Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

Hello Gators,

As the frost begins to melt and we look toward the spring, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible grit and determination shown by our student-athletes this winter. Every time a Gator stepped onto the court, the ice, the pool or the trails, they did so with a level of effort and pride that defines the 蜜桃视频 spirit.

On the courts, our Badminton Teams were dominant with an impressive three teams (U13, U14 and U20) clinching CISAA gold! Our Volleyball Program also set a high bar for excellence, earning three hard-fought silver medals. Perhaps one of the most emotional highlights of the season took place on the ice. For the first time in four years, our Varsity Hockey Team emerged victorious on Hockey Day, reclaiming the Hewitt Cup in a thrilling performance. The team鈥檚 momentum didn鈥檛 stop there; they carried that energy all the way to OFSAA, where they secured an impressive 9th place finish (after being ranked 20th) in the province.

Whether you stood on a podium or hit a personal best, we are so incredibly proud of every single athlete. Thank you for representing the green and gold with such heart! We are incredibly proud of the way our athletes embraced challenges, supported one another and continued to grow throughout the season. From early morning practices to high-pressure games, their dedication never wavered.

After the March Break, we celebrated our winter teams during our Athletics Assembly, where we presented the MVP and Coaches Awards for all teams. . Congratulations to all athletes on a fun and exciting winter term of sports! 

I look forward to some sunshine this spring season!

Roll Gators!

Ms. D.

Message from the Junior School Athletic Director

Ms. Anna Bartlett

Through the heart of winter, Junior School students demonstrated grit, determination and commitment as intramurals, squads and teams pushed forward in full force.

Our Volleyball Program soared again, with 13 teams and 89 athletes from Grades 4 to 6 competing this season. Every rally reflected resilience and drive, maintaining the highest participation in the CISAA and reinforcing a culture of perseverance.

In the pool, our swimmers rose to the challenge at the championships. The U12 Swim Team delivered strong performances, achieving personal bests through focus, discipline and hard work.

On the ice, the U12 Hockey Team embraced the spotlight on Hockey Day in front of more than 1,500 spectators. A season highlight was a hard-fought 5 to 5 tie against Royal St. George鈥檚, battling back in the final three minutes 鈥� an effort defined by heart and composure.

In the gym, intramurals continue to energize our athletes in Grades 1 to 6. Led by dedicated Grade 6 leaders, these sessions helped build skills, leadership and school spirit.

Looking ahead, momentum continues into spring. Softball interest remains strong, while U12 Ultimate will again partner with Crescent School in a co-ed format. Track and Field athletes are preparing to compete, and Multisport and Basketball/Soccer Programs continue to engage our younger students.

Across every court, field, rink and pool, our athletes show what it means to commit, persevere and grow.

Go Gators!

Ms. Bartlett

A Message from the Student Editor

Catherine T.

Hey Gators! I can鈥檛 believe we’re already through the winter season and heading toward the spring season. I want to take a moment and celebrate the amazing accomplishments of our 蜜桃视频 Gators as well as our Canadian Olympic athletes who participated in the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. 

This edition will be covering the amazing accomplishments of our Gators as well as the accomplishments of our fellow Canadian athletes. Even in the dark gloom of tests and assignments, as well as the weather, I find that every winter season, the school spirit comes alive. A huge congratulations to our Varsity Hockey Team and their long-awaited win over Bishop Strachan School for the Hewitt Cup at Hockey Day. I want to give huge props to the Captain, Izzy Tubbe, Assistant Captains, Sophia Liu and Emma Oliver, as well as to our amazing coaches for this incredible game. 

While all of our teams have had such amazing accomplishments, it’s the determination, the perseverance and the joy that our athletes can foster that is the true meaning of sport. Even in the scary moments when the clock is ticking and every single play is important to the success of the team, it’s the sportsmanship of our Gators that shines through every time. 

I would like to dedicate this edition of Gator Zone to all of our incredible writers who were also participants in the Nordic ski trip, the Badminton Team, the Volleyball Team and more. I would like to share my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has worked on this edition. The publication would not have been possible without the tireless effort of Ms. Di Filippo, Ms. Pink, Ms. Bartlett, the Sports Prefects and our talented writers for their contributions.

I am so excited to see what our Gators achieve during the upcoming spring season. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the second edition of Gator Zone 2025-26!

Catherine

Message from the Sports Prefects

Izzy and Emma

The snow might have been falling, but our HC teams were heating up this winter season! Hey Gators, as we wrap up an incredible winter athletic term, we want to recognize the outstanding achievements our school has accomplished over the past few months. The determination our athletes showed in every practice and competition was unmatched, and the energy from our supporters made every game even more memorable.

A huge highlight of this term was reclaiming Hockey Day after three long years. In a hard-fought and intense battle against BSS, our team came out on top with an exciting 4 to 3 victory. The atmosphere was electric and the pride across our community was undeniable. Another meaningful event this season was Hockey for Health, where we hosted a student panel focused on mental health in sport. It was an impactful conversation that highlighted the importance of supporting one another both on and off the ice.

Many teams went above and beyond this season. Congratulations to our swimmers who competed at OFSAA and represented 蜜桃视频 with incredible effort and pride. Our Middle School Swim Team also delivered an outstanding performance, bringing home CISAA gold. Badminton had an exceptional season, with three out of our four teams winning CISAA finals titles. Our curlers and D1B Hockey Team both earned CISAA bronze medals, showcasing their hard work and resilience throughout the season.

Our D1A Hockey Team made history by advancing to OFSAA in Windsor for the first time. Ranked 20th going into the tournament, they defied expectations by defeating the first-place team, proving their determination and competitive spirit on a huge stage. Our volleyball teams also had an incredibly strong showing this season, bringing home two CISAA silver medals and two bronze medals, highlighting the depth of talent across the program.

Finally, we want to congratulate and thank every athlete who tried out for or participated in a winter sports team. Being part of a 蜜桃视频 team is truly something special. The friendships, memories and lessons you gain last far beyond the season. Let鈥檚 carry this momentum into the spring term. We can鈥檛 wait to see what you accomplish next.

Go Gators!

Your Sports Prefects,

Izzy and Emma

Before the Buzzer: How Our Championship Season Was Built

Eudora Zhang

Hi everyone! My name is Eudora and I鈥檓 a member of the U13 D1 Basketball Team. This year, our team won the CAIS Basketball Championships 鈥� but our story started long before the final buzzer.

It began early on Friday mornings. While most students were still sleeping, our team was already in the gym, practising offensive transitions and lockdown defence. Those quiet mornings were challenging, but they taught us discipline, focus and how to trust each other under pressure 鈥� lessons that became the foundation of our season.

This year鈥檚 CAIS tournament was hosted at 蜜桃视频, with teams travelling from across Canada to compete. We entered the competition confident and prepared, winning our early games and growing stronger with each one.

The semi-final against BSS was intense and close from start to finish. Every possession mattered, and staying calm made the difference as we secured a 47鈥�42 win. Heading into the final against Collingwood School from British Columbia, we felt both nervous and excited. We started strong with aggressive defence and, in the third quarter, everything clicked. When the final buzzer sounded, we knew all the early mornings had been worth it.

Winning the CAIS championship was unforgettable 鈥� especially because it completed an undefeated season. I鈥檓 incredibly proud to represent 蜜桃视频 and grateful for my teammates鈥� resilience and support. Thank you to our coaches, Ms. Kaba and Coach Patrick, for pushing us every step of the way. This season showed us what can happen when preparation, hard work and belief come together.

Nordic Overnight Trip

Callie Slightham and Ainsley Nichols

Nordic skiing is the perfect way to push yourself while also having fun with your friends outside, but, at 蜜桃视频, it is pretty underground. We first tried Nordic last year and had a blast, especially on the overnight trip to Nordic Highlands in Collingwood. This year, wishing we had known about it earlier, we made sure to spread the word about how amazing this team is. For the overnight trip, we went with around 40 people from Grades 9 to 12. We all went up by bus and, upon arrival at the lodge, lessons were offered for beginners, but Nordic skiing is relatively easy to take up, so most of us just enjoyed the free ski time. Although we could have come inside at any time, everyone skied the whole afternoon. There are so many paths to take, suitable for everyone at any level, so it鈥檚 impossible to get bored. We developed a great love for the red loop, with its many steep ups and downs. Even though there were some falls, that鈥檚 what makes it so fun. These difficult yet rewarding three hours of skiing are followed by a team dinner at a restaurant and a comfortable stay at a local hotel to rest up for another day of skiing! 

蜜桃视频 Hockey Reflection from Two Rookies

Margo Phillips and Lucy Falconer

As Grade 9 rookies, being part of the D1 Varsity 蜜桃视频 Hockey Team has been one of the most memorable experiences of our lives. At the start of the season, we were both a little nervous trying out for a team with older players, but the graduating players made us feel welcome right away. They created a positive, fun environment where everyone felt included and part of something special. Whether it was in the dressing room, on the bus or during practices, they made every moment something we looked forward to and will always remember.

Winning Hockey Day was an unforgettable experience and one of the highlights of our season. The support from the 蜜桃视频 community was incredible with friends, teachers and the Junior School all celebrating together, which made the moment even more meaningful. It felt like everything we had worked for as a team came together. The opportunity to showcase our sport in front of so many people we care about is both an honour and a privilege.

Qualifying for OFSAA, the provincial championship, was the icing on the cake. Beyond the games, it was the time spent together 鈥� laughing, talking and building friendships 鈥� that made this season so special. We feel incredibly lucky to be part of such a supportive team and school community, and this is something we will never forget. Thank you 蜜桃视频 hockey for such an unforgettable season! 

2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics: Canadian Spotlight

Isabel Snare

蜜桃视频 students, faculty and staff tuned into the 2026 Olympic Games both inside and outside of the ivy walls this winter, cheering on Canadian athletes across a wide range of events.

Canada sent one of its largest teams in history to the Winter Games this year 鈥� 205 athletes across 14 sports 鈥� and placed 11th in overall medal standings, with a total of 21 medals earned.

Canada鈥檚 first gold medal of the Games was won in the dual mogul event by Mika毛l Kingsbury, after the country had previously gone several days without earning gold. This win initiated a slew of other gold medal achievements, including in men鈥檚 curling, women鈥檚 big air and men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 speed-skating, amounting to five total.

Canada also secured seven silver medals and nine bronze medals, with the most notable of these being the silver medals awarded to the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 hockey teams. Both gold medal games ended in dramatic overtime losses to the USA, but nonetheless the talent and sportsmanship displayed by the Canadian players was recognized globally. At 蜜桃视频, the women鈥檚 historical faceoff was celebrated with a red and white dress down day and the game was projected in classrooms and other spaces across campus.

Ultimately, Canada put up a strong effort this year at the 2026 Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina, with several athletes receiving multiple medals. 蜜桃视频 is proud to be inspired by the athletes who represented our country, especially by the strong and courageous women who serve as inspirations to us all. Special shoutout to 蜜桃视频 Old Girl/Alum Ali Nullmeyer (Class of 2016), who competed in alpine skiing and finished 16th in the women鈥檚 slalom event!

Coach Spotlight: Sam Sui 鈥� U16 Badminton Coach

Kyra Daley

Coach Sam Sui started coaching the HC U16 Badminton team during the 2025-26 season. Sam is a recent Crescent School graduate and is currently attending U of T, where he plays badminton. He has played in numerous Badminton Ontario tournaments, most recently earning a silver medal in the Provincial A Championship. He shared that his go-to song before teaching or coaching heavily depends on how he鈥檚 feeling. While his music taste ranges from Japanese music to 21 savage, he comes back to one playlist when working out or prepping for matches. When he鈥檚 not on the badminton court, his favourite way to be active is playing any racket sport or volleyball, or going to the gym. Something he was looking forward to during the winter season was for his players to develop a genuine interest and passion for the sport of badminton. Furthermore, to enjoy the spirit of improvement and competition while understanding that results are secondary to maintaining a continued interest in the sport. 

While Sam is being a role model for his players, two of his role models are Lin Dan, because he has such an incredible physical ability that Sam strives to obtain. The second is Kevin Cordon,聽the Olympic 4th place from Tokyo 2020. Cordon is from Guatemala and beat all the dominant Asian countries on the grandes world stage at 34 years old. He comes from a tiny country with no support for badminton and no resources to compete, and his story is really inspirational about how someone can succeed despite the odds being stacked against him. Finally, we asked Sam about what he was enjoying being a coach at HC to which he replied with the incredible school culture, how kind the staff and teachers are and how everyone really tries to help one another improve. We are proud to have Sam here to share in our spirit and we can鈥檛 wait to see what he does next.

Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

The fall season kicked off with incredible excitement as we hosted our very first Friday Night Lights! Few things compare to the energy of 蜜桃视频 spirit on display at our sporting events. Under the bright lights of Ratcliffe Field, a sea of green and gold filled the sidelines, creating an unforgettable atmosphere. Our U20 Soccer Team鈥檚 victory 鈥� and the capture of the Friday Night Light Cup 鈥� was the perfect way to cap off the night. This senior team went on to win the National CAIS Soccer tournament and are the Division 1 CISAA champs. An exceptional team, indeed. 

This fall, 蜜桃视频 athletes showcased their passion across every arena 鈥� racing through the pool; battling on the court; competing on the field in field hockey flag football and soccer; running the trails; and mastering the greens in disc golf. The joy of competition and the support teammates showed one another were on full display. 蜜桃视频 truly is a special place to compete.

Congratulations to our U13 Basketball and U15 Soccer Teams on their undefeated seasons and CISAA Championship titles! A huge shoutout as well to our U14 Cross Country Team, who are back-to-back CISAA Champions. We are so proud of all of our athletes and teams who represented 蜜桃视频 this fall!

Thank you to our 2025鈥�26 Sports Prefects 鈥� Emma and Izzy 鈥� along with the Sports Council, for getting the athletics season off to such a great start! From the Middle School Gator Games to Friday Night Lights and the Fall Athletics Assembly, you鈥檝e shown true Gator spirit every step of the way. Thank you for your leadership and enthusiasm! 

On Thursday, November 13, we celebrated the accomplishment of our fall athletics season at the awards assembly. It was here that each team announced their MVP and Coaches Award for the term. As well, two major awards were given out: The Friedland Cup (soccer) and The Doritty Trophy (field hockey). The full list of award recipients can be found . 

I look forward to the winter season!

Ms. Di Filippo 

Message from the Junior School Athletic Director: A Season of Excellence

Ms. Anna Bartlett

This fall delivered exceptional weather and outstanding athletic performances. Our students demonstrated remarkable enthusiasm and commitment, showcasing both the breadth and depth of our athletics program 鈥� from squads to competitive teams. These quality programs continue to build the confidence and skills our students need for lifelong success.

Cross Country Championship Glory

More than 125 runners competed across our U9 and U12 Cross Country Teams this season. Our U9 Team hosted an inspiring, fun run that drew 350 participants across our stunning 22-acre campus.

The highlight of the season? Our U12 Cross Country Team captured the Overall Cross Country Championship 鈥� a tremendous achievement! Special recognition goes to our Grade 6 team, which placed an impressive seven athletes in the top 12 finishers. 

Congratulations to our top 12 finishers (out of more than 150 runners!): Sophie Polsinello, Sienna Manias, Halle Lamb, Camille Rizvi, Charlotte Goldthorpe, Brooke Brasseur, Ayla Coull, Emily Ke and Sydney Mullen.

Making Waves in Swimming

Our swimmers dove into competition with determination, narrowly missing the Bishop’s Cup Championship. Every participant gained valuable race experience, including diving off blocks and competing in a high-energy meet environment.

Building Skills on the Basketball Courts

Five basketball teams spanning Grades 4 to 6 developed their skills and teamwork throughout the season. Our U10 Teams celebrated first-time layups in game situations, while U12 Teams refined their rebounding and defensive strategies. The progress has been remarkable.

Dynamic Play on the Soccer Fields

Our U9 Soccer/Basketball Team embraced new skills with enthusiasm, while the U10 Team brought infectious energy to every match with spirited cheers and creative plays. Both U12 Teams demonstrated excellent teamwork and scoring opportunities throughout the season and at the final tournament. 

Looking Ahead

I am incredibly proud of every athlete’s dedication and honoured to work alongside coaches who are deeply invested in our students’ growth and development.

The excitement continues into the winter season with athletes on our Volleyball, Badminton, Multisport Swim and Hockey Teams who are ready to take the ice, courts and pool!

Ms. Bartlett

A Message from the Student Editor

Catherine T.

Hello everyone, and welcome to the fall 2025 Gator Zone newsletter! My name is Catherine and it is my pleasure to be this year’s Student Editor!聽

Throughout my five years at 蜜桃视频, sports have been a crucial part of my experience. I am so excited that I can focus my passion for sports and athletics through these newsletters in my senior year. The fall 2025 season showed the skill and power of 蜜桃视频 Athletics, with our first-ever Friday Night Lights, in partnership with Branksome Hall, being a kicking success. The Senior Soccer Team bringing home the win was electric, and everyone coming out in green and gold really made the atmosphere even better. 

I want to give a huge shout-out to the Sports Prefects, Izzy and Emma, who really do the utmost to keep up school spirit and participation in all things athletics. Gator Zone is meant to give an inside scoop into what the Gators are up to inside and outside of school athletics. We have some amazing athletes in our school whose accomplishments need to be acknowledged. I want to make a point of really getting to know the stories behind the 蜜桃视频 Gators, how they put the athlete in a student athlete and what their plans are for the future. 

