Vol 56 Issue 21

New TMSU election a possibility after all Team Revolt elects are disqualified

Editor-in-Chief

Abeer “AM34” Khan

News

Jake “Poshmark” MacAndrew

Gabriela “Rush” Silva Ponte Racy “Busy Bee” Rafique

Photo

Konnor “Flu Game” Killoran

Vanessa “Uniqlo Plug” Kauk Kinza “Backpack” Zafar

Online

Thea “HeyDB” Gribilas

Madeline “Outdoors” Liao

Features

Stephanie “Clutch” Davoli

Arts and Culture

Shaki “Fluer Game” Sutharsan

Business and Technology

By Racy Rafique, Gabriela Silva Ponte and Jake MacAndrew

The Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union (TMSU) may hold a “run off election” for the 2023-24 academic year following the disqualification of all Team Revolt executive team members, according to an emailed statement sent to The Eyeopener from the Elections Referenda Committee (ERC).

“In the event of a winning Executive Candidate being disqualified in any election, the Board of Directors shall facilitate another election within two (2) weeks of the disqualification,” according to section 11.5.1 of the Elections Procedures Code. “The ERC shall determine if the disqualified Executive Candidate is eligible for the second election.”

As previously reported by The Eye, Team Revolt—consisting of vice president operations-elect Mahira Shoaib, vice president education-elect Abeeha Ahmad, vice president student life-elect Kareena Bhatia and vice president equity-elect Trevohn Baker—was disqualified from the elections after receiving additional demerit points following the election, according to a statement from the committee released on March 27.

The ERC told The Eye that the TMSU is preparing its complete response to a number of alleged irregularities and violations of the Elections Procedures Code during the election and “is committed to producing a full report of its findings to members this week.”

“In fairness to all stakeholders, the ERC has taken these allegations seriously and thanks members and election participants for their patience while the ERC prepares its full report,” it said.

The ERC said it will keep student members updated with further developments as this matter progresses.

A series of ERC rulings posted to the TMSU election website on March 27 show that Team Revolt

received 60 demerit points for several election code violations, as previously reported by The Eye.

Section 8.3.8.4 of the Elections Procedures Code states that accruing more than 35 demerit points as an executive candidate “will result in an automatic disqualification.”

“Due to the unprecedented number of submissions, the Committee has made a number of decisions related to the conduct of candidates and campaigners during the election,” the ERC’s March 27 statement read. “This has resulted in the issuance of demerit points to multiple candidates, which has an impact on the final outcome of the election.”

Team Revolt received demerit points for violating four different election bylaws—42 demerit points for accessing a member’s voting portal on their behalf, four for campaigning to students while they are voting, four for misrepresentation of fact and 10 for unauthorized campaigning—on multiple instances, as previously reported by The Eye .

As previously reported by The Eye, Team Revolt received 25 demerit points on March 22 for accessing a student’s voting portal on their behalf. This violated section 8.3.7.2 of the TMSU’s Elections Procedures Code which states that accessing member’s voting portals on their behalf is a campaign violation punishable by the accrual of up to 25 demerit points.

This was appealed by Team Revolt on March 24, according to a ruling posted to the TMSU website. The ERC reviewed the appeal on March 26 and reassessed the initial ruling, issuing six additional demerit points, totalling 31 demerit points.

In the same ruling, Team Revolt also received two demerit points for campaigning to students while they were voting and four demerit points for misrepresentation of fact—which are both violations un-

der section 8.3.7.2 of the Elections Procedures Code.

Team Revolt received an additional 17 demerit points for video footage “that shows a person accessing a students’ laptop and telling them to vote for members on Team Revolt,” according to a March 26 ruling posted to the TMSU website.

The video, which was submitted by another candidate, violated section 8.3.7.2 of the Elections Procedures Code twice—for accessing a member’s voting portal on their behalf and campaigning to students while they are voting.

The slate was given the maximum of 15 demerit points for accessing a student’s laptop and only two demerit points out of 15 for campaigning to students while they were voting.

The ERC said the individuals in the video presented appeared in multiple other video complaints submitted to them. “Therefore more weight is given to the issue of “accessing members voting portals,” the committee said in the ruling.

Team Revolt was issued an additional 10 demerit points for allegedly trying to engage students to vote for the slate.

According to the ruling dated March 26, video evidence of “two individuals engaging students to vote for Team Revolt” was submitted by two candidates on March 24.

“The ERC has ruled that while the audio is unclear these individuals have been identified previously as [through] other videos, audibly campaigning for Team Revolt,” said the ruling.

Section 8.3.7.2 of the Elections Procedures Code states that candidates can receive up to 15 demerit points for unauthorized campaigners. According to section 8.1.41 of the code, “only Members of the TMSU, with the exception of the ERC, may engage in Campaigning.”

Team Revolt was issued five demerit points per unauthorized

campaigner, for a total of 10 points.

On top of the accrued 58 demerit points, Team Revolt received two demerit points for another incident involving accessing a member’s voting portal on their behalf.

According to the ruling, multiple students reported that they witnessed a person approaching students in Yonge-Dundas Square and asking them if they had voted. If they did not vote, the person showed the students how to vote for Team Revolt.

“There is a reduction in demerit points issued because it took 3 witnesses to validate that the misconduct occurred,” said the ruling.

One complainant submitted a photo and video where the people were not touching the students’ devices. A second complainant submitted a testimonial outlining the misconduct.

“The person in question was also observed by a member of the ERC in the same location campaigning for team Revolt and helping people vote,” the ruling reads.

In its statement to The Eye, the ERC said it is tasked with ensuring elections are conducted with fairness, respect and integrity.

Prior to the disqualification of Team Revolt, no presidential candidate had been elected in the March 24 election.

Current TMSU president Marina Gerges, who was running for reelection, will end her 2022-23 term on April 30, according to section 4.3 of the TMSU election bylaws.

She was not re-elected for the 2023-24 academic year, despite running unopposed, as previously reported by The Eye

Section 9.2.2 of the TMSU’s Elections Procedures Code states that an uncontested executive candidate “shall face a Yes or No vote.”

Gerges needed over 50 per cent or greater number of the votes cast as “yes” to be elected.

Now, all executive positions remain vacant.

Natalie “Learned Something” Vilkoff

Communities

Negin “Also Carried” Khodayari

Sports

Gavin “Towers Nation” Axelrod Jack “HBox” MacCool

Fun and Satire Zarmminaa “Goated” Rehman

Media

Sonia “Reels” Khurana

Youdon “Swiss Army Knife” Tenzin

Web

Nishil “Webmaster” Kapadia

Sam “Also Webmaster” Chowdhury

General Manager

Liane “Stalin” McLarty

Advertising Manager

Chris “Nice” Roberts

Design Director

J.D. “Fly’s Undone” Mowat

Contributors

Dexter “Forbidden Door” LeRuez

Peter “The Showstopper” Queally Jeff “League Him” Dowtin Jr

Volunteer with us!

It’s that time of year again!

Eyelections are back once again. Join us for our annual in-person elections where every position will be open!

It will be an exciting night of speeches as we welcome new editors onto our masthead for the winter semester.

Elections will occur on April 14 at 4 p.m. The location is to be determined and will be announced soon. All full-time, undergraduate students enrolled at Toronto Metropolitan University are eligible to run for a masthead position.

Keep an eye out on our Facebook and Instagram for more information!

