Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

Hello Gators,

This is a special edition of Gator Zone because we are able to highlight, for the first time in two years, a full season of sports for all Upper School students and a return to sport for the Junior School. In true spring fashion, the season was exciting and quick. Ratcliffe Field was packed with softball games, Cohen Field was lined for rugby and ultimate, our tennis courts were buzzing with players of all ages and our gyms were in use for spring badminton and track events. On top of this, our Rowing Team competed at the CSSRA regatta for the first time since 2019, earning a record five medals! 

蜜桃视频 welcomed many schools to our beautiful campus this spring and hosted 16 of the best ultimate teams in the province at Downsview Park for OFSAA Ultimate. Our students were treated to many home games, where they could easily cheer on their friends in green and gold. The experience of a full slate of spring sports filled me with gratitude and reflection. It was an important reminder of the true purpose of sport: to build community. As always, our athletes demonstrated excellent team play and support for one another and, most importantly, they competed with pride for their school. If there is one piece of advice I can give our future student-athletes, it is to remember that being classy outweighs winning. How you treat your opponents and how you win or lose says a great deal about the values you hold as a person. Always be classy, Gators! 

On Thursday, June 9, we celebrated all of our spring MVPs and Coaches Award recipients. The Greisman Cup (softball) and Tasker Cup (rugby) were also presented. The spring assembly provided the Athletics Department the chance to honour our most prestigious awards: Middle School Athlete of the Year, Junior Athlete of the Year, the Suzanne Curtis Memorial Trophy (Senior Athlete of the Year) and the Sonia Labatt Armstrong Sportsmanship Cup. and . Congratulations to all award winners! 

I would like to thank all the wonderful and caring coaches at 蜜桃视频. We are so lucky to have a group of positive, caring, passionate and like-minded coaches who go the extra mile for our athletes day-in and day-out. We are forever grateful for the time and effort they put into making the Gator experience one-of-a-kind. A shout-out goes to Victoria, our Gator Zone Editor, who is a hard-working, goal-focused individual who will do great things in the future. I can’t wait to follow her journey at Harvard in the future and I would like to thank her for all of her effort publishing Gator Zone this year. Lastly, I’d like to acknowledge Sarah and Kennedy, our 2021-22 Sports Prefects, as it has been an absolute treat to work with both of them all year. From Gator Games, the Hewitt Cup, to the many sports assemblies, they have brought heart and joy into the Athletics Program. I would like to thank them for all they have done this school year. 

Have a safe and relaxing summer and see you in September.

Ms. Di Filippo

Message from the JS Athletic Director

Ms. Anna Bartlett

No one could deny that it has been a long road in getting the Junior School students back into inter-school athletics. This spring, our hearts were filled by the Junior School athletes who put on a 蜜桃视频 jersey and represented their school with pride. 

The Track and Field Team were running, jumping and throwing their way to success. The students enjoyed pod-style meets where every one of the 91 team members participated in every event. Congratulations to the U11 ans U12 Track and Field Teams for winning the CISAA Championship and to the whole Junior School team for winning the Girls Overall Championship. This is quite an accomplishment! A particular shout-out goes to those athletes who placed first in their event:

Here鈥檚 our 2022 .

Congratulations also goes out to our two U12 Softball Teams, who competed against other schools and had a successful season learning the skills and strategies of softball. This team is made up mostly of Grade 5 students, so the team has a bright future next year.  

The Grade 2 Multisport Squad, Grade 3 Multisport Squad and the Grade 6 Middle School Games Squad are commended for their commitment and courage to learn new skills while making connections with girls in their grade. 

We want to wish our graduating Grade 6 athletes well as they continue in their healthy, active journeys into the Middle School.

A final shout out to Victoria Stanley and the Gator Zone writers for all of their work this year! 

We hope you have a wonderful and active summer vacation. 

Ms. Bartlett

A Message from the Student Editor

Victoria Stanley

Hi 蜜桃视频! I am beyond excited to introduce you to the Spring 2021-22s edition of Gator Zone. In this issue, you will find a recap of yet another successful athletic term for 蜜桃视频鈥檚 teams, which is particularly special as it is the first time in almost three years that we are able to provide a summary of a full season of sports.  

As the spring season comes to an end, I would like to formally commend all athletes who participated in sports over the course of the school year. After a patient wait, 蜜桃视频鈥檚 Gators were able to participate full-time in a spring sports season. Let me tell you, they did not disappoint! Unsurprisingly, HC athletes pushed themselves to be the best they could be鈥攐n and off the field鈥攁nd they came out on top. On behalf of myself and the entire Gator Zone team, it has been a pleasure showcasing 蜜桃视频鈥檚 athletes and their incredible athletic accomplishments over the past nine months. Further, it has been an incredible privilege to write about such talented and outstanding student-athletes while showcasing what athletics at 蜜桃视频 has to offer.

As the school year comes to a close, we should take the time to reflect on the hard work and dedication that the staff and students of 蜜桃视频 have put into making the first normal return-to-sport season as successful as it was. Moreover, we would like to extend special praise to each and every athlete who participated in athletics this year, in and out of 蜜桃视频. It has been a pleasure to showcase the athletic talent that 蜜桃视频 is positively bursting with. A special thanks to Ms. D., Ms. Pink and Ms. Bartlett for contributing to this and previous editions. Gator Zone would not operate nearly as smoothly without their constant support!

Finally, I am beyond thrilled to introduce Gator Zone 2022-2023鈥檚 Editor: Emma Wagman! Emma has been an active member of several sports teams throughout her time at 蜜桃视频. On top of being a Prefect next year, Emma鈥攚ho has been a writer for this newsletter for years鈥攚ill take on the role of being the official Editor. There is no doubt in my mind that she will do an excellent job! It has been an honour to have been the Editor this past year and to have been a part of 蜜桃视频鈥檚 amazing athletic community. With that being said, we hope you enjoy the third and final edition of Gator Zone 2021-22!

Victoria

A Message from the Sports Prefects

Kennedy Johnstone and Sarah Forestell

Gators! This year has flown by in the blink of an eye, and what a year it has been! We capped it off with an incredible spring season with pretty awesome weather, making outdoor sports an absolute blast. We saw the return of the Middle School Gator Games, which was absolutely amazing. The energy brought by the Middle School was better than we could have imagined. As well, we saw some major successes from our spring teams. We鈥檇 like to give a huge shout out to the U14 and U16 Tennis Teams, the U14 Track Team, the U16 and U20 Softball Teams, and the U20 Ultimate Team for becoming CISAA champions this term!

Our goal this year as Sports Prefects was to bring energy and excitement back to athletics at 蜜桃视频, an amazing and essential part of our school that we had lost for so long due to COVID-19 restrictions. We especially want to thank everybody who was involved in athletics in some way this year. Whether it was participating on a team, showing up to every event with major green and gold spirit or just getting involved in sports with friends during a free period, you all made the athletic atmosphere positively electric this year!

