By: Adrianna Michell
The city of Hamilton is often associated with art, growth and income disparity, and all of these are reflected in the self-publishing scene. Specifically, zines offer local artists, writers and creatives not only a venue for expression, but a community as well.
Zines grew from the basements of outcast punk rockers to the photo clipping scattered floors of underrepresented creatives everywhere.
Self-published works are made and disseminated unprofessionally, and often through friend circles, organizations or through specific shops like record stores and niche bookstores. Zines can cover many themes, but are generally an art form of subversion where artists are able to share ideas not seen in mainstream forms of media.
The artists that live and work with Hamilton use zines to interact with the politics of the city. Unique voices and perspectives outside of what is acceptable on the shelves of bookstores can be freely shared.
Phoebe Taylor
As a Hamilton based OCAD university alum, illustrator and printmaker, Phoebe Taylor uses zines as autobiographical works. Her experience in the world as a woman is the thesis of her self-published material. This comes through as she collects her words and illustrations, and sometimes decorates them with dollar store gemstones.
“I think zines are a form of being pissed off, right?"
“I guess its like hyper-femininity,” Taylor says of the 3D component of her zines, “... that’s just another way of [representing myself]. It’s just like a little piece of me that I’m putting into it.”
“[Self-publishing] for me, it’s definitely making an artwork that is 100 per cent self-serving and something I can share with somebody that isn’t necessarily to represent ... a fully formed idea. ... [It’s] like when you’ve got an itch and you just need to get it out of your system.”
While the personal self-expression of zines is important to Taylor, so is the community that she has built through these creative works. Taylor connects to creators on Instagram and is in touch with the Toronto artist community, but her favourite is the Hamilton Feminist Zine Fair.
The Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area, a centre that provides services to survivors and community events, organizes the fair each year to showcase marginalized voices. The free event has allowed Taylor to meet zine-makers and local artists as well as readers who resonate with her messages.
“[SACHA’s zine fair is] an environment where everyone is willing to give you a little bit of themselves,” Taylor says. “[It’s] a lot of giving and receiving of love.”
Despite the love that Taylor has experienced at zine fairs, she also realizes the political nature the format.
“I think zines are a form of being pissed off, right? ... I’d be curious in the next few years what people have to say about, you know Hamilton’s LRT. ... I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody’s writing about gentrification of downtown.”
Taylor's website is http://www.phoebetaylor.ca
Amy Egerdeen
After moving to Hamilton in 2013, Amy Egerdeen has found community through self-publishing. As a cofounder of SACHA’s feminist zine fair, she knows the importance of connecting with others in the community over arts-based activities.
Egerdeen is an artist, bookmaker and community worker. Egerdeen works in women’s shelters and youth groups to facilitate self-expression through art. In her zines and other art works, Egerdeen includes themes of “feminism, imagined futures [and] storytelling.”
“I want to focus on creating spaces for people to be involved in their own storytelling.”
Egerdeen likes the passion that goes into zine making. Without the incentive of money or a large audience creators are able to express ideas outside of popular conversations. Zines allow people to talk about things that they have strong feelings about, and topics that may not have a place among the bookstands.
“I love that they exist outside of commercial media, which means you don’t see ads. No one is trying to make you buy something. You can be honest and speak your mind. ... Zines are about freedom.”
Collaboration is important in Egerdeen’s creative process. Through the collaborative zines Egerdeen facilitates in women’s shelters and annually at the HFZF, she is able to use her skills to help others share their stories.
“I want to focus on creating spaces for people to be involved in their own storytelling.”
Collaborative zines are able to gather a variety of lived experiences into one art piece, and therefore are a community building practice. By curating zines that source material from local artists, shelters and youth groups, Egerdeen allows underrepresented groups to come together and share their ideas.
“The zine and politically engaged communities in Hamilton, like most places, have a lot of overlap. Lots of zine makers are also on the front lines of fighting against inequality and injustices.”
Egerdeen's website is http://amyegerdeen.com
Sahra Soudi
“Zines typically have narratives that aren’t shown, and usually those narratives come from marginalized voices, and I think that’s important,” says artist, activist and third year multimedia student Sahra Soudi. Soudi has displayed their narrative-based zines at HFZF and has space at HAVN.