ANTHONY LIPPA-HARDY/THE EYEOPENER

THE

Managing editors

Gavin Axelrod

Jack MacCool

Editor-In-Chief

Abeer Khan

Contributors:

Alex Baumgartner

Sam Beaudoin

Julian Bettencourt

Raphael Chahinian

Matthew Davison

Mitchell Fox

Mikayla Guarasci

Alexandra Holyk

Ilyas Hussein

Jordan Jacklin

Rob Vona

Dexter LeRuez

Madeline Liao

Daniella Lopez

Kaden Nanji

Zarmminaa Rehman

Nashra Syed

Jack Wannan

Alex Wauthy

Bana Yirgalem

Photo:

Kinza Zafar

Matthew Lin

Vanessa Kauk

Konnor Killoran

Illustrators:

Sagal Duale

Web:

Sam Chowdury

Nishil Kapadia

Special shoutouts

Cindy MacCool

Prince Edward County

The Cranberies

Thanks for letting us tell your stories TMU

By Gavin Axelrod

Myself, my now co-editor Jack MacCool and our good friend Curtis Martin did what any three proper young fellas would do on a Friday night in Kingston, Ont., last March during women’s basketball nationals.

We ordered McDonald’s and drove around the city until the wee hours of the morning.

Maybe you were thinking we went to a bar or the city’s famous nightclub, Stages. But no, all the lore of this year’s Eyeopener sports section begins with the golden arches and some junior chicken sandwich.

MacCool would say he was trapped in his parents’ car until he at least agreed to consider running for sports editor and Martin would probably tell you he’s responsible for selling MacCool on the job, which is hilarious because he doesn’t even work here. So, thanks for the assist, Marty.

But what none of us realized at the time was how that night set the wheels in motion for all the incredible things our team has accomplished since the summer.

Being part of The Eyeopener’s Sports section has given us the freedom to be as great as we are willing and dare to be. The opportunity to push the bar we set for ourselves even higher with every story, even when no one notices.

We’re a year-round operation, which would be impossible without our dedicated team of volunteers who have been churning out content

since July 2022. MacCool’s math says that since our first issue of the year, we will have produced 23 pages, 48 print pieces and 173 total stories when things wrap up on April 6.

it’s really all about where you water it.

We’ve watched our rookies, many of whom had never written before, become future pillars of this section and the veterans get better everyday too. Our work wouldn’t be as visually captivating without our dedicated photo team either.

part of the story but not nearly the entire thing.

Analytics have their place in sports but we’re not trying to bore anyone with all that hogwash. We’re striving to be more than just “pretty good for a sports story” and highlight the amazing athletes at the university.

We’ve gotten to this point together, as a team. Through all the late nights chipping away at stories in the office, having people file copy from other countries and asking them to be in two places at once. There were also many editing sessions and even more classes skipped chasing athletes and coaches around the school.

And even when it may seem like the grass could be greener elsewhere,

I’ve been writing for The Eye since my first year of journalism school in September 2019 and am about to complete my second year as one of its sports editors. But I think—and I’ll speak for MacCool here too—our final run trumps all the rest and not just because of the number of stories we put out but rather the good memories and better friendships formed through our campus paper.

Now, for our final act, we’re going Beyond The Boxscore. For those that may not know, the boxscore is where you can find stats from a game. It tells

Some of them are passionate about the art on their bodies and others are reflecting on the end of their time in the blue and gold. And you’ll read about a student-athlete who is now a parent-student-athlete.

Even if you’re not a sports fan, when you put this issue down there’s a high chance you’ll have enjoyed what you read.

Because that’s what we do best. Make the stories about the university’s great teams and athletes readable for everyone, even if it’s not the first section you’d open the paper for.

Zero Experience Game Recap: Two Eye editors walk into a volleyball game for the first time...

By Madeline Liao & Zarmminaa Rehman

Walking into the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) on a chilly Friday night, we felt the warmth from the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) women’s volleyball team’s energy as they prepared for their final regular season game against McMaster University.

The energy was high as the players were introduced to the crowd. Although, let it be known that we could not understand the in-house commentator at all. It was like listening to someone going through a tunnel while also wearing earmuffs. Respect to the announcer’s efforts nonetheless.

As the clock struck 6 p.m., the Bold got the ball serving in the first two sets as the game launched in their favour, winning 25-16 and 25-22.

TMU kept the ball in their court— literally and figuratively—and even when the scores were neck and neck, the Bold came out victorious through a harmonious battle against the Marauders.

Zarmminaa managed to jinx the set when claiming we “might just be

able to go home early” and perhaps caused the 11-25 loss for the Bold in the third set (whomp whomp). It was at this point Madeline realized that the maximum score for each set was 25. The more you know.

The Marauders had gained newfound energy and regrouped in their set to show their full potential. However, this was bad news for the Bold. The communication and court space utilization just wasn’t enough to cut it against McMaster’s spikes and hits.

The ball was just doing its own thing as the game went on, spinning on the net and hitting laptops at the media table. It had a mind of its own! Such a silly little thing. The fear of being hit by one of those pesky little critters was always lingering throughout the game.

Amongst the stars of the game— the players, of course—we also took notice of the flag people that visually declared—with swift and certain actions—whether the ball went out of bounds or not.

Another duo we observed from time to time were the ball keepers, who worked tirelessly to ensure no server would go more than

five seconds without a ball in their hand and that they were in prime serving condition.

Our hearts were in our throats while we spectated the continuous rallying where neither team was willing to throw in the towel.

Things were looking bleak in the fifth and final set as the score tipped in McMaster’s favour. Though as the rally continued, the Bold pulled through and gave themselves a sto-

rybook ending, winning the game with a final score of 16-14.

“[I] definitely was really nervous at the end there, so it was just a lot of luck and believing,” said setter Alicia Lam. “I could hear the girls from our side and I was just focusing on that encouragement.”

Fellow graduating senior Katelyn Grasman said this game was one of the most fun ones she’s ever played. “It’s just such a sweet way to end it.

It was such a great group effort from everyone on the team and I’m just so proud of everyone.”

The much-needed energy and confidence of the Bold could be credited to Toronto’s very own Mystic Muffin, where Grasman says she goes before games with teammate Julie Moore. There’s just something about those bagels that gets the team in a winning spirit. Athletes, they’re just like us.

KINZA ZAFAR/THE EYEOPENER

KONNOR KILLORAN/THE EYEOPENER

When it may seem like the grass could be greener elsewhere, it’s really all about where you water it

Examining the legacy of one of the most mysterious and successful esports teams at TMU

By Dexter LeRuez

In the ever-evolving world of esports, collegiate-run organizations have become a new pathway for aspiring pros to polish their talent and compete in their games of choice.

As many universities across North America are investing heavily in the esports ecosystem, collegiate tournaments have begun to pop up everywhere to provide these teams with a place to play.

Leagues are filled with teams following a simple naming convention. Take a school’s name or mascot and place the word “esports” or one of the school’s colours behind it and you have your team name.

However, simple naming conventions fail to describe the legacy of a team from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) that played an instrumental role in propelling the school to the forefront of Canadian university esports. A team whose name shook up the status quo and refreshed the collegiate Valorant scene—a team called the TMU SHORTYKINGS.

“Schools found it funny that we were called the SHORTYKINGS,” said second-year business technology management student and former SHORTYKINGS player Levi “v1rus” Montana. “SHORTYKINGS was typed in all caps, it’s almost like we are yelling it at you.”

Although the SHORTYKINGS an-

nounced they were disbanding this past fall semester, the legacy of both their name and in-game performance will last for years to come.