In addition to all of the support we received from students, we would also like to send out a few additional thank-yous. Firstly, to all the coaches who made our sports programs possible, we could not have done it without you. Secondly, to Ms. D., who worked tirelessly all year long to ensure everything sports-related was running as smoothly as possible and supported us in all our endeavours. And, finally, a major shout out goes to the Sports Council! Memes of this council are so amazing and, through your hard work, killer attitudes and epic ideas, we were able to pull off some awesome events while simultaneously having an enormous amount of fun. We are so very grateful for all of you and could not have asked for a better group!

Gators, it certainly has been quite a ride and we are going to miss athletics at HC like no other. We are extremely thankful for the opportunity we were given this year and hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did. We cannot thank you all enough for your continued support and help in making this year as phenomenal as it was! Roll Gators!

Kennedy & Sarah

Spring Rowing at 蜜桃视频

McKenna Reardon

The Rowing Team persevered through their long winter season and kicked off their spring season with training camp in Victoria, BC, where they trained three times a day for eight days. Once they returned to 蜜桃视频, they struggled with poor weather and had to do a combination of their winter training indoors and spring training on the lake. On May 8, the team had their first regatta of the season. The Senior 4+ won a bronze medal, the Novice 8+ won a silver medal and the Junior 4+ won a bronze medal! Unfortunately, the regatta was cut short due to poor weather and some of our rowers were unable to race. They went back to training six days a week at Hanlan Boat Club to prepare for their next regatta, which took place over the May long weekend in Niagara Falls, where the girls medaled in two events! Nationals took place the first weekend of June. In a successful season closer, a total of five boats out of the nine that made it to finals day won bronze medals. We are so proud of the hard work that has been put in by the rowers this year. We hope you enjoy a well-deserved restful summer!

U14 and U13 Softball Team

Ella Xu

After another amazing season, there are many memories to remember. This term, the U14 and U13 Softball Teams competed in a series of games and finished second in the CISAA championships. The teams have been through ups and downs, but still came together at the end of the season. 

When tryouts first started, many students were very brave to try out for a sport they did not have much experience with. Throughout the tryouts and the season, athletes from the teams felt like they accomplished something new. Mackenzie Carmichael, a Grade 8 student, was an athlete on the U14 Softball Team. I had the privilege to ask her about her experience with the team. She explained that many people started out very new to the sport, but progressively got used to the 鈥渇low鈥� and were able to work together as a team as the season progressed. 鈥淭he games were stressful at first, but as we gained confidence we started winning games,鈥� Mackenzie said. 鈥淢s. Macer and Coach Ken were able to help us work on individual skills and, even though we didn鈥檛 win the championship, we still came second and had a very successful season!鈥� I also had the privilege to ask Ms. Macer about her experience with coaching the U14 team. She said: 鈥淎fter missing the last two years of coaching, it was rewarding and inspiring to work with students who wanted to learn, compete and develop as a team. We finished second in CISAA, which was a huge accomplishment given our experience. We had a few home runs, some exciting wins and a lot of laughs.鈥� 

Congratulations to the U14 and U13 Softball Team for their successes this season! They did not have any shortages of accomplishments and created many memories with each other. Although the last season of the 2021-22 school year has ended, there鈥檚 so much to look forward to in the coming school year and lots to see in the coming seasons.

U20 Softball Team

Kiki Craig

This spring, softball was welcomed back at 蜜桃视频 with arms wide open. Coached by Coach Ellis 鈥淓lli鈥� and Coach K 鈥淧attyK鈥� and led by the passionate Grads, the team embodied all that defines true gatorism. To quote the iconic bio (which amassed quite the following): 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a game, but a way of life. Softball, this is our destiny.鈥� 

On Wednesday, May 25, the U20 D1 Varsity Softball Team was officially crowned CISAA Champions after a tough battle against St.Clements School, continuing their undefeated season! The team has shown so much spirit, dedication and hard work this season and we can鈥檛 wait to see what they move on to accomplish next year. Roll HC! 

蜜桃视频 Golf Team

Nicole Stanley

The 蜜桃视频 Golf Team was quite an experience as 2022 was the first year of competition. With various schools throughout Ontario participating, the competition was diverse. The competitive environment was a perfect fit for the 蜜桃视频 students, including myself, ranging from Grades 7 to 12. Over the course of the spring season, our Golf Team travelled across the province to beautiful courses where several tournaments were held. Some include Bushwoods, Station Creek and Cherry Downs Golf Clubs. A special shoutout goes out to Sadie Wu, in Grade 8, who finished second at the open CISAA golf championships! All of our athletes played phenomenally at every tournament and finished the season strong. Congratulations 蜜桃视频 Gators and thanks for a great season!

How the OFSAA Badminton Competition is Building Strong Women

Eshal Shakir

The members of the Badminton Team had a ton of fun participating in the OFSAA and CISAA competitions this year. The team went up to the quarter-finals and received fourth place at OFSAA. At the CISAA Championships, the team received one gold and one silver for doubles, and two silvers for singles. 

The key to these achievements is having an amazing coach who is very supportive and encouraging to everyone on the team. 蜜桃视频鈥檚 Badminton Team is incredibly inclusive and dynamic. Nicole Young, who played on this year鈥檚 team, explained: “I love the environment of playing on an all-girls team and how much fun it is playing with all my friends.” The Badminton Team has won many medals and team members are excited for September so they can start yet another successful season.

Catching a Disc of Team Camaraderie: Ultimate Frisbee

Taylor Johnson

After two years of pandemic protocols, the U20 Ultimate Team was reunited this spring. With returning members from Grade 9 and many new faces, the Ultimate Varsity Team was composed of diverse, complementary players. From Grade 12 蜜桃视频 student Kiki Craigg’s diving catches to Grade 12 Crescent student Dax Miller鈥檚 picture-perfect throws, different team members had unique skill sets they brought to the game. 

Under the guidance of Mr. T. and Mr. Fink (Crescent Coaches) and Ms. D., Ms. Eales and Mr. McCulloch (蜜桃视频 Coaches), the team learned about the game both on and off the field. Tactically the team focused on mastering the five different throwing techniques, zone and person defense, and reading the disc when catching. Above all, these fantastic coaches shared essential ultimate lessons off the field. 

Ultimate is a unique sport because it is built upon the 鈥渟pirit of the game.鈥� As there are no referees, the game’s integrity relies upon players’ sportsmanship. Fair play that is competitive is dependent upon the player鈥檚 responsibility of adhering to rules while having fun. These concepts are relatively new to many athletes, as, in many other sports, players do not hold as much fault with the referees present. The coaching team introduced these concepts by electing spirit captains Katie Stock (Grade 12 蜜桃视频 student) and Makism Stepanov (Grade 12 Crescent student). These two players were fundamental to building team culture and camaraderie by managing multiple activities to build Havercrest鈥檚 spirit of the game. From thoughtful candy selection for post-game spirit circles to running the Havercrest Instagram account (), these two players highly increased the spirit and community of the team.