I am so proud to be a part of Gator Zone this year, and I want to give a huge thanks to Ms. Di Filippo, Ms. Bartlett, Ms. Pink and all our Gator Zone writers who report on the world of athletics and who participated in the Fall sports teams. You guys have done a great job and I am so excited for the winter edition to come out. 

Catherine

Message from the Sports Prefects

Izzy and Emma

The leaves may be falling, but our HC teams are rising in the ranks this year! Hey Gators, as we wrap up the fall athletic term, we want to recognize the incredible achievements our school has accomplished in just one season. The excitement our athletes brought to every practice and competition was unmatched, and the energy from our supporters made every moment even more special.

A huge highlight of this term was the inaugural Friday Night Lights, an incredible event that showcased our talented athletes and shone a well-deserved spotlight on women in sport. The energy on campus was electric as the community came together under the lights, filling the stands and cheering on the Gators. It was a massive success, and we can鈥檛 wait to see this new tradition grow. This year, we also brought back Athlete of the Week, nominated by teammates from Grades 7 to 12. It has been a total success, strengthening our sense of community and giving well-earned recognition to athletes who inspire those around them. To keep everyone in the loop, weekly game schedules are posted every Monday on our Instagram account, leading to bigger crowds, louder cheers and even more Gator pride at our home games.

Many teams went above and beyond this season. Congratulations to the U20 Soccer Team, who were crowned CAIS National Champions and CISAA Champions this fall, and to the U14 Soccer Team, who placed third at CAIS. A special shoutout must go to our rowers. Our Women鈥檚 U17 4 trained intensely, six days a week, and earned a silver medal at Head of the Trent before taking on the world鈥檚 largest regatta, the Head of the Charles in Boston. Despite being one of the youngest crews in an 86-boat field, they powered to an incredible 26th-place finish, requalifying 蜜桃视频 for next year and making us all extremely proud.

This fall also marked the start of House Intramurals, where all 10 Houses faced off in volleyball. The friendly competition was filled with spirit, teamwork and so much joy as students came out ready to represent their Houses with pride. The energy in the gym was contagious, and it was amazing to see such strong participation across all grades.

Finally, we want to congratulate and thank every athlete who tried out for or participated in a fall sports team. Being on a 蜜桃视频 team is an experience like no other: the friendships, memories and connections you build truly last a lifetime. Let鈥檚 carry this momentum and spirit into the winter season. We still have two exciting terms ahead, and we know you will continue to amaze us with your dedication, skill and Gator pride.

Go Gators!

Your Sports Prefects,

Izzy and Emma

The Success of 蜜桃视频鈥檚 First Friday Night Lights Event

Audrea Au-Provonost

This year, 蜜桃视频 partnered with Branksome Hall to host its first ever Friday Night Lights, also known as FNL. This year, Friday Night Lights featured an intense varsity soccer game between the 蜜桃视频 Gators and the Branksome Highlanders. There was much anticipation for the game between the announcements in Prayers and posts on Instagram and everyone was ready to cheer on our U20 Soccer Team. 

From the first whistle, our Gators proved they were ready to make history. Meredith Howard scored within the first 11 minutes, igniting the crowd in a deafening roar. The 蜜桃视频 fans were ready to show their pride and came decked out in green and gold, screaming their hearts out. The 蜜桃视频 Soccer Team was a dominating presence and finished with an impressive score of 10 to 0. FNL also featured an outstanding halftime show, which featured our 蜜桃视频 cheerleaders performing an exciting dance that kept everyone captivated.

This event also marked a milestone in female athletics as it is the first Friday Night Lights highlighting female sports teams. Seeing two different communities come out to support female athletes was both powerful and inspiring. 

The bright lights beaming onto the field, the echoes of the crowd and pride in our community created a memory that will be remembered for years to come as the first FNL event 蜜桃视频 hosted. The future of female athletics is looking bright and the anticipation for next year’s Friday Night Lights has already begun. 

Reflections from The Head of The Charles

Emma Hounsome

The Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, also known as the most prestigious regatta in the world, was like nothing I had ever experienced before. I had the privilege of rowing with four other incredible, hardworking young women who, despite our many challenges, continued to show up at 5:30 every morning with the collective understanding that we were going to push ourselves past our limits, no matter how difficult or impossible it may seem. When our crew came together, we rowed not only for ourselves but for each other, which is what made us unstoppable. These girls, who were once only my teammates, had become my family and had taught me the true meaning of what it means to show up for others. Rowing beside some of the best crews in the world, we were able to hold our own and prove to ourselves that, despite being a U17 boat in a U19 category, we could come 27th out of almost 90 boats. It was one of the most empowering experiences of my life. Crews from top D1 universities like Yale and Harvard were competing on the same river as us, sponsors and vendors filled the streets, and bridges had packed crowds shoulder-to-shoulder watching each crew row past. The atmosphere was incomparable to any other race any of us had ever rowed before. The Head of the Charles had marked the end of my first full year rowing at 蜜桃视频 and had helped me realize that rowing isn鈥檛 just a sport to me, it鈥檚 a way of life.

Vivian Johnston

The Head of the Charles Regatta, set in Boston, is pretty much the biggest rowing event in the world. It was also one of the most surreal experiences of my life. I had seen photos and videos before, but nothing prepared me for what it actually felt like to be there, with thousands of athletes everywhere, crowds lining the river, boats weaving through bridges, and this crazy mix of nerves and excitement in the air. Some practices felt impossible, the kind where every stroke hurt and the boat felt heavier than ever. But something always clicked when we rowed together. We weren鈥檛 just five people in a boat. We were a crew. My teammates went from being people I rowed with to being people I know I can always trust, laugh with and lean on. They taught me what it means to show up for others and to know what it鈥檚 like to be counted on. I was lucky to row with four other amazing ladies who worked harder than anyone I know, who showed up every day ready to push. Our two coaches were the same, right there beside us every single morning 鈥� no matter the weather 鈥� encouraging us, motivating us and refusing to let us give up on ourselves. Racing the Charles was absolutely unreal. We were one of the youngest crews in our division, racing a U-17 boat in the U-19 category. Instead of being intimidated, we proved we could keep up with and even beat some of the best juniors in North America. Crossing that finish line was the most exhilarating experience, and I鈥檓 so glad to have done it with these amazing people and for my school, 蜜桃视频.

Grade 9 Biathlon

Radhika Goenka

The biathlon is a major component of the Grade 9 Physical Education course because it introduces us to the end-of-year triathlon and helps us understand how physical fitness skills like accuracy, coordination, focus and balance contribute to success and lifelong active living.

The biathlon is structured so that Grade 9 students first run a 400m course around Ratcliffe Field, then they get four attempts at one of the following stations: Nerf gun shooting, bean bag toss and frisbee disc throw. Each missed attempt adds a 50m penalty lap. Undertaking the biathlon is no small feat, challenging everyone to complete as many laps as possible while still staying accurate under pressure.

Though I enjoy playing various sports, by no means do I consider myself a runner. I was dreading the biathlon from the moment Ms. Lau introduced it. My only comfort was that we were all doing it together. 

After several training days practising pacing and improving our skills, we each made progress. My biggest challenge (shockingly) was running. But race day came, and with it the support from my peers and the memory of all our preparation. I ran, each stride a fight, but pushed through and managed to complete eight laps within the time. I remember collapsing on the grass afterwards, exhausted but proud.

A unit like the biathlon teaches us how to persevere. It shows that with practice and support, we can overcome challenges and push beyond what we think we can do.

Success and Sportsmanship in Women鈥檚 Rugby

Isabel Snare

Women鈥檚 rugby has experienced a recent surge in popularity across the globe, with rates of attendance and viewership rising higher than ever for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025. In fact, a study conducted by World Rugby finds that 49% of current women鈥檚 rugby fans started following the league within the past two years, a true testament to the impact of the increased media visibility they have received.

In particular, the Canadian women鈥檚 rugby team has seen massive growth in their fanbase, a response that is truly merited given their exceptional performance throughout the 2025 season. The team continuously made headlines as they carved their path to the final, remaining undefeated as they secured win after win. Despite losing 13 to 33 to England in the closing match, the silver medal awarded to the Canadian team yielded national glory and celebration.

While every try earned and match won is a triumph worth cheering for, perhaps most incredible of all is the sportsmanship displayed on the field. Every player demonstrates a clear sense of teamwork alongside respect for their fellow competitors. Across women鈥檚 rugby, the caliber of the competition has been proven to be just as uplifting as it is fierce.

At 蜜桃视频, our U14 and U20 Rugby Teams chase after wins (and the ball) with grit and grace. Through rainy practices and muddy matches, they are continuously inspired by the professional women in their sport, of whom the world has finally begun to recognize.

Staff Spotlight: Sophia Khikhlovskyy

Catherine Tassone

HC is so happy to welcome Sophia Khikhlovskyy to the Athletics Department, whose passion for sports goes above and beyond the classroom. 

When asked what she likes most about HC so far, she said it’s the community. Specifically, its dedication and energy to athletics. 鈥淔rom innovative facilities to programs that challenge students to grow in skill, teamwork and resilience, HC provides every opportunity for student athletes to shine. As a teacher, it鈥檚 inspiring to watch and support students as they push their limits, celebrate their victories and build confidence both on and off the field.鈥� She shared that Hockey Day is the event she鈥檚 anticipating the most this winter, noting, 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to experience the energy 蜜桃视频 brings to its athletes.鈥�

Ms. Khikhlovskyy鈥檚 favourite activities are playing pickleball and going for hikes, but her favourite sport to play and to coach is soccer. She is a big fan of the soccer player Tanya Boychuk, a proud Ukrainian-Canadian athlete who currently plays for the Montr茅al Roses. Before joining Montr茅al, Boychuk played college soccer at the University of Memphis, competed professionally in Iceland and, most recently, was called up to the Ukraine women鈥檚 national team. Aside from being known for her impressive celebration backflips on the field, Tanya Boychuk is a true inspiration. She is a role model for Ms. Khikhlovskyy, demonstrating how resilience, ambition and pride in your identity can make anything possible. 

Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

Hello Gators,

This past spring season was more wet, cold and windy than what we were used to, but we persevered and, as usual, had a great time representing the green and gold. 蜜桃视频 saw 24 teams take to the fields, pitches, diamonds and courts with more than 380 students playing on a sports team this spring. Even though it rained during most games, there were always smiles and laughs to be heard. Our annual staff vs. students softball game took place two weeks ago during lunch. The Senior Softball Team came out strong with big hits and perfect fielding. This team was determined to flip the script on the staff motto: 鈥渟taff don鈥檛 lose鈥� and win the coveted trophy. Congratulations to the team on their big win!聽

This spring 蜜桃视频 took home six CISAA championships in Softball (U14 and Junior), Ultimate (U14) and Track and Field (U13, U14 Overall, Novice 鈥� Grade 9). Congratulations to Anjola Hopkins (鈥�28), Victoria Ogunlaja (鈥�28) and Niahm Richards (鈥�28), who qualified at the OFSAA (provincial) championship in Track and Field! 

Our Rowers had one of their best seasons to date with more than 20 medals won over three regattas. Recently at the CSSRA鈥檚 (Canadian Nationals) in St. Catherines, the team took home first in JR 63kg 8+, third in Sr Women鈥檚 2, and second in Jr Women鈥檚 63kg 4+. The Sr. Women鈥檚 8 and Jr Women鈥檚 just missed the podium both by less than a second. 

On Tuesday, May 27, we celebrated all of our spring MVPs and Coaches Award recipients. The spring assembly provided the Athletics Department the chance to honour our most prestigious awards: Athletes of the Year and the Sonia Labatt Armstrong Sportsmanship Cup. Congratulations to Lucy Falconer, Middle School Athlete of the Year, Claire Hicks, Junior Athlete of the Year and Rachel Dirks, recipient of both the Suzanne Curtis Memorial Trophy (Senior Athlete of the Year). The Sonia Labatt Armstrong Sportsmanship Cup went to Maddy Evans. View the . Grads who participated in athletics over 80% of their time at 蜜桃视频 were also honoured (). Congratulations to all award winners! 

I would like to thank the teachers, staff and community members who spend time coaching at 蜜桃视频. We are truly blessed to have such dedicated and experienced coaches leading our teams. A huge shout out to Peyton, our Gator Zone editor, for all of your work this year. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge two of the most kind, funny, passionate, hard-working, green and gold in their blood people at 蜜桃视频: Kaya and Maddy. It was an absolute pleasure to watch you both lead SpoCo, support each other and continue to make 蜜桃视频 Athletics so special. 

Have a wonderful summer Gators and see you in September.

Ms. Di Filippo

Message from the Junior School Athletic Director

Ms. Anna Bartlett

Athletic excellence soared to new heights this spring as 蜜桃视频 students demonstrated exceptional skill, determination and sportsmanship across multiple disciplines!

For the first time in the Junior School, we had co-ed teams as 蜜桃视频 joined with Crescent School to form two highly successful Havercrest U12 Ultimate Teams.

The U12 Softball Team had quite the season with a depth of seriously trained pitchers. They demonstrated exceptional teamwork and determination, improving steadily throughout the season and showcasing impressive skills in every game.

Our Track and Field athletes achieved remarkable results at the CISAA Championships. In Grade 5, Charlotte Goldthorpe broke a CISAA record by running the 200m in just 30.73 seconds! Charlotte and Halle came first and second in the 400m, while Brooke claimed first in high jump. The U11 Relay Team secured a victory! In Grade 6, Clara and Abby placed first and second in high jump, while Carol, Arianna and Celine swept the podium in U12 Discus.

The U10 and U9 Basketball/Soccer Squads showed tremendous growth this season, developing fundamental skills in both sports. Our youngest athletes in the U8 MultiSport Squad enthusiastically explored various activities, building a strong foundation for future athletic endeavors.

As we celebrate these remarkable achievements, we look forward to carrying this momentum of excellence, teamwork and 蜜桃视频 spirit into the upcoming school year!

Ms. Bartlett

A Message from the Student Editor

Peyton Furgiuele

This year at 蜜桃视频 has been filled with exciting games, team bonding and many memories. I have had the joy of helping to share just some of the stories from our athletics. The spring season is one of my favorites at HC because everyone is so eager to get outside and play the sports they love. Whether it is the Softball Team on the pitch or the Rowers on the water, people come alive when the spring sports commence. It鈥檚 been amazing to see the joy that sport continues to bring to our community.

I want to give a huge thank-you to Ms. D. for all she gives to athletics at 蜜桃视频. She always goes above and beyond and we would not have the opportunities we do without her. As well, thank you to our incredible Sports Prefects, Maddy and Kaya, for the leadership and heart they鈥檝e poured into 蜜桃视频 Athletics this year. Their commitment to building an inclusive, empowering and spirited environment has made such a meaningful impact, especially for young women discovering their strength and confidence through sport.

To all of the athletes, thank you for showing up and working together to accomplish your goals; you鈥檝e created memories that will last far beyond this season. And finally to our Gator Zone writers: thank you for capturing those stories with creativity and enthusiasm. You鈥檝e helped communicate these stories so our community can see what 蜜桃视频 has to offer.

As we wrap up the spring season, I hope this edition of the Gator Zone gives you a chance to reflect, celebrate and feel proud of what we鈥檝e accomplished together. Every story or anecdote I’ve heard about the incredible female athletes at 蜜桃视频 has truly made me even more proud to be a Gator. I can鈥檛 wait to see what鈥檚 next.

Go Gators!

Peyton

Message from the Sports Prefects

Maddy & Kaya

It鈥檚 hard to believe the school year is already coming to a close and, with it, another incredible chapter of 蜜桃视频 Athletics is over. As we wrap up our final edition of Gator Zone, we鈥檙e so excited to celebrate a fantastic spring season filled with sunshine, school spirit and standout performances.

At the start of the year, we set a clear goal: to make everyone at HC feel comfortable joining a sports team and embracing their inner athlete. We wanted 蜜桃视频 Athletics to be a space where every student could discover their passion, feel empowered and find a sense of belonging through sport. We鈥檙e proud to say we鈥檝e made meaningful strides toward that vision.

Events like Gator Days, our daily Instagram content and Athlete of the Week have all helped strengthen the HC spirit. These moments didn鈥檛 just celebrate athletic accomplishments, they brought us closer together as a community. One of our favourite additions this year was our Gators Do Anything segment, which encouraged students to try new sports, even if they didn鈥檛 feel 鈥済ood enough.鈥� The feedback has been amazing and we hope to see it grow on Instagram even more in the years ahead.

Thank you to every student who participated in, or supported, 蜜桃视频 Athletics. Your energy, encouragement and enthusiasm helped build a culture that鈥檚 welcoming, spirited and truly one of a kind. We also want to recognize the people who make athletics at 蜜桃视频 possible: our amazing coaches. Not only do they show up every day, but they also bring energy, dedication and heart to everything they do. Their constant support and belief in us as athletes mean more than we can put into words. We are so grateful for everything they do.

A huge thank you as well to Ms. D., our incredible Director of Athletics. You pour your heart and soul into this role, working tirelessly behind the scenes with contagious energy and care. You juggle it all while making sure everything runs smoothly 鈥� 蜜桃视频 simply wouldn鈥檛 be the same without you. We are so lucky to have you as a mentor and role model!

We also want to thank Erin for keeping everything organized behind the scenes and helping us stay healthy and supported. Thank you both so, so much!

And finally, a massive shoutout to the Sports Council! Without you, none of our events would have been possible. From athletic assemblies to Gator Days to Hockey Day, your hard work brought the vibes and made every moment unforgettable, even when it meant showing up early and putting in extra hours. This year鈥檚 council was truly something special; we鈥檙e beyond grateful for all the laughs, memories and dedication you brought to the table.