It took time for the SHORTYKINGS to establish their legacy ingame like they had with their name. The team opted to skip many league games and tournaments in 2021 in order to go out with friends on the weekend, which forced them to forfeit matches or attempt to find substitutes on short notice.

But come August of 2022, the SHORTYKINGS formed a new roster that defined who they were and their legacy for years to come.

The team began to take practice seriously and their skills rose to a new level, holding their own among the best in Canadian collegiate Valorant, a first-person shooter developed by Riot Games that combines the tactical gameplay of Counter Strike: Global Offensive with ability usage seen in games such as Overwatch or League of Legends

best Canadian team.”

Not only were the SHORTYKINGS racking up individual wins but their placements in tournaments soared. In December 2022 they finished top 16 out of 32 teams in the College Valorant: North Fall tournament. They also made the semi-finals of the Collegiate Esports Association (CEA)’s Fall 2022 tournament.

“I think our biggest accomplishments were not us winning,” said Montana. “But it was getting better and better every single game. Because we went from being like a mid-tier team to being one of the best in four months.”

The SHORTYKINGS’ success was only part of TMU’s rise as one of Canada’s most prominent collegiate esports programs. TMU has built a foundation for esports competition, which now includes the Red Bull Gaming Hub: a gaming facility designed for TMU students to learn about and play video games while surrounded by top-of-theline hardware and software.

“Getting that lab, when I first heard of it, was huge,” said Tan. “I was like, ‘Wow, we are really taking an extra step into esports.’”

SHORTYKINGS never played in the hub in 2022.

The squad never got another chance to compete with one another, side by side in the same room.

In December 2022, following the team’s CEA semi-finals loss, the team announced their disbandment via Twitter.

we went out for dinner as a team the next week,” said Montana. “We’re still all good friends. We still talk. I still [play] with most of the SHORTYKINGS guys.”

“We came close to beating St. Clair [College],” said former SHORTYKINGS player Jeffrey ‘JEFFREY’ Tan. “Which is maybe not right now but at the time, the

Despite the excitement for the gaming hub, the team played from the comfort of their own individual homes and never took up the university’s offer to practice in the space. Tan cited unresolved lag issues at the time as to why the

The SHORTYKINGS were moving in different directions with players like Tan pursuing professional opportunities, while others like Montana are taking a break to focus on school. Only one member of the squad stuck around to compete for TMU Blue, another TMU Valorant team.

“After SHORTYKINGS broke up,

But with TMU’s new LVL UP! LAN, an event series that happened in late January, Montana thinks the SHORTYKINGS may need to reunite one last time and finally play in the same room, united side-byside, if another event of that nature rolls around.

“SHORTYKINGS might have to make a quick one-tournament comeback every once in a while just to play at these TMU LANs,” said Montana.

Ever wondered who runs the aux cord inside your favourite TMU team’s locker room?

come out with as much energy as possible in her first year on the team and her pre-game music choice was a reflection of that.

According to Farwell, as a senior player, her role has shifted from “being a fireball of energy to being a voice of reason and a source of composure.”

As her role changed, so did her playlist. Her music choices have evolved from playing hardcore EDM—as she tried to mimic the feeling of being at a rave—to playing much less intense songs to stay level-headed.

By Rob Vona

Although music and sports may come across as two widely different topics, they actually share a lot more in common than one might think.

For athletes at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), you can’t have one without the other.

“I love music,” says Kyle Bollers, forward for the TMU Bold men’s hockey team. “I’m the type of guy [whose] headphones are always plugged in.”

Bollers often took control of the team’s aux cord last year during games and practices. While balancing team-favourite genres like rap, EDM and even country music,

Bollers found tunes that went over well amongst the team.

“Big Bootie Mix” swiftly made its way into the team’s daily routine, making its way into the dressing room and teammate suggestions.

Bollers, who is a Meek Mill fan, added that music is something that helps him calm down and stay focused throughout his hockey career, especially the song “Dreams and Nightmares.”

Whether you’re in second year like Bollers or in your fifth year like Rachel Farwell, music plays a big role for TMU athletes at every stage of their career.

Farwell, a women’s basketball forward, says she constantly tried to

Farwell, a fan of American country pop artist Jordan Davis, is the first to admit that she is never on aux duty because the country theme doesn’t coincide with the team’s liking of hip-hop and R&B after late night practices.

Whether it’s Haley Fedick, Eve Uwayesu or Lauryn Meek controlling the music, it usually results in players getting up and dancing in the locker room and singing along in warm-ups.

Bold women’s basketball head coach Carly Clarke, who enjoys Biggie’s music, laughingly admitted to singing a popular R&B song with the lyrics “superhuman” to boost team morale.

“For us, playing music helps cre-

ate an environment and energy in the gym,” says Clarke. “We try to do some storytelling and create some motivation and I think it did that,” she added with a chuckle.

Farwell says the unique motivational speech from Clarke worked. It was an indirect way of saying that she believes in the team and motivation comes from within.

“She sang it and said ‘We give each other the ability to be greater than we could have thought,’” Farwell recalls.

“We came back to it a few times later in the year, after we had a successful game she’d be like, ‘That was superhuman!’” she adds.

Whenever the team looks back at Clarke’s solo, they often laugh at the fond team-strengthening and memory-building moment.

Blues adopted “Gloria” by Laura Branigan during their championship run in 2019 as their celebratory song after a win, Bollers coined “Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)” by ABBA as their version of “Gloria.”

“Everytime I hear it, it reminds me of last year; how far we went and how close of a family we were,” says Bollers. “Everytime that song came on, whether we were out or at the rink, it was something special.”

A karaoke session on the team bus led by Lauryn Meek gave Farwell and the women’s basketball team their “Gloria” as well—Nicki Minaj’s “Moment For Life.” It was a song that resonated with the 2022 national champions and bonded them together.

“After we won nationals, that song came on,” said Farwell. “We were singing it together because it’s about being a champion and embracing the moment and living in it. When we were living in the moment of ‘Oh my God we just won,’ it was also a full circle moment.”

Both the men’s hockey and women’s basketball teams had a run at nationals in the 2022 season and with it came its own rallying song.

Much like how the St. Louis

Music has the power to bring people together and convey a message that goes past words and for the various teams at TMU, it creates memories that go beyond the boxscore.

Jeffery Tan celebrates during an in-person esports event

COURTESY OF JEFFERY TAN

KINZA ZAFAR/THE EYEOPENER

“We’re still all good friends. We still talk. I still [play] with most of the SHORTYKINGS guys”

“For us, playing music helps create an environment and energy in the gym”

TMU’s Elijah Roberts channelling ‘dad energy’ into play

By Mitchell Fox

As he sat on the home bench of the rink at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, waiting to hop over the boards and get back into the game, Roberts was exhausted. His body slumped. Sweat fell down his brow. He was out of breath. It was the craziest week of Elijah Roberts’ life.

Generally, the first game back from the holiday break would not be a big deal, but the 24-year-old Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s hockey defenceman was feeling the impact of spending a few weeks away from the rink. He had practiced just once in the last month—the day before.

“If I get caught in my own end here, it won’t be good,” he thought.

His exhaustion was matched by his motivation to contribute to his team and play well, especially with a special someone up in the stands. After months of anticipation, that game had a greater significance than most Roberts had played in his many years of hockey.

It was three days after the birth of his daughter Kylo and Roberts had three assists in a Bold victory over the Western University Mustangs. With Kylo in attendance—sleeping comfortably in the not-too-cold air of the rink—Roberts did what he told his girlfriend Mikaela Simard he would do: he “Went off for his baby.”

priorities have shifted beyond hockey. Now, his daughter is top of mind. For a university student to take on a responsibility of this kind may not be common but others have done it before.