As the season progressed, the team grew very close and greatly improved their ability to play  together. Team spirit was at an all-time high, fostering a supportive environment where players felt they could learn more about the game from their peers and coaches. Havercrest鈥檚 success is reflected in their first-place finish in the CISAA finals and eight-place finish in OFSAA. All team members are grateful for the opportunity to have learned more about the sport and the lesson of the 鈥渟pirit of the game鈥� that will follow them into new domains of life.

U16 Tennis Team

Ally Panos

We congratulate the U16 Tennis Team, run by Head Coaches Ms. Ianni and Ms. Virc. In the regular schedule, the team went undefeated. The Junior Team played six matches, winning each one. During CISAA, the team went undefeated again against Bishop Strachan School, St. Clements School and Toronto French School in the finals. Tennis for OFSAA was held for a pool of students in Grades 9 to 12. Chloe Hancock in Grade 9 qualified for OFSAA as an open singles player and made it through up until the third round. Mia Ho and Renata Croda Fernandez, who are in Grades 9 and 10, qualified as a high school doubles team and went undefeated in all five matches. We are so proud of all the hard work and dedication made by the players and coaches this year on the Tennis Team. Go Gators!

U20 Rugby

Fiona Shen

After a long duration of pandemic protocols, the U20 Rugby Team banded together this spring with new and old players alike. When asked about Rugby鈥檚 significance, Abbie Simpson said: 鈥淩ugby is a community sport that empowers women all around the world鈥� and explained that no matter what team she played for, she felt like a part of a community. Rugby reverses the inherent sexist logic that women are unable/not capable of participating in high contact sports. 

The impact rugby has on female empowerment, equity within sports and progressive narratives are significant. Mx. Curtis, the Rugby Team鈥檚 coach, vocalizes that: 鈥淚t’s vital to support confidence in being physical. Young, self-identifying women, in particular, are at high-risk for being assaulted in their lives, and are so often socialized to be quiet and polite and to walk away from risky situations.鈥� She continues: 鈥淚n rugby, we encourage running into contact, supporting each other and understanding that being aggressive is necessary in this game. There’s a time and a place for all kinds of appropriate behaviour, and feeling strong and confident isn’t encouraged often enough.鈥� Rugby challenges the traditional narratives that girls are taught from a young age, such as being quiet, reserved and 鈥渓adylike.鈥� Within rugby, girls are not bound by societal norms but rather commemorated for being strong. Through rugby, students are empowered as they discover the strength and persistence within themselves.  

One of the first things new players learned from Mx. Curtis this spring was having a 鈥渢eam mentality鈥� while playing rugby. This mentality was demonstrated throughout the season and shown in every game the U20 Rugby Team played in. Regardless of age, identity and beliefs, the U20 Rugby Team was banded together, ready to face opponents as a team. They not only had a unified mentality, but also moved up the field together when playing defence. Within the team, there were a variety of roles that players took on. There were the photographers, the cheerleaders and the commenters. No matter the weather鈥攚hether it was below 0潞 C and rainy or almost 30潞 C with the sun scorching the players’ skin鈥攖he 蜜桃视频 Rugby Team approached the field with dignity and unity. 

As the season progressed, the team improved immensely. Team spirit was at an all-time high, fostering a supportive environment where new players felt they could learn more about the game from their peers and coaches. During CISAA, despite being outnumbered and sometimes facing opponents with three times more players, 蜜桃视频 finished second! 

A huge congratulations to the U20 Rugby Team for all of their hard work and perseverance this semester! Also a massive thank you to coaches Mx. Curtis, Mr. Adams and Ms. Foster for their encouragement and spirit throughout the semester. Finally, our Grade 12 pro-rugby players will be missed. We will miss you Kennedy, Victoria, Candace, Rachel and Meaghan! Although the spring 2022 rugby season is over, there is so much to look forward to next year. The future of 蜜桃视频 Rugby looks incredibly bright. We cannot wait to see you all next year! 

Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

Hello Gators,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the winter edition of the Gator Zone. Although the winter term was once again full of ups and downs due to pandemic closures, your Gators persevered, competed and, most importantly, had fun playing sports. Congratulations to the more than 375 students who represented green and gold this past term!

I would like to highlight the U14 Hockey Team, who competed in the CISAA U14 D2 boys league this past term. There is no U14 girls league in the CISAA so, when the challenge of playing in the boys league was presented to this group of athletes, they were keen to give it a go. In the end, the players gained a ton of confidence, met new students from different grades and won two games! As a champion of women and girls in sport, it was an honour to watch this group of athletes compete with the boys. To be the first girls team in this league, EVER. Regardless of wins or losses, the team had the courage to try something that has never been done before. For me, that is the 蜜桃视频 way. 

Winter sports teams were celebrated at an athletics assembly on March 31. With all of the sports teams present in the Brenda Robson Hall, the Gator enthusiasm was on display. Teams cheered and the Sports Council provided some entertaining 鈥減ie in the face鈥� sports trivia. Laughter, community and a love of all things 蜜桃视频 were back, in-person, and it was heartwarming to witness. The highlight of the assembly was the unveiling of our new Gator logo. When possible, I welcome our community to see this new logo on the floor in Gym C. Students were gifted with commemorative stickers and the logo will soon be on sports uniforms and jackets. I’d like to give a shout-out to the Marketing and Communications department for designing the new logo.

Congratulations to all MVP and Coach Award recipients, as well our Caney Cup (swimming) recipient Jacqueline Wong and Mingay Award (volleyball) recipient Adrianna Neretlis. Thank you for your lifetime contribution to swimming and volleyball. Please click for a full list of award recipients. 

I would like to take this time to give a heartfelt THANK YOU to our 蜜桃视频 coaches and Physical Education (PE) department. The winter term was challenging with closures and many rescheduled games. To provide the best experience for our athletes, everyone had to adjust to new game times, opponents and practices. The commitment and passion from our coaches and support from our PE team with sharing space is commendable. We are nothing without our community. You make athletics at 蜜桃视频 so special. Thank you. 

Finally, I have so much gratitude to our Sports Prefects鈥擲arah and Kennedy鈥攆or your work on the assembly and the Gator reveal (among many other requests). It was an action packed term! As well, thank you to Victoria, our Gator Zone editor, for your work on this issue. 

I am perhaps a little biased, but I can鈥檛 wait for the spring (and ultimate season)! 

Ms. Di Filippo

Message from the JS Athletic Director

Ms. Anna Bartlett

This winter season, Junior School students were eager to participate in our Athletics Program like never before. Here are some highlights:

This spring, we are really looking forward to CISAA competitions, which our U12 Softball and Track & Field Teams will take part in. Students are very eager to represent 蜜桃视频 and wear their green and gold jersey with pride. We can鈥檛 wait!

Congratulations to all of our teams this season!

Ms. Bartlett

A Message from the Student Editor

Victoria Stanley

Hey 蜜桃视频!

I am more than excited to introduce to you the winter 2021-22 edition of Gator Zone. In this issue, you will find student and staff highlights, Hockey Day news, stories of student experiences with athletic adversity, the reintroduction of a sports team into 蜜桃视频鈥檚 community and so much more. 

