C/O McMaster Sports
After completing the season with eight wins and four losses, the women’s volleyball team is playoff bound
After completing their season on Mar. 2 with a sweep of the Windsor Lancers, the McMaster Marauders women’s volleyball team has started to look ahead to their next challenge: the playoffs.
If the win against the Lancers was a sign of things to come, then opposing teams will have lots to worry about in their Marauders matchups, and the team made easy work of their final regular season game. The three sets came with final scores of 25-6, 25-8 and 25-14 with Sullie Sundara, Jessie Nairn, Ellie Hatashita and Emma McKinnon leading the way.
“We worked really hard as a team this year and I’m really proud of us for how far we’ve come. Second in the West, that’s a big deal. We’ve had to overcome a lot of adversity this year and we’ve really pushed through that. [We have] really worked hard to get where we are,” said McKinnon.
The team is very anxious to get their playoff journey started and they’ve got their eyes on the prize as they continue to prepare for their first big game.
“We’re all preparing, watching videos [and] practicing. We’re all in a good mindset for [the] playoffs . . . Our general goal is to go to nationals. If we do what we can — if we play our game — I think that’s entirely possible,” explained McKinnon.
“We’re all preparing, watching videos [and] practicing. We’re all in a good mindset for [the] playoffs . . . Our general goal is to go to nationals. If we do what we can — if we play our game — I think that’s entirely possible."
Emma McKinnon, Women's Volleyball Team
On Mar. 12 the Marauders will take on the Western Mustangs, the fourth seed in the West who finished with seven wins and five losses. The game will take place at home in Burridge Gym, where students can attend free of charge.
C/O Pixabay
There needs to be more awareness surrounding athlete mental health
As we near the date on which the latest COVID-19 measures will be lifted, Ontario University Athletics has officially announced a resumption of their sport competitions and there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel for many student athletes. However, there are many other ways in which the sports dynamic at universities may affect their mental health and their general wellbeing.
The recent spike in Omicron cases around Ontario prompted a lockdown that negatively affected many student athletes around the university. Not only did individuals have their pre-season heavily affected by the lockdowns but the amateur label placed on OUA also meant that teams that were supposed to have their season continue after the new year were required to wait for an additional few weeks.
The Marauders basketball teams are prime examples of students who suffered due to the measures implemented. Thomas Matsell, a player on the men’s basketball team, mentioned in a previous article that the forced pause was both frustrating and stressful. This sentiment is shared by many athletes who had to pause their activities. With that said, how much of an impact has all this had on their mental health?
In a recent study published by Sport Aide, the most common psychological problems that student athletes will suffer include depression, anxiety, eating disorders, attention deficit disorders, problems related to the use of illicit substances and psychological changes following a concussion. Many of the mental health concerns already faced by student athletes were only exacerbated by the recent obstacles they faced in playing their sport.
Marauders on the women’s tennis team, including Jovana Paramentic, explained the various ways in which the recent measures exacerbated or caused negative mental health among players. Beyond the recent COVID-19 measures, athletes who play seasonal sports have the additional burden of ensuring they take care of their health during both on and off season.
“There are many things that can affect our mental health. They can be lockdowns, rejection or something else like missing out on the sporting action that you got used to. For seasonal players [like the tennis team], it is essential that we take care of our mental health throughout. When our season ends, we do lack that play time and I personally would miss being with the team and playing together,” said Paramentic.
“There are many things that can affect our mental health. They can be lockdowns, rejection or something else like missing out on the sporting action that you got used to. For seasonal players [like the tennis team], it is essential that we take care of our mental health throughout."
Jovana Paramentic, Tennis Team
Given the various ways in which student athletes have faced unique mental health challenges due to the recent COVID-19 measures, it is important that awareness surrounding athlete mental health increases. Only through greater awareness can solutions be developed.