About six years before Roberts played his first game as a father, Myles Charvis was venturing on his own journey in sports and parenthood. Charvis, who played on the TMU men’s basketball team for three seasons, had his son—also named Elijah—in 2016.

cob Kamps, which means she gets to see Roberts, Simard and their peers interact with Kylo at games.

Kamps explains that the first two years of a child’s life are all about attachment. Parents need to create a connection, which means responding to every one of their “little needs and wants.” She sees Roberts as the guy to push the stroller, take care of Kylo and give Simard a little bit of a break after games.

She adds that Roberts has a special connection with young people that oozes out at the rink when he’s interacting with youth, which includes signing autographs, taking pictures and making sure they feel noticed.

COURTESY OF ELIJAH ROBERTS

Now, Kylo is only two months old and is already part of one of the best stories of the year in sports. The balance of parenthood, athletics and academics is unimaginable for many but a reality for her dad—one he is taking in stride.

“For my entire life, it’s always been hockey and family,” says Roberts. “But now, hockey is number two, it’s not even debatable.”

With a child in the picture, Roberts’

Charvis remembers the first few practices after Elijah’s birth. Unlike Roberts, he had told only his coach, not his teammates, that he was having a baby and had not received “Is the baby here yet?” texts. Instead, he walked into the locker room full of surprised congratulations.

Charvis admits his younger self may not have believed he was going to have a kid so young. But the day his son was born, the initial shock was replaced with excitement for the new chapter in his life. He says it all became real. “Another life is being brought into this world. And I’m going to be heavily responsible for it,” he says he realized.

Since then, he has learned to embrace “dad mode,” taking on the challenge of balancing athletics, work and adulthood. Now, Elijah Roberts is going down a similar road.

Simard has gotten to see Roberts grow a lot over the course of their five-year relationship but especially in the few months since Kylo was born.

“Watching him become a father has been my favourite thing so far throughout our relationship.”

Colleen Kamps is a youth care practitioner with over 40 years of experience and a lecturer in TMU’s child and youth care program. She is also the mother of Bold forward Ja-

“Both of these parents have stepped up and said, ‘We’re going to parent, we’re taking this on, and we’re going in with full commitment,’” says Kamps. “That’s awesome to me.”

Kamps says taking care of a young child involves a healthy work-life balance and putting family first. As a student in child and youth care and the son of two parents with over 20 years of experience in the field, Roberts has a one step up on others in his position, says Kamps.

“Parenting is probably one of the hardest jobs we’ll ever do,” she adds. “People don’t get trained for that.”

Roberts says the toughest times might have been in the months leading up to Kylo’s birth, when he would wake up at 6:30 a.m. for practice, work most of the day and also factor in school and games. Moving back to the basement apartment of his mother’s home with Simard meant adding a one-hour commute from Brampton, Ont., to his already jam-packed days too.

“It was tough because I would just come home drained,” he says. “But then at the same time, I have a pregnant girlfriend who is even more drained than me.”

Since Kylo entered the picture, the juggling act continues. He remembers going to practice on an hour’s sleep. Now with the season over, he still makes it all work by taking things “rep by rep.”

Juggling is relatable for Charvis, who says time management is one of his biggest takeaways from young parenthood. Early on, he says, he had to learn to break down his responsibilities into pieces of a pie, dividing as equally as possible. But it was tough.

“I just felt kind of guilty at times,” Charvis says. He explains he was not around as much as he wanted to be because he was trying to provide for his family, go to school and pursue basketball all at once.

“Anything that’s bad going on, she can just make the situation good or make my life good, even if it’s for a little moment,” said Roberts.

Simard remembers seeing the same effect the first time Roberts introduced Kylo to his teammates after that first game back. “He was just having a very proud dad moment. I was definitely just standing back in awe,” she said. It was then that Simard knew that this was their calling in life.

“We were meant to be parents,” she says. “It’s definitely gonna be hard at times. We’re gonna have our ups and downs. But I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Simard says there have been times when Roberts is on a road trip or at school all day and she wished he could be there to give her a little extra help. Though, she appreciates he is getting an education and thankfully, Kylo has been a “very easy baby so far.”

“We’re kind of just taking it day by day,” says Simard. “Whatever challenges we face that day, we take them head-on. And we work as a team to figure out what’s best for our baby.”

The Bold’s heartbreaking playoff loss to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues meant Roberts faced the earliest end to a hockey season in his life. He sat in the locker room for a while, pissed. It stung, big time. But it wouldn’t last.

When he walked out of the dressing room to where Simard and Kylo were waiting, everything changed. Looking at this child—his child—was as if everything that had happened no longer mattered. He was just happy to see her. Just as he is after every game, win or loss.

Roberts never got to see his own parents as athletes. He says he hopes to play long enough for Kylo to form her own core memories of seeing him play. He hopes she will be proud to say “My dad played hockey and I got to watch him.”

Roberts’ success after Kylo’s birth continued.

On Jan. 7, the next game after the victory over the Mustangs, on the road against the Brock University Badgers, Roberts scored his first goal since Kylo was born. With five points in two games, the craziest week of his life ended with Ontario University Athletics and U Sports Player of the Week awards.

Simard said she was left speechless as he kept adding assists in that first game back.

“I was beyond proud of him. And I know Kylo was very proud too,” she says. She says people around her at the games now joke “That’s that dad energy.”

Simard says people ask her all the time how Roberts handles it all, having a newborn, school and hockey. Her response?

“I ask myself that every day.”

COURTESY OF ELIJAH ROBERTS

Roberts did what he told his girlfriend Mikaela Simard he would do: he ‘went off for his baby’

“Parenting is probably one of the hardest jobs we’ll ever do. People don’t get trained for that”

“She can just make the situation good or make my life good, even if it’s for a little moment”

TMU Inked

The meaning behind athletes’ tattoos is more than just surface-level

While some people wear their hearts on their sleeves, second-year Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s basketball star Aaron Rhooms dons his father’s name on his. Carefully tattooed in black ink across his inner right forearm are the cursive-styled words “Roland Rhooms” in his father’s handwriting.

Rhooms got the tattoo as his first piece of ink at a shop in Oakville, Ont. in July 2020, four months after his dad passed away in mid-March of the same year. He wanted to have something on his body to preserve the memory of his father and know that he was always with him, especially when Rhooms is on the court.

“Every time…I’m shooting the ball and I see his name midshot, it’s that belief…either the shot’s going in or the game is gonna go well,” Rhooms says. “[Getting the tattoo] was a really good thing to remember him by.”

Besides his mother, Rhooms says his father was the most prominent figure in his life. “I want people to know he meant that much to me that I had to have his name tattooed on my body,” he says.

“It’s probably my favourite tattoo, to be honest.”

Words by Alexandra Holyk

Visuals by Kinza Zafar

a segue for self-expression in the sports they play. Just as their athleticism and skills are on display during their games, so are their personalities and the important people in their lives through the phrases and images seeped into their skin for eternity.

According to Susan Cadell, a social work professor at Renison University College at the University of Waterloo, body art can have no special meaning and be strictly aesthetic, while many fall into two categories: memorial tattoos and healing tattoos.

Cadell says memorial tattoos are relatively common and describe art that depicts a significant person, place or thing in the ink bearer’s life when someone has died.

“When they’re memorializing someone, they’re about the connection to the person,” Cadell says, whereas healing tattoos are those that people get in order to celebrate, challenge, disrupt or reclaim an aspect of themselves.