As the winter season comes to an end, I would like to formally commend all athletes who participated in sports these past few months. Overcoming the challenges of COVID-19 and a return to remote learning was not an easy task, but as per usual, 蜜桃视频鈥檚 Gators pushed through and came out on top. On behalf of myself and the entire Gator Zone team, it has been a pleasure to be able to showcase 蜜桃视频鈥檚 athletes and their incredible athletic accomplishments. Further, it has been a privilege to write about such talented and outstanding student-athletes while showcasing what athletics at 蜜桃视频 has to offer.

As we head into our spring season, we should take the time to reflect on the hard work and dedication that the staff and students of 蜜桃视频 have put into making this modified season reach some level of normalcy. With that being said, they were more than successful, as can be seen in yet another triumphant and action-packed few months. Special praise is extended to the writers and collaborators of this issue who made contributions to this issue as they navigating their respective mid-term responsibilities and schedules.

Finally, thanks to Ms. D, Ms. Pink and Ms. Bartlett for their contributions. And with that, I hope you enjoy the second edition of Gator Zone 2021-22!

Victoria

A Message from the Sports Prefects

Kennedy Johnstone and Sarah Forestell

Gators! Wow, the year is flying by! It feels like just yesterday we were writing about the completion of fall sports. Now we have just one season left to go. Although it has come to an end, the winter season was a great one. It started with a bang near the end of 2021 and, although COVID-19 threw a bit of a wrench into our plans for winter athletics in January, the Gators pulled through, as always. Unsurprisingly, we were able to end with a phenomenal finish. Every team had an absolutely amazing season, with special shoutouts to the U16 Badminton Team, the U16 Junior Swim Team, the U16 D1 Volleyball Team and the U20 D1 Volleyball Team for becoming CISAA champions this term! 

The winter season brought a lot of excitement to us as Sports Prefects and we鈥檙e so glad that the Gators were able to finish the season strongly. Many exciting events happened this term, such as hosting championships, cross country skiing on Ratcliffe field, spending time at outdoor rinks and much more. 

Most exciting of all: this year we finally saw the return of Hockey Day! After two long years, the Hockey Team and the student body were eagerly awaiting this event. Although it had to be slightly modified for only Grade 12 students to attend in-person, 蜜桃视频 showed up with more spirit than we could have imagined. Whether it was cheering in the stands or back at school watching the game through a livestream, the green and gold spirit was palpable. The excitement around this day is electric and we are so glad that it has finally made its return.

Congratulations to any and all athletes who participated in sports this term. We absolutely cannot wait to see what the spring term holds!

Kennedy & Sarah

Hockey Day 2022

Emma Wagman

For many, including myself, Hockey Day is one of鈥搃f not the鈥揵est days of the year. Hockey Day was cancelled last year as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, making this year鈥檚 return of 蜜桃视频鈥檚 iconic tradition heavily anticipated. Thanks to our amazing Athletics Department and determined Sports Prefects, we were able to put on a limited capacity in-person (and virtual) Hockey Day this year. The Grads ventured down to Mattamy Athletic Centre while the rest of the student body stayed at school and watched with their grades via live broadcasting. As the big day approached, I could feel the school spirit rising even more each day. Personally, I was waiting impatiently as I tallied off the days in a countdown app on my phone. The hype was real. 

To give some background on the famous Hockey Day, it鈥檚 a special event that occurs once annually. The 蜜桃视频 and Bishop Strachan School U20 Hockey Teams come together to play one game to win the Elizabeth Kathleen Hewitt Memorial Trophy, affectionately nicknamed 鈥淗ewie.鈥� The trophy is named for BSS alumna Elizabeth Kathleen Hewitt (Class of 1919), by her son and sportscaster Bill Hewitt (son of famed hockey announcer Foster Hewitt). The last time that 蜜桃视频 successfully brought Hewie home was in 2016. Thus, you can understand the excitement.

The day of the game, not a single HC Grad in attendance was not decked out head-to-toe in green and gold to show their school spirit! BSS didn鈥檛 hold a candle to the spirit that was radiating out of the crowd in the 蜜桃视频 stands. Even with only the Grade 12s in the arena, the energy was exhilarating. There was never a dull moment as the Grads were constantly cheering and singing their hearts out in support of the team. Back on campus, each grade gathered to cheer proudly for the U20 Hockey Team. Beats Tura scored the Gators鈥� first goal of the match with an amazing forehand shot, putting 蜜桃视频 up 1-0 to start the match off. 

In the second period, BSS tied the game 1-1, but HC Captain Sarah Forestell came right back and scored her first goal of the game with one second remaining in the period. After regrouping in the locker rooms, the Gators came back hot in the third period. Sarah scored once again to start off the third period making the score 3-1 for 蜜桃视频. But she wasn鈥檛 done yet. Sarah came back for a third goal. Yes, you read that correctly. A third goal. As the commentators so eloquently put it: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a hatrick goal for the Captain! Tic-tac-toe, that鈥檚 three in a row!鈥� 

BSS came back to score one more goal. However, shortly after, Piper Nixon scored a beautiful goal to end the game 5-2 for 蜜桃视频. These were only some of the many highlights and incredible plays of the game. With that being said, if you haven鈥檛 already, you can check out the full livestream of Hockey Day 2022 here: .

Well 蜜桃视频, we are the champions. It was truly amazing to see the community come together to watch such a talented and hardworking group of 蜜桃视频ians on the ice. Once again, a huge thanks goes out to Ms. D, the Prefects and everyone who helped make Hockey Day happen this year. To our Grads on the team鈥擬eghan, Brooke, Kennedy, Sarah, Abby and Amy鈥攜ou will be missed so much. We hope to see you next year! All that鈥檚 left to say is: 鈥淲elcome home, Hewie!”

Get Back Up!

Ella Xu

蜜桃视频 students are back at it again! Another amazing season has passed and it鈥檚 certainly one to remember! As a new girl at 蜜桃视频, there have been and continue to be so many opportunities to try new things and put yourself out there. Walking into the first week of tryouts, I was feeling extremely nervous. I was never really a 鈥渟ports person.鈥� I ended up trying out for two sports and getting cut from one team. 

Tryouts are scary. I was typically never good at sports, but I enjoyed playing them. I remember walking out of tryouts feeling proud of what I accomplished. I stepped up to a new challenge and put myself out there. I knew that my chances of being selected for the team may have been slight, but I was able to learn so many new things. Being at tryouts is almost like training with a team. The coaches are extremely supportive and encouraging. They are always suggesting new tips to improve skills and encouraging students to take more risks. The students were also very encouraging and were always cheering each other on, spreading positivity around. 

The first feeling I had when I was cut from the team was that I felt that I didn鈥檛 do well enough in the tryouts. I started to think that sports were not made for me. Then I decided to look at it from another view. This was an opportunity to learn. Being cut doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 do sports, it just means there鈥檚 something else out there that will be waiting for you. Personally, I felt upset that my friends were doing the thing they love, but I didn鈥檛 have the chance to. However, I took this opportunity to improve. I focused on the areas that could be improved and set new goals for myself. To this day, I鈥檓 continuously practising these skills to prepare myself for next year. 