They are currently working on a zine that revolve around themes of uncertainty as well as their personal experiences in Hamilton and regarding oppressions. Their zine is about “overcoming assimilation and then turning that into revolutionary thought.”
While zines provide Soudi an outlet for their ideas, they note that their narrative would not be shown in large bookstores or more mainstream, monetized forms of publication. Soudi connects the tradition of trading zines to the political issue of gentrification.
Soudi looks at “art exchange and art trading as opposed to very capitalist exchange with money, like currency and art, and the importance of that, then comparing that to themes of marginalized struggles.”
“Within my art practices ... [I include] community organizing,” Soudi says. “I seek for communities who do the same work, and I also seek other people who do the same work.” Soudi uses their art works, zines included, as activism.
“Zines typically have narratives that aren’t shown, and usually those narratives come from marginalized voices, and I think that’s important.”
“I guess with zines, I don’t want to say it’s combative, but it is. ... and so it almost always seems appropriate for Hamilton to be a part of [that].”
Jessica Felicity
Jessica Felicity is a Hamilton based artist and community organizer. Currently attending Ryerson University for English, Felicity uses zines as a way to reclaim conversations she has felt excluded from because of her identity as a Black femme.
“You can do whatever you want with a zine. It’s pretty much free space. It lets me have more of a voice.”
Zines allow Felicity to carve out space for herself within the Hamilton arts community, but the medium also allows her to confront the systems that exclude marginalized artists.
“[Zines] combat popular media with different, alternative messages, because you can just make a zine by yourself.”
Regardless of how politicized or personal her zines are Felicity always bases her work in real experience.
“The foundation is truth. You need the truth, not filtered, edited versions. I think with zines also it doesn’t have to be curated through an oppressive lense. It’s more free, like everyone’s true and messy selves.”
“You can do whatever you want with a zine. It’s pretty much free space. It lets me have more of a voice.”
Dr. Emily Bennett N.D.
Dr. Emily Bennett is a naturopathic doctor and birth doula that runs a community wellness centre on the west side of Hamilton. Ever since the wellness centre, Island Island, opened its doors, it has had zines displayed in the waiting room in place of traditional magazines. With poetry and illustration replacing fad diets and home décor, Bennett has given a space for zines to be presented to an otherwise unwitting audience.
“I wanted [to] offer a variety of reading material on topics that wouldn’t normally be covered in journals or magazines. Things that are a bit more niche, personal stories, stuff that would make people feel comfortable when they came in and saw their unique experience reflected in the reading material.”
Bennett’s centre offers community acupuncture and services on a sliding scale in order to accommodate people who may otherwise find the help they need inaccessible.
“Zines relate to wellness in that they are a vehicle for personal expression and maybe processing things that are challenging. ... I kind of see zines as one of the many tools for dealing with things that could be challenging in our life or traumatic.”
Zines as self-published and financially accessible material relates to Bennett’s sliding scale practice, as both are able to connect people, regardless of economic situation, to community and wellness.
“It’s not infrequent for zines to be sold on a sliding scale or for barter or pay what you can or that sort of thing, so it does kind of match our overall aesthetic that we’re trying to operate outside of the conventional consumer system with the way we offer our services. And I think zines kind of reflect that as well.”
"I kind of see zines as one of the many tools for dealing with things that could be challenging in our life or traumatic.”
Zines hold a history of Hamilton’s artists in their messy, photocopied pages. Excluded artists and uncreative folks alike can find community through the collaboration that goes into the creation and dissemination of the medium. Zines aren’t a James Street North novelty, and they aren’t going anywhere.
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If you head west on the 403 from Hamilton, you’ll discover a gem nestled on the western part of the Golden Horseshoe. It’s a stone’s throw from McMaster and might as well be considered the university’s backyard. Welcome to Ancaster, ON, home to Lauren Mastroluisi.
Mastroluisi went to Ancaster High from 2007-2011 and was a multisport athlete who played basketball, water polo, badminton and tennis in addition to volleyball. She played club for Burlington’s Defensa and won club nationals in 2011.
Head Coach Tim Louks heavily recruited Mastroluisi since grade nine. She received high interest from Guelph, Laurier and even got some notice from the NCAA’s Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green. But when the time came to choose, Mastroluisi went with what she knew her whole life.