Rhooms says he sees tattoos as an art form and a way to express himself, similar to how some of his favourite athletes express themselves through their own ink. For example, Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan has several tattoos depicting scenes of his life growing up in Compton, Calif., as well as a portrait of his father, who died in 2021.

“[DeRozan] remembers where he came from…that was really inspiring,” Rhooms says.

Second-year TMU women’s hockey forward Saije Catcheway has spent hours perfecting designs not only for her own tattoos but for others’ artwork, too. Her passion for drawing has enabled her to form deeper connections with the ink on her body and the people her tattoos are dedicated to.

The first tattoo Catcheway drew for herself in 2020 had sprigs of sage and rosemary overlapping a series of circles, lines and stars, which is now displayed on her back, just below her neck. The rosemary is an ode to her grandmother who bears the herb’s name, while the artwork is dedicated to the incredible journey Catcheway’s grandma lived through, including surviving Canada’s residential school system.

“She is a huge inspiration in my life,” Catcheway says, adding that her grandmother’s involvement in politics and the legal system as a Métis woman in Manitoba motivated her to pursue law and business in university.

“I wanted to honour her,” Catcheway adds. “To have her with me all the time and as a constant reminder…she always has my back.”

According to a 2019 article by the National Aboriginal Health Organization, a Canadian-based and internationallyrecognized research group, family is at the heart of Métis communities and culture.

Catcheway’s Indigenous cultural practices are seen in her familial relationships and reflected in her body art. Beside her sage and rosemary tattoo, she has the number four inscribed on her shoulder, representing balance, along with the four seasons, elements, directions and colours on a medicine wheel.

Rhooms has five tattoos in total, each with its own meaning personal to him. Aside from his father’s name, he has a bull charging from his right shin—an ode to his Taurus star sign and his intimidating demeanor on the court. A skeleton tattoo covers Rhooms’ left hand and his right hand is adorned with a sacred heart tattoo to symbolize his love and devotion to his Christian faith and religious practices. He also has the word “Perseverance” tattooed on his left forearm as a tribute to his healing journey following his father’s death, embellished with a rose—his sister’s favourite flower.

“My sister is a very big motivator to me,” Rhooms says. “She comes out to all my games…however far, early, late; she’s been there in the front row of the stands. She means a lot to me and my journey.”

For inked athletes at TMU, the art on their bodies acts as

According to a 2018 article titled, “Talking Bodies: Athletes & Tattoos as Nonverbal Communication,” in Sport Journal, professional athletes have established a prominent image of tattoos in the modern world. Further, the ink on their bodies can act as a form of nonverbal communication between the tatted athlete and other players and fans—displaying skill, intimidation and respect.

“I feel almost a sense of strength and power when I have [the tattoos] on my body,” Rhooms says. “When I’m on the court, I do feel pretty powerful…having what means a lot to me being expressed in the tattoos.”

Like Rhooms, many TMU athletes don ink with meanings that are more than just surface-level. Whether the tattoos are dedicated to a loved one, a special memory or personal growth and reflection, every line, shade and colour on athletes’ bodies allows them to display who they are beyond the sport they play.

Catcheway also has tattoos she designed of a Pisces fish and a scorpion on her right elbow for her and her brother, as well as a delphinium along her left forearm dedicated to her close relationship with her parents once she returned from Michigan after her first semester at Adrian College.

brother,

“I had dropped out of school…it was the year of COVID and it just wasn’t an experience that I thought was serving me,” Catcheway says. “So I came back home and I developed a [much] deeper appreciation and connection with my parents.”

While Catcheway’s tattoos

aren’t on display when she’s on the ice, she enjoys showing them off and explaining the meaning behind her designs. However, she also recognizes the stigma around tattoos that continues to exist in professional settings and strategically placed her ink in areas that aren’t immediately visible.

“If I know I’m going into an experience where I want the person to meet me for me first, I’m usually wearing clothing that doesn’t show them off,” Catcheway says.

“It’s not…because I want to hide them,” she continues. “I’d rather you meet me and not have to notice my body first.”

Cadell says the tattoo taboo remains prominent in the workplace but this culture is evolving to be more accepting. She says the shift can be exhibited by professional athletes that make their tattoos visible to the public.

“I think that’s…moving the needle on acceptance,” Cadell says. “Professional athletes are often role models, idols for young people,” she adds, saying that athletes showing off their tattoos helps normalize them in other environments.

A 2022 study in the Journal of Organizational Behavior supports Cadell’s claims, saying while tattoos can be seen as stigmatizing in certain environments, they are perceived as fashionable in others. Research from another 2022 study out of the University of Houston also shows that white-collar employers in creative or artistic industries may see hiring people with tattoos as a competitive advantage.

Since Catcheway draws her own body art, she says her tattoos have enabled her to express herself and her love for art so much more.

“Learning to embrace who you are has been a very prominent theme in my life,” she says. “I don’t necessarily see myself getting super tatted up as I get older but I know that it’s what makes me happy [at] this time in my life right now and I’ll remember that for years to come.”

“She’s like my best friend,” Nichols says about her mother. “We’ve been through everything together…we do everything together.”

For Nichols, family plays a huge role in her life; a role that is reflected in her body art. While she currently only has those two memorial tattoos dedicated to loved ones, she’s scheduled to get another one of two elephants walking trunk in trunk in the coming weeks. The inked image will represent the relationship between Nichols and her aunt—her mom’s sister who became a parental figure for Nichols when she lacked a fatherly presence.

“She’s been through so much but she’s always put on a strong face to help both me and even her own kids,” Nichols says. “She’s someone I definitely look up to.”

Nichols has two other non-memorial tattoos on her right thigh that she says are a key part of her identity and how she wants others to see her. The first piece is of a lion enveloped in flowers, symbolizing loyalty, fearlessness and family—aspects that hold immense value to her—while the floral work alludes to the soft, loving and caring side of Nichols that often isn’t on display in her interactions with others.

The second tattoo includes a butterfly, a daisy and the words, “Wild spirit, soft heart, sweet soul,” once again referencing a part of Nichols’ personality that may not be as noticeable as her daunting appearance on the court.

“I have flowers to show people the other side of me that no one ever gets to see unless you’re in my close circle or my close family friends,” she says.

A 2002 study by Dayna Daniels in Canadian Women Studies found that female athletes are often scrutinized for their masculine appearance in sport, whether it’s physical or emotional. But Daniels also noted that these athletes turn to selfexpressive markers such as hair-dyeing, piercings and tattoos to strengthen their femininity and feminine presentation.

“I’d say for the most part I’m involved,” Nichols says, adding that once she sends photos and a description of what she’s looking for, the artist’s sketch is both accurate and impressive.

After her elephant tattoo, Nichols says she expects to get more ink, including a matching tattoo with her brother.

“Once you get that one tattoo, you can’t stop,” she says. “So there’s definitely going to be more tattoos in the future.”

Afew months after her grandfather passed away in February 2021, first-year TMU women’s basketball guard Kait Nichols confidently approached her mother—who was his daughter— and suggested they get tattoos to honour his memory. The pair visited a family friend’s shop, where Nichols and her mom not only got ink for ‘Papa’ but also got matching rose tattoos on their wrists to signify their close relationship with each other.

“I talked to the artist about it…I feel like I look intimidating,” Nichols says. “So, I’m gonna get flowers to embrace who I am.”

Cadell says a tattoo’s ability to act as a form of self-expression relies heavily on the artist, therefore ink bearers often take special care when selecting who will hold the needle. Before getting her thigh tattoos, Nichols consulted with her mother’s tattoo artist. She shared her input with the designer to make sure the artwork accurately depicts the message she wants to convey.