Thank you, 蜜桃视频, for giving us the experience of a lifetime and making this year so meaningful. We know 蜜桃视频 Athletics will continue to grow and thrive, and we can鈥檛 wait to see what鈥檚 next.

Thank you 蜜桃视频, we love you!

Maddy and Kaya

The Spirit of the Game

Audrea Au-Provonost & Callie Slightham

Spring is always a wonderful time: the snow starts melting, the flowers start to bloom and, best of all, it鈥檚 the beginning of Ultimate (Frisbee) season! Ultimate stands out as more than just a game; it’s a unique blend of athleticism, teamwork and spirit. Ultimate is an unconventional sport that combines elements of Frisbee, handball and football, with the goal of reaching an end zone.

It鈥檚 also the only sport that 蜜桃视频 participates in with Crescent School, forming Havercrest. This sport helps build bonds between schools and fosters a sense of community. A special feature of Ultimate is that there are no referees. The game relies on the sportsmanship and integrity of its players, and each team completes a survey at the end of the game to rank the other team on spirit and quality of play. Teams also select a player from the other team to receive the 鈥淪pirit Award鈥� for the game. This feature helps create a culture of mutual respect and fair competition, which sets Ultimate apart from many other team sports.

蜜桃视频 was one of the first schools to participate in the Ultimate league and the program has grown significantly over the years, expanding into Division 1 and Division 2 teams due to the number of students eager to play. We currently have two U14 Teams, one U16 Team, and both a Division 1 and Division 2 U20 Team. Havercrest is fortunate to have Ultimate coaches who have been involved with Team Canada. The U16 Team coach, Brittany Dos Santos, is a player on Team Canada, and the D1 U20 coach, Ms. D., has been one of the team鈥檚 Head Coaches and is the Senior Team & World Games Program Advisor for Team Canada for 2025. 

This season, Havercrest faced fierce competition from other COSSOT schools, making the games even more exciting and challenging. The highlight of this Ultimate season was Havercrest鈥檚 two U14 Teams facing each other in the finals, securing a first and second place medal. 

Ultimate has become more than just a spring sport at 蜜桃视频, it鈥檚 a tradition that brings students together and pushes players to grow both on and off the field. With dedicated coaches, a strong team spirit and a culture rooted in respect and collaboration, the Havercrest Ultimate Teams continue to thrive. Here’s to another successful season and many more to come.

蜜桃视频 Pride on Wheels

Kiana Kay & Jordy Meyerowitz

蜜桃视频 had an impressive new addition to the Athletics Department this year and it was the infamous Gator Bus. There鈥檚 something about the new Gator Bus that just feels right. It鈥檚 bold, green and full of HC pride as it rolls down Avenue Road; a true symbol of 蜜桃视频 spirit on wheels. Whether it’s heading to a hockey game or picking up the Ultimate team, it carries more than just athletes: it carries our pride.

The first time you see it, you can鈥檛 help but smile. It鈥檚 loud, it鈥檚 spirited and it鈥檚 everything HC stands for. With the Gator across the side and our green and gold shining bright, it turns every away game into a statement: 蜜桃视频 came to win.

What makes it even better is how it brings us together. It doesn鈥檛 matter if you鈥檙e on the team or cheering from the stands, when that bus drives by, we all feel a little more connected, a little more proud. It鈥檚 not just about the game, it鈥檚 about showing up, representing our school and doing it with heart. The school is constantly getting messages from people in the community that has a Gator Bus spotting all around the city, truly exemplifying the bond the 蜜桃视频 has through its spirit and athletics

The Gator Bus is more than just a ride: it鈥檚 a reminder of our strength, our energy and our community. ROLL GATORS!

Staff Spotlight: Mr. Nichols

Peyton Price & Marlowe Herman

The annual student-staff softball game brought energy, laughter and a healthy dose of competition to Ratcliffe Field. One of the standout members of the staff team was Mr. Nichols, who is a long-standing coach at 蜜桃视频. With early experience coaching youth baseball, he developed a deep appreciation for the teamwork, skill and passion that this sport demands. He鈥檚 drawn to how softball blends individual moments of excellence with the cohesion of team play, and loves the poetic unpredictability of a game that starts with the ball in the defence鈥檚 hands. Mr. Nichols has always been a strong advocate for the growth of women鈥檚 sports and has dedicated countless hours to guiding our outstanding 蜜桃视频 athletes to success.

During the game, many of Mr. Nichols’ former players took the field for the student team, showcasing the talent and determination he helped nurture. After a tough battle, and many years of staff defeat, the students rose up and took the win. Highlights included standout pitching from Peyton and Sadie, strong plays at first base by Catherine and excellent fielding from Kate. One of the most unforgettable moments came when Mia hit a walk-off home run, proving that sometimes the staff DO lose. The game was not without fun and unexpected moments, like when Ms. Jean-Paul overran second base and the original call was overturned. While there may have been complaints about the ump鈥檚 (Ms. D) bias, the students kept fighting and came out victorious. In his final year at 蜜桃视频, the loss may have stung, but for Mr. Nichols the true reward was seeing the students he mentored grow into confident athletes and leaders. Coaches and mentors like him make softball more than just a game.

#厂迟耻诲别苍迟蝉顿辞苍鈥檛尝辞蝉别

Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

Hello Gators,

蜜桃视频鈥檚 winter athletic season has come to a successful close, marked by outstanding performances and improvement in skill, dedication to practices and teamwork across all levels. Our student-athletes showcased a true joy for being active, a competitive spirit and pride in reppin鈥� the green and gold.

This winter the school won an impressive nine CISAA Championships. Our swimmers dominated the pool at all age groups with many senior swimmers qualifying for the OFSAA provincial championships. Our volleyball teams showed impressive perseverance to win three volleyball championships. One of our newest teams, the U20 D2 Hockey Team, won their first CISAA hockey championship for the school. This young group of athletes often played teams much older than them. After finishing with a silver for the last two years, the team worked hard each practice and played with impressive teamwork to beat Country Day School 5-4 to win the finals. 

Finally, I would like to give a shout out to our newly formed U14 Curling Team and their coaches. It was a treat to watch this young group learn this iconic Canadian sport! 

A big thank you to the more than 425 students who played on 28 winter teams. The best part of 蜜桃视频 Athletics is that trying, playing and competing is woven into the everyday fabric of the school. Sport is for everyone. Thanks must go out to Kaya and Maddy, our Sports Prefects, and the Sports Council for all their hard work this season, especially Hockey Day (our most favourite day of the year). Although we lost in overtime, what holds true year after year is that we love 蜜桃视频 regardless, we have the VERY best spirit and it is a privilege to have this amazing rivalry. 

Finally, I must thank our amazing HC coaches. Our coaches go beyond teaching the technical aspects of a sport; they serve as mentors, motivators and role models who contribute significantly to the overall development of our students. Thank you, coaches, for your time, passion and support of our athletes. 

I look forward to some sunshine in the upcoming spring season!

Ms. D

Message from the Junior School Athletic Director

Ms. Anna Bartlett

With Intramurals, Squads, Squad Teams and Teams in full swing, the Junior School students are staying active and engaged during these winter months.

The Junior School Athletics Program continues to grow, with an impressive 11 Volleyball Teams and 94 players from Grade 4 to 6 participating this season, which sets a new record for our school! This remarkable number of participants remains the highest in the CISAA, showcasing our students’ enthusiasm for the sport.

Our athletes made a splash at the swim championships, with the women’s team claiming the overall championship title 鈥� a testament to their dedication and hard work in the pool.

The U12 Hockey Team proudly represented 蜜桃视频 on Hockey Day, taking to the ice in front of a crowd of more than 1,500 spectators. The excitement and school spirit were palpable throughout the event.

The sounds of joy continue to echo through our gyms during recess periods, with intramural activities keeping our Grade 1 to 6 students active and engaged. Our Grade 6 leaders have done an outstanding job organizing and leading these sessions, where students enjoy everything from benchball to invasion games while developing their athletic skills.

Looking ahead to spring, our Athletic Program continues to thrive. This year brings an exciting development as our U12 Ultimate Team joins forces with Crescent School to compete in a co-ed format. Students will also have opportunities to participate in U12 Softball, and our robust Track and Field Team athletes will be ready to compete. Multisport and Basketball/Soccer Squads will continue to keep our younger grades active and engaged. The dedication, enthusiasm and growing participation in our Athletic Programs demonstrate how our Junior School students embody the spirit of active, healthy living while building lasting friendships and memories on the courts, fields and ice.

Go Gators! 

Ms. Bartlett

A Message from the Student Editor

Peyton Furgiuele

As the winter sports season wraps up, I want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible strength, dedication and passion of our 蜜桃视频 athletes. This season was not just about competition, it was about resilience, teamwork and the unwavering spirit that defines what it means to be a Gator. From the courts to the ice, the pool to the curling rink, our student athletes gave their all, proving that sports at 蜜桃视频 is about more than just winning, it鈥檚 about community, perseverance and pride.

This winter, 蜜桃视频 secured an incredible nine CISAA Championships, a testament to the talent and hard work of our athletes and coaches. Beyond the victories, what truly stands out is the energy and enthusiasm that each Gator brought to their sport. Whether it was an early morning practice, a hard-fought match or cheering on teammates from the sidelines, our students embodied what it means to be part of something bigger than themselves.

As we celebrate this season, we also recognize the importance of women in sports and the role that athletics play in empowering young women. With International Women鈥檚 Day being recognized in this sports season, it鈥檚 a perfect time to acknowledge the trailblazers who came before us and the athletes who continue to push boundaries and redefine what is possible. At 蜜桃视频, we are not just participants in sport, we are leaders, competitors and changemakers. Every game we play and every challenge we take on is another step forward in breaking barriers and inspiring future generations.

Thank you to our athletes, coaches and supporters for making this season unforgettable. Your dedication and spirit of the game truly shine green and gold representing why 蜜桃视频 is so special. Thank you to the power of sport, the strength of our community and the bright future ahead.

ROLL GATORS!

Peyton

Message from the Sports Prefects

Maddy & Kaya

Hey Gators!  

We can鈥檛 believe the winter season has come to an end. It鈥檚 wild to think we only have the spring season left before the school year is over! While we’re sad to say goodbye to winter sports, we鈥檙e incredibly proud of everything that was accomplished and we can’t wait to celebrate everyone鈥檚 achievements. Whether on the court, ice or trails, this term was nothing short of amazing!  

We鈥檝e continued to highlight our incredible athletes through Athlete of the Week on our Instagram, . This initiative recognizes students in Grades 7 to 12 for their outstanding performance, commitment and leadership in sports!  

Our intramural competitions thrived this term! Whether it was grade-level battles or House competitions, the Gators never failed to bring energy and spirit. During Spirit Week, we held a bench ball tournament, where students and staff faced off in an epic showdown. Our House intramurals were also a huge success, featuring Jumbo Volleyball and Extreme Racing, where every House showed up ready to compete and cheer on their peers!  

After the December break, we hosted our second Gator Day of the year, where the U20 Volleyball Team put on an incredible game. The turnout in the stands was a true testament to HC鈥檚 unwavering school spirit and support!  

Of course, no winter season is complete without Hockey Day, and this year鈥檚 event did not disappoint. 蜜桃视频 and BSS battled it out in a thrilling game, with HC just falling short in a shootout. But no matter the outcome, the 蜜桃视频 community showed up in full force, cheering louder than ever. Mattamy Arena was flooded with green and gold, proving once again that this tradition is a powerful celebration of women in sport. The incredible support will stay with the team forever and serves as a reminder that HC is truly one big family.  

Now that we鈥檙e two-thirds of the way through the year, it鈥檚 time to get excited for the spring season! We know this final term will be just as unforgettable and we can鈥檛 wait to see what鈥檚 in store.  

Your Sport Prefects,

Maddy and Kaya

U13 Gators Shine in an Unforgettable Season

Peyton Price & Ainsley Nichols

The U13 Basketball Team had a fantastic season. They developed their skills and teamwork both on and off the court. The season came to a memorable end when they had the amazing opportunity to attend the Winnipeg CAIS tournament. 

One of the team鈥檚 most memorable moments from their trip was playing the home team with a full crowd cheering in the stands. The hard fought game had the spectators at the edge of their seats while the team persevered, stayed focused and built up their lead to win the game. Two members of the team, Maddie and Saachi, were dominant throughout the tournament and ended up winning the skills competition! The team鈥檚 hard work and collaboration paid off, winning them the Division II Championship! 

Our Gators also had a great time outside of the tournament, where they spent time at The Forks for some amazing food and shopping, and visited the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. They also spent an evening at the Rec Room arcade, which proved to be a great bonding experience for everyone.

Our U13s brought energy, enthusiasm, commitment and HC pride to every single one of their games. We are so proud of them. The future of 蜜桃视频 basketball is in great hands. 

Undefeated: U20 Badminton 2025 Season

Hanna Smith & Isabel Snare

The U20 Badminton Team has been smashing their way to success this year, and have not only been crowned CISAA champions but have also ended the 2025 season undefeated.

The team got off to an unconventional start this winter, unexpectedly falling short of Grade 11 and 12 students to complete their roster. However, by bringing up some exceptional Grade 9 and 10 players to join them, the team quickly began to blaze their way through the competition. For many players, the CISAA finals was the most memorable match of all, a hard-fought battle against Branksome Hall that determined which team got to bring home gold. Ultimately, the score came down to the outcome of a single seat with 蜜桃视频 emerging victorious.

According to Helen Cao, a Grade 11 student, the team鈥檚 success is largely owed to the support of their coaches, Ms. Lau and Coach Lau. Helen, now in her second year of having them as coaches, says, 鈥淭hey are amazing! I feel our coaches really care about us and push all of us to keep improving. They watch each of our games closely, give feedback and run drills that are so tiring but so helpful.鈥� She also cites 鈥渢eam spirit鈥� as being a big contributor to each of their wins. In Helen鈥檚 experience, 鈥渨hen you have good chemistry with your partner, you perform better.鈥�

Overall, this season the U20 Badminton Team has definitely demonstrated the skill, grit and teamwork that define a 蜜桃视频 sports team. Don鈥檛 forget to 鈥渟erve up鈥� a congratulations next time you see a player walking the halls!

Hockey Day 2025: A Game to Remember

Jordy Meyerowitz & Kiana Kay

Hockey Day is one of those events that makes us extra proud to be a Gators. It鈥檚 not just about the score, or even the game itself, but when 蜜桃视频 walks into Mattamy Arena, the energy is unmatched. This year鈥檚 Hockey Day had everyone on the edge of their seats, from our spirited crowd in the arena to community members cheering from their homes, every Gator played a huge part in making this day magical. 

Our Varsity Team came out strong from the first puck drop, ready for a fierce fight, setting the tone early by scoring a goal in the first period. Bishop Strachan School (BSS) responded quickly, tying it up, but our Gators didn鈥檛 back down. During the first period break, our amazing Junior Hockey Team took to the ice. They fought hard and dominated their match against BSS with a 5-1 victory. With that momentum, our Varsity Team came out ready for the second period, scoring an amazing goal. BSS responded quickly by tying up the game, but our Gators didn鈥檛 back down. The team fought hard, reclaiming the lead and firing up our crowd before BSS managed to slip in one more goal, pushing the game into an intense shootout. The tension was growing with each player who took their shot, while everyone in the arena held their breath. In a nail biting, five round of shootouts, BSS secured the Hewitt Cup. However, our HC pride shone brighter than ever, reminding us that it’s not about the result, but the energy and spirit we bring to the ice. From the sea of green and gold, to the cheers that echoed through the arena, Hockey Day once again proved why it鈥檚 such an integral part of every Gator鈥檚 experience. To our incredible HC team, you left it all out on the ice and we couldn鈥檛 be prouder. To the Gators who showed up in their face paint and loud outfits and cheered until they couldn鈥檛 anymore, thank you for creating a community where we all belong. We can鈥檛 wait to see what happens next year, and are so excited to watch this tradition grow.

An Inside Look at Daniella Ponticelli鈥檚 Rise in Sports Broadcasting

Sarah McQuillen Younge & Sophia Liu

Anyone who tuned in to the from Mattamy Arena had the opportunity to hear one of the newest voices in sports commentating, Daniella Ponticelli, as the game鈥檚 announcer.

From calling roller derby to the announcing for the Professional Women鈥檚 Hockey League (PWHL), Ponticelli turned her passion into a profession. Her love for commentating began in 2016 with her desire to share the sport of roller derby with a wider audience because she loves how the sport unites communities and uplifts athletes. Ponticelli found creative ways to share the sport, including by streaming games on Twitch to showcase the intensity of the sport.

She first felt the 鈥渂ug to be around live sports鈥� in 2018, with her coverage of a professional lacrosse team. When the pandemic hit, she thought that her career in sports had reached its end. However, at that time, the University of Saskatchewan decided to launch a new platform to cover their hockey teams, and were in search of a female announcer to cover the women’s team. Despite never playing hockey herself and not being as familiar with the sport, Poticelli took a leap of faith and began covering hockey. For the first time in university sports history, a private radio company provided full-season coverage for a women鈥檚 team, rather than just for select games. After one month, Ponticelli quit her full time job to pursue her passion for calling hockey full time. After building up experience commentating for men鈥檚 hockey as well as football, Ponticelli is now calling games at the biggest stage for women’s hockey: the PWHL! 