Her entire family went to McMaster.
“My parents and my brothers went here. My brother played football for Mac and my dad played hockey for Mac. It’s a Mac family,” said Mastroluisi. “My parents always told me I could go wherever I wanted, but something pulled me here because I knew how much everyone in my family loved it.”
As a student-athlete, nothing says welcome to the university level like playing in front of a roaring home crowd. One of her favorite memories came from her rookie season when McMaster hosted the Women’s CIS Championships.
“We played No. 1 Alberta in the quarterfinal and we were ranked No. 8. We walk into the gym and the roar of the crowd was insane. There were so many people there,” said Mastroluisi. “I had an adrenaline rush for the next two weeks. I was shaking. It was the most fun and we took a set off them, which was hype. Taylor (Brisebois), Mira (Krunic) and I started that game, which was huge because we were little first years. It was wild.”
In her career, Mastroluisi made two CIS Championship appearances (2012, 2014) and won an OUA banner in 2014. She was named to the CIS and OUA All-Rookie team in 2011 in addition to being named McMaster’s team MVP and OUA First Team All-Star in 2015.
Her fourth year was her best one yet.
“I think that, physically, it was my best year all-around. I was in my best shape. I started to understand the game more,” Mastroluisi said. “Instead of just hitting the ball I would start hitting shots. I would see the court better.”
It was in those senior years that she developed her biggest skill at Mac.
“Playing for Mac taught me patience. Coach has really pushed the concept of patience on us. Slow it down, take a breath, see and know what you’re doing,” said Mastroluisi. “When you’re in a game you can get caught up with the crowd and everything, but taking a breath and being patient has been huge.”
On the topic of patience, Mastroluisi is in a season of life that requires just that. When volleyball has been life for 11 years, it takes some time to transition into your next step. Upon graduation, she hopes to go to teacher’s college. Her passion to invest in kids’ lives can be traced back to her time volunteering at the Hamilton Boys and Girls Club.
“Community outreach has been big for me. I’ve been involved with Mac Athletes Care since first year. You just hangout with kids and help them with anything they need,” Mastroluisi said. “It’s like being a big sister.”
Her desire to invest in the next generation stretches from the court to the classroom. She cited her Defensa coach, Rob Fernley, as her inspiration.
“He puts so much effort into making sure that his athletes are the best that they can be. I think six out of the 10 girls on my club team played NCAA Division I and did well,” Mastroluisi said. “He was into developing potential. I want to be the type of coach that sees something in a kid and trusts my instincts on their potential.”
McMaster teammates Ina Onat and Rebecca Steckle think Mastroluisi is a natural when it comes to identifying the best in others. From the testimony of her friends, teaching and coaching seem to be the perfect fit for her.
“She sees the potential in those around her and encourages them to be their best selves, whether it be in volleyball or in life. She is full of life and has left her mark on each one of us,” said Onat.
“She is the life of the team on the court. I would argue that there are very few people who are able to truly make others believe in themselves, but Lo is one of them. She has the uncanny ability to allow you to be yourself and have complete confidence in who you are and what you bring to the team,” said Steckle.
“Although Lo has been influential on the court for the past five years, it is her friendship and love for people that will continue to change lives, like it has mine. She is a rare breed.”
As she transitions into the next season of her life, Mastroluisi walks away from McMaster bleeding the only color she has known: maroon.
Photo Credit: Yousif Haddad
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She wore the No. 1 because she’s tall and lanky.
Head Coach Tim Louks says that when some recruits ask to play for Mac, one of the first things he asks them is, “Can you block like Taylor Brisebois?”
The six-foot-two middle has been a staple for McMaster volleyball since arriving on campus in Fall 2011.
A product of The Hill Academy — a prep school located in Vaughan, ON — Brisebois’ decision to go maroon was an easy one. Former McMaster Volleyball player Emily Dennis played club volleyball with Brisebois with the Aurora Storm and played a big role in getting her to commit to Mac. Brisebois received offers from Toronto and Queen’s, but didn’t even take her visits because she was so sold on Mac.
Brisebois played in 85 matches over her five-year career, steadily improving as time went on. She has been team captain for the past two seasons.
“I was lucky enough to start in my first year, but I really broke out in my third year. I really peaked in my fourth and fifth years, though,” said Brisebois.