While Rhooms doesn’t have any upcoming tattoo appointments right now, he says he plans on getting more ink soon. He’s also influenced his friends to get their own body art—if they ask him for his input, the answer is always automatically ‘yes.’

“If you get your first, you’re never gonna want to stop getting them,” he says.

Rhooms says he’s looking to complete his arms and have a sleeve of body artwork, potentially getting another family member’s name tattooed to emphasize the impact they have on his life.

“We’ll see, maybe in the near future…and then come next season, you’ll see me having something completely done.”

MAC Memories: A building filled with stories old and new

MATTHEW LIN/THE EYEOPENER

walked into a closet in the nearest room and collected his thoughts.

The Toronto Raptors have superfan Nav Bhatia sitting courtside every game and at TMU, it’s hard to find anyone that loves the school’s sports teams more than Bryan Sancho.

He’s easy to spot up in the balcony, mostly because he’s always there. Decked out in shorts no matter the weather, he sports his signature long socks and is always rocking a pair of shades.

has become for everybody.

“The Mattamy Athletic Centre has been a long-time home of the Canadian Blind Hockey Association and having the opportunity to support and witness their skills competition and elite blind hockey series was incredible,” said Langridge.

Langridge recounted his memories of the school winning their first Ontario University Athletic (OUA) championship banners in the venue in 2016.

By Jordan Jacklin

There was little hope left for Maple Leaf Gardens in the early 2000s, a building that had hosted big names like Muhammad Ali and housed the Toronto Maple Leafs during their 13 Stanley Cup wins.

The Leafs played their final game in the old barn, located at Carleton and Church Streets, in 1999. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) later relocated to the formerly named Air Canada Centre, now known as Scotiabank Arena.

According to CBC, Loblaw Companies Limited purchased The Gardens in 2003 and it was nearly developed into an entertainment complex that contained a movie theatre and retail shops.

In March 2009, a student referendum passed to approve a tuition hike of $126 in support of building a new athletic facility at the university. Ivan Joseph, who was the university’s athletic director at the time, said the school didn’t originally have Maple Leaf Gardens in mind.

Joseph said when the referendum was won, Galen Weston of Loblaws contacted the university’s president and vice chancellor at the time, Sheldon Levy. This formed a financial bond that helped make the dream a reality.

KINZA

ZAFAR/THE EYEOPENER

In December 2009, a $60 million partnership was announced between the university, Loblaws and the federal government.

“We did not want to build a gym, a weight room or a recreational centre,” said Joseph, who was the school’s athletic director from 2008-18. “We wanted it to be a community centre, a gathering place where people could come to hang out and congregate.”

Since its repurposing, the building, now called the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC), has come to mean many things to many different people but what they all have in common is the passion for the university’s athletics community.

The MAC held its first game in September 2012, where the formerly named Ryerson Rams defeated the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks in a men’s hockey game by a score of 5-4 in overtime.

In 2008, then-TMU vice president academic and provost Alan Shepard and Levy approached Joseph about an opportunity to become the athletic director of the university.

“I had said no a whole bunch of times and they asked me why did I say no,” said Joseph. “And I said, ‘The things that you’re asking me to do, which is change the culture and build a winning program can’t be done because I’m gonna have to break

a whole bunch of rules in order to make it happen.’”

“And [Levy] just said, ‘Tell me what stupid rules are keeping you from doing your job and I will help you break them down.’”

Ultimately, their alignment kept him around. Joseph said he knew Levy was someone he wanted to work for because he was outside the box and didn’t just do things a certain way because that’s how they were always done.

Sancho was enticed by the building because of the study spaces it provides, making The Lookout, the balcony area above the basketball court his “work office.” Being a secondyear engineering student, he has a heavy workload and the Sheldon and Tracy Levy Student Learning Centre can often be difficult to secure a quiet and comfortable space.

He described the MAC as a “hidden gem” not enough students know about.

Not only has Sancho become a staple in the crowd but he has built relationships with a variety of student athletes across multiple sports. Alex King, who plays on the Bold men’s volleyball team, has a special handshake with Sancho that they always do when they see each other.

The athlete interactions are an integral part of his game-day experience.

Aaron Hyman, a member of the Bold’s men’s hockey team, calls Sancho “the boss” when they see each other.

He remembers how the men’s basketball team was hosting the Carleton University Ravens at the MAC and at the same time, the women’s team was on the road taking on the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees. Both squads had the chance to bring OUA championships to the MAC for the first time.

The men’s team got the job done, fighting back to beat the Ravens and Langridge remembers how when the final buzzer sounded, everyone rushed the court and the champagne showers ensued.

But what made it even more special was getting to celebrate another championship on the court that night, even if the women’s hoops team wasn’t actually in the building.

And after spending several years with the program, he says he has many fond memories. The fondest, however, came when the facility hosted an event to showcase the historical 1972 Summit Series. The iconic event was an eight-game series of hockey matchups between Canada and the Soviet Union.

“As I’m walking into the event, the vice president, marketing and communications turns to me and says ‘Oh by the way you have to give a 15-minute speech right now,’” said Joseph. “And I’m like ‘holy sugar sticks.’”

After initially being flustered, he

ALEX D’ADDESE/TMU ATHLETICS

It was only within this past year that he became a fan of the school’s sports teams and his love for the Bold is continuing to grow.

“I became a fan when the women’s basketball team won the national championship last year,” said Sancho. “Since my classes have been online for most of my university tenure, I didn’t even know about our athletic teams. I’m trying to make up for the lost time.”

Robert Langridge is the operations manager for Oak View Group 360, the venue management company that looks after the MAC. He appreciates how accessible the MAC

“I will never forget someone yelling ‘The women also won’ and away we went again, screaming and yelling all over again.”

The MAC remains one of the top facilities across the country and that was one of the reasons it was chosen to host the 2024 U Sports men’s hockey national championship next year. It’ll be the first time the school hosts the tournament but it has previously hosted three national championships.

And as the school embarks on a new chapter under the TMU Bold moniker, they’ll continue to be surrounded by the illustrious history of the building they call home.

“I didn’t even know about our athletic teams. I’m trying to make up for lost time”

“We did not want to build a gym...we wanted it to be a community centre”

The Eyeopener’s photos of the year

Words by Nashra Syed Layout by Vanessa Kauk

The ‘Ivy slide’ - Andrew Yang/The Eyeopener

TMU midfielder Ivymae Perez was a force for the women’s soccer team. Putting up six goals in a season where her team scored just 12, Perez put her best foot forward. On Sept. 18, the Bold took on the Trent University Excalibur at Downsview Park in an effortless game. TMU led 1-0 until the final 25 minutes, where they added another three goals, on route to a 4-0 win. Perez celebrated her second goal of the match by sliding onto the field in style.

Battle of Toronto cheers - Matthew Lin/The Eyeopener

After losing to the University of Toronto (U of T) Varsity Blues in the first game of the playoff season, the Bold men’s hockey team bounced back on Feb. 18 with a 1-0 win, keeping their playoff alive as they forced a game three. TMU was overjoyed after a shot from Bold forward Kevin Gursoy ended up in the back of their opponent’s net. Forward Chris Playfair was seen cheering after the goal and TMU’s ultimate defeat of the Varsity Blues.

Threes for Eve - Matthew Lin/The Eyeopener

The defending women’s basketball OUA and U Sports champs are back. The Bold women’s basketball team had a rough start to their season but were able to turn it around and play like the champions they are.