“I feel as if there needs to be more awareness raised with regards to the current mental health issues athletes at universities feel on a daily basis. Although there have been some prompts made before at McMaster, I think that it's more important now than ever. When there’s so much uncertainty regarding whether we will get to play at all or not, it creates a sort of anxiety among us that you just can't let go of easily,” said Paramentic.
The pandemic had a significant effect on athletes’ mental health, from the cancelled 2020 season to all the delays that occurred in 2021.
“There are many reasons why an athlete's mental health may be affected, however I feel that lately, the pandemic definitely had the highest toll on athletes, especially those which are in university. Although I can’t speak objectively, I feel that generally, the weird schedule and the ever-changing outcomes of lockdowns can confuse us and this is something that can lead us to struggle mentally,” said Paramentic.
Paramentic hopes, that in the future, McMaster can offer broader services to student athletes who are struggling with their mental stability.
“I would certainly like to see more action being done by the university in minimizing the struggles that athletes experience. Maybe setting up a more accessible counseling initiative for athletes would be useful, or anything similar,” said Paramentic.
Although OUA will resume their activities in early February, about a month after they were halted, there is still so much uncertainty regarding whether such pauses will occur again in the future. The mental health of student athletes will, without a doubt, always be vulnerable to such decisions as nobody knows exactly when the pandemic will come to a close.
C/O Pixabay
The women's wrestling team has made much progress this season.
Although it is not the most publicized sport at McMaster, the Marauders wrestling team has made a very good breakthrough this season. Just in their last home tournament that took place in November, the Marauders collected a total of six medals, three of which were silver and gold.
Out of the six medals won by the wrestling teams, four were from the men’s, while the other two were from the women's team. One of the gold medal recipients (50kg weight category), Ligaya Stinellis, who is a part of the women's team, has spoken about how proud she was of the team and the extensive success that they have achieved this season.
Having been in the team since her debut in her first year, Stinellis, now a fourth-year student, is considered a veteran in the team and her results have certainly proven that over the course of last year.
“We have done really well and I am proud of it. We are currently in the top five in the country and are aiming to do even better. So far, we have had three meets and one club meet that we have taken part in. Overall, all of them went really well but I only managed to compete in two of them. However, none of us know what is going to happen from January onwards,” said Stinellis.
“We have done really well and I am proud of it. We are currently in the top five in the country and are aiming to do even better. So far, we have had three meets and one club meet that we have taken part in. Overall, all of them went really well but I only managed to compete in two of them."
Ligaya Stinellis
When asked to expand on the effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the sport as of late, Stinellis had a lot to say on the subject.
“It was and still is taking a big effect on the sport. Since us wrestlers have to have close contact during our fights, there is simply no way of curbing the spread of the virus. So if someone has it in the team, practically everybody does,” said Stinellis
However, she did mention that this semester brought her hope even though the future seems uncertain.
“The fall semester was definitely the most exciting COVID-19 period for us. We had many tournaments and we got the green light to partake in multiple events around the province. Although that did bring us hope, we are now in such an uncertain period where we don't know what is going to happen. We were meant to have three tournaments in January, but they have been called off,” said Stinellis.
On the subject of the new restrictions and Ontario University Athletics being labelled as "amateur," Stinellis felt that the label doesn’t quite suit the organization well.
“Although to me the idea of amateur sports is when you're not getting paid, the OUA are much more than just an amateur organization. I feel that we should be seen as elite because there are so many athletes here that have olympic potential. It’s just going to kill our sport and it feels like there is no potential,” said Stinellis.
Although the wrestling team has thoroughly impressed this season, there is still no word on what's next for them. Should current restriction be upheld, the OUA will resume after Jan. 27.
C/O Wikimedia
As social restrictions tighten due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, so do sports league restrictions.
As of Jan. 6, the number of COVID-19 cases in Ontario is rising, prompting the Ontario government to release an updated return-to-play framework for both professional and elite amateur sport leagues and events. Included in this framework is a list of elite amateur leagues and events; however, just as they were excluded in June of 2021, both Ontario University Athletics and USPORTS were not included.