There is always next time. The most important thing to remember is to never give up. No matter how many times you get knocked down, just keep believing in yourself. I was given the opportunity to join another team and it was an extraordinary experience. I was able to meet amazing teammates and awesome coaches. Maybe, when I got cut, it was just a sign that something else was waiting for me. Though there will always be losses, there will always be wins. You just have to push through and believe in yourself to see those wins come to life.

Failing Forward

Lauren LaCalamita

鈥淵ou win some, you lose some.鈥� That’s what they all say and that’s what I鈥檝e been told my entire life. So why does it feel like when I lose, I lose everything? When you consistently win your whole life, you feel like you are on top of the world. So, when you inevitably fall, it can be hard to get back up. Although they may tell you: 鈥淏etter luck next year,鈥� or 鈥淭here’s always another season,鈥� it still hurts to come back. It can be scary to try and do something you failed so horribly at. However, what really proves your strength is getting up and trying again. 

From personal experience of being cut from a team, I can tell you that it hurts to not see your name on the team list. In Grade 6, there were basketball tryouts. The one thing I wanted most at the time was to make the team. However, I had no basketball experience and I was cut. 

It hurts to see other people doing the one thing you wanted, but most of all it hurts to try again. I realize that the coaches have a responsibility to cut people. The harsh reality is that not everyone can make a team. What everyone can do is try again and do their best to improve. Their best may look different from everyone else鈥檚 best, and there鈥檚 a certain beauty in that.

When I got cut, I didn鈥檛 think of it as losing, I thought of it as a new challenge, a way to improve, a skill to tackle and a lesson to learn. So, that year, I practised basketball with my friends outside their house for months. When the next season came around, I made the team. I am even more proud to say that I was awarded as the Most Improved Player! 

It’s easier said than done and you might even get cut a second time, but it鈥檚 okay because that team isn鈥檛 the only one out there. Getting cut may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. You may learn that one sport may not be for you and that can open up more opportunities. No matter how many times you get cut or rejected, or you feel like you may never make a team again, you have to keep going. After pushing through my own adversity, I have come to understand that anything can be done with a little bit of practice and a lot of hope. So yes, you will win some and you definitely will lose some. And yes, your losses are going to hurt, but that’s just part of life. Just know that even your smallest achievements will always be worth more than your biggest losses.

Student Highlight: Selena Li

Eshal Shakir

Selena Li, a Grade 10 student-athlete, has been heavily involved with athletics at 蜜桃视频. During the fall season, Selena joined the Swim Team where she faced Branksome Hall in a tight race. Swimming is an outlet for her to release her energy and feel free, and while the season ended short, she really valued her season with the team. In the winter, she was eager to get involved with a new sport that she hadn鈥檛 tried before: rowing. Before she tried out to be officially a part of the team, she went to the 鈥淟earn to Row鈥� sessions to get an understanding of how to hold an oar and row.

Eventually, Selena made the team and participated in the early-morning rowing practice from 5:30 to 7 am, Monday to Thursday. During these practices, teammates would do fitness activities and, sometimes, use the water tank rowing machines as a substitute for the lake. This way they could get a feel for the water and get an idea of how fast they would be able to row. 

To put what they learned in practice to the test, the Rowing Team went on a seven-day trip to Victoria, British Columbia, over the March Break for training camp where they got a sense of how to row on an actual lake. Selena, alongside the team, had an overall great time in Victoria practising and bonding together. 

Selena鈥檚 favourite part about being on the Rowing Team is the sense of belonging and community that is felt with 52 girls competing together. On another note, when it comes to rowing, there is no shortage of abundance of amazing nature and animals to see, another reason behind her passion for the sport. 

Selena and the Rowing Team are now preparing to officially compete at three regattas in May, as well as the CSSRA (Canadian Secondary School Rowing Association) regatta in June. We wish them the best of luck in the coming season!

Staff Highlight: Mr. Frost

Natalie See

Who is our staff highlight? You may see him in the Guidance Office or on the field鈥攊t鈥檚 Mr. Frost! New to 蜜桃视频, Mr. Frost works in the Guidance Department as the Administrative Assistant. His role is to assist students with university applications, organize the graduation ceremony and complete other administrative tasks. He is in charge of all Ontario student files and transcripts at the Upper School and he coaches the U20 Track & Field Team (and other teams including soccer and volleyball in the future). 

Mr. Frost has been passionate about education for his entire life. Before coming to 蜜桃视频, he worked at an international boarding school as a Guidance Counsellor and Athletic Director. He has also worked at the University of Waterloo and University of Toronto in various student services departments. Mr. Frost has a Masters of Education in Developmental Psychology from OISE, a Bachelor of Kinesiology & Physical Education from University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Education from OISE and he is a Guidance & Careers Education Specialist.

Both in and out of school, Mr. Frost is a huge sports fan. Aside from coaching at 蜜桃视频, he enjoys bicycling on his Peloton and cheering on the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and other Canadian soccer teams. He previously worked in Namibia with an non-government organization where he helped send athletes to the 2012 London Olympics. Mr. Frost was awarded the Rick Hanson Difference Medal award for equity and leadership development work at the University of Toronto. He truly is an incredible person with quite the backstory.

If you see Mr. Frost around the school, make sure to say “hello” to him!

Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

Hello Gators,

It would be an understatement to say it was a very exciting return to competitive sports this past fall at 蜜桃视频. Students took to the fields, the running trails, the gym, the pool, the tennis courts, the boat house, the Fitness Centre and even the disc golf course. It was wonderful to see all 22-acres of this campus in full use! New to 蜜桃视频 this fall are the Disc Golf Team and the Tennis Instructional Program. The Disc Golf Team competed in tournaments against neighbouring St. Clement鈥檚 School and even travelled to E.T. Seton Golf Disc Park to experience a more challenging course.

Although the CISAA did not give out medals this term, we had four of our teams earn the right to call themselves 鈥渓eague champions”鈥攃ongratulations to the U14 Soccer, U20 Soccer, U14 Field Hockey and U20 Field Hockey Teams! We are also very proud of our Cross Country Teams, who finished top three at the CISAA final meet and earned the right to represent 蜜桃视频 and the CISAA at the provincial OFSAA Championships. Our senior team at this prestigious race finished an impressive fifth place! Although these results are something to be proud of, it was the pure joy of sport (and everything that it brings) that was the most rewarding part of these experiences. The cheers from the sidelines, the effort at practices and games, the mistakes and the growth in skill, the courage to try something new, the interactions with peers, the humility in losing and the celebration of winning are all a part of the athletic experience. This is why we play and why sport is so very special.