Although this is only the second year of the PWHL, the professional women鈥檚 hockey league has become a beacon for players, coaches, staff and fans. The league has set a new standard, proving what is possible and showcasing the incredible talent, hard work and dedication of women in sport. The league鈥檚 rapid growth and excitement is paving the way for young girls in hockey, leading to increased participation in the sport and a clear development path. Ponticilli highlights the PWHL鈥檚 strong sense of community and dedicated network of people working to grow and elevate the league. She emphasizes the significance and power in amplifying female voices in a male-dominated industry, acknowledging the privilege of using her own voice to showcase the players鈥� talent.

Ponticelli reflects on her coverage of the Hockey Day live stream, noting that the event serves as a powerful reflection of hockey鈥檚 growth and its connection to the larger stage. She says that being a part of such a longstanding tradition and sharing the excitement with both schools was truly special. The spirit and energy was unrivaled, and witnessing the support and love from the community was inspiring. 

Reflecting on her journey as a commentator, Ponticelli offers a powerful piece of advice: if something keeps calling to you, take the leap and trust yourself. Embrace the process and know that every step, even the uncomfortable ones, leads to growth. 

Staff Spotlight: Curling Coaches Ms. Koekkoek and Ms. Dow

Carol Rong & Marlowe Herman

Ms. Koekkoek and Ms. Dow play pivotal roles in the 蜜桃视频 community as the Vice Principal of Student Life & Wellbeing and the Admission Coordinator, respectively. Beyond ensuring student wellbeing and admitting new students, they are also the coaches of this year鈥檚 new U14 Curling Team! 

Growing up, both coaches participated in sports 鈥� Ms. Dow ran cross country and track, while Ms. Koekkoek played a lot of softball. Now, Ms. Koekkoek enjoys hikes in nature and Ms. Dow recently joined a spikeball league to 鈥渢ry something new.鈥� Having an active background naturally led them to say 鈥渉eck ya鈥� when Ms. D asked them to consider coaching the all-new U14 Curling Team. The two coaches couldn鈥檛 wait and even bought curling socks! Ms. Koekkoek readily brought her experiences from coaching rugby and a 鈥淟earn to curl program鈥� while Ms. Dow became an HC athletics coach for the first time. 

After a great first season that included amazing bonspiels (curling tournaments), the two coaches share that they believe curling is 鈥渁 fantastic sport for any level of athlete to enjoy 鈥� even those who don鈥檛 consider themselves athletic.鈥� They truly value the sport for its  鈥済ood combination of mental strategy with physicality.鈥� However, it was the regular weekly practices and getting to know the fabulous group of student-athletes that stood out to the coaches and made them passionate about this sport. On behalf of these coaches, a big shout out to the best U14 curlers: Yolanda, Lily, Liv, Emma, Jessie, Ruhee, Gyu Ri, Avery, Lora, Sadie and Keira! 鈥溾�楬urry hard!鈥� and join the sport,鈥� the coaches remark! 

Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

Hello Gators!

The fall Athletic Program at 蜜桃视频 was a vibrant display of talent, teamwork and enthusiasm. It was truly inspiring to watch so many students (all 439 of them) engage in various sports鈥攆rom soccer to swimming to field hockey鈥攁s they showcased their skills, dedication and support for their teammates. The thrill of competition filled the air at every game, every meet and on the trails with athletes pushing themselves to excel, while fostering a love for physical activity. 

As much as games and final races are exciting, the journey of growth through practices is a highlight. Practices were a testament to hard work and improvement, where athletes honed their techniques and built resilience. This supportive environment not only enhanced individual and team performance, but also strengthened bonds among the athletes, further creating a close-knit community within our ivy walls.

Our amazing coaches played a crucial role in this journey, guiding students with expertise and encouragement. They instil a love for the game while emphasizing the importance of sportsmanship and perseverance. Thank you to all of our coaches for making the athlete experience so exceptional at 蜜桃视频. I would also like to thank Sports Prefects Maddy and Kaya on their spirit-filled start to the school year, as well as the Sports Council for their passion for all things Gator! 

Shout out to our U14 Cross Country, U14 Field Hockey, U16 Soccer and the U20 Swim Teams on their CISAA championship wins! And our swimmers were once again Bishop’s Cup champions! We also had many silver and bronze results. The fall Athletic Program was a remarkable celebration of the love of sport and the joy of being active and being a part of a team. We are excited to head into the winter term for more Gator action! 

Ms. D

Junior School Fall 2024 Athletics Highlights

Ms. Anna Bartlett, JS Athletic Director

This fall our athletes soared, driven by passion and commitment. Their dedication is not just in building skills, but also in developing confidence so they are motivated to participate. 

Cross Country Triumphs
With over 125 runners, our U9 and U12 Teams excelled. The U9 Fun Run was joyful with 330 participants from local schools. The U11 Team celebrated multiple top-15 finishes. Special kudos to Halle Lamb (first place), Alyssa Rizvi (second place) and Emily Ke (third place) for sweeping the podium! 

Swimming Victories
Our largest U12 Swim Team yet embraced competition, proudly winning the Bishop’s Cup. Their teamwork and courage were truly inspiring.

Basketball Growth
Our Basketball Teams, from Grades 4 to 6, showed remarkable progress. U10s celebrated their first layups, while U11s honed their skills in rebounds and defence. Our two U12 Teams should be congratulated as they were the champions on the final day of play. 

Soccer Joy
The U9 Soccer Team embraced learning with enthusiasm, while the U12 Teams worked together seamlessly, setting each other up for success. This was the first year of U10 girls soccer in the CISAA and our team represented 蜜桃视频 with pride. 

Looking Ahead
I am incredibly proud of our athletes’ spirit and am honoured to work with coaches dedicated to nurturing their growth. I am looking forward to watching our Winter Season Teams in action. Registration is open until Monday, November 18. All team details can be found in the JS Athletics Schedule.

Ms. Bartlett

A Message from the Student Editor

Peyton Furgiuele

Hello Gators, I can鈥檛 wait for you all to read the fall 2024-25 Gator Zone newsletter!

I am beyond excited to commence this school year as your Gator Zone Student Editor; what a great opportunity to be part of an amazing community. Athletics at 蜜桃视频 is something so unique; the team connection, support and spirit that I鈥檝e seen and experienced is something I know I will always be grateful for and I hope you feel the same. I want to thank the entirety of the Athletics Department for their ongoing efforts to keep sports alive and thriving at 蜜桃视频. Of course a big shout out must go to this year’s Sports Prefects, Maddy and Kaya, for everything they do. The Athletic Program at 蜜桃视频 would not be as successful or have the impact it does on all of us without the dedication of the Gators working in the background.

I hope that this season’s Gator Zone will give you a glimpse into what our Gators have been accomplishing throughout the fall, and trust me they did a lot! Our team of writers brainstormed, researched and held interviews to get all of the details on this impressive athletic season. From out-of-province intense soccer matches, to empowering females in sport with tournaments in downtown Toronto, 蜜桃视频 really covered it all. Congratulations to every athlete who contributed to our sports community; your effort does not go unnoticed. 

As well, a big thank you to Ms. Di Filippo, Ms. Bartlett, Ms. Pink and all our Gator Zone writers, some of whom participated in the sports they reported on. Great job team!

Though I鈥檓 sad to see these fun fall sports come to a close, I can鈥檛 wait for our Gators to jump into the winter season with full force and exceed our expectations once again! Get out there, Gators, let’s see what you can do and the Gator Zone will be back at the end of the winter season to tell the rest of the community.

Peyton

Gators Are In the Zone: A Message from the Sports Prefects

Maddy & Kaya

Hey Gators! Athletics this year couldn’t be off to a better start: in just one term we have had so many notable accomplishments. The excitement and energy our Gators brought every time they touched the field or court was unmatched. The spirit brought by our athletes and all of their amazing supporters is what makes HC like no other. We hosted a Gator Day this October for our Varsity Basketball Team and the crowd went above and beyond with their signs and cheering. The Double Gym was flooded with green and gold; not only did the Gators take the dub, but their 蜜桃视频 spirit was also through the roof! Additionally, this year we have decided to continue nominating an Athlete of the Week. Every week, people get the chance to nominate an athlete from Grades 7 to 12; the person with the most nominations is posted on the Instagram the following week. Athlete of the Week has been a huge success as it not only highlights our amazing athletes, but it also enhances the community and support already established in 蜜桃视频 athletics.

Although the fall season hasn鈥檛 completely come to an end, we would like to acknowledge some of the sports teams that have finished their season. A special congratulations to the athletes on our U14 Cross Country Team for taking home gold at the CISAA finals! Additionally, our U20 Soccer Team won silver at the CAIS tournament in Quebec. In early October, we had five Gators compete at the Head of the Charles regatta in Boston, Massachusetts. They rowed strongly, resulting in them placing 31st out of 90 boats! A huge congratulations goes out to all of the athletes who participated and represented 蜜桃视频 in their respective sports.

This fall, we had this year’s kick-start to House Intramurals. Gators from all 10 Houses participated in benchball and tail tag, encouraging even more students to get active! Every House came with spirit and the players were ready to win! Seeing everyone so passionate about representing their House and coming together is something really special at 蜜桃视频.

Finally, we want to congratulate and recognize everyone who tried out or participated in a fall sports team. Being on a 蜜桃视频 team is an experience like no other: the friendships and memories you create will never leave you. Let鈥檚 get excited and bring this spirit into the winter athletic season. We can鈥檛 wait to see all of your hard work and energy in the next two seasons.

Go Gators!

Your Sport Prefects,

Maddy and Kaya

The Fight to the Finals鈥擴20 Soccer at CAIS 2024

Jordy Meyerowitz & Sarah McQuillen Young

With a roster of just 14 players, 蜜桃视频鈥檚 U20 Soccer Team travelled to Stanstead College in Quebec to compete in the CAIS tournament. Not only were the Gators playing with a short bench, but the team also consisted of almost half Grade 9 and 10 players who came to help the Varsity Team! The tournament, which featured independent schools from across Canada, was not prepared for our Gator spirit.

蜜桃视频 faced a tough first day, going up against Bishop Strachan School (BSS) and Halifax Grammar School (HGS). Despite challenging matchups, our Gators fought hard, defeating BSS 2-1 and ending up with a 1-1 draw against HGS.

Fueled by a competitive start, the team entered day two with confidence, securing a 2-0 victory over Coll猫ge de L茅vis. 蜜桃视频 closed the round-robin stage with another 2-0 win against Hillfield Strathallan School, earning a well-deserved spot in the semi-finals.

On day three our Gators played with intensity, winning 3-0 against Sacred Hearts School Montreal and advancing 蜜桃视频 to the finals! The stage was set for a rematch with Lower Canada College, the same team 蜜桃视频 defeated in last year鈥檚 CAIS finals. Knowing they had to bring their best, our Gators played a physical and hard-fought 70 minutes, ending the tournament in second place.

Although the result wasn鈥檛 what we hoped for, the tournament allowed the team to grow and learn how to support one another. Every player contributed, from the rock-solid defenders and aggressive midfielders to our powerful strikers. With a brand new roster, our Gators quickly bonded and played to each other’s strengths, creating friendships to last well beyond the end of the season.

Great job, Gators! We鈥檙e so proud of you and can鈥檛 wait to see what next year brings!

The University of Toronto Jamboree

Mira Ghai & Sabrina Khan

September 20 marked an unforgettable day for the D1 U16 Basketball Team after an undefeated success at the University of Toronto Jamboree! This was an amazing way to set the tone for the season. It gave a glimpse of the positive future that lay ahead for the team. Gators left with well-deserved shiny gold medals, as a symbol of their hard work, effort and dedication. Although this tournament marked the first games of the season, 鈥淥ur team instantly had good chemistry,鈥� described Coach Sarah. The team鈥檚 spirit was stronger than ever, fuelled by constant encouragement from every teammate on the court and off, building an energy that made the Gators all feel unstoppable. 

Not only did 蜜桃视频 dominate the competition, but this tournament also served as a unique opportunity to see other female role models in sports. The enthusiastic referees were none other than the roster of the UofT women’s basketball team! In today’s world, female representation in sports is more impactful than ever and, as Coach Sarah puts it: 鈥淪uccessful female athletes can inspire young girls to pursue their athletic dreams.鈥� Seeing other talented women in sports supporting ambitious athletes creates a promising future for the next generation of girls; especially our impressive 蜜桃视频 students! 

Congratulations on your amazing achievements, Gators!

蜜桃视频 Coaches Shine on the World Stage: Inside Ms. D鈥檚 Ultimate Championship Experience

Audrea Au-Pronovost & Callie Slightham

This past August, two 蜜桃视频 staff travelled 19 hours to participate in the 2024 World Ultimate Championship in Australia. Ultimate is a big sport at 蜜桃视频 and we are incredibly fortunate to have two amazing coaches who are a part of the National Team themselves: Ms. Dos Santos, who coaches the U16 Ultimate Team, and Ms. D, who coaches the U20 Ultimate Team and is the head coach of the Women’s National Team. We are so fortunate to have a national coach here at HC, so we interviewed Ms. D to gain insight into what the tournament was like from her perspective. Ms. D called it a 鈥渙nce-in-a-lifetime experience.鈥� She mentioned how amazing it was to represent Canada. The women’s team ended up coming fourth in the tournament, and while it was hard to end the tournament on a loss, Canada beat big teams like Germany to make it to the bronze medal game. 

Ms. D became a coach at a time when there were very few female coaches in Canada and she has carried on empowering young women as her career as a coach has flourished. Overall, students at 蜜桃视频 are so fortunate to have a number of impressive female coaches to learn from and be mentored by, which embodies our school mission of preparing young women to make a difference. 

Staff Highlight: Erin Krausz

Ava Singer & Grace White

蜜桃视频 is so excited to welcome Erin Krausz, our new Athletic Therapist, to the community! Erin discovered her passion for athletic therapy during her second-last year at the University of Guelph while studying human kinetics. Her journey began with a humorous turn of events when she accidentally signed up as a student therapist for her school rugby team. In that role, she learned more about the field from a Sheridan College student, which sparked her interest in pursuing a career in athletic therapy. Afterward, Erin studied athletic therapy at Sheridan College. 

Growing up, Erin played hockey and soccer, which kept her intrigued about the human body, especially as she dealt with various injuries herself. Before joining 蜜桃视频, she gained valuable experience working at a clinic and with national, professional and junior sports teams like rugby and football.

When asked what she likes most about 蜜桃视频, Erin emphasized her appreciation for the community. She enjoys being a part of the large number of sports teams at 蜜桃视频, working with students of various ages and building connections with athletes in both group settings and one-on-one interactions. We are thrilled to have Erin as part of our Athletic Program and we look forward to the positive impact her expertise will have on our students and teams!

Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

Hello Gators,

The spring athletics season at 蜜桃视频 has been a remarkable showcase of talent, dedication and sportsmanship. Our athletes have demonstrated talent across various sports, bringing pride and honour to our school. From all sporting arenas, 蜜桃视频’s students have excelled, showing not only their physical abilities but also their commitment to their teams and the spirit of competition.

This spring 蜜桃视频 took home five CISAA championships in ultimate, tennis, rugby and track and field. Our Senior Ultimate Team had their best result to date, taking home the provincial bronze at the OFSAA championships. Best of luck to the Soccer Team as they compete from June 6 to 8 at the OFSAA (provincial) championship. Congratulations to our Rowing Team, who competed at CSSRA championships (aka high school national championships) in St. Catharines on the weekend of May 31 to June 2. The team came home with two bronze and one silver! The success of our athletes is not just measured in medals and trophies, but also in the inspiration they provide to their peers and the broader community. They exemplify the strength, resilience and leadership that girls and women bring to the world of sports.

On Tuesday, May 28, we celebrated all of our spring MVPs and Coaches Award recipients. The spring Athletics Assembly provided the Athletics Department with the chance to honour our most prestigious awards: Athletes of the Year and the Sonia Labatt Armstrong Sportsmanship Cup. Congratulations to Naio Martin, Middle School Athlete of the Year; Maria Annibale, Junior Athlete of the Year; and Scarlett Nowakowski, recipient of both the Suzanne Curtis Memorial Trophy (Senior Athlete of the Year). The Sonia Labatt Armstrong Sportsmanship Cup went to Kaitlyn Windover. and .

Congratulations to all of this year鈥檚 award winners! 

Our athletes’ accomplishments this season would not have been possible without the commitment and passion of their coaches. The dedication and expertise of our coaching staff have been instrumental in honing the skills and boosting the confidence of our students. A huge shout out to Nicole, Gator Zone Student Editor, for all of your work this year. Your gentle nudges to meet deadlines were greatly appreciated! Lastly, I would like to acknowledge two of the most passionate, Gator-loving people at 蜜桃视频, our Sports Prefects Paige and Kaitlyn. It was an absolute pleasure to watch you both go above and beyond this year on all things Gators and work together to make athletics at 蜜桃视频 special.

Have a wonderful summer!

Ms. Di Filippo

Message from the JS Athletics Director

Ms. Anna Bartlett

What a season it has been! For the first time in 10 years, 蜜桃视频’s U10, U11 and U12 teams swept Track and Field with every division winning the championship title! Many participants reached their personal best heights, lengths and times and built their confidence as they sprinted past the finish line. 

Sixteen students placed first in one or more of their events! It is hard to describe in words this remarkable accomplishment.

Congratulations to the U12 Softball Team, whose improvement over the season brought catching pop flys and home runs to the field on the final day. 蜜桃视频 had more students participating in softball than any other CISAA school; we had two evenly-numbered teams playing this year. 