The team cruised to a 69-46 victory in their opening round playoff game against the visiting Western University Mustangs on Feb. 22. Veteran guard Eve Uwayesu put up seven points with her team hyping her up in the background—literally.The team eventually lost to the Carleton University Ravens in the OUA quarter-finals.

A foggy playoff win - Nashra Syed/The Eyeopener

Defender Brandon Barone was hyped when the Bold men’s soccer team made history this season. On a foggy Oct. 29 night, the squad won their OUA quarter-final game against the Carleton Ravens, punching their ticket to the semi-finals versus the Waterloo Warriors. The team earned a 2-1 victory against the Warriors, with forward Ameer Kinani scoring a penalty after third-year Luca Di Marco found the back of the net early on in the game. They lost a final against the McMaster Marauders but qualified for the U Sports national tournament.

Fight for the puck - Konnor Killoran/The Eyeopener

The battle of Toronto continued on Feb. 23 as the Bold women’s hockey team fought against the U of T Varsity Blues.

The squad led for the majority of the game but couldn’t hold off the strong Varsity Blues team, resulting in a 2-1 loss at Varsity Arena. Diving for the puck, senior Madison Lalonde was met with a crash from a Varsity Blues player.

A later rematch against the Varsity Blues didn’t end well for the Bold as they lost 4-2. With their season coming to a close, the Bold finished fourth in the OUA east division.

The super sweet smiles of success - Andrew Yang/The Eyeopener

After a tough year and hungry for a spot on the podium, the Bold women’s volleyball team made a comeback. Despite losing a 3-0 battle in their game against the Queen’s University Gaels on Nov. 26, the team made it to the quarter-finals of the OUA championships.

Seniors Julie Moore and Katelyn Grasman led the team with eight and six kills respectively. Moore earned an OUA honour alongside middle Ashley Ditchfield and libero Mary Rioflorido. A quarter-final fight against the Waterloo Warriors saw the team fall short of continuing their road to a provincial title.

The DancePak is more than just a team, they’re family

By Matthew Davison VANESSA KAUK/THE EYEOPENER

At the beginning of the fall 2022 semester, the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) DancePak team’s recruitment process was in full swing. They had a table set up on Gould Street for the Orientation Week’s fair intended to advertise various clubs on campus.

“It just depends on who shows up, right? This year, we had a great turnout,” said coach and club supervisor Cristina Sinopoli. “We have a callback session where we bring in the select people that we’ve…narrowed down [after auditions].”

The experienced coach says there is often an interview process to get to know dancers on a personal level. It is important that candidates approach the team with a positive attitude because the group will be spending a lot of hours together. After this year’s auditions, which assessed nearly 90 applicants, the team welcomed 14 dancers who were not listed on last year’s roster.

“This year, the objective was to grow the team: number-wise and also…grow how much we do,” Sinopoli says. “We’ve succeeded [in] both of those.”

Helen Melino is a team captain and in her senior year of medical physics. She says having a larger team allows them to have a greater ability to be inclusive—including having two male dancers this season. It also allows the club to have more variety

in its dances. This year’s team will be bringing more routines to competition than ever before, which Melino says gives them a better chance of finishing closer to the top.

In a sport where connectivity and chemistry are paramount, there is an inherent risk that bringing in a lot of new faces would alter team dynamics. However, Sinopoli said this year’s team has an especially great spirit.

“They were amazing dancers before but because you’re dancing with the same group of people—you kind of learn to think the same way and dance

the same way,” she said. “It’s just such a great energy that they bring to practice. It’s really nice to see.”

years, the team performs in front of an energized audience.

For Sinopoli—who has been involved with TMU DancePak for 12 years and the team’s supervisor since 2019—the moment felt nostalgic. She said it meant so much to be back and performing in front of an excited crowd.

“I got more and more hyped up for the games,” said Mahabir, who is in his first year with DancePak. “It was really just a great way…to cheer on our school. It was so exciting.”

The first-year creative industries student said performing at varsity games acts as a great bonding experience for the many new faces on the team and is good preparation for the boisterous competition environment. This gives them a bit of an edge over opposing schools who sometimes do not perform in front of fans until the winter semester.

Down a set of stairs and into the dimly lit, stuffy underground level of the Recreation and Athletic Centre at TMU is Studio I. Inside the bright room with hardwood floors and mirrors lining the back wall, it feels like a family reunion is taking place—and a rigorous dance practice has broken out.

It’s mid-March and the DancePak is training for its upcoming competition schedule. On one side of the Nike-branded studio, Sinopoli runs through a routine with part of the team, while the other dancers break up into various groups. Some are stretching and others are practicing while receiving encouragement and advice from teammates. All of this with smiling faces, laughter and the occasional ovation for one of their teammates.

That upcoming weekend beginning on March 17, the team was

scheduled to dance in the second of three consecutive competition weekends. The team is focused but the gym’s energy is light and there is a general feeling of excitement.

This year’s team composed of 23 dancers has seen a significant increase from the 16 members on last year’s roster.

It is the largest group that DancePak has ever brought to competition since the competitive club began in 2004. Despite there being more members than ever, this is a tight-knit group that describes itself as a family and its members say their closeness is one of their competitive advantages.

The idea of “family” runs deep in this year’s DancePak roster. Over the years, the club has adopted a little sibling–big sibling program, where a newcomer to the program will be paired up with a veteran on the team.

Third-year Mhairi Rothery credits this program and being paired with her fourth-year ‘big sister’ Bianca Campbell, for helping her to transition into the team easily. She found an immediate connection with her teammates. “With dance… it’s a bond like no other,” she says.

“Dance is so expressive… We’ve just bonded so amazingly.”

Shane Mahabir said joining DancePak was important to his adjustment to university after high school.

“It’s my first year at TMU, I was really looking for a community… I didn’t just find a community—I found a family.”

People are filing into the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) home court for the anticipated TMU Bold basketball home-opening game against their rivals, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.

“Give it up for the TMU Bold DancePak!” says the public address announcer at halftime of the November 5, 2023 women’s game. A lively song plays over the in-house speakers and for the first time in nearly three

With the most members on its roster in DancePak’s nearly 20-year history, it was important to have these experiences to help build familiarity and camaraderie within the team.

Fellow newcomer to DancePak, Rothery remembers that halftime performance fondly because it was the first time this roster had danced together as a team. The third-year professional communication student said the performances at varsity sports games allowed the team to get to know each other as dancers.

The competitive season for the TMU DancePak ended at the conclusion of a competition held in Niagara Falls from March 24-26. The team has one last show of the season on April 6 at the MAC to show their home school, friends and family the dances they have prepared for competition.

For Melino—a senior on the team—she anticipates this being an emotional moment as she dances for the final time with DancePak. She was unsure whether she would continue to dance competitively after high school.

“It doesn’t hit you until the end,” Melino recalls. “We have our final show…at the MAC and I think that’s when it’s going to hit me… because that’s it for us—until our summer classes, of course—but the last time performing. So it’s going to be emotional.”

This season will be remembered as a turning point for the TMU DancePak due to the team’s unprecedented growth. The lasting memory of this season, though, might just be the connections that were made and the family that was formed.

After all, family is forever.

VANESSA KAUK/THE EYEOPENER

KONNOR KILLORAN/THE EYEOPENER

“I was really looking for a community...I didn’t just find a community, I found a family”

“Dance is so expressive...We’ve just bonded so amazingly”

The End of the Line: Graduates say goodbye to U Sports

her career, Moore departs university sports with an appreciation for more than just the accolades. “You kind of realize when you’re done that awards and banners are not everything,” she said.