On Thursday, November 18 we celebrated the accomplishment of this past season at our Fall Athletics Awards Assembly. It was here that each team announced their Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Coach Awards for the term. As well, two major awards were given out: The Friedland Cup (awarded to a senior soccer player who has shown a long-term commitment to the 蜜桃视频 Soccer Program and a demonstrated love and competitiveness for the game) and The Doritty Trophy (awarded to a field hockey player who has shown a long-term commitment to field hockey, excelled in the sport and been an inspiration to their teammates). You can .

I look forward to the winter season!

Ms. Di Filippo

Message from the JS Athletic Director

Ms. Anna Bartlett

It was a one-of-a-kind fall season at the Junior School. Despite the continuing pandemic, we had more than 160 students participating in before and after school athletics. On top of that, students also participate in athletics co-curricular activities scheduled during the school day.

This season, we were able to utilize 蜜桃视频’s vast campus to continue being separated into cohorts while participating in athletics. A highlight for the season was the virtual cross country race completed by our Grade 4, 5 and 6 Cross Country Team members. Congratulations to Charlotte Freeman who placed fourth and to Lucy Falconer who placed fifth out of 80 runners. It has been a joy watching the members of all of the teams develop a wide range of movement skills while increasing their confidence and desire to participate in sports.

Winter athletics has kicked off and the Volleyball, Swim, Badminton and Multi-sport Teams are in full action. Our special guest for athletics co-curricular activities this month is Master Trieu, who is teaching our students in Grades 3 to 5 the fundamentals of Taekwondo.

Congratulations and good luck to all of our student athletes on an upcoming season!

Ms. Bartlett

A Message from the Sports Prefects

Kennedy Johnstone and Sarah Forestell

Gators! This past term has been absolutely unreal in terms of sports here at 蜜桃视频! After a long 18 months (four whole terms) without athletics, it was so awesome to see its return this fall and for 蜜桃视频 students to participate in inter-school competitions. There was more energy from our athletes going into this season than we鈥檝e ever seen in the past, and it was so fantastic to see all of our facilities being put to good use again. Our teams had an amazing fall season and we would like to congratulate the U14 and U20 Soccer Teams and the U14 and U20 Field Hockey Teams on becoming league champions this term, plus a major shoutout goes to our Cross Country athletes who represented 蜜桃视频 at OFSAA this year!

As Sports Prefects, we were beyond excited to see the return of athletics this year and are still so pumped to see how the rest of the year plays out. We have plans to bring a ton of energy and host some events for 蜜桃视频 students this year. In the fall, we hosted the second annual 蜜桃视频 Spikeball Tournament and it was a massive success! The tournament took place over three weeks鈥攖eams of students from Grades 7 to 12 showed up ready to play. Through a round robin and some tough elimination rounds, one champion from each grade was announced. Congrats to the winners of each grade! We鈥檙e hoping to be able to host an intergrade Spikeball Tournament a little later in the year to crown an ultimate champion.

This term, we also hosted the first Gator Day in almost two years! The Upper School community showed up to support the U20 Soccer Team in their championship match against rival Bishop Strachan School. The green and gold spirit was outstanding and it was so cool to see the excitement in the crowd. We hope it was as awesome for all of you as it was for us!

We would like to extend congratulations to every athlete who participated in sports in some way this term and made the return of sports so awesome. We absolutely cannot wait to see what the winter term brings!

Kennedy & Sarah

A Message from the Student Editor

Victoria Stanley

Hey 蜜桃视频! With the re-opening of fall CISAA Sports, the Gator Zone team is pleased to introduce to you the 2021-22 Return-to-Sport edition. In this issue, you can find staff and student-athlete highlights, sports team recognition, women in sports awareness, gender equity articles and many more well-written pieces on athletics in and out of 蜜桃视频.

As the fall season is now over, we would like to formally commend all athletes who participated in sports these past few months, whether that be within or outside 蜜桃视频鈥檚 ivy walls. On behalf of myself and the entire Gator Zone team, it has been a pleasure to be able to showcase 蜜桃视频鈥檚 athletes and their incredible accomplishments. It has been a privilege to write about such talented and outstanding student-athletes, while also bringing light to some very important topics in the world of athletics.

With the commencement of a modified in-person experience at 蜜桃视频, students have overcome the adversity of reacquainting themselves with the 鈥榥ew鈥� day-to-day life at school. However, they managed to come out on top, as is demonstrated by the multitude of both academic and athletic achievements this season. Special praise goes out to the writers who contributed to this edition while navigating their respective busy back-to-school schedules.

Finally, thanks to Ms. D, Ms. Pink and Ms. Bartlett for contributing to this issue. We cannot wait to see what the winter season has in store. We hope you enjoy the first edition of Gator Zone for the 2021-22 school year!

Victoria

Excitement of Return to Sport (In and Out of 蜜桃视频)

By Fiona Shen

The COVID-19 pandemic postponed 蜜桃视频鈥檚 Athletic Program in the 2020-21 school year. However, in 2021-22 with the vaccine rollout, 蜜桃视频 sports are back and HC鈥檚 athletes have never been more excited! The 蜜桃视频 community has been eager to offer a wide variety of sports such as soccer, basketball, rowing, disc golf, tennis and cross country. The school has been very mindful of maintaining social distancing measures, wearing masks and sanitizing players’ hands frequently. The buzz of excitement whenever there is a sporting event is unmistakably present in students’ day-to-day lives. The sounds of cleats making contact with the floor in the hallways and lockers shutting, along with the thrilled faces of students, fill the halls of the school.

蜜桃视频 athletes have shown great perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication toward their sports. From as early as 5 am, rowers started training with several practices a week. Due to COVID-19, many athletes had stopped playing sports for an extended period. Their ability to still perform at an outstanding level in such rigorous sports should truly be commended. Alongside 蜜桃视频鈥檚 Athletic Program, many other athletic opportunities outside of the school are also available. Many swimmers who are part of 蜜桃视频’s Swim Team are now also swimming competitively outside of school. Similarly, athletes who play basketball strive to play competitively on other teams.

Athletes aren鈥檛 the only ones involved in the excitement鈥攆ans also get together to cheer for their favourite players. On November 4, a big crowd of Upper School students and faculty gathered around Ratcliffe Field in green and gold to support the U20 Soccer Team in their championship match against Bishop Strachan School. The Art teachers even supplied students with materials for signs. Multiple face painting stations were set up throughout the school. Dozens of our students brought their emblazoned HC gear and their unmatched spirit out. There was cheering, loud sounds of cowbells and grass flying as the U20 Soccer Team ran to receive the soccer ball.

蜜桃视频 is proud of our fall athletes and we cannot wait to see what the winter sports season brings!

The Renewal of 蜜桃视频 Spirit in Support of the U20 Soccer Team

By Taylor Johnson

They kick, they shoot, they score! Thursday, November 4 marked the first Gator Day of 2021, which allowed the school to come together to celebrate the U20 Soccer Team鈥檚 championship match against Bishop Strachan School. From the green and gold outfits to signs made in the Art Space celebrating the students on the team, the spirit was contagious.

