important thing to Wilkinson and the club, McMaster has still done fairly well, coming away with a consolation championship and two semi-final appearances.
Typically, the club holds tryout skates at the beginning of the school year, where any McMaster hockey players are welcome to come skate and join the club. From there, the coaches select players from the large roster to go on tournaments, depending on the availability of the students.
Though McMaster lacks an official varsity men’s team, hockey still lives on through the McMaster men’s hockey club. Over the past decade, coach Wilkinson and the team have traveled all throughout the province, carrying maroon pride with them. So the next time someone mentions men’s hockey at McMaster, remember that Mac does have a presence on the ice.
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By: Griffin Marsh
The Ontario University Athletics’ wrestling season is a grueling affair. Opportunities present themselves through October, November and January, eventually building to the OUA Championships in February.
For McMaster wrestler Benjamin Zahra, the season has certainly been taxing, but has resulted in a rewarding season that is worth writing home about.
As Mac Wrestling heads into the OUA Championships this weekend, Zahra is coming off of an OUA Male Athlete of the Week Award at the end of January, and a perfect performance at the Ontario Junior Championships.
Zahra’s performance at the Junior Championships led to a gold medal in the 79 kg category, posting three clean performances, as he did not give up a point all weekend long.
This performance was even more impressive as it was not Zahra’s first gold medal on the season, adding to his 86 kg Senior Championships gold medal in November. Zahra has already established himself as a top athlete, performing at the top of his game in two weight categories, against two different age categories. He is a wrestler who begs more attention.
However, Zahra is not about to rest on his accomplishments anytime soon. There are still key challenges ahead this season and Zahra treats each practice as an opportunity to work on his technique and continually improve.
“My motivation this season has just been to focus on pushing myself as hard as I can in practice to get better,” said Zahra. “I have been able to push aside all the season’s distractions and really focus on trying to get the best performance out of myself in every practice so that I can be in the best condition for competitions.”
Zahra’s athletic ideology reflects a mindset that was also echoed by head wrestling coach, Cleo Ncube.
Coach Ncube, in his first season at McMaster, brings the mentality of the former Olympian he is, instituting a strict and demanding schedule that challenged many members of the team in the early stages of this season.
Zahra took this challenge and ran with it, still constantly checking in with his motivations and drives.
“It’s a sport that forces you to push yourself harder than you ever thought you could push yourself, which can be very hard,” Zahra said. “This makes the flashes of success throughout the season that much more enjoyable.”
“The motivation for me is the joy I get from the sport,” Zahra added. “It’s important for me to find enjoyment in wrestling because in the big picture, that’s why I have always wrestled.”
Even with what Zahra has accomplished up to this point, he is still looking for more, looking beyond this weekend to the National Championships. Still, one of Zahra’s strongest traits seems to be his poise and focus. He clearly has lofty ambitions, but they are all kept in perspective with clear attention being paid to the small things.
“At the start of the year my main goal was to win the junior national championships at the end of year,” said Zahra. “Although I think this is a goal I am capable of achieving, I have really tried not to focus on it too much throughout the season. Instead, I have set goals for myself in practice that I know if I follow will give me the best chance of becoming a national champion.”
This mindset is one strongly advocated for by Ncube. The wrestling team’s head coach regularly emphasizes the importance of personal growth and consistent effort, not simply a focus on results.
Coach Ncube added that this mentality has been paying off dividends in his eyes, having seen dramatic improvements throughout the roster.
“Up to this point the season has been good,” Zahra added, reflecting on the season. “I have had a chance to compete in many of the university open tournaments along with both the senior and junior provincial championships. I have not had much of a chance to reflect on the season because of the busy tournament schedule, but overall I am happy.”
Looking ahead, the OUA Championships are on Feb. 11 and Zahra is focused on another key performance.
“For this upcoming OUA championships my goal is to compete the best I can and hopefully have an excellent performance,” said Zahra. “This is the same goal I have going into every tournament because it is the one thing I am in complete control of.”
This idea of complete control is something that runs through of Zahra’s competitions. It feels like at this stage in his young career he is in control — in control of his regime, in control of his preparation and in control of his game. Week in and week out, he is in charge. This is a McMaster athlete to keep your eye on, this weekend and beyond.
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School may have officially started for McMaster University students on Jan. 4, but for the McMaster women’s basketball team, the second half of their regular season started on Dec. 30 with a win over the York University Lions.
Since then the Marauders have remain undefeated, beating both the Windsor Lancers and the Brock Badgers. The team now sits at third place in the Ontario University Athletics West Division with an 8-4 overall record.
Although all three games were great wins, the most impressive of the three was the 75-44 victory over the Badgers. The victory was witnessed by many supporters thanks to the “Pack the House” initiative arranged by McMaster Athletics.
Different from any other home game, the first 100 McMaster students who filed into the gym received a free t-shirt courtesy of the McMaster Students Union Maroons and McMaster Athletics. There was also a contest rewarding the residence with the most students in attendance with a free pizza party, courtesy of Pizza Pizza.
The game started off slow for the Badgers in the first quarter, as Mac only allowed four points. That is exactly what the Marauders hoped for going into the game.
“Our game plan usually against teams is mostly defensive,” said second-year player Julia Hanaka. “We try to really get up and start the tempo early because we want them to be the ones following us instead of vice versa.”
The Marauders applied a lot of pressure early on, making it difficult for Brock to score as they finished the game 0 of 13 from three. Though for head coach Theresa Burns, she knew that their team was capable of more.
“We didn't have a great start, however it is going to happen,” said Burns. “I thought we turned things around in the second quarter and we started to play at the pace we wanted to play at.”
Leading the team in points, Lexie Spadafora scored 18 points, while Linnaea Harper was right behind her with 17 points. For their third straight win, the women’s team attributes both winter break scrimmages against top teams in the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and Queen’s University’s Gaels and the “Pack the House” turnout as the reason why the team played so well.
“When you challenge yourself against the top teams in the country, it can only make you better and it is such a great learning tool,” said Burns. “It gets you going again after the winter break and brings you back to that intensity level that you need to be at and get everyone on the same page.”
As for the large amount of support, it created an atmosphere that any player would love to play in. For Hanaka, a huge reason why she and other players chose to come to Mac was because they have seen first hand the amount of support that comes out during initiatives like “Pack the House”.
“When the whole crowd goes crazy, everybody on the bench gets fired up and we get more into [the game] because of how much support we see,” said Hanaka.
Being able to work on their transition game, apply different defences and just continue to get better as a whole over the break has surely paid off so far for the Marauders. With the next game at the University of Waterloo to face the 1-11 Warriors, Mac will have no problem building off of their momentum and keeping their winning streak alive.
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