Our U12 Ultimate Team competed in their final event of the season against other co-ed schools on May 23. Being the only team with all girls, one would think we were doomed鈥攂ut this was not the case! On the final day, all three games came down to overtime and 蜜桃视频 beat Toronto French School with a diving catch in the end zone. 

Our Grade 1, 2 and 3 Multisport Squads were in full force this season and we were also fortunate to have the expertise of our external coaches Coach Aaliyah and 蜜桃视频 Old Girl/Alum Coach Sydney to lead two Soccer/Basketball Squad Teams. This skill development that the Grade 3 and 4 students received will benefit our soccer and basketball program in the years to come. 

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

Ms. Bartlett

Message from the Student Editor

Nicole Stanley

Hey 蜜桃视频!

It鈥檚 hard to believe this year has come to an end. I have enjoyed every minute of growing up in the ivy walls we鈥檙e so lucky to call home. I know every student feels blessed to have the opportunities the athletics at 蜜桃视频 provides. I cannot express how grateful I am to have been your Student Editor for the 2023-24 school year. 

It has also been an honour to highlight the accomplishments of the phenomenal students and staff at 蜜桃视频. I love hearing about your stories, successes, losses and comebacks鈥擨 am so proud from behind the pen. Our Gators have proven to be better than ever and are growing into accomplished athletes and people. 

Sports have shaped who I am today and have always provided me with opportunities to step outside of my comfort zone. If there is one word of advice that I leave with you, it would be to do the same: step outside of your comfort zone, try new things, be afraid, be better.

I want to extend a huge thank you to the candidly exceptional Athletic Department at 蜜桃视频. Thank you to all the talented writers, Ms. D., Ms. Bartlett and Ms. Pink for your contributions to Gator Zone. 

In this final issue for 2023-24, you will find a range of articles spotlighting our remarkable spring teams. As you鈥檝e likely come to expect, our Gators proved to be nothing short of successful. As the term comes to an end, it鈥檚 important to recognize the resilience all athletes have shown over the past three seasons. Special thanks to our Sports Prefects Paige and Kaitlyn, and the Sports Council for their hard work planning Sports Assemblies, Gator Day, Hockey Day and many other events throughout the year. Without further ado, please enjoy this issue of Gator Zone!

Nicole

Message from the Sports Prefects

Kaitlyn Windover and Paige Edwards

Hi Gators! We cannot believe that this year is coming to an end. It is so hard to say our goodbyes to 蜜桃视频 sports. For our last issue of Gator Zone, we are delighted to say that we have had an incredible spring season with so many teams excelling and having fun in the warm weather. Huge shoutouts are in order for our U20 D1 Ultimate, U20 Tennis, U14 Touch Rugby and U14 Track and Field on their CISAA wins!

At the beginning of this year, we embarked on a journey to make our sports program more inclusive: a place where everyone could find their passion and be a part of a team. We are thrilled to share that we have taken significant strides towards this goal. Our Gator Day events and the 蜜桃视频 Gators Instagram account have not only fostered a spirit of support for our athletes, but have also expanded our athletic community to include anyone who wants to enjoy sports and teamwork. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us on this journey. Your contributions have made our athletics a positive, welcoming and spirited community!

In addition to all of the support we received from students, we would also like to say thank you to the important people who athletics at 蜜桃视频 could not run without. Firstly, to all the coaches who don’t just show up every day, but who also put every extra moment of their busy lives into it: we could not have done it without you and we appreciate all the hard work you do for our teams. Secondly, to Ms. D., who works non-stop throughout the school year to ensure all of the background team organization is completed so we can be creative and run fun events for the school. Ms. D. makes everything run as smoothly as possible and supports us and all our crazy ideas. She could not be thanked enough for all that she does for this school鈥攁nd she does it all with a smile on her face! Finally, a major shout-out goes to the Sports Council! If we didn’t have this council, we wouldn’t even be able to run one Athletic Assembly, Gator Day or event properly. Through their hard work, passion and awesome attitudes, we pulled off some amazing events while having the most fun possible. We could not have had a better group and we cannot thank you enough. 

蜜桃视频, we cannot express how grateful we are to have been able to be at the front and centre of athletics this year. It has been an amazing experience and we are so thankful for the support we were given and hope we made your experience here more enjoyable. We will always love 蜜桃视频 and, don’t worry, we will be visiting often in future years! We know HC athletics will continue to thrive next year when we are gone, but we can’t believe it’s our last time saying this: Roll Gators!

Paige and Kaitlyn

Rugby鈥擭ew Junior Division in CISAA

Lauren Cheng

This season, Rugby Ontario implemented a new rule that disallowed Grade 9s from competing in Senior High School Rugby. Therefore, a new Junior Division was added, thus, allowing for increased playtimes for younger players and opportunities for 蜜桃视频 students to play rugby.

The Junior Team showed immense courage and dedication by training with the seniors, and their efforts were evident in their dominating performances on the field. When Mx. Curtis was asked about the Junior Team鈥檚 performance this season, she said, 鈥淭hey鈥檝e dominated. Their enthusiasm for the game has been really beautiful to watch.鈥�

Many of the Grade 9 students previously played on the U14 Touch Rugby Team and most of the Grade 10s were on the Senior Team last year. The Grade 10s have done an amazing job leading the Junior Division Team and it is clear that the confidence and chemistry of the Junior players increased as the weeks went by. Together, they have demonstrated skill, teamwork and a promising future for the 蜜桃视频 Rugby Program.

Our Juniors had an impressive first season. Coming out of playoffs, they had 151 points scored, 59 points scored against and an almost perfect record (due to one loss). In the Championship Finals, our Juniors fought hard and had an unlucky loss to Greenwood College School, finishing their campaign in second place overall.

The coaches and the Senior Team are incredibly proud of the Junior Team鈥檚 achievements. We cannot wait to watch them play again next year!

Badminton OFSAA Gold鈥擪aylee W

Eshal Shakir

Grade 11 student Kaylee Wang has been on the Badminton Team at 蜜桃视频 since Grade 7 and currently also plays for Team Canada. She has been playing badminton since she was 11, placing second at OFSAA last year and, this year, she won OFSAA Gold! This spring, Kaylee went to the OFSAA badminton tournament with her 蜜桃视频 teammates. There were singles and doubles matches, which consisted of players from high school teams and people who played outside of school, who were all combined into one category. 

There were three days of the badminton tournament, which was hosted in Berry, Quebec. The first day was easy for Kaylee: she defeated two girls in single matches who played mainly for their high school teams. On the second day, she played against someone who plays competitively outside of school, which was more challenging for her. On the final day, she was up against a national champion. Kaylee was the underdog since this player was pretty much undefeated. Yet, she proved her outstanding skills to everyone and won the gold!

Kaylee was saying how a big factor in this incredible achievement is having amazing coaches and teammates who are supportive and always push you to do your best, which is exactly what coaches Ms. Lau and Coach Lau do.

Swinging Back into Tradition

Sarah McQuillen Young

A tradition was brought back to life this spring: the student-staff softball game! Before the pandemic, this was one of the most eagerly awaited sports games of the year. Although this may be the first time we have had this event in a few years, the fierce competition between faculty, staff and students was in full force.

The game gave our students a chance to enjoy one of the first sunny days out on the Ratcliffe Field, all assembled to cheer on their friends! The students got to see the athletic side of their teachers, particularly Coach Mike’s swing and Mr. Brown鈥檚 tactical job as third base coach. Although the game ended in an unfortunate 10-0 loss to the staff team (which may be attributed to staff umpires), the 蜜桃视频 spirit was alive and well the whole game. Students celebrated every out, every hit and every catch with enthusiasm. Outfielder Peyton Furgiuele (Grade 11) said: 鈥淭he student and staff cheering brought the game to life鈥�. Despite the 鈥淪taff lose鈥� sign needing to be changed back to 鈥淪taff don鈥檛 lose,鈥� the game was a great way for every student to spend their lunch! We look forward to this tradition continuing in future years. To the staff鈥� remember: 鈥渟pirit always wins!鈥�

Ultimate Canada Team Member Ms. Dos Santos

Camila Castillo

When you think of community hours, who do you think of? For many, Ms. Dos Santos comes to mind in her office in the Forum for Change. However, aside from her role as the Administrative Assistant to the VP of Experiential Education and Innovation, she is an extraordinary Ultimate player.

Ms. Dos Santos came from an active family and played many sports, like track and field and badminton. In Grade 9, Ms. Dos Santos started playing Ultimate, leading to her remarkable career. She played for the Top Ontario Junior Women鈥檚 team in 2015 and 2016, winning Bronze, and winning Silver in 2017. On the University of Toronto’s team, she played and won Silver in 2017 and Gold in 2019 and 2021. She also played for Team Canada, winning Bronze in 2018 and 2019 and Silver in 2023, and will compete in Australia later this year. This past month in May, Ms. Dos Santos went with Team Canada (and our amazing US Athletic Director, Ms. D., who is one of the team鈥檚 coaches), to Colombia to compete at the Torneio Eterna Primavera, placing third after a tough loss in the semis against Colombia. However, her proudest achievement is making the World Games team in 2022 and ranking #2 Best Female Player. 

In her role at 蜜桃视频, she has coached the U16 Ultimate Team for four years, helping the team win Silver in 2021 and 2022, gold in 2023 and silver this past term (2024). Ms. Dos Santos has made a huge impact since joining our community, instilling a sense of teamwork and resilience. We are so lucky to have her at 蜜桃视频 with us! 

Staff Profile鈥�Daniela Lipovetzky

Sophia Liu

Despite this being her first year as a Gator, Ms. Lipovetzky has quickly immersed herself in the school community. She grew up in an artsy and athletic family, steering her to develop a strong love and passion for sports and the arts ever since childhood. After 10 years of teaching and coaching softball, baseball and volleyball in the Peel District School Board, she has brought her passions to our school. 

Ms. Lipovetzky teaches Grade 7 and 8 Middle School Drama and directed the Middle School Play, Rogue鈥檚 Gallery. She also teaches Grade 7 English and coaches the U14 Softball Team alongside Ms. Macer. Under the watch of Ms. Lipovetzky and Ms. Macer, the U14 Softball Team finished the regular season at the top! As an extremely athletic person, Ms. Lipovetzky enjoys a variety of sports and possesses a wide range of athletic skills, experiences and knowledge. From the ages of 9 to 15, she played co-ed hardball and eventually moved on to slow pitch as an adult. She also spent an impressive 10 years of her life skydiving (she has over 900 jumps!) and has experience as a skydiving videographer. Additionally, she is a snowboarder, no doubt maneuvering across the hills with skill. 

Ms. Lipovetzky has gained great wisdom from her experiences and would give the students of 蜜桃视频 this piece of advice: 鈥淧rogress is not linear; take feedback with grace, laugh at your mistakes and move forward. Nothing is going to be perfect the first time you do it!鈥� 

Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

Hello Gators,

The winter athletic season at 蜜桃视频 is not just about competition; it鈥檚 about fostering a sense of community and wellbeing among students. Through regular practice sessions, league games, team bonding activities and coaching support, students develop important life skills such as perseverance, resilience and leadership. More than 425 students played on 27 winter teams to achieve our athletics mission of developing confidence to remain active throughout one’s entire life. 

After an exhibition season last winter and with pressure from schools like 蜜桃视频, CISAA created the first-ever Girls Squash League. The team competed in the CISAA finals on February 21, where 蜜桃视频 won the A-Flight Championships. This would not have been possible without the dedication and support of our HC coaches: Mx. Curtis and Mr. Adams. Mr. Adams was instrumental in the development of the league, creating league guidelines and tournament rules for CISAA. Our Swim Team continues to dominate the water winning an impressive three CISAA Championships and qualifying more than 15 athletes for the provincial meet, OFSAA. Congratulations to all of our winter teams on their efforts this term!

It鈥檚 impossible to write about the winter term without mentioning Hockey Day. We hosted more than 800 students and 100 faculty and staff at Mattamy Arena to support the Gators. As always, the 蜜桃视频 spirit was on full display. I encourage everyone to check out the Instagram for some highlights. The Hockey for Health initiative was a success with numerous student-led activities aimed at 鈥渃homping the stigma鈥� surrounding mental health, as well as fundraising over $2000 for Kids Help Phone. Our Prefects, Kaitlyn and Paige, along with the Sports Council, continue to highlight everything HC athletics and I am grateful for their passion and love for the Gators! 

Finally, I鈥檇 like to mention our HC coaches: these coaches go beyond teaching the technical aspects of a sport; they serve as mentors, motivators and role models who contribute significantly to the overall development of our students. Thank you, coaches, for your time, passion and support of our athletes. 

I look forward to some sunshine in the upcoming spring season!

Roll Gators!

Ms. D

Message from the JS Athletics Director

Ms. Anna Bartlett

With Intramurals, Squads, Squad Teams and Teams you can be sure that all of the girls at the Junior School are keeping active during the chilly winter months. 

The gyms were buzzing with excitement at 蜜桃视频’s Junior School; for the first time, we had nine Volleyball Teams and 82 players from Grade 4 to 6. This is the highest number of participants in Volleyball at a school in the CISAA. The teams went on to bump, set and spike their way into the finals, which were hosted at 蜜桃视频 on February 22.

The U12 Hockey Team represented 蜜桃视频 on Hockey Day. The players proudly stepped onto the ice in front of more than 1,500 spectators. Our three Grade 1 to 3 Multisport Squads and the Badminton Squad have also been having a lot of fun. Sydney Peters, a 蜜桃视频 alumni, has stepped in to coach these students and we are proud to have her back in a coaching role. 

It has been wonderful to hear the sounds of joy coming from the gyms every recess. The gym is always packed with one grade at a time playing intramurals. From benchball to invasion, the students enjoy a break from the cold while they play fun games and develop their skills. 

Looking ahead to the spring, we will be offering a U12 Ultimate Team, which will be the only girl’s team to compete in a co-ed league. Students can also try out for our U12 Softball Team and, of course, our 90+ Track and Field Team will be out in full force. Multisport and Basketball/Soccer Squads will also be offered for the younger grades. 

Registration closes Friday, March 8, so be sure to get your child signed up for Junior School athletics! 

Go Gators! 

Ms. Bartlett

Message from the Student Editor

Nicole Stanley

I am pleased to present the Gator Zone Winter 2023-24 edition. 

In this issue, we tackle a variety of topics spotlighting thriving teams at 蜜桃视频, staff highlights, surges in sports popularity and the one-and-only Hockey Day! By now, I鈥檓 sure you were either at the game at Mattamy Arena or heard all about the exciting 蜜桃视频 Varsity Hockey game against Bishop Strachan School (BSS) on February 13. 

Big props to our amazing Captain Scarlett Nowakowski for showing true leadership to not only her fellow hockey teammates, but to all of our 蜜桃视频 community. In the articles ahead, we aim to acknowledge the amazing staff and students who have contributed to the success of 蜜桃视频鈥檚 programs. 

Ironically it is in the cold and grey days of winter when 蜜桃视频 athletics truly shine. From volleyball to hockey, our intrepid writers have showcased a bevy of amazing achievements. Our Gators have been nothing short of remarkable. While the victories are important, it has been a pleasure to watch so many athletes create lifelong friendships and enduring memories. 

A heartfelt thank you to the dedicated Gator Zone team, including Ms. Di Filippo, Ms. Pink, Ms. Bartlett, the Sports Prefects and our talented writers for their contributions. Your efforts bring these stories to life and capture the genuine spirit of our athletic community. 

I鈥檓 thrilled to see what our Gators will accomplish in the coming spring season. With that, I hope you enjoy the second edition of the Gator Zone 2023-24!

Nicole

Message from the Sports Prefects 

Kaitlyn Windover and Paige Edwards

Hey Gators!

We cannot believe that the winter term is already coming to an end, with only the spring term left to go! Even with the sadness that comes with this ending, we must celebrate all of our Gator achievements and good times this winter. It truly was an awesome term!

Before the winter break, we had our second Gator Day of the year, with our U20 Volleyball Team putting on a show against Holy Trinity School. So many people came out to watch them from all grades. The ever-lasting support from our green and gold fans not only led the team to a win, but also served as a reminder of what makes 蜜桃视频 Athletics so special!

As Sports Prefects, we would like to think that our amazing media skills on Instagram are what make the fans show up. But, in all honesty, we know the HC fans go to EVERY game so they can cheer on their friends from the sidelines! However, the Instagram is still going very strong with the continuation of Athlete of the Week and Games of the Week being posted. Huge thanks to our Sports Council (SpoCo) for this, who ensures everyone feels involved and celebrated in athletics at 蜜桃视频. 

This term of course included the highly anticipated Hockey Day 2024, which was amazing. Even without bringing Hewie home, the Hockey Team definitely won the day with spirit from the HC community, leaving everyone with an incredible experience. As we expected, the 蜜桃视频 Gators were overflowing with green and gold, taking over the Mattamy Arena with their crazy outfits and loud cheers. The unconditional support felt from the crowd left us players speechless, which contributes to the legacy this day leaves for women in sports. Fun fact: in the same week as Hockey Day, the Professional Women’s Hockey League at a sold-out Toronto vs. Montreal game!

This term also served as an incredible opportunity for our entire community to get involved in athletics. Most notably, through House games and benchball. For winter House games, the vigorous game of tchoukball was played, which was a huge success! Kate Leonard House took the win in the end, but every House showed up super excited to participate and cheered on their peers the whole time. During Spirit Week, the Sports Council was in charge of benchball, which is taken very seriously at HC and involves all students and staff! The staff won and made sure the message of 鈥淪taff Don’t Lose!鈥� was made very clear to the students through cheering and signs. Way to go, staff!