What does it mean to be an elite amateur and why isn’t the OUA an elite amateur league? The framework given by the Government of Ontario did not explain what qualifications are required to be considered elite amateur. One of the leagues included in this list is the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association. This insinuates that OUA basketball athletes who would have been able to practice and play in high school are now no longer able to play as they are not considered elite.
As such, the OUA immediately responded with the hashtag, #OUAisELITE. Coaches and players alike took to social media and began posting using this hashtag.
USPORTS, the national sport governing body of university sport in Canada, supported the OUA in a social media post.
“University sport in Canada is ELITE. It’s time for [governments] to understand our collective benefit to Canada. @USPORTSca stands with all of our conferences and members to say #OUAisELITE and student-athletes deserve to be recognized as being as such!” stated USPORTS Canada.
“University sport in Canada is ELITE. It’s time for [governments] to understand our collective benefit to Canada. @USPORTSca stands with all of our conferences and members to say #OUAisELITE and student-athletes deserve to be recognized as being as such!”
USPORTS Canada
Elite by definition refers to something being a choice part or the best of a class. The OUA claims to be deserving of the title of elite by explaining their athletes’ efforts academically, in the community and historically as many of their athletes graduate and move on to compete in the Olympics and many other national and international competitions.
“The notion that the hard-working student-athletes, who have long strived toward the goal of competing at the post-secondary level and proudly representing one of the OUA’s 20 member institutions in the sport they love, aren’t considered elite by the Government of Ontario is a disservice to the dedication, commitment and talent that they continue to show on a day-to-day basis,” said the OUA in a statement made on Jan. 4.
In support of this argument, nearly two dozen players decided to leave the OUA and sign professional contracts knowing they would not be able to play.
Before these new restrictions were put into play, the OUA had previously decided to delay all games including league play, exhibitions and scrimmages from Jan. 6 to Jan. 24. Since gyms were still open, the athletes could continue practicing during these weeks and launch straight into league play on Jan 24. However, since teams are unable to practice until Jan. 27, official league play cannot resume until the second week of February, after the athletes have had two weeks of practice. This will effectively cut many teams’ seasons short.
Championship dates for basketball are to be decided on or around Mar. 5, with volleyball following in two weeks.
Travis Nguyen/Photo Editor
How the newly imposed restrictions have negatively affected university athletes.
As athletes begin to return after three weeks off for the winter break, they will quickly have to adjust, as the Ontario University Athletics have seen major changes. As of Dec. 17, the OUA has halted all university sports amid the Omicron variant resurgence.
After the tightened restrictions were imposed on Jan. 3 by the Ford Government, all amateur leagues during this lockdown stage must halt all activities until Jan. 27. Additionally, the OUA has been labelled an amateur league, rather than an elite sports league, which sparked a large wave of reactions from the association and its athletes.
“The notion that the hard-working student-athletes who have long strived toward the goal of competing at the post-secondary level and proudly representing one of the OUA’s 20 member institutions in the sport they love aren’t considered elite by the Government of Ontario is a disservice to the dedication, commitment and talent that they continue to show on a day-to-day basis,” explained the OUA in their recent statement regarding the decision.
“The notion that the hard-working student-athletes who have long strived toward the goal of competing at the post-secondary level and proudly representing one of the OUA’s 20 member institutions in the sport they love aren’t considered elite by the Government of Ontario is a disservice to the dedication, commitment and talent that they continue to show on a day-to-day basis.”
Recent statement by the OUA
The OUA strongly stands behind their statement, labelling themselves as elite, and explaining this amatuer label does not do them justice. The sports association has not been the only one that voiced their concerns. McMaster students who may be following any of the Marauders athletes are extremely likely to have seen several postings regarding the decision, as athletes from all sports have united to make their message loud and clear.
So far there has been no word on whether a formal appeal will be placed by the sports league to change the type of league that they’re being labelled as. Additionally, this “amateur league” pause is scheduled to last until at least Jan. 27, which currently interferes with hockey, basketball and volleyball schedules that were meant to take place this month.