The U20 (Varsity) Soccer Team is made up of 20 students from Grades 10 to 12. The team was able to complete an undefeated season, even when faced with certain challenges. Despite the freezing cold November weather and COVID-19 restrictions, the team came together on and off the field. As a returning player, I was incredibly proud to represent a team that was so close and composed of amazing individuals. This sport fosters a unique space for bridges between grades to be built and allows the team to play to the best of their ability.

These principles of comraderie were eloquently demonstrated through grit and strength in the championship. With a heightened competitive spirit from facing 蜜桃视频鈥檚 largest competitor (BSS), the cheers from the crowd and the team鈥檚 desire to take home the OFSAA championship after a shootout loss in 2019 made it a fierce game. Immediately, it was clear that both 蜜桃视频 and BSS came to play. The game was physical and rooted in a deep desire for victory, not only for the team but also for the whole school. 蜜桃视频 was able to come out victorious, winning 4-0! From fast Forestell scoring two goals, clever Chapman connecting passes in the middle, Flood鈥檚 footwork, Beattie鈥檚 ball control and Lobb鈥檚 launches of throw-ins, the team played their best game in this competitive environment.

Beyond the fantastic game that the 蜜桃视频 team played, this event marked the renewal of school spirit from the return of in-person sports. November 4 was the first time since the beginning of the pandemic that the school community joined together to celebrate a sports team. The spirit and energy were magical and spread wide to all students, parents, teachers and staff. A sense of community was built among all from a common desire: to support 蜜桃视频 Athletics. This spirit is a pivotal part of the 蜜桃视频 community and it is so special that this game marked its renewal. It illustrates the beginning of a new sense of normality for in-person sports. This moment was also so special for the team鈥檚 Grads, as it may be their last time playing soccer at 蜜桃视频. The renewed strength of the green and gold spirit will carry on to all other in-person sporting events.

The Fall Rowing Program

By McKenna Reardon

This year was the first that 蜜桃视频 has offered a fall Rowing Program for their returning rowers. Typically, the Rowing Program runs from November through June and is made up of three components. These components include winter training at school in the Fitness Centre on the ergometers and in the tanks; spring training on the water; and the spring racing season. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the past two rowing seasons, Head Coach Manny Azarcon decided to offer a fall program for returning athletes.

In the fall program, athletes were able to bring all three of the components of the regular season into one. They trained on Tuesday and Friday mornings before school in the Fitness Centre and the pool, and on Saturdays and Sundays they were able to go out on the lake. They did this from the first week of school until the beginning of October, when the weather makes it more difficult for boating.

They also had the opportunity to compete in a regatta. Eight rowers and one coxswain headed out to Peterborough to compete in the Head of the Trent Regatta on October 2. The 蜜桃视频 boat was composed of athletes who had not rowed together for an extended period, and they walked away from the race with success. For all of the athletes, this was their first 鈥渉ead鈥� race, which is a four kilometre race (twice the length of a typical race). Completing this race was a success for our team. They had not been able to train on the water for two years and some of the athletes had never rowed competitively on the water before. But after three hard weeks of training, they knocked this race out of the park.

The Rowing Team started their early morning winter training five days a week on Tuesday, November 16. They hope not to be affected by any COVID-19 restrictions and have an entire season this year for the first time in a while. Fingers crossed this will be yet another successful season for our rowers!

The Fitness Club

By Dara Akodu

The Fitness Club is one of the Senior School鈥檚 new co-curricular activities this year. The focus of this club is developing physical fitness and mental health. It doesn鈥檛 matter if you鈥檙e very experienced or new to exercise, this club is an opportunity for students in Grades 9 to 12 to try new things and develop new skills. It鈥檚 a great way to improve athleticism, especially for anyone who isn’t involved in competitive sports and wants another way to get exercise.

This club takes place in the Upper School Fitness Center. There is a multitude of equipment provided, including treadmills, bikes, dumbbells and other equipment. It is organized by Strength & Conditioning Coach Mike Haddock and Club Co-Heads Victoria Stanley and Ally Panos.

One message the Club Co-Heads want to share with students is not to be afraid to come out on Tuesdays at 8:40 am or Thursdays at lunch. The Fitness Club is a safe and comfortable environment to improve physical and mental health. It鈥檚 not about being the best among your peers, it鈥檚 about challenging yourself to take risks, explore new territories and find your full potential. Sports and fitness aren鈥檛 always about competing with others, it鈥檚 about having fun, setting goals and improving yourself. We aren鈥檛 all born being skilled at fitness, but we can improve. Come to The Fitness Club to improve your health and make new friends along the way.

New Girls and New Sports Opportunities at 蜜桃视频

By Shreya Gupta and Ella Xu

Shreya Gupta:

As a new 蜜桃视频 student, so far it has been amazing and there have been many opportunities to get involved. In my old school, the co-curricular options were very limited and there wasn’t as much variety. Although there is so much that students at 蜜桃视频 can do, I think a key activity is sports. Whether you like to participate in soccer or disc golf, there are many different activities to choose from. This fall, I was involved in tennis lessons and cross country, which were both amazing experiences. In tennis, I learned so much about the game and had a lot of fun. In cross country, I met so many new people and it made me more physically active. This was especially great because I wasn鈥檛 very active during the pandemic鈥檚 lockdowns.

Grade 7 student Myra Jaggi is also new to 蜜桃视频. I had the chance to talk to her about the sports she has joined. 鈥淪o far, I鈥檝e been involved in basketball. It recently just ended, but it was really fun. I will probably join a winter sport, too,鈥� Myra said.

We are very excited for the winter season as there are so many options to choose from, whether it鈥檚 joining a team or joining in on an athletic co-curricular activity, like intramurals. These opportunities give students at 蜜桃视频 a chance to meet and learn together while enjoying sports and fitness activities.

Ella Xu:

A lot of new students at 蜜桃视频, including myself, are exploring the sports and athletic co-curricular opportunities. I am enjoying the activities and loving being around a positive, encouraging and supportive community. Being involved in athletics at school is an amazing opportunity to learn and meet other students. I鈥檓 looking forward to trying out for Volleyball and Badminton Teams in the winter term.

Piper Swartz in Grade 8 is another new student at 蜜桃视频 who shared her journey with school athletics this year with me, specifically her experience on the Middle School Field Hockey Team. She said that she was nervous meeting her teammates, even though they are all very positive and friendly, but that Coach Macer is amazing and supportive.

Piper has never played field hockey (or even ice hockey), so she was very nervous that she wouldn鈥檛 be good at the game. She said, 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to lie, I definitely wasn鈥檛 the best on the team, but at least I had the opportunity to learn how to play.鈥�

We hope that sharing our experiences will encourage other new to 蜜桃视频 students to get involved with athletics鈥攖here are many ways to get active.

Student Highlight: Marlowe Andrew

By Lexi Lute and Rachel Paton

Marlowe Andrew, now a Grade 7 student, first arrived at 蜜桃视频 in Grade 3. She is an accomplished athlete who excels at sports such as alpine skiing and ice hockey outside of school. This year she joined the 蜜桃视频 Middle School Field Hockey Team and has discovered a new favourite sport.