Now that fall and winter are complete, it is time to look forward to the spring season! We are beyond excited to see what blooms this term and to discover all that our Gators have in store because it is never short of amazing!

Your Sports Prefects,

Paige and Kaitlyn

Nordic Ski

Charlotte Pickersgill and Aimee McCurdy Franks

This season has been a great one for 蜜桃视频鈥檚 most up-and-coming winter sport: Nordic Skiing! From many adventures in the snow to our 7.5 km race, we have developed our skills and bonded as a team.

We started off by travelling up to Collingwood for a two-day Nordic ski training camp! This tight-knit group was able to build their Nordic ski skills through lessons from experts, participate in a variety of trails and embark on a whole lot of team bonding. We were able to test our abilities by breaking off into small groups and tackling the challenging hills that faced us. Once we finally made it to the top of the hill, we were able to enjoy the glide down while trying to maintain our balance. As older students, this trip provided us with a great opportunity to work with the younger students and teach them Nordic ski skills. Finally, we ended our adventure with an entertaining bus ride back to the city, where we were able to connect over our shared love for Nordic skiing.

A couple of weeks later, we were able to participate in the OFSAA qualifying race at Lakefield College School. This race was the longest one yet, a lengthy 7.5 kilometers! Even though there were a few tumbles in the snow, we all finished together and improved so much this season. Nordic skiing was definitely a highlight of our year and we hope that the Nordic legacy carries on to the younger athletes.

Rise of Curling Popularity

Jessica Torkos

Congratulations to the Curling Team for gliding into another year of success on the curling rink! This year, we celebrate our highest curling engagement with our exhibition league having three times as many members as last year! Our exhibition players eagerly joined the D1 and D2 Curling Teams for practices on most Mondays and Wednesdays. As they rode on the bus together to the Leaside arena, they used the time to form a tight curling community, which helped to improve their curling skills. 

Each Curling Team consists of four players (plus a spare): the Lead, the Second, the Vice and the Skip. The team鈥檚 objective is to slide the most rocks into the target (known as the house) to gain points while keeping the other team’s rocks out. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins! Our new curlers quickly picked up the sport, while our returning players focused on refining their skills and techniques to compete against other schools.

Due to their emphasis on skill development and practice, most exhibition curlers did not participate in formal competitive games this season. Nevertheless, the rise in curling enthusiasm may hopefully lead to the possibility of exhibition games next year!

As for our D1 and D2 athletes, both teams enjoyed a very successful season. A special shoutout to our D2 team athletes for earning their spot in the CISAA playoffs. We wish them luck as they compete over the next couple of weeks, aiming to sweep their way to victory on the ice.

New Rowing Boat from Endowment

Isabella Janczewski

When ergs replace boats and the pool becomes a makeshift lake, rowers know that winter training has officially begun. We Gators have been working hard to maintain our fitness and skills by being flexible, disciplined and creative. After months of early morning sessions, whether in the tanks, gym or Fitness Centre, the crew is anxious to return to Hanlan Boat Club. 

The upcoming 2024 spring season promises excitement, not only due to our strong crew and dedicated group of parents and coaches, but also because of the recent acquisition of a new convertible four/quad boat! This valuable addition to our fleet was made possible by the HC Rowing Endowment, established in 2017. The endowment, led by Jeff Howe and other dedicated members, was established with the goal of raising one million dollars to enhance the rowing experience at 蜜桃视频. These efforts have provided equipment procurement, repair and financial support for student-athletes, ensuring the program’s growth and success. 鈥淚’m grateful for the generosity of the current and previous parents who have contributed to the endowment. It allows our program to have top-quality equipment and explore new technologies to support our program,鈥� says Head Coach, Michael Grieg.

As we leave the cold and dark winter behind and prepare to take on the spring season, we Gators will once again row by the motto: 鈥淚f you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.鈥�

Hockey Day

Lily Pettingill

From intramurals to dress-downs to cheer off, Spirit Week is everyone鈥檚 favourite time of the year. And, at the very centre of it all, is Hockey Day. On February 13, our community came together with record-breaking spirit to watch our varsity Hockey Team play against Bishop Strachan School (BSS). Led by Team Captain Scarlett Nowakowski, the Gators gave it their absolute all. Although the score ended up being 3-0 in favour of BSS, no one could come close to touching that 蜜桃视频 spirit. 

Hockey Day is tricky to explain to somebody who doesn’t go to 蜜桃视频鈥攊t’s more so a celebration of school spirit than it is a game. As 蜜桃视频 students know, the only way to believe the true intensity of the Havercult is to see it with your own eyes, and there is no better demonstration than Hockey Day. A mob of Gators decked out completely in green and gold, many of whom will not have voices the next day, staying until every last player is off the ice. It’s an unspoken rule in everyone鈥檚 minds that blistered palms and strained throats are a small price to pay to show our team how proud we are of them. 

Although I鈥檝e always been a huge fan of the annual 蜜桃视频 vs. BSS hockey game, this one in particular felt more special to me than any year before. It was my sixth and final Hockey Day. As someone who has watched this game religiously every year that I鈥檝e been at 蜜桃视频, I can confidently say I have never seen a crowd like this one. Around 200 more people signed up for Hockey Day this year than last, which is no small feat given that last year鈥檚 game already had a crowd with more energy and enthusiasm than the average high school could ever imagine. Being part of such a powerful community is an incredible privilege and an experience that I will never forget. 

To the masses of people who show up each Hockey Day and contribute to such an unbelievable atmosphere, thank you for making the HC community what it is. To our Hockey Team, you guys are just awesome. Like every year, you played your hearts out. We are so, so, proud of you. Finally, to Hewie鈥� hold on. It’s just a matter of time until you鈥檙e home.

Staff Profile鈥擪ayleen Hogan

Carol Rong

If you鈥檝e ever taken French at school, you may have had the privilege of having Mme. Hogan as your French teacher. But, did you know that beyond the classroom, she is highly involved in sports and plays a pivotal role in 蜜桃视频 athletics? Coming from an athletic family, she was immersed in sports from a young age and always aspired to become a dancer. However, her brothers were all involved in hockey, so she grew up being the only girl on an all-boys hockey team. She also plays softball, soccer, ultimate (Frisbee), beach volleyball and golf. Currently, her favourite sport is golf, which is no surprise considering she grew up riding around in golf carts with her golf obsessed dad. 

During the pandemic, she began taking golf more seriously as it was accessible. She became obsessed with the sport in a way she had never before. Now, she is constantly working on her skills and loves golfing for the fresh air and sunshine. 

After coming to 蜜桃视频, Mme Hogan was introduced to even more sports. Playing beach volleyball inspired her to start coaching the U16 D2 Volleyball Team with Coach Lia, where she discovered that indoor volleyball is a completely different sport from beach volleyball. Despite the differences, she thoroughly enjoys coaching and has also coached the U13 Basketball Teams to a third and fourth overall finish in CISAA! 

When asked what advice she would give to students, she said, 鈥淎lways put yourself out there and try something new, even if you might be mediocre because at 蜜桃视频 it鈥檚 cool to try.鈥�

Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

Hello Gators,

The fall athletics term at 蜜桃视频 was one of our most successful to date. Even though the Gators won many CISAA championships and earned numerous top three finishes, for us the highest indicator of success is the number of students who played on a fall sports team, which was 407! 

I鈥檓 thrilled that more than 400 students had the opportunity to participate in athletics this term, benefitting from the positive outcomes that are associated with sports such as: physical health; teamwork and collaboration; discipline and time-management; resilience and perseverance; and so much more. At 蜜桃视频, we are very lucky to have excellent facilities to offer a wide range of programming and experienced, dedicated coaches who guide our students in their athletic journeys, whether that is a CISAA championship or trying a sport for the first time. At 蜜桃视频, sport is for everyone. 

A few specific highlights from the fall term:

On Thursday, November 23, we celebrated the accomplishments of our fall athletics season at our awards assembly. It was here that each team announced their MVP and Coaches Award for the term. As well, two major awards were given out: The Friedland Cup (soccer) and The Doritty Trophy (field hockey). . 

Thank you to Sports Prefects Kaitlyn and Paige for getting the fall season off to a great start! As well, I’d like to recognize Coach Lia for completing a large amount of work behind the scenes. I look forward to the winter term and Hockey Day (which is on Tuesday, February 13鈥攎ark your calendars!).

Go Gators!

Ms. Di Filippo

Message from the JS Athletics Director

Ms. Anna Bartlett

Fall 2023 brought us incredible weather and committed athletes. 

We had more than 125 cross country runners participate on both our U9 and U12 teams. The U9 team hosted a fun run that saw 320 participants run around our 22-acre campus. Congrats to our U10 Cross Country Team for having more than five athletes in the top 20 at the finals. A special congrats to Charlotte Goldthorpe, who ran her way to first place out of 133 runners in the CISAA. 

In the pool, we saw our biggest U12 Swim Team to date. All participants had a taste of what it鈥檚 like to dive off blocks and compete in a swim race. Congratulations to the U12 team who brought home the Bishop鈥檚 Cup! 

On the courts, the six Basketball Teams from Grades 4 to 6 developed their skills and worked together to pass the ball around to open teammates to score. The U10 teams had students taking their very first layups in a game while the U12 teams continued to practise their rebounds and defence. 

The tennis courts were filled this season with pickleball players from our newly formed U10 Pickleball Squad Team. They developed the skills to be lifelong active participants.

On the fields, our U9 Soccer Team had fun learning new skills while our two U12 teams worked to set each other up to score. 

I am very proud of the dedication we see from each athlete and am grateful to work with a group of coaches who deeply care for the girls and their development. 

We are looking forward to the winter season with our Volleyball, Badminton, Multisport Swim and Hockey Teams all getting into the action. 

Ms. Bartlett

Message from the Student Editor

Nicole Stanley

Welcome to the fall 2023-2024 Gator Zone newsletter! 

I am honoured to be your Student Editor this year and would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the 蜜桃视频 Athletic community. Sports have always been a significant part of my life, whether I鈥檓 entering survival mode on the rugby field or hoping I don鈥檛 get hit in the face by a volleyball. Through athletics, I have learned life lessons around perseverance, teamwork and competition. I have experienced both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. The culture at 蜜桃视频 is enriched by its Athletics community. Whether playing for a varsity team or screaming for our hockey stars on Hockey Day, sports is an important part of our HC experience.

This year, the Gator Zone team and I will search high and low to share individual highlights, team accomplishments and inspiring community spirit recognition. We have assembled a group of enthusiastic writers who are keen to share their stories of HC sports!

As the fall season turns to winter, let鈥檚 look back at the AMAZING start we have had to the school year. Already our Gator superstars have won a number of major titles:

On behalf of our Sport Prefects Kaitlyn and Paige and the Gator Zone contributors, I would like to congratulate all athletes who performed incredibly within and outside of 蜜桃视频鈥檚 ivy walls. As editor of Gator Zone, I am excited to showcase our school鈥檚 athletes, coaches and supporters. 

In this issue, you will find interesting articles on staff highlights, team achievements, Gator Day and more! I would like to thank Ms. Di Filippo, Ms. Bartlett, Ms. Pink, as well as all of the talented writers. We hope you enjoy the first Gator Zone edition of the 2023-24 school year!

Nicole

Message from the Sports Prefects 

Kaitlyn Windover and Paige Edwards

The leaves may be falling, but our HC teams are rising in the ranks this year! Hey Gators, to close out the fall athletic term this year, we would like to recognize the incredible achievements we’ve made as a school in only ONE term! It was fantastic to see the excitement our teams had practising and competing every day. There was so much energy from not only our athletes, but also from everyone who came to support them. This energy had to be celebrated, so, to show our appreciation, we decided to bring back highlighting an Athlete of the Week who is nominated by their teammates, and it has been a total success! Early in the year, we noticed that the community wanted to watch and cheer on the HC teams more than ever before, so the week’s games are posted every Monday on our Instagram account. This sparked bigger crowds in our home games, elevating our amazing sense of community here at 蜜桃视频!

Many teams went above and beyond this season. Congratulations to U20 Soccer, U16 Soccer, U14 Basketball, U20 Flag Football and Disc Golf Teams on winning first place at CISAA championships. Another shoutout must go to the U20 Soccer Team for competing and winning CAIS soccer in Oakville this past term. We鈥檇 also like to congratulate the fall rowers who competed at Head of the Trent and took home gold medals to make all of us back at school proud. You all deserve your excellent results!

This fall’s Gator Day was like no other before; hosting four home games at 蜜桃视频, we wanted to take Gator Day to the next level. Students went out to both fields and gyms to watch U20 Soccer, U20 Basketball, U16 D2 Basketball and U20 Field Hockey! Seeing everyone in their green and gold outfits in the morning had everyone excited! The turnout was incredible, with lots of signs and cheers from our spirited community! 

We would further like to thank and congratulate every athlete who participated in the fall athletic term this year. We can’t express how awesome it is to be on a 蜜桃视频 team and to form the friendships and connections that come with it. You are all what makes our teams incredibly special. Stay excited as we still have two thrilling terms left of sports and so much to look forward to. We know you will continue to blow us away this year with your spirit, dedication, skill and teamwork!

Your Sports Prefects,

Paige and Kaitlyn

Disc Golf Championships

Zhifan Ye

On October 23, 2023, athletes in the U20 Disc Golf Team went to Haute Goat in Port Hope, Ontario, to compete against eight other schools. It was one of the largest disc golf tournaments in 蜜桃视频鈥檚 disc golf history!

The course consisted of 18 holes and 28 baskets on the epic 200-acre farm. Similar to golf, the purpose is to throw the disc into the basket in three strokes. The pair of players with the lowest overall score wins. For the High School Invitational, the basket with the shorter distance was used, but the distance still made it appear tiny on the landscape. Many goals were par four, and one of the longest goals required as many as five strokes for professional disc golfers. 

Throughout the course, players had to throw the disc over tall trees, duck below thick bushes for an opening and delicately control the roll, pitch and yaw of the disc. Gators faced strong teams from southern Ontario and the Durham District School Board, learning from their mistakes and perfecting their skills along the way. 蜜桃视频 athletes played hard and came out strong, winning as the champion in the doubles tournament. Congratulations Gators! We cannot wait to see your accomplishments next year. 

CAIS U20 Basketball in Winnipeg

Peyton Price 

From November 29 to December 3, our very own U20 Varsity Basketball Team will be making the long journey to Winnipeg to participate in the CAIS National Basketball Tournament! Schools from all over Canada will be participating alongside our 蜜桃视频 Gators. The U20 Basketball Team has shown so much growth this season and are beyond excited to be competing in the upcoming tournament.

Recently, the U20 Gators participated in a tournament at University of Toronto Schools, where they truly came together and they won third place! Facing teams they had never faced before, they stuck together and achieved incredible results. 

Furthermore, in the regular CISAA season, the Varsity Basketball Team has shown their teamwork once again. On November 3, they travelled to Trinity College School (TCS) to play the undefeated Bears in the semi-finals. It was a very close game, leaving TCS trailing by just a few points for most of the game. With a home-court advantage, the crowd definitely was not on our Gator鈥檚 side. Yet, after an immense amount of hard work, grit and determination, the Gators took home an incredible win. With a very close final score of 42 to 39, our HC team really earned their place in the CISAA Finals!

We wish the best of luck to the U20 Varsity Basketball Team, not just in the CISAA finals, but also in their CAIS tournament! As the team鈥檚 coined motto goes, the Gators #believe. 

New 8 Rowing Boat to Head of the Trent

Ella Carrique

Catch. Lock in. Send. Eight blades. One sound. 

For a moment, I let myself break my laser focus from the square of back in front of me to take in the colours that surround me. Reds, yellows and oranges, blue sky and sun. This, I decide, is the epitome of fall rowing. 

With such strong interest in the fall rowing season, a new boat of 8 was introduced in addition to a 4. The boat of 8 trained on weekends and competed at the Head of the Trent Regatta, offering returning rowers a fantastic opportunity to ease back into the season. Maia, a current Grade 12 rower, remarks, 鈥淚 was so excited when the coaches decided to enter an 8 at Trent. Being able to have the experience of a head race added a great memory to my last year at 蜜桃视频.鈥� While the spring season entails shorter distances, 2 km races, the fall (or 鈥渉ead season鈥�) consists of longer distance courses of about five to six kilometres鈥攁 first for all of the rowers in the boat. With only five practices in before the race, the crew proved strong by finishing second overall. This fall season certainly showed a strong and promising preview for the rest of the year to come. 

A special shoutout to our 4 who placed first in their event at Trent, and 25th of 90 entries at Boston’s prestigious Head of the Charles regatta. We couldn鈥檛 be more proud of our Gators!

CAIS U20 Soccer

Audrea Au-Pronovost

蜜桃视频鈥檚 U20 Soccer Team set off for Oakville on October 11 to participate in a CAIS tournament in which independent schools from all over Canada travelled to compete in. After being shut down since COVID-19, this was the first time in three years CAIS was held. The Gators played Greenwood College and left with an astounding 9 to 0 win! With a great start to the tournament, our Gators stayed undefeated throughout the rest of the tournament. After the 7 to 0 win against the Sacred Hearts of Montreal School, our Gators faced Lower Canada College in the finals. This match was by far the toughest. With five minutes left in the game, neither team had scored. Luckily, HC won a free kick outside the box and our striker, Maria Annibale, took the shot, giving 蜜桃视频 the upper hand. With four minutes left, our Gators kept the lead and won gold in this CAIS competition! 