Although the main focus of the lockdowns is currently on the OUA league, there are other concerns that individuals will have moving forwards and the effects that they could have on all parties involved.
What does this mean for all the athletes that were scheduled to have their games? What does this mean for all athletes in general? Will their training and season preparation routines change due to the restrictions?
While none of those questions have a concrete answer that could be provided, it is clear that it will not be easy to prepare for games as it was at the beginning of the school year, when the province was not under any tight restrictions due to COVID-19. The road ahead features a lot of uncertainty.
With the province backtracking to step 2 of the lockdown measures, amenities such as gyms and pools are closing effective Jan. 5. Although the restrictions are meant to last only three weeks to combat the rise in cases of COVID-19, it is uncertain whether this period will be extended beyond that.
For athletes around Ontario, the closure of their main preparatory amenities will most definitely hinder their performances and readiness for the new season in some way. For indoor sports such as volleyball and basketball, whose season is still in progress, the lockdowns could also affect the actual game results for the rest of the season.
Currently the mens and womens basketball teams have had four of their games postponed in the January period, against Waterloo Warriors and Windsor Lancers.
As for the mens and womens volleyball team, two of their games have been postponed so far against Windsor Lancers and Brock Badgers. Not only have two of these games been postponed, but the men's team had their highly anticipated exhibition game against the Long Beach State University cancelled as well.
With so much uncertainty for university athletes heading into Ontario's third lockdown, only time will tell what will happen to university sports from February onwards.
C/O Jessica Yang/Production Assistant
During a sporting season athletes are always in action, but what do they do during holidays?
As the winter break slowly approaches, there is more anticipation for the holidays than before. Not only do students get a good three week break from their studies, but student athletes also get a chance to resort to activities other than their actual varsity duties.
One may wonder, what do student athletes do once their season finishes and the holidays approach? Do they work on recovery, do they try out new activities or do they simply sit back and enjoy their time off?
Focusing specifically on the men's varsity baseball team, they have had a successful season within the Ontario University Athletics competition, finishing in second place at the final OUA championships in Ajax.
Magnus Hanson, a first-year baseball team member, expressed dissatisfaction at not winning the final tournament.
“This season had ups and downs. We had a very tough incident at one of our games that our players are still recovering from, but we did make it to the OUA finals which is a good achievement. The team and I are still not satisfied. We wanted to win the whole thing and show the baseball community that we mean business,” said Hanson.
On the subject of holiday season and the team’s direction after the season, Hanson described what he is up to and how the team spends their time during the winter break.
“For this Christmas break, we will all have to undergo a workout program. It is actually run by one of our senior players who is a trainer at the pulse and is obviously good at what he is doing. The work out program consists of a couple hours of a training program on a daily basis and lasts up until [New Year’s Day]. [After Jan. 1], the rest of the holiday is a recovery period,” said Hanson.
"The work out program consists of a couple hours of a training program on a daily basis and lasts up until [New Year’s Day]. [After Jan. 1], the rest of the holiday is a recovery period."
Magnus Hanson, Baseball Team Outfielder
Hanson also mentioned that his time will be spent in his home province of British Columbia, where he will return for the winter break.
“For the holidays, I'll be back in British Columbia with my family. However, I will still need to undergo the workout program that the baseball team requires. After the workout program ends, I will practice with my baseball team to keep in shape. As an athlete, it is vital for me to do my best to keep my form up even during the off season,” explained Hanson.
Finally, Hanson added what the team is expecting for the rest of the off season, even beyond the holiday break.
“The rest of the season will consist of us playing in a soccer pitch bubble. Although it is not a baseball field, we will still get the opportunity to practice on turf during the winter, which is vital,” said Hanson.
Although many sports seasons have ended leading into the time off over the winter, it is evident that athletes haven’t finished their business of keeping in shape. Far from it, they consistently practice during the off season to keep their form up.