The numbers back her up.
In her fourth year with McMaster she tallied 135 kills in 19 matches, a respectable .285 hitting percentage and 68 blocks. This season, in her fifth and final year, Brisebois racked up 154 kills in 19 matches, a steady .283 hitting percentage and 54 blocks. She averaged 3.5 points per set and accounted for 82 digs — both career highs. Brisebois has been named to OUA All Star teams four out of her five seasons here making Second Team in 2016 and 2014, First Team in 2015, and All-Rookie Team in 2012. She made two appearances at CIS Nationals in 2012 and 2014 and won an OUA banner in 2014.
Louks has had a huge impact on her.
“He has always had a lot of faith in me. That has enabled me to take risks. He trusts me. If I make an error, I know he won’t just take me off. He trusts me to figure things out,” Brisebois said.
Her easygoing personality and love for both the game and the people around her make her presence that much easier to miss. One distinctive quality about her is her happy-go-lucky persona on the court that shouldn’t be mistaken for carelessness. Rather, it magnifies a quality she admires in herself.
“When I make mistakes I’ll think about it and try and make the next play better, but I’m not going to let it shut me down. My defense mechanism when I make mistakes is to kind of laugh it off,” said Brisebois. “Others will look at me and think that I’m not taking it seriously. I like that about myself, but others might not.”
A career moment that stands out to her comes from McMaster’s OUA bronze medal loss against Western earlier this month.
“I really felt like I shut down Kelsey Veltman in the fifth set. That was really fun,” said Brisebois.
Fellow graduating captain Lauren Mastroluisi knows how good her teammate is.
“I’ve seen Taylor transform into one of the best middles in the OUA,” said Mastroluisi. “I’m so proud of her.”
Brisebois’ volleyball inspiration came from former Marauder Shannon McRobert and current teammate Maicee Sorensen.
“I looked up to Shannon in my first and second year and then Maicee for the rest. They both shaped the way I played volleyball and were great leaders,” Brisebois said.
“When I make mistakes I’ll think about it and try and make the next play better, but I’m not going to let it shut me down.”
Sorensen thinks very highly of her graduating teammate.
“Taylor doesn’t know this, but I’ve been watching her play long before I came to Mac. She was the player I wanted to be. She has set the standards around here really high, whether it has to do with volleyball itself, or just being a great person,” said Sorensen. “I hope that when my time here comes to an end I can leave half the mark she has.”
Second-year outside middle Ina Onat will miss her teammate dearly.
“Taylor is the most positive and encouraging person I know. She made it her goal to cultivate our team into a positive and inclusive space and that is what it is today,” said Onat. “Her love and commitment to our team has been unconditional. Taylor has definitely left her mark on each one of us and we will miss her very much.”
It’s not easy to replace someone like her.
Brisebois will graduate with a double major in Sociology and Labour Studies. She wants to possibly pursue a career in Human Resources and is open to possibly coaching boys’ volleyball in the future. Playing professional volleyball is another option, but she is very home and family-oriented so that’s not her priority.
Thinking about the future is scary, but for the moment she’s enjoying her last few weeks at the school that became her home the past half-decade.
“You kind of feel like a celebrity playing volleyball at Mac. You get interviews and pictures taken of you. Kids and teams come in to watch you play,” said Brisebois. “You’re kind of put on a high pedestal so you want to do well and represent your school and community. I’ll miss that stage. I fell more and more in love with Mac as the years went on.”
Photo Credit: Yousif Haddad
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Humber College gym was (kind of) where it all started.
A tall, lanky 16-year-old was playing club volleyball for the Durham Attack and coaches were out in the gym to watch him play. He was on the recruiting radar for a number of universities in the OUA.
The tall kid walked up to a coach and said, “Hello, Sir. I’m Alex Elliott.”
McMaster Head Coach Dave Preston chuckled.
“Alex, I’m very aware of who you are,” said Preston.
Elliott was shocked that the Head Coach of one of Canada’s best volleyball programs knew him by name. It meant so much to him.
“I love your program. I think a lot of Mac,” Elliott said.
Right when Elliott was offered the opportunity to play for his dream school, the Cobourg, ON native knew where he would spend the next five years of his life.