Despite earning gold, the team鈥檚 journey wasn’t solely about winning. It was about friendship, leadership and teamwork. Each player played a vital role in winning the gold medal and the team learned how to work together to draw on each other’s strengths. The tournament provided an amazing opportunity for teammates to connect with each other and form intergrade relationships. I cannot wait to see what this team will accomplish next year!     

Gator Day

Sarah McQuillen Young

On any regular Monday, students anxiously watch the clock until it strikes 3:30 pm. However, on Monday, October 16, students were waiting for something special: the first Gator Day of the 2023-24 school year! This was the first chance students had to go all out in green in gold since the spring. Our Gators naturally rose to the challenge, arriving at school with the most aesthetically pleasing combinations of green and gold ready to go. 

This year, Gator Day expanded. In previous years, the school would come to support the U20 Soccer Team on Ratcliffe Field. However, 蜜桃视频 is too talented to be limited to one sport. This year, it was exciting to cheer on four teams at the swamp:

These wins would not have been possible without the unwavering support of the Gator Nation! No matter what sport you chose to watch, there was a crowd of supporters cheering on their friends. The spirit was contagious! A sea of green and gold spread out across campus to create a very memorable Gator Day.

Congratulations to all athletes who participated, and thank you to everyone who came to watch the games! Let鈥檚 keep this spirit going into our winter season鈥� stay tuned for upcoming Gator Days this academic year! Roll Gators!

Staff Profile鈥擬rs. Shotbolt

Eshal Shakir

Mrs. Shotbolt is a new member of the 蜜桃视频 community and as she has just started her journey at 蜜桃视频, we thought it would be great for you all to get to know her a little bit deeper beyond the gym walls. While Mrs. Shotbolt teaches Health and Physical Education and coaches the U13 Basketball Team, she is also a long-time athlete with an inspiring story. 

She started playing basketball at the age of 10, having grown up around sports all her life and in an athletic family. It all started when a teacher came up to her and suggested she try out for the basketball team. From there, she played the sport competitively, attending Bill Crothers Secondary School in her high school years and then being recruited by Carleton University鈥檚 Women’s Basketball.

Mrs. Shotbolt鈥檚 time at Carleton was met with tons of fun as she met so many new people and grew her love for the game while competing in local and out-of-town tournaments. She spent a total of four years at Carleton. Unfortunately, her smooth journey ended when she tore her ACL nearing the end of her university career. As a result, this severely impacted her mental health and disconnected her from her community. This, amongst other external factors and her environment, altered her love for the game for the worse.聽

After Carleton, she attended Teachers College at York University and continued her basketball journey by joining the team at York, where she used her last year of eligibility. Fortunately, her brother had spoken to the coaches, urging them to support his sister by talking to her about the amazing team they have to offer at the school. Thus, Mrs. Shotbolt was able to regain her love for the sport.

While Mrs. Shotbolt faced many obstacles and challenges, she鈥檚 left a few words of wisdom: “Continue to practise the skill of balancing academics and athletics as a student athlete, surround yourself with people who support you and find ways to give back to your community. You never know who you will inspire.”聽

Thank you for this great advice, Mrs. Shotbolt!

Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

Hello Gators,

Welcome to the spring edition of the Gator Zone! This is often a tough article to write as it signifies the end of a school year and this year, in particular, was special. The spring term saw over 350 students participate on 26 sports teams winning a total of seven CISAA championships (I鈥檇 like to give shoutouts to our U13 Tennis, U14 Softball, U13 Track and Field, U16 Tennis, U16 Ultimate, Varsity Badminton and U20 Ultimate Teams). As well, 蜜桃视频 qualified five teams for the provincial OFSAA championships! Recently, our rowers culminated their season at the CSSRA championships (high school national championships) in St. Catharines with two silver and one bronze medal! The countless hours of practice for our athletes, including the sacrifices they made and the personal growth they achieved, resulted in a resounding success we will remember for years to come. We could not be more proud of all of our athletes and coaches for their dedication and infectious spirit for our 蜜桃视频 Gators! It was a treat to watch the Gators play with pride and class this term, regardless of winning or losing. 

On Monday, May 29, we celebrated all of our spring MVPs and Coaches Award recipients. The spring assembly provided the Athletics Department the chance to honour our most prestigious awards: Athletes of the Year and the Sonia Labatt Armstrong Sportsmanship Cup. Congratulations to Taylor Lucas, Middle School Athlete of the Year, Maddy Evans, Junior Athlete of the Year and Beats Tura, recipient of both the Suzanne Curtis Memorial Trophy (Senior Athlete of the Year) and the Sonia Labatt Armstrong Sportsmanship Cup. and . Congratulations to all our award winners! 

Our teams would be nothing without the commitment and enthusiasm of our coaches. THANK YOU, COACHES for making athletics an experience many students will remember for a lifetime! A huge shoutout goes to Emma, our 2022-23 Gator Zone Editor, for all of your work this year. Your gentle nudges to meet deadlines was greatly appreciated! Thank you to Coach Lia, Athletics Coordinator, for your contributions this year to 蜜桃视频 Athletics. Your exceptional organizational skills, enthusiasm and passion for sports have been truly inspiring. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge two of the most dedicated, energetic and hard-working Sport Prefects: Piper and Beats. It was an absolute pleasure to watch you both go above and beyond this year on all things Gators! Your commitment to bringing to life the most engaging and fun athletic assemblies and organizing Gator Games (and so much more!), you both have greatly enriched our school’s athletic culture. Your contributions have made a lasting impact on our school community and we are grateful for your leadership. 

Have a wonderful summer and see you in September.

Ms. Di Filippo

Message from the JS Athletic Director

Ms. Anna Bartlett

We have reason to celebrate: 237 of our 267 students in Grades 1 to 6 were involved in at least one athletics team or squad this year! This is a new record and we look forward to many continued successes in the 2023-24 school year. 

For the first time in CISAA history, a U12 Ultimate league was formed. 蜜桃视频 was the only school to enter an all-girls team as they played against other co-ed schools. A highlight was losing to Toronto Montessori School 10-2 and coming back to beat them 7-6 by the end of the season. What an event to watch! 

Congratulations to our U12 Softball Team. Ms. Mastri, Ms. McIntyre and Ms. Simms-Brown worked effortlessly to build the skills and confidence of these students. As a result of the player鈥檚 hard work, they competed against other schools and had an undefeated season. 

The Track and Field Team were running, jumping and throwing their way to success. The students enjoyed pod-style meets where all 94 team members participated in every event.

Congratulations to the U10 Track and Field Team for placing second overall and to the U11 and U12 Teams for placing first overall! This is quite an accomplishment. A particular shoutout goes to those athletes who placed first in their events:

-Elyssa S. in 80m hurdles and long jump 
-Colleen S. in 80m hurdles
-Suki G. in shot put
-Emily T. in 1500m 
-Lucy I. in discus  
-Carol G. in discus
-Emma G. in 800m
-Daisy Q. in triple jump 
-Clara T. in high jump and triple jump 
-The Grade 6 4x100m Relay Team: Mikaela M., Casey C., Elyssa S. and Mila C. 

This season there were five Squads running. Having three separate Grades 1, 2 and 3 Multisport Squads allowed for a higher quality of programming so that each grade could be challenged in different ways. 

We were fortunate to have the expertise of our external coaches Emily and Aaliyah to support two Soccer/Basketball Squad Teams. This skill development our Grade 3 and 4 participants received will prove to be beneficial to our soccer and basketball program in the years to come. 

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

A final shout-out to Emma Wagnam and the Gator Zone writers for all of their work this year! 

We hope you have a wonderful and active summer vacation. 

Ms. Bartlett

Message from the Student Editor

Emma Wagman

Hey 蜜桃视频!

I can鈥檛 believe this is my final Gator Zone article! It has been an absolute pleasure being your student editor this year. I have been part of Gator Zone for three years now because I appreciate being able to honour and highlight all of our amazing teams and athletes through one of my favourite mediums: writing. The athletics community at 蜜桃视频 is truly unmatched and I am so grateful to have been able to write about it and share it with you. I want to thank my amazing team of writers who worked so hard this year to write amazing articles. A special thanks also goes out to Ms. D., Ms. Bartlett and Ms. Pink for your contributions to each newsletter. 

As with previous issues of Gator Zone, there is much to showcase! In this issue you will find several highlights of some of our incredible spring teams. The Gators cleaned up this season. As the year comes to a close, we should take some time to reflect on these past three seasons. Whether you tried a new sport, brought home hardware or met new teammates, there is much to be proud of. We celebrated the end of this spring term on Monday, May 29 during our last athletic assembly. Athletic assemblies have been a highlight of my experience at 蜜桃视频. From planning them while being a member of the Sports Council to watching them this year as a Grad, I always looked forward to the assembly at the end of each season. I鈥檇 like to give a special shoutout to Piper and Beats for all their hard work this year. 

Finally, I am pleased to announce Nicole Stanley as your Student Editor for the 2023-24 school year! The Stanley family Gator Zone legacy lives on (her sister, Victoria, was the 2021-22 Student Editor)! Nicole is a stand out volleyball player and there is no doubt in my mind that she will do a fantastic job next year. I am honoured to pass the torch over to you, Nicole. With that being said, I hope you enjoy the final Gator Zone issue of this school year. This is your student editor signing off!

Emma

Message from the Sports Prefects 

Piper Nixon and Beats Tura

What a year it鈥檚 been! Starting back in September, we were ready to go bigger and bolder than ever before. At the beginning of the year, we set clear goals to bring back the spirit at 蜜桃视频. It wasn鈥檛 an easy task by any means, but we were ready to take the challenge on!

We started off the year with a couple of Gator Days and a whole lot of song-parody announcements in Prayers. Middle School Gator Games was our first big event and a moment when the Sports Council really came together. Alongside our council and fellow Prefects, this year we were able to pull off a total of three legendary athletic assemblies that were full of dancing, messy challenges and 9:50 schedules. We brought back intramurals, where Houses competed in intense games of ultimate chicken, soccer baseball, benchball and tail tag. We had a couple of Tug O鈥� War showdowns in which the Grade 7s came out on top every time (the seniors are still bitter about this!) and the return of Hockey Day was better than we ever could have hoped for. The energy was contagious and that was the exact moment we knew we had accomplished what we set out to do back in those early days as Sports Prefects.

It鈥檚 a hard goodbye for us because athletics at 蜜桃视频 has given us both so much during our time here. We鈥檝e made friends and memories to last a lifetime. We are so proud of all of the athletes who represented our school with pride this year at numerous CISAA championships and OFSAA events. We are thankful for all of the support, energy and love our athletes received from the school. It鈥檚 not just any student body that floods the stands with green and gold during sports games or starts mosh pits after school-wide events. 

So, as we leave you with our final remarks, we鈥檇 both like to give special shoutouts to Ms. D. and the Sports Council for being our rocks and helping us organize and execute all of the events we threw this year. We have endless love for this school and will be sure to come back for Hockey Days long into the future. Keep the spirit flowing next year, HC! 

#RollGators

Piper & Beats

HC Rowing: Row Hard or Row Home!

Tara Prole

蜜桃视频鈥檚 Rowing Team has always been a highlight of the school鈥檚 athletics program, but this year鈥檚 team has surpassed anything we鈥檝e ever seen. Waking up very early in the morning every day to practise, our Rowers are dedicated and their hard work has truly paid off.

The on-the-water season kicked off with a memorable 16-hour bus journey to Oak Ridge Rowing Association in Tennessee, USA. Throughout this voyage, our determined Rowers immersed themselves in grueling training sessions, honing their skills and fortifying their physical prowess. Returning home, they seamlessly transitioned into a rigorous practice routine, commencing each day at the crack of dawn by embarking on the bus to Hanlan Point at 5 am, ready to push their limits and strive for greatness while rowing on the water of Lake Ontario.

Their hard work and perseverance did not go unnoticed at the regattas. This season, our Rowers demonstrated their exceptional talent with a total of four gold, five silver and eight bronze medals at our Canadian regattas! We’re so proud of our Junior crews, who brought home medals at each of our three Canadian regattas, including at the Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association (CSSRA) National Championships. A special shout out goes to the JR women’s 8+, the JR women’s 4+ and the JR women’s 63kg 8+ crews! The Senior crews also made their mark, displaying their skill and determination while up against crews from all over the country, many of which have been rowing for twice as long as our athletes have! It has been an unforgettable season for our remarkable Rowers, who celebrated these huge accomplishments at their year-end banquet. 

Rugby 7s 

Lauren Cheng and Cheryl Chen 

Crouch, bind, set! Rugby 7s is a seven per side game with two seven minute halves. It is a contact sport that involves intense physicality as well as quick decision-making. Offensive players may only pass backward and their goal is to score tries (goals) while defensive players try to stop them by tackling.

Our Rugby Team began pre-season training in the winter, training hard to learn ball handling skills and basic tackling techniques. Once spring arrived, the official rugby season began! Many players came to try out鈥攊t was an exciting time. The team was committed and practised twice a week out on the Cohen Field. They learned new plays, techniques, as well as how to ruck, lift in lineouts and do scrums.

In just two weeks, the team had its first tournament at Trinity College School (TCS). Everyone was nervous and excited. The tournament was a massive learning experience with the team managing to win against Ridley College.

The following week, the team had a home tournament and played out on Cohen Field in the rain and mud. 鈥淭hat day is the highlight of my season,鈥� explains one team member. 鈥淚t was so much fun playing with my new friends and having the support of other 蜜桃视频 students. (Plus we beat Bishop Strachan School!).鈥�

Wednesday, May 24 was the day of the CISAA finals. The team had improved exponentially over the season and were confident in their abilities. They came away with a win against Bishop Strachan School and Ridley Colley, and a loss against Hillfield-Strathallan College, placing fourth overall in the league! The final moments upon leaving TCS were filled with emotions and pride. The team thanked the incredible coaches for their guidance and gave each other shoutouts. 

Nothing hones trust and community like rugby does. Senior Schools students who are interested in rugby are encouraged to join the team next year; it will be an amazing time!

Return of the Grade 9 Triathlon

Isabel Snare

For the first time since 2020, the legendary Grade 9 Triathlon was back! This spring, Grade 9 students were tasked with planning, training for and racing in a swimming, rowing and running triathlon. This 蜜桃视频 right of passage, which was temporarily put on pause for the past two years as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, is an opportunity for students to practise resilience and self-reliance while physically challenging themselves.

For the entire month of May, Grade 9 students spent each Health and Physical Education class creating and fulfilling a detailed, personalized training plan. Each class, they had to train in at least two of the three events and were required to use their time wisely in order to properly prepare for race day. Participants had the ability to choose between four levels of challenge鈥擝ronze, Gold, Silver and Platinum鈥攊n order to challenge themselves according to their competency in each sport, aiming for a total race time of around 60 minutes.

The current Grade 11s and 12s had to participate in a modified triathlon when they were in Grade 9, in the midst of the pandemic. They were required to come up with three fun activities they could partake in within the comfort of their home and neighbourhood. This year, in order to allow the Senior School students to experience the real deal, they were given the chance to participate alongside the Grade 9s.

On race day, everyone was able to complete their races and felt firsthand the effects of leading a healthy and active lifestyle. Everyone was rewarded at the end with freezies, a 蜜桃视频 Triathlon 2023 pin and the incredible sense of accomplishment that comes with hard work paying off.

2023 OFSAA Ultimate

Andi Meyerowitz

This year, approximately 20 蜜桃视频/Crescent School students came together to form the U20 HaverCrest Ultimate Team. With some prestigious coaches including Ms. Di Fillipo, Mr. McCulloch and Mr. Fink from Crescent, the team was excited to start a new season. 

In order to make OFSAA, we needed to win CISAA first. Our first game was against Branksome/Royal St George鈥檚 College and our second was against Upper Canada College/St. Clements School. Both were talented teams, but HaverCrest was ready to put 100% of our effort onto the field. By the end of the tournament, we pulled  away with a close lead of 8 to 7 in both games and we walked away as CISAA champions! We were more than thrilled to qualify for the OFSAA Championship in Burlington the following week. 

The tournament kicked off with a banquet, where we fuelled up for our upcoming matches. Our first day started with two intense losses against some extremely talented teams, including the reigning OFSAA champions and recent national champions. Soon after, we were able to pull away with two wins to qualify for the top 8. 

Our second (and final) day was super exciting. We lost our first game against our neighbours at North Toronto Collegiate Institute, but came back to win our next two games. One of these wins was against St. Joan of Arc Catholic High School, one of the teams who beat us on our first day of the tournament 15-2, so we were really happy to see our improvement!

To summarize, after two long days of running, throwing, catching and laughing, the HaverCrest U20 Team was able to pull away with a 5th place finish at the 2023 OFSAA Championship, which is the best the HaverCrest team has ever done! From winning our CISAA semis and finals by one point, we were so happy to have improved so much and break a new HaverCrest record. 

OFSAA Soccer

Sarah McQuillen Young

One season is simply not enough! After winning the CISAA championships, the Varsity Soccer Team was not ready to end their season. In the fall, the U20 Soccer Team went undefeated. Throughout the whole season, the team would constantly ask Ms. Foster if we could go to OFSAA. Thanks to the hard work of our coaches, Ms. D., and the persuasive power of our Grads, the team secured a spot at the OFSAA championship in Grimsby, Ontario.

Throughout the spring, we trained during early morning and after school practices. Without any CISAA teams having a spring team, 蜜桃视频 played two schools they were unfamiliar with: Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute and De la Salle College. Through pouring rain at Downsview Park, the Gators emerged victorious against Lawerence Park with a score of 2-0! Under sunny conditions, the team pulled off a 7-2 win versus De La Salle. 