C/O Yoohyun Park/Production Coordinator
Fans attend the game for a couple of hours, but how much effort gets put into preparing a game?
Football, basketball and volleyball — these are McMaster’s three most popular varsity sports for students to enjoy watching, but there are many more, from badminton to field hockey to water polo and more. Not only does each sport require a different set up, but each individual game does too. For example, setting up for football homecoming to a sold out stadium required a different set of plans than the second game against the Laurier Golden Hawks when it was rainy and cold.
All these considerations and more are handled by TJ Kelly, the Facilities and Events Manager for McMaster’s athletics and recreation department. After he thinks of everything, Dalton Jeyapalan, the Events Coordinator, implements it with Kelly’s approval as the final word.
Jeyapalan originally recognized his passion for working with sports when he was an undergraduate student at York University, holding an event staff job as part of the work-study program.
“I just knew that it was bigger than myself; it was part of school identity. And sports have a huge role in a lot of individuals and their success in their academics, so I knew that I always wanted to work in university athletics. I felt it was just more intimate and more focused on individual self development and growth,” explained Jeyapalan.
"I just knew that it was bigger than myself; it was part of school identity. And sports have a huge role in a lot of individuals and their success in their academics, so I knew that I always wanted to work in university athletics. I felt it was just more intimate and more focused on individual self development and growth."
Dalton Jeyapalan, Events coordinator
As Events Coordinator, Jeyapalan is on campus quite often, even on off days. It takes about a week to set up properly and ensure that the event runs smoothly. He considers multiple groups of people, from audio and visual, to the OUA and even student organizations such as the Black Student Athlete Council. All these groups and many more have something to gain from being considered in the planning of these events. He ensures each group has exactly what they need through constant communication and piecing everything together like a puzzle.
“If you get the logistics in place a few days in advance, it helps for a seamless event, rather than just figuring it out at game time and I gotta tell people, ‘Okay go get this, go get that.’ It's more like having this stuff prepped, knowing where it is and that way when the questions are asked, you have the answer as soon as possible,” said Jeyapalan.
Luckily, when it comes to putting the entire event together on the day of, Jeyapalan isn’t alone. He is aided by a group of event staff, made up of McMaster students. There are about 45 to 50 event staff and different quantities of staff members are in attendance at every game. Event staff help out with a variety of game day operations such as COVID-19 documentation check, ticket scanning and more.
For Jeyapalan, the event staff are his coworkers and people he can help grow and succeed, both in their careers and academically. He encourages students as a whole to push the envelope and try new things to see what they’re really capable of.
“I like to think that I'm a prime example. I never thought I could work in sports and I tested the envelope. I did things that are out of the ordinary and I'm here now . . . Give me a shout, follow me on LinkedIn. I’m there and we can definitely connect and see where your opportunities can align with mine and we can see how far you can go above me. Because that’s my main goal — to see everyone around me get bigger and better,” said Jeyapalan.
Because that’s my main goal — to see everyone around me get bigger and better
Dalton Jeyapalan
Just like how events require a lot of planning, so does a university career; however, it helps to add a little bit of fun. Students may not have fan cams cheering them on, but they have friends, professors and more all ready to support one another. It is important for students in all university communities, not just within sports, to support each other and remember that their friends, professors and support systems are there to help.
If interested in supporting McMaster’s varsity teams, tickets are now available for basketball and volleyball at mcmaster.universitytickets.com with more non-ticketed events coming in the winter season during second semester.
C/O Yoohyun Park
Pizza Pizza becomes the first major sponsorship signing for the Marauders this season
One of the largest pizza companies in Canada, Pizza Pizza, has entered a partnership with the Marauders as of Oct. 29.
Pizza Pizza has over 500 locations across Canada and has played an important role in the communities that they have served since their foundation date in 1967. The pizza company had more than $458 million in gross sales in 2018, making it the most successful Canadian pizza brand by far.