“I told myself that I was going to Mac. I didn’t say it right away because I didn’t want to be impulsive. I got offers from everywhere in Ontario, but I knew I wanted to be there. My heart was set,” said Elliott.
His strong ties to the school with the coaching staff, friends, and teammates influenced his decision. There was no other place for him.
“I applied to three different programs. That’s how badly I wanted to come here,” said Elliott.
Fast-forward half a decade and the 6’5” graduating middle leaves McMaster with a decorated career and many lifelong memories.
But the one that stands out the most comes from this year’s CIS championship weekend.
“The highlight of my whole career was to end it here at home. To play in the CIS championships in front of all the Mac fans is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Walking onto the floor with 2000 people cheering for us is a crazy feeling,” said Elliott.
“If you told me five years ago that I would be a part of four OUA title teams and four CIS medaling teams, I would’ve called you crazy,” Elliott said. “We would’ve loved to capture the championship at home, but I wouldn’t give this up for anything or any other school in Canada. I have no regrets. I love Mac.”
Elliott started at Mac as a Social Sciences student before transferring into Environmental Sciences. He is scheduled to graduate this spring.
Following his graduation, Elliott plans to head to teacher’s college to pursue his passion for teaching and coaching.
“I want to teach high school environmental science and geography. I want to coach too. I love sports. It doesn’t even have to be volleyball,” Elliott said.
His time at Mac has given him valuable insight into maximizing one’s university experience.
“Take advantage of every opportunity you’re given right off the bat. Don’t be shy. Get involved with everything you can. Sit near the front of your classes. Don’t be the guy near the back. Just be more engaged with everything.”
Elliott sees sport as bigger than a stage to showcase talent.
“It’s a platform you can use to develop life. That’s why I want to teach people that sport isn’t only about being physically active or being the best. Sports can teach you life lessons that you can hold onto forever,” Elliott said.
Away from the court, Elliott spent significant time doing community service during his time at Mac with Mac Athletes Care.
“I’ve always loved serving the community. Back home in Cobourg I was involved in the community up until grade 12 and then in my first year at Mac, I wasn’t involved in anything,” said Elliott. “There was a significant part of me I wasn’t showing so getting involved with Mac Athletes Care brought that part of me back out.”
Elliott would take time out of his week to just spend time with Hamilton youth and elderly citizens. Nothing complicated. He enjoyed learning to see the world through their eyes and wanted to be there for others if they needed anything. It’s very unique to see an athlete that legitimately wants to be around others, and to care for and support them in his own personal free time. It just goes to show that Elliott practices what he preaches about sport being more than a platform for talent, but a platform to impact the lives of others.
“He has been one of the greatest leaders that I have ever coached,” said Coach Dave Preston. “Alex is a great human being.”
Photo Credit: Monish Ahluwalia
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Men's
Blair Morgan
Coming off a strong summer season setting four personal bests on the track, Morgan is in the best position he has been in his McMaster career. The engineer is also in his third season as the Men’s team captain and hopes to lead the team to a CIS medal.
Connor Darlington
Though he is a 1500m specialist on the track, Darlington’s strength over the longer distances is clear. This year’s OUA Championships saw him as an All-Star for the third time, and will be an integral part of the Men’s team in their hopes for a CIS podium finish.
Taylor Forbes
Taylor Forbes spent a busy summer training and competing in triathlon, including racing in the European professional circuit. He finished third at the Canadian National Triathlon Championships and 17th at the ITU World Triathlon Championships in Chicago.
Austen Forbes
The other half of the Forbes’ twins, Austen Forbes also spent the summer competing in triathlon. Some of his summer highlights include a top ten finish in the ETU Triathlon European Cup in Holten, Netherlands, and a silver medal at the Triathlon Ontario Provincial Championships.
Gabriel Ghiglione
Ghiglione took a different approach to summer training, which included running around Toronto pulling a rickshaw and an 83-kilometer trail run through Killarney National Park. He is in his fourth year of a degree in Anthropology, a team representative with McMaster Athletes Care and the President of the McMaster ALS Society.
Derek Van Schepen
Van Schepen’s hard work and high mileage has been key in helping him crack the top seven this year. This is especially impressive given the fourth-year Geography & Environmental Studies student spent most of the summer training with an injured foot.