With OFSAA occurring right in the middle of exam week, the whole team rescheduled their final exams. There’s nothing this team would not do to play! Grade 12 Natalie Chisolm says 鈥淚 am so excited to play with this team again, we are going to kill it!鈥� The team is eager to get to Grimsby for great competition (and to get the OFSAA merch)! Led by our captains Sarah Flood, Hailey Chapman and Natalie Chisolm, we are excited to see how this dedication and hard work pays off at OFSAA. 

U14 Softball

Hayden Blakely

Picture this: it鈥檚 a sunny afternoon with the heat rising and you鈥檙e standing in the outfield, sweat beading on your upper lip and adrenaline pumping through your veins. You hear the clink of the ball colliding with the bat and you look up to see it heading straight for your glove. Suddenly, it starts to veer off course and you have to jump. With a lunge to your left, the ball lands perfectly in your mitt and that鈥檚 game. This is the kind of energy and monumental gameplay our two U14 Softball Teams saw this season. They fought hard and ran those bases like no other and, with double the talent, they couldn’t be stopped.

To be able to have two teams in action this season was a great honour and we couldn’t be more proud of our U14 Gators for giving it their all. Even harsh weather and some slide-prone grass didn鈥檛 scare our U14s away. They had quite an impressive season, one that will go in the HC sports books forever. Our first team won gold in the CISAA finals and the other U14 team received bronze at CISAA, a truly awesome feat. We can’t wait to see what these young and determined athletes bring to the table in the future of their softball careers. Congratulations to the teams on a trailblazing and electric season!

Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

Hello Gators,

Our winter season was action packed with more than 400 students in the Upper School playing on 25 sports teams. Wow! There is nothing better than walking by a gym, a pool or a rink to witness the hard work and teamwork first-hand. A highlight for me was the reemergence of the HC Squash Team. The team competed at various tournaments with an end of season CISAA championship right before the March Break. At the finals there were four divisions and HC won three of them! Thank you to Maya Askari and Sienna Grossi for starting this team again!

It is difficult to write about the winter term without mentioning the most wonderful day of the year: Hockey Day. The spirit on display during this day can only be experienced. It represents everything that is 蜜桃视频 and the love our students and staff have for each other and this special community. Although it was tough to give up 鈥淗ewie鈥� (the nickname for the Hewitt Cup, which is won on Hockey Day), the pride, positivity and support on display during this day is second to none. 

Congratulations to our Senior Volleyball Team, who competed in the OFSAA provincial championships, and to our rowers, who returned to Tennessee for their intense training camp. I鈥檇 also like to compliment all our athletes and coaches who displayed courage and determination this past winter. It is such a treat to be able to watch the growth, competitiveness and fun that is on display during games.  

On March 30, we celebrated the accomplishment of our winter athletics season at an awards assembly. It was here that each team announced their MVP and Coaches Award for the term. As well, two major awards were given out: The Caney Cup (swimming) and The Mingay Award (volleyball). View the full list of award recipients . 

I am looking forward to some sunshine and grassy fields this spring! 

Ms. Di Filippo

Message from the JS Athletic Director

Ms. Anna Bartlett

For the first time in Canadian independent school history, 蜜桃视频 sent their all-girls hockey team to a U12 boys hockey championship. This exceptional crew of hockey players skated out on the ice against Pickering College and Crestwood School. 蜜桃视频鈥檚 team scored 10 goals and came out undefeated in the tournament. It was very impressive! 

Our Grade 4, 5, and 6 athletes had over 70 team members learning to play volleyball. Our three under 10 teams went to Bayview Glen, where they had a fun day of friendly competition. The four U11 and U12 Volleyball Teams were also eager to compete and worked on developing their forearm pass and serving skills this term. There is no doubt the development in Junior School strengthens their passion and love for the game as they move on to the Upper School.

Our Under 12 Swim Team trained hard and swam their way to victory at the CISAA U14 Swim championships. Some were learning new strokes for the very first time while others turned up ready to show off their skills. Special shout outs go to Kacelyn Luk and Kaley Yan for coming first in 50m freestyle; to Victoria Xiong for coming first in the 50 m butterfly; and to Anh Le for coming in first in breaststroke!

This season the Junior School gym was filled to the max with students in Grades 1 to 3 participating in multi-sports. Some of this dedicated group of students even practised on Friday after school. This program worked to build their physical literacy.

Ms. Bartlett

Message from the Student Editor

Emma Wagman

Hey 蜜桃视频!

I am pleased to introduce the Winter 2022-23 edition of Gator Zone. In this issue, you will find exciting articles about new and reintroduced teams at 蜜桃视频, incredible staff and student highlights, and, of course, Hockey Day news. A common theme you might observe throughout this issue is the strength of the 蜜桃视频 Athletics community, which was taken up a notch from the fall term.   

The beauty of the lengthy winter season is that athletes are given the opportunity to cultivate lasting, meaningful relationships with teammates and coaches over the course of the season. I was able to watch and scorekeep for many games this season and I could feel that the energy was unmatched!

I would like to give a massive shout-out to our Sports Prefects, Piper Nixon and Beats Tura, along with their extremely hardworking Sports Council and all of our student leaders for putting on a legendary Hockey Day this year. Keep on reading to find out just how legendary it was. I would also like to thank Ms. D, Ms. Pink, Ms. Bartlett and my amazing team of writers for their contributions.

With our spring season already in full swing, I would like to provide a warning to my fellow Gators: the spring season goes by fast! Savour each game and  practice and end on a bang! I can鈥檛 wait to see all that our Gators accomplish this season.   

Emma

Message from the Sports Prefects聽

Beats Tura and Piper Nixon

We cannot believe yet another term has gone by! We are both blown away by the constant support and spirit shown here every single day. We thought there was no way we could top our fall term, yet here we are! Winter was an exciting time! From OFSAA champs, all the way to the most legendary Hockey Day in history, this term has been one for the books.  

In December, we had our second Gator Day of the year where our U20 Volleyball Team took on Holy Trinity School. They set. They spiked. They conquered. We had Gym C filled to the brim with fans and Ms. Virc even busted out some exceptional dance moves (the new face of HC volleyball?)!

The year 2023 has also become the year of 鈥渆pic hype videos.鈥� Our Gators channelled their inner Steven Spielberg and made some pretty insane promo videos. From Gator Day to Varsity Hockey recaps, all the way to HCSN interviews, the media has gone crazy!  Be sure to check them out on Instagram and . 

We鈥檇 like to give a shout out to all of our volleyball teams who were dominant all season. Congrats to our U13 D2 and U16 D1 Volleyball Teams for being CISAA champs, and to our U20 Volleyball Team for competing at OFSAA. We can鈥檛 forget to mention our incredible swimmers. Who knew 蜜桃视频 was so aquatic? (I guess we are Gators after all!) This term, we had the honour of celebrating not just one, but multiple OFSAA medalists. Our Junior Swim Team demonstrated their strength by becoming OFSAA champions, and our U20 D2 Hockey Team exceeded all expectations in their inaugural season, earning a silver medal in the CISAA championships! We couldn鈥檛 be more proud of all our athletes this term. 

Last, but not least, we would like to discuss Hockey Day 2023. Never before have we seen the Mattamy stands so packed with green and gold. The fans were electric and the vibes were impeccable. It鈥檚 a day that none of us will ever forget, for those of us both on the ice and in the crowd. Although we may not have brought home the Hewitt Cup, the entire day was about so much more than just the scoreboard. The overwhelming support and positivity from our community was truly remarkable, even in the absence of a win. It just goes to show that 蜜桃视频 is like no other. The community we have here is unmatched and, with our last term right around the corner, we encourage you all to go out and support, or try, something new! 

We are so excited for (in our humble opinion) the best term of the year. Let鈥檚 go make the most of it this Spring, HC!

#RollGators

Beats & Piper

The CAIS Basketball Tournament

Natalie MacGregor

In November of 2022, the U20 D1 Basketball Team ended their season with an exciting and tough tournament: the CAIS Basketball Championship hosted at Bishop’s College School. The team made a long journey by bus to Sherbrooke, Quebec, during which time they spent their time strategizing and bonding as a team. With many of the original members of the team unable to make the trip, two talented players from the U16 D1 Team鈥擟adyn Rosenzweig in Grade 9 and Ashley O’Driscoll in Grade 10鈥攚ere called up to join the roster.

The Gators started off the championship against some tough competitors: Ashbury College and the Sacred Heart School of Halifax. They put up an extremely strong fight in both games, but unfortunately fell behind and lost both games by just a few points. It seemed like a disappointing day for the team, until it was announced they had scored enough points to compete in a consolation match! It was the end of the day for the team, and they spent the night enjoying some of the fine cuisine of Quebec, bonding closer as a team and mentally preparing to continue to fight in the upcoming games.

The team was up bright and early the next morning with their spirits alive and ready to take down any team in their way. They played in the consolidation match and came out on top! They scored just enough points to be able to move on to the semi-finals, and the fight continued. The Gators faced St. Albert in a very tight game, but their teamwork prevailed and the 蜜桃视频 team moved on to the finals!

The final game the team played during the 2022 fall season was a rematch against Ashbury College. The team put everything they had onto the court and the score was extremely close, making it a very nerve-wracking鈥攜et exciting鈥攇ame for anyone involved. Unfortunately, during the last quarter, the other team came out on top by just a few points. Despite some tough competition, the 蜜桃视频 Gators achieved a well-deserved second place in the tournament. It was an absolute rollercoaster ride for the team, with several victories and defeats. Congratulations, Gators, and get excited because the future of basketball is looking bright!

Hockey Day 2023: Supporting our Community On and Off the Ice 

Hayden Blakely 

Ask any 蜜桃视频 student what the best day of the year is. Without a doubt, the answer you will get is Hockey Day. Hundreds of screaming fans and a sea of green and gold ensures a good time for all students in Grades 4 to 12. 

With Piper Nixon and Beats Tura leading the team as our Team Captains and Abby Smith, Brianna Livingstone and Scarlett Nowakowski as our Assistant Captains, the Gators couldn’t have looked better out on the ice. It was a game full of action with every shot on the net matched by oohs and ahhs from the crowd. Although Bishop Strachan School won by a score of 3 to 2, our D1 Hockey Team put up an exceptional performance. Twenty minutes after the game was called, you could still hear the cheers and laughter coming from the 200-plus students waiting for the Hockey Team to come out for one last applause, a real indication of just how much spirit and support we students give to one another. When I think about past Hockey Days at 蜜桃视频, I never dwell on the score or the end result. What really resonates is the sense of pride I have when surrounded by so many peers all cheering our lungs out. 

Piper Nixon explains that the overwhelming support she felt on Hockey Day was the greatest honour for her, which is why it was immensely important to her that we bring that sense of support to those who are struggling. This led Nixon and a group of Grade 12 student leaders (Beats Tura, Sophie Hodgson, Abbey Mckee and Madison Cunningham) to start Hockey for Health, a partnership with Children’s Help Phone to raise money and awareness around mental health resources for youth. Not only did this fundraiser raise money and attention for the organization, but it also brought joy to those who supported the cause, adding to how special Hockey Day is. 

Hockey Day this year was a tough and challenging game, but our Gators fought hard out there and left it all on the ice. It was a truly remarkable game and, even though Hewie may be on vacation, Hockey Day and the sense of community it brings will always belong to the 蜜桃视频 Gators. 

A New Generation of Hockey Gators 

Sarah Botha and Sarah McQuillen Young

Hockey has been a core element of the 蜜桃视频 community and spirit since the early days of sports at 蜜桃视频. Hockey is a sport that brings students together across all grades, whether they are on the team or cheering on the team on Hockey Day. With the overwhelming number of players eager to become a part of the 蜜桃视频 Hockey Team this year, a D2 team was formed! The team brings together students from Grades 7 to 10, both on and off the ice. 

In January, the D2 team ventured to Buffalo alongside the Varsity Hockey Team to play Nichols School. The team crushed their opponents in an intense game with a final score of 4 to 1. This was a big win for them as they lost to Nichols School this past December in a close game. Marlowe Andrews, a Grade 8 defender, said the Buffalo trip was her favourite memory on the team this season. The team bonded over this win with a fun trip to Target. 

Sarah Keddie, Captain of the D2 Hockey Team, has great advice for anyone looking to get involved in hockey at 蜜桃视频. She said: “You should definitely give it a chance because it is an amazing environment and a great way to make friends in other grades.鈥� Even if you’re not a hockey player, coming out and supporting your friends is a great way to experience the spirit at 蜜桃视频. 

With the two teams consisting of strong players, the future of 蜜桃视频 hockey is bright. We are excited to see these players continue their hockey careers at HC. Get ready to see these D2 Gators on the ice next year at hockey day to bring Hewie home!

Building Community Through Squash: The Heartwarming Story of Our School鈥檚 Revived Team

Eshal Shakir

Everyone hold on to your rackets and get ready to squash some athletic records! We鈥檝e got some exciting news to serve up. 蜜桃视频 has just revived the Squash Team and, no, we are not talking about the vegetable! Squash is like tennis, but played in a smaller court with a bouncier ball. But don鈥檛 let that fool you, this sport is no joke. It requires fast reflexes, strategic thinking and a healthy dose of competitiveness. In squash, the fundamental concept is to continuously strike the ball against the front wall until your opponent fails to return it, either by allowing the ball to bounce twice or hitting it out of bounds. 

Maya Askari and Sienna Grossi revived the Squash Team this year because they are both passionate for the sport and wanted to play it more, aside from just outside of school. The final 蜜桃视频 competitive Squash Team was composed of 16 players and had a very successful season. At the finals, there were four divisions and HC won three of them! Mr. Adams and Mx. Curtis were the coaches for this overachieving team filled with helpful and encouraging students who support each other, especially because many team members are new to the sport. The team hopes CISAA will make this sport an official league next year.

For those of you who missed out on playing squash this season, there will be plenty of opportunities in seasons to come. What really made this year鈥檚 team special was the sense of community, support and drive that developed among the players as they began to love the sport. So grab your goggles and dust off your rackets and get ready to unleash your inner squash superstar. It’s time to make your mark on the court and show everyone what 蜜桃视频 is made of. Let’s squash the competition!

Jasmine Ke: Middle School Athlete Spotlight

Abby Smith

Jasmine Ke is a stellar player on 蜜桃视频’s Varsity D1 Hockey Team and was the only Middle School student on the team. Jasmine learned to skate when she was three years old and started playing hockey at four years old. Initially, her parents wanted her to be a figure skater, but she disliked the skates. So, her coach brought her a pair of hockey skates and, after skating once in them, she said it felt incredibly natural. From there, her hockey journey commenced. 

Jasmine plays for the Mississauga Senators, an all-boys hockey team, and dominates on and off the ice. She remarks her favorite part of hockey is the fast pace and the sense of team building it promotes. When asked what advice she would give others considering playing hockey, she says: “Regardless of your age or personality, no one cares as long as you’re willing to improve yourself and your skills while also helping others. This is the only way to truly enjoy the sport or any other sport, for that matter.” She believes that even if you don’t play hockey, sports are generally beneficial, as it is not just about “winning gold every day.” Sports are a fantastic way to meet new people. Jasmine is a dedicated, hard-working and passionate athlete and is a significant contributor to the 蜜桃视频 athletic community. The future is bright for this excellent Middle School athlete!

Staff Highlight: Mr. Nichols

Andi Meyerowitz

Here at 蜜桃视频, we are surrounded by hundreds of students that have talents like no other. As much as we love to show off our amazing 蜜桃视频 talents, there are a group of people we don鈥檛 highlight so much鈥� our staff! Mr. Nichols, VP of Experiential Education and Innovation, attended and competed in the World Championships for triathlon in Abu Dhabi this past November. Mr. Nichols competed in his 鈥渟weet spot鈥� distance, which is the Olympic distance of a 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike and a 10 km run! 

Mr. Nichols has been doing triathlons for eight years. In 2019, he had a lot of success in his races and planned to qualify for the World Championships in 2020. Just shortly after he committed to qualifying for the 2020 World Championships, the world shut down faster than anyone could have imagined. Fortunately, triathlon racing is completely outdoors and therefore could operate some smaller events within Ontario. Mr. Nichols continued to race in smaller events throughout Ontario in 2021 and was able to gain a qualifier spot for the Olympic distance World Championships in Abu Dhabi.

In my interview with Mr. Nichols, he explained that he does triathlons to better his overall health and he truly has a love for the sport because of the experiences and connections he has made along the way. After he committed to the race in Abu Dhabi, he trained for the next year. A typical week of training was around 20 hours consisting of three swims, three to four bike rides, and three to four runs. His training through the COVID-19 restrictions was driven by self-motivation and his passion for fitness and training. 

In November 2022, Mr. Nichols travelled to Abu Dhabi to represent Team Canada. Surrounded by other triathletes, Mr. Nichols gained a deep appreciation for the people around him and the championship elevated his appreciation for this sport. Mr. Nichols had two goals for this race: to complete the race and to achieve a personal best time. After an over two-hour race, Mr. Nichols crossed the finish line with a massive smile across his face when he realized he had accomplished both his goals.

At the end of my interview with Mr. Nichols, I asked him what he would tell others who are passionate about something like this. He encourages others to, 鈥淔ind something you love that you can push yourself to do.鈥� He says, 鈥淐ompete to be your best self, not to win鈥� and to: 鈥渢rain for the bad days.鈥� Mr. Nichols’ training was not always perfectly smooth sailing, but it’s the hard work and dedication that helped him continue on the journey and succeed. Congratulations, Mr. Nichols!