What exactly does this partnership mean for the Marauders? Would it provide better financial stability to the McMaster sports association? Would it benefit the performance from McMaster athletes in general?
Although there is no concrete answer, it is no secret that for years now, many sports teams at McMaster have pleaded for donations to keep themselves running. Even the men’s soccer team, which has had a very successful season so far, has a donation website. Additionally, there are numerous teams which require their athletes to pay a fee before representing the school.
With that said, it might therefore be expected that this partnership will result in more financial stability for Marauders teams. Although no financial income has been published by the Marauders regarding this partnership, they have promised unique experiences and promotional offers for the members of the Marauders community.
In a statement made by the director of athletics and recreation, Shawn Burt, mentioned that the new partnership with Pizza Pizza will not only benefit student athletes, but also varsity games attendees through engagement opportunities that the pizza giant has to offer.
This new sponsorship deal can turn out to be a big game changer for the Marauders, but what is the student perspective on Canada’s largest pizza company? To find out the answer to the question, a Reddit poll was created by the Silhouette Sports reporters which would help to gather some perspectives from the students.
According to the poll results, most of the McMaster students wouldn’t mind having Pizza Pizza as a sponsor, as there's an even divide between those who like and dislike the pizza giant.
Although the students have their own opinions on the new sponsorship, there is still much to know about what the true benefit of this new deal is. What the McMaster community can hope for though, is a new financial boost for the varsity teams and possibly a better playing experience for the student athletes.
C/O McMaster Sports
Amanda Ruller and Taylor MacIntyre discuss breaking barriers as the first women in Marauders football coaching staff history for Ontario University Athletics.
The McMaster football team has two new additions to their coaching staff: Amanda Ruller and Taylor MacIntyre. Ruller and MacIntyre joined as McMaster’s first female football coaches as part of a brand new women’s apprenticeship, designed to help increase diversity within coaching in football.
Ruller is the running back coach, the assistant strength and conditioning coach and she helps out with special teams (kicking plays); whereas MacIntyre works with the receivers and is the positional coach.
This is a significant opportunity for these two women, as coaching varsity football is no easy feat. Both coaches’ paths were rife with conflict, but neither of them gave up their passion for football.
“Don’t give up. With me, I’ve been pushed back so many times being told "I can’t do this, I’m too short, I’m not enough, or I’m a woman", in general and I said, "No, watch me. Watch me go",” explained Ruller.
"Don't give up. With me, I've been pushed back so many times, being told "I can't do this, I'm too short, I'm not enough, or I'm a women", in general and I said "No, watch me. Watch me go","
Amanda Ruller, McMaster Football coach
MacIntyre echoed that statement by Ruller, discussing her experiences with football through high school and the difficulties she experienced along the way,
“High school boys aren’t always welcoming in football. As the first girl to complete a season at my high school, I really had to prove myself . . . as a girl, not just as a player. I had to prove that I could play, I had to prove my knowledge and my skills of the game and I had to prove my passion. I really try to let all of those things speak for [themselves],” said MacIntyre.
This apprenticeship was unique for yet another reason. To be successful in the sports industry, as explained by Ruller, one relies greatly on their connections and yet, this apprenticeship held applications and interviews.
“Coach Ptaszek [the Marauders football head coach] said this is the first time they did a formal interview with somebody ever,” explained Ruller.
Ruller and MacIntyre are incredibly grateful for the opportunity they’ve been given.
“This opportunity showed me that anything is possible thanks to McMaster University and McMaster football. Coaching football at a high level in Canada is possible for other girls and women and it’s really an honour to be a leader in that industry,” said MacIntyre.
The two coaches believe that this apprenticeship was not just important for their careers, but the careers of others.
“My goal is to have girls and women see the women’s football coaching apprenticeship program and know that they can dream of coaching in the OUA, U SPORTS, the CFL, or the NFL one day,” said MacIntyre. “I want girls to dream about coaching football at a high level in Canada and to believe and to know that there are opportunities available for them to be successful.”