Luke Charbonneau
Charbonneau had a fantastic run at last year’s CIS Championships in challenging conditions in Newfoundland to finish as the top Marauder. He is managing to balance his Cross Country training around working at an internship as a Financial Analyst in Oakville.
Women's
Maddy McDonald
Acting as this year’s Women’s captain, McDonald has shown her strength as this year’s low-stick. An avid volunteer at McMaster and in the community, she is in her final year of Kinesiology.
Chelsea Mackinnon
This is Mackinnon’s fifth time racing at the Cross Country CIS Championships and plans to make it her best. She is currently working on a thesis project in Anatomy while managing the DBAC Pool and working as a Lifeguard.
Gabrielle Foran
Foran is a PhD candidate in Chemistry, and had an impressive summer achieving four World Records in Joggling (juggling and running) ranging from the 400m to the 5-kilometer events. She also won four Gold Medals at the National Joggling Championships.
Emily Nowak
After spending last year’s Cross Country season in a boot cast, Nowak has reclaimed her place in the top seven. She is enjoying her transition into the new Biomedical Discovery and Commercialization program while volunteering with McMaster Athletes Care and the Right to Play Club.
Maddie Benjamin
Benjamin had a successful outdoor track season seeing her set a personal best in the 1500m and is carrying this momentum onto the trails. She is in her final year of completing a double-major degree in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour and Economics, while finding the time to act as a mentor for fellow Varsity Athletes.
Soren Meeuwisse
Meeuwisse is coming to Cross Country from a background in Mountain Biking, competing this past summer in Europe at the 2015 UCI Mountain Biking World Championships. She is completing her first year in Kinesiology and making her impressive CIS debut early in her Marauder career.
Lauren Locco
This second-year local triathlete had a breakthrough season this year to earn her spot in the top seven. Her multisport strength played a part with her successes, despite a hectic schedule as a Nursing student.
Photo Credit: Maxine Gravina
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By: Ben Keymer
The adjustment for student athletes from high school to university is riddled with challenges and tribulations, and for first-year defensive back Adam Poole, these challenges are only magnified. Many first-year students know how hard it can be to balance sleep, school and a social life. For Poole, there is a fourth element: football.
Hailing from Brampton, Ontario, Poole serves the role of starting cornerback for the Marauders football team. While most first-year students were moving into residence and starting their first day of Welcome Week, Poole was in downtown Toronto playing his first university football game against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.
The academic adjustment from high school to university is significant for all students and it’s no different for athletes. Balancing regular practices, meetings and games with a university course load is a lot to ask of an 18-year-old, but the football support staff do an excellent job of ensuring that their players are successful on the field and in the classroom. Poole said that his coaches are adamant that their players must not be “one hit wonders.” To ensure that all players are successful student athletes, they are paired with an academic advisor for the year they meet with weekly to discuss academic goals and plans for success in the classroom.
While the transition in the classroom is difficult, the on-field adjustment is even tougher. “Training camp was really hard,” said Poole. “I was getting used to the speed, getting used to the game, getting better.” He pointed to speed as the largest change from high school, with the mental game as a close second.
There is not much room for error in university football like there was back in high school. Every decision must be made in a split second and while much of that comes from physical size and speed, the innate sense many university football players possess for the game makes it exponentially harder.
Flashing back to Varsity Stadium in Toronto, where the Marauders beat the Blues 55-33, Poole showed little difficulty in his transition. He picked up 4.5 total tackles and an interception in the victory. “It was pretty amazing,” Poole said regarding the game, “First start, first pick, first win. It was a good feeling.”
The Marauders will be looking for similar production from Poole through the final games of the season and hopefully into the playoffs, where they will be looking for a second straight Vanier Cup appearance. The team’s offense is particularly strong this year, so if Poole and his fellow defensive backs are able to shut down the opposition’s air attack, the Marauders will compete with the best teams in the country.
Poole seems to be handling the student athlete transition extremely well, in part thanks to his combination of natural ability and work ethic, and in another due to the support provided to him by the university’s coaches, trainers and advisors.
Photo Credit: Dax Melmer/The Windsor Star
It was a storybook tale for what could have been a heavy night. Siobhan Manning dropped a season-high 15 points during a breast cancer awareness event, just months after her mother was diagnosed with that very disease.