Marlowe has a lot of experience with ice hockey and discovered for herself how different field hockey is. For instance, the player positioning in field hockey is more similar to soccer than ice hockey. Another challenge with adapting to this different form of hockey is the stick shape. Field hockey sticks are short and curved at the blade and you can only hit the ball on the flat side of the stick, so moving the ball down the field can take some getting used to. However, Marlowe quickly adapted and she and her teammates had an amazing first season.

Their first game against Appleby College was particularly memorable to the team. Marlowe described this game as 鈥渇un because we all were able to work together.鈥� The game was very exciting, and in the end, 蜜桃视频 went on to achieve gold. Marlowe scored three goals, which aided 蜜桃视频 with the win. Her skills from ice hockey benefitted her understanding of the field sport.

As a younger student participating in a sport with older students who have the advantage of size and experience, Marlowe truly demonstrates impressive perseverance and a drive to succeed.

蜜桃视频 is proud to celebrate our students’ achievement both behind and beyond the ivy walls. We congratulate Marlowe and her teammates on an outstanding field hockey season and we cannot wait to see what comes next from this amazing Gator!

Staff Highlight: The Magic of Ms. Macer

By Lauren LaCalamita

On the field, in the gym or in her office, Ms. Macer is always around the Athletic Department to help out. A lot of you may know her as Coach Macer, but what you may not know is that on top of coaching the Field Hockey Team, she once was a player herself.

When she was a young athlete, Ms. Macer was a competitive figure skater. In her Grade 9 year, she wanted to compete in a competitive sport, so she tried out for field hockey. Although she is now very skilled in field hockey, that particular year she was not selected for the team. Instead, she decided to join the 9 and 10 Cheerleading Squad. However, the summer before going into Grade 11, she improved her fitness by running with her sister. She also practised her ball-handling skills with a friend. When the next tryouts came around, she ended up making the field hockey team. This goes to show that to improve or succeed you must work hard for it.

Ms. Macer continued to play field hockey until Grade 13. In university, she joined a recreational women’s masters team and would play for them in the summers. Since then, she has coached high school-level field hockey for 20 years! She loves to watch young athletes learn and grow and join more competitive teams. Ms. Macer鈥檚 story is just one of the many fascinating stories of the 蜜桃视频 faculty. It’s clear that she really cares about her students and their growth in Health & Physical Education. We at 蜜桃视频 are very fortunate to have such amazing teachers and staff like Ms. Macer. 

Gender Equity In Sports

By Eshal Shakir

Sports are universal activities that anyone and everyone can participate in. Unfortunately, male sports teams are almost always favoured, while female sports teams are often overlooked. Girls tend to be sidelined when it comes to sports, as is shown in the major leagues like the NBA or the NHL where the primary focus is all-male teams. There are many female sports teams at 蜜桃视频, including basketball, soccer, hockey, field hockey, swimming and more. Here, girls can express themselves and prove that they are just as entertaining and skilled as the guys.

One of 蜜桃视频’s hockey players鈥擥rade 10 student Neve Padulo鈥攈as played on both boys and all-girls teams and expressed a similar sentiment of feeling sidelined and overlooked because of her gender. She felt more encouraged and supported on the all-girls hockey team than on the male team and she felt as though she had to prove herself constantly when playing with boys. She explained that it was only after she started playing games with the boys and proved herself to be of equal skill that she was treated equally.

蜜桃视频 allows all of its students to play various sports to develop and hone their skills. Being on a school team means that you are respected and valued for the athlete you are. Team coaches continue to strive for excellence and promote gender equity by giving its students the opportunities to play on an array of sports teams.

March Madness Branding for Women’s NCAA Division I Basketball Championship and What It Means for Sports Gender Equity

By Kiki Craig

On September 29, the NCAA released a statement saying that commencing with the 2022 tournament, the NCAA Division I Women鈥檚 Basketball Championship will begin using the trademarked March Madness brand and marketing. 

If you aren鈥檛 familiar with the term 鈥淢arch Madness,鈥� it was previously the trademarked brand of the NCAA Division I Men鈥檚 Championship tournament. In the past, the women鈥檚 equivalent tournament stood separately as a stand-alone property. In addition to using the March Madness branding, the NCAA national office has implemented a zero-based budgeting method for the two championships. Instead of adjusting past budgets, the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball championship staff will “start from scratch” when determining budgeting expenses. 

These changes come after an external gender equity report on basketball championships was released on August 3. In this review, the organization was found to have prioritized men鈥檚 basketball in ways that create, normalize and perpetuate gender inequities. 

Hopefully, with the new changes implemented by large organizations like the NCAA, women鈥檚 sports representation in the media will increase and attract more attention, which will provide more opportunities for women in sports. Changes like these are necessary in order to create a world where anyone can have equal opportunities to pursue professional careers in sports. 

Here at 蜜桃视频, we are proud to recognize and encourage all the students who commit themselves to competitive sports despite enduring the subtle, yet present biases, stereotypes and inequalities of being a non-male-identifying athlete. We continue to see incredible strength, grit, determination and character as students stand up for gender equity on the court, in the rink, on the field, in the pool or within the general community.

Quinn: History Maker

By Annie Wu

Not every Olympic athlete can claim to have made history, but 25 year old Quinn (Class of 2013) undoubtedly did at the 2020 Olympic Games this past summer. On August 6, 2021, Quinn became the first openly transgender and non-binary athlete to compete and win an olympic gold medal (or any medal for that matter).

Quinn came out as transgender and non-binary in 2020 and goes by the pronouns they/them. They now use their former last name, Quinn, as their only name.

They posted on Instagram about their thoughts on making history after their opening match:

鈥淔irst openly trans Olympian to compete. I don鈥檛 know how to feel. I feel proud seeing 鈥楺uinn鈥� up on the lineup and on my accreditation. I feel sad knowing there were Olympians before me unable to live their truth because of the world. I feel optimistic for change. Change in legislature. Changes in rules, structures and mindsets.鈥�

While there have likely been other transgender athletes that were not out, Quinn鈥檚 victory remains impactful by providing visibility and bringing attention to trans athletes. They serve as an inspiration and role model to many youth and other athletes around the world. However, they are also poignantly aware that their victory does not mean the fight is over. There is still much that can be done against transphobia in sports. In some countries and for the athletes representing them, publicly coming out as transgender is not even legal.

鈥淢ostly, I feel aware of the realities. Trans girls being banned from sports. Trans women facing discrimination and bias while trying to pursue their Olympic dreams. The fight isn鈥檛 close to over鈥� and I鈥檒l celebrate when we鈥檙e all here,鈥� Quinn said.

As a 蜜桃视频 alum, they have already answered Ellen Knox鈥檚 famous question 鈥淲hat are going to do?鈥� through persistence and a lot of courage. They have made a tremendously positive stride in the sports industry for the transgender community and the queer community as a whole. We are so proud!