Ruller shared an extremely similar perspective to MacIntyre in feeling that this was for a much greater cause, reiterating the importance of this role for future women in sports.
“It’s not just about me; it never is,” explained Ruller. “It’s about paving [the] way and inspiring a lot of women along the way because a lot of women are afraid to get into the industry . . . I want to eliminate that and ensure no woman has to be uncomfortable with applying or volunteering.”
Both coaches are excited for the first football game of the season, to be played on Sept.18 against the highly touted Western Mustangs.
“I feel like we’re very prepared, we’re such a strong team, we have a great mix of all the elements you need to be such a good team, very strong on both sides of the ball, and I can’t wait . . . We are going to crush it,” said Ruller.
Marauders football will kick off their season with their first game in over 18 months in a highly anticipated matchup against the Mustangs, whom they defeated in 2020 to win the Yates cup in the provincial championship, effectively ending the Mustangs’ 29 game winning streak against OUA opponents. It could become a very interesting season for the squad, with great opportunities on the horizon.
C/O Pixabay
After a year and a half without sports, Nikolas Motruck and the rest of the guys have returned and they’re hungry for a championship
Last year’s university sports season getting cancelled due to COVID-19 was a tough blow for athletes around the world. Pro sports leagues temporarily shut down, most university sports operated in little or no capacity and athletes were suffering greatly.
McMaster University hasn’t seen its athletes compete since sports were cancelled in early 2020, and athletes feared they would not see competition in 2021 either, until the Ontario University Athletics officially announced that there would be a season this fall.
The McMaster Marauders baseball team has been especially eager to make their return to the field after a somewhat disappointing conclusion to last year’s season. With Most Valuable Player winner Nikolas Motruck and the Cy Young award, awarded to the league’s best pitcher, winner Julian Tymochko, the team managed to fight their way to the semifinals before losing to the Laurier Golden Hawks, who would end up finishing as league champions.
Despite falling short of their championship aspirations in 2019, the season had numerous high points for the team, with Motruck’s MVP award among them. Despite finishing the season with an incredible .581 batting average and a .930 slugging percentage, Motruck was caught off guard after learning he had won the league’s most prestigious individual award.
“I was kind of speechless, I wasn’t really expecting that,” said Motruck. “I had a long road to get there from first year, but we had put in a lot of work . . . I was really enjoying my time, and it was really just icing on the cake when they announced that I had won the MVP. It was something I had never thought was possible.”
Following such a strong season, Motruck was eager to return to play in 2020, but never got that chance. For 2021, he remained hopeful that there would be a season in his fifth and final year. He never stopped working to continue getting better. Knowing that there would be one final opportunity to get on the field before graduating was extremely meaningful.
“I was kind of up in the air about possibly having played my last season and not knowing it. That was tough news to take. . . Just being able to do it one more time before having to graduate is such a great feeling,” explained Motruck.
"I was kind of up in the air about possibly having played my last season and not knowing it. That was tough news to take. . . Just being able to do it one more time before having to graduate is such a great feeling."
Nikolas Motruck, 2019-2020 Baseball MVP award recipient
When asked about his goals going into his last season, Motruck made his aspirations very clear: winning. He stressed how much time and effort the team has put in to prepare for this season, and believes that this could be a very special year for McMaster baseball.
“We’ve all been working so hard for this since we’ve been here, so the goal is absolutely to win the championship. To say that I want to win [the title] is an understatement,” said Motruck.
"We've all been working so hard for this since we've been here, so the goal is absolutely to win the championship. To say that I want to win [the title] is an understatement."
Nikolas Motruck
After having finished the last year’s regular season with nine wins and three losses, the team has their sights set on bigger things this year. Should Motruck have a season anything like that which earned him the MVP award, the team should have an opportunity to do some real damage. For a team who came ever so close to the finals just prior to the pandemic, they will finally get their long-awaited opportunity for redemption.