The story begins back in November. Bernadette Manning, mother of McMaster women’s basketball guard Siobhan, was diagnosed with breast cancer. The news shook Manning, but she was not alone.
The women’s basketball team is no stranger to breast cancer. Head coach Theresa Burns was diagnosed with the disease and beat it – she’s been cancer-free for nine years. Manning had support from her coach and teammates during the tough time and continued to play.
Then came the Think Pink game against Waterloo. The CIS launched a breast cancer awareness campaign in 2007, pairing with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Nearly all CIS basketball teams host the event. Some universities wear pink jerseys, while others teams outfit themselves with pink accents like wristbands, socks and shoelaces.
During warm-ups for Mac’s Think Pink event, Marauder players wore pink t-shirts with the Marauder logo on the front and text on the back: “I’m playing for _______.” Mac wrote that they were playing for Mama Manning, a touching moment for a family that has dealt with a tumultuous few months. And although it was just a regular season match-up, the pre-game feel was not the same.
“The mindset was different. It was more than a game for our team. In past years, it’s been more than a game, but this year especially, it was really close to home,” said Manning. “I was ready to play for what the game represented.”
Forwards Clare Kenney and Linnaea Harper were sidelined with injuries, opening a couple spots in the starting line-up. Siobhan Manning got her first start of the season and the second of her career.
Manning took the opportunity and made the most of it. She opened the game with a three, confidently pulling the trigger and splashing a shot from the right wing.
“One of my teammates, ironically enough, came up to me and said ‘let the game come to you,’” said Manning. And she did just that.
Playing with a ton of confidence, Manning led the team in minutes played (35) and finished third in scoring. Mac beat Waterloo, 81-67. Coming into the game, the Health Sciences student was averaging 13.5 minutes per contest and 3.2 points per game. To the casual observer, it was a surprise. The coaching staff was not taken aback by the performance.
“Sho has had some good games for us this year. She’s been steady, but that was one of the best games I’ve seen her play,” said Burns.
“We knew she was capable with that. She put a lot of work in over the summer … she had definitely added to her game. It was a matter of time for her to put it all together and she did it on Saturday.”
Now, Manning’s mother has already completed one surgery, but radiation therapy awaits. Siobhan has learned how to cope with the situation, but she admits that she struggled at the beginning.
“The first game where I saw my mom come in, I looked into the crowd and I just started tearing up,” said Manning. “But as time has gone on, not that it’s become normal, I’ve reflected and learned how to deal with. It’s just become the way it is and we’re going to get through it together.”
Following the game, Manning says her mother gave her a hug and was “speechless.”
The Think Pink game and Manning’s stand-out performance provided the family and team with a feel-good moment during one of the more difficult times the group will face. You can’t find that in a box score.
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Tristan Paul imagines every student as a piece of a puzzle that makes up the McMaster undergraduate student body. As a result he has centred his platform on getting students involved and collecting feedback from the student body.
“The role of the MSU and the MSU president is all-encompassing,” said Paul. “So what I’ve tried to do with my platform is incorporate those mechanisms where we can give students the tools to essentially provide feedback […] and have a meaningful role in shaping their student experience.”
One of Paul’s most prominent communication strategies is the MSU Drawing Board, an online portal where students can submit feedback and vote on their favourite ideas. He also hopes to implement MSU Messenger, an online chat room, and MSU Town Hall, a meeting in term one about the progress and goals of the MSU.
In the area of academics, Paul hopes to improve the course selection process by adding mandated mid-term evaluations and working with the university to make existing course evaluation data available to students.
He also wants to implement course intentions, a system where students map out their desired courses in advance to give administrators an idea of how many students may enrol in a course.
The feasibility of a course intentions system is still questionable. Many students may not know what courses they will take in upper years, and these decisions often change as a student progresses through their degree. While a good idea in theory, only time will tell how this works in practice.
Q: Opponent you would vote for?
A: Matt
Q: Opponent's platform point you would criticize?
A: John Tambakis - EARN Service
“I think they’ll encounter the same problems that the Peer Tutor Network had.”
Q: Most ambitious goal?
A: Grocery store
When asked about his most ambitious goal, Paul discussed his idea to open an on-campus grocery store.
“[Through] one-on-one conversations with students we realized that the convenience of a grocery store on campus is something that students really want,” said Paul.
“[It’s] ambitious in the sense that it requires a lot of consultation and working with various stakeholders.”
After researching existing models at Western and Queen’s, Paul began talking to university administration about this idea. The response he got from both Hospitality Services and McMaster administration was positive.
Yet, with Mac Farmstand in the student centre every Wednesday and Thursday from June to October and a bus to Fortinos that runs from Mary Keyes every Wednesday, the effort and expense of opening a grocery store may not be necessary. Paul has discussed the idea with administration and one-on-one with students, but only a survey of the student body will tell if this idea reflects students’ needs.
The idea of improving clubs is common across all candidates, but Paul has a unique idea. He wants to administer anti-oppression training for club presidents and create an opportunities portal where clubs can recruit volunteers in order to improve the extra-curricular experience.
A more obscure idea, stemming from his love of film, is converting a lecture hall into MSU Cinema. This theatre service would mirror Western University Film’s success. Again, it is unclear whether this is a service that is in demand from students or how it would be put into practice.
Paul has begun conversations with the university about his ideas, but has mainly researched student need through one-on-one conversations. Whether or not the entire undergraduate student body will determine these ideas to be their top priority is unknown.
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When I was leaving for university my mother told me “you get out of your university experience what you put into it.” That is what this campaign is about. It’s about wanting to make sure everyone who comes to McMaster can get more out of their experience here, and the heart of that lies in making connections.
The academic component of my platform is about providing students with the tools they need to succeed - tools such as quality study spaces and healthy food options. Installation of new working space and lighting will revitalize MUSC study space. I will collaborate with libraries to introduce a free laptop charger rental service. Rounding out the academic pillar, wraps sold out of Union Market during the exam season will address the late night food terrors.
To better support students, I am collecting student ideas all week at my campaign headquarters in MUSC - a participatory platform that I promise to use as a guide if elected. I will also install a simple, easy-to-use suggestion box outside the MUSC office for yearlong direct feedback. Finally, extended hours for the MSU Peer Support Line will provide help to those who need it most.
The student life pillar looks at revitalizing an underutilized space in the Arts Quad to create a relaxing space that once equipped with tables and benches could become a new sanctuary for students. Perhaps the most exciting is the McMaster Art Crawl. What better way to draw our members into a true society than to showcase the raw talents that exist on our campus?
Four years ago I began my journey in a different faculty, as a different person. Switching faculties was the first in a series of experiences that taught me that pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone can lead to immeasurable rewards. I have learned that sometimes you must be bold in taking the opportunities that present themselves to you, and I want to provide these same growing opportunities to McMaster students: the opportunity to succeed, to grow and to make connections for a better student experience.
As Patrick Deane said “this is just the start of something you can build through a lifetime.” So go out. Make connections. I promise you won’t regret it.
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My name is Corey Helie-Masters and I want to be your MSU President. That is a sentence you will be hearing a lot in the upcoming days. It may not be my name all the time, but someone is likely approaching you right now to tell you about their platform and why you should vote for them. Someone will talk about food, others about laptop chargers.
I will mostly be talking about saving 20 minutes everyday and how that provides so much opportunity to enhance student life. This editorial is purposed as a soapbox, one for each candidate to stand on and shout their platform as loud as possible, but I’m not going to do that. I want to use this stage to ask the question that so many people are thinking: why are there no female candidates?
I am not going to try and guess or stipulate why every woman on campus has decided not put their name in the hat of presidential candidates. I’m not them, but what I will do is ask them. I know quite a few women who would have made great candidates, and equally great presidents. The fact that not one of them has decided to run is quite upsetting.
So how do you go about increasing female representation? To reference a Silhouette article from two years ago, it’s not about getting the student body to vote for a female candidate—they are more than supportive—it is getting their name on the ballot. After conversing with a few of my female friends, I gained a little insight, and I think continuing that conversation is key. Focus groups with our current female student leaders can be used to identify why they are not seeking more senior positions. Different groups could become involved and this could turn into a future project for the WGEN.
I think that’s what we need to happen. It’s what I will make happen. We need to increase our support for our female leaders and get them involved, because in order to truly get connected, we need the experience and influence of every person on campus, whether male or female.
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