After transferring to TMU for her final year of eligibility, Moore’s experience playing for the Bold is something she’ll always remember.

From the energy filling the MAC on opening night of the season to the five-set thrilling win over McMaster on senior night, these are moments in her career that will never leave her memory.

By Sam Beaudoin

As the curtain draws to a close on the first season of the newly renamed Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold athletics program, a wave of athletes’ final university sports season will forever be cemented in history.

As graduating athletes put on the blue and gold for a final time, they depart university athletics as a class having endured the most obstacles in recent memory.

Losing nearly two years of university sports competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these athletes are among the most resilient individuals to come out of the TMU athletics program.

While their time at TMU has been formative, these athletes have reached the end of the line for university sports. As they depart, they’re left with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the sports they’ve dedicated their lives to.

For TMU men’s basketball forward Nick Hamilton, the pandemic was just another bump in the road on an unlikely university sports career for the Hamilton native. Basketball has been a passion of Hamilton’s since a young age and no sport has ever come close to rivaling his dedication to it. Despite Hamilton’s immense devotion to the sport, his journey to becoming captain of the TMU Bold men’s basketball team is one that could be considered something straight out of a movie.

high school for a victory lap. And once that ended, he truly thought his career was over.

“For a while I loved basketball and it didn’t love me back,” he said.

The extra year allowed Hamilton to tack on some weight and height and ultimately led him to tryout at Kerr Hall for the university’s basketball team.

Hamilton impressed during the tryout, securing himself a spot as a practice player on the team as a walk-on. As it did his entire career, Hamilton’s dedication to his craft never wavered but rather only strengthened. Continuously believing in his abilities and looking at the game from a coach’s perspective allowed him to graduate into the rotation during the 2021-22 season.

When reflecting on his fondest memory from his career, the emotions endured during his first career start in Ottawa on Feb. 25, 2022 certainly come away on top. His story came full circle when he laced them up and hit the court as a TMU starter that night.

“When I first came here and was sitting on the bench my first year, I really thought ‘I don’t know if I’ll ever get in a game at this place,’” said Hamilton.

Not only did Hamilton continuously defy the odds during his career, his passion for the sport only grew during the pandemic.

“[The time away was] so incredibly valuable…because you step away from it and then you realize how much you do like it when it comes back,” he said. “When you play it every single day you can take it for granted.”

pect of sport a lot more.

This realization helped him become more relaxed on the court, improving his game and making his final two years at TMU some of the best basketball he’s played in his career. In fact, head coach David DeAveiro said Hamilton was a player the team couldn’t succeed without when they defeated the eventual 2023 national champions, the Carleton Ravens, back in January.

Hamilton acknowledges his strong work ethic and departs with his head held high, possessing lots of gratitude for basketball while reflecting on his Hollywood-like athletics career.

“I don’t know if I can put it into words, it just means a lot,” said Hamilton. “It gives you something to wake up to in the morning.”

Not only will Moore be forever grateful for the moments she shared on the court, she says the friendships and bonds she’s created along the way will be among things she misses the most about her U Sports career. The long road trips, team meals and just simple conversations about life with her teammates before and after games have led to friendships that will last Moore a lifetime.

“That’s the tough part of it all ending, you won’t be seeing those people every single day at practice,” she said.

Despite reaching the end of the line in her university career, Moore remains undecided on what her future in the sport holds. She’s signed with an agent and will either continue her volleyball career overseas professionally in Europe or join Team Canada for the NextGen beach program, which tours around the world taking on various countries.

With it all being said and done, Moore departs university athletics wanting every incoming athlete to enjoy each moment and take it all in, saying that the experience “[is] gonna go by really fast.”

soccer team.

Ghazanfari admitted the studentathlete life has been challenging throughout the years but it is one that has contributed positively to his self-development. “As an athlete, I got smarter in taking care of my body,” said Ghazanfari. “I endured a lot of injuries in my first couple years and attributed those injuries to a lack of knowledge about strength and conditioning.”

“To go to nationals my last ever shot at it, it was crazy. It’s almost like if the script was writtten for me”

Ghazanfari plans on continuing his playing career in a semi-professional league and said the lessons he learned at TMU will play a crucial role in keeping him healthy and on the playing field.

Following the completion of his undergraduate degree, Ghazanfari was uncertain about his future in soccer. He admits his focus shifted from being a student-athlete to transitioning into his career. However, Ghazanfari ultimately opted to return to TMU to complete his masters degree after a desire to further his education. That decision resulted in him reaching the biggest stage in U Sports in his final year: nationals.

Ghazanfari said the moment felt extra sweet after the program had lost a handful of consecutive games with a trip to nationals on the line in previous years.

“To go to nationals in my last ever shot at it, it was crazy,” said Ghazanfari. “It’s almost like if the script was written for me.”

The beauty of sports is that everyone’s journey is different, everyone faces a different set of challenges and everyone learns valuable lessons that can be applied to life. Take women’s volleyball star Julie Moore, who took a unique path on her way to the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC), as an example.

Since her early days growing up in Halifax, volleyball was always a topic of conversation within the Moore family. With Moore’s mother, Karen, playing the sport at the Olympic level, the volleyball genes ran in the family.

While Moore only spent one season as a member of the Bold, her final season will always be a memorable one.

“TMU is just a whole different school, the volleyball culture is just so different,” said Moore. “I was like ‘wow this is a whole new world for me.’”

While many in TMU’s upcoming class of graduating students will walk across the stage at convocation for the first time, some—like men’s soccer goalie Ali Ghazanfari—are saying goodbye to the university for a second time.

While competing at nationals was a dream come true, it also marked the end of Ghazanfari’s university sports career. He recalled a magnitude of emotions going through his head as he walked off the pitch for the last time. Spending seven years with the program made the moment all the more difficult. Ghazanfari specifically admitted that taking off his jersey for the final time was a very emotional moment.

Hamilton believed his time playing his beloved sport had reached the finish line as his high school graduation rolled around. With little interest from post-secondary schools to further his basketball career, Hamilton opted to return to

The pandemic brought Hamilton closer to his teammates—whom he now considers his brothers for life— and changed the way he viewed the game. He also came to the realization that the significance of sports is very minimal after a massive global event such as a pandemic. Given the state of the outside world, he valued wins and losses less but the social as-

Moore committed to the sport full time in Grade 11, leading her to a spot on the women’s volleyball team at Dalhousie University. During her four years at Dalhousie, the program won four consecutive Atlantic University Sports championships, with Moore herself being named a two-time All-Canadian and making multiple all conference teams.

But despite all her success in

Ghazanfari has spent the last seven years of his life walking TMU’s campus and calling the confines of Dundas and Church Street home.

Not only has he devoted an immense amount of time to his education, completing his masters in business administration after graduating from the school’s civil engineering program in 2020, Ghazanfari has also dedicated a good portion of his free time to being a focal leader on the men’s

Being a university athlete is often the highlight of many players’ sporting careers. They’re formative years where these athletes create lifelong friends while also encountering some of the best and worst times of their lives.

For many, their most valuable experiences involved learning to relax, soaking it all in and just having fun playing the sports they love so much. Because eventually, they’ll reach the end of the line.

And that’s life advice that goes beyond the boxscore.

“Just have fun, enjoy it, it’s really not gonna last forever and things really do get more serious afterwards,” said Ghazanfari.

CHRISTIAN BENDER/TMU ATHLETICS

“When you play it every single day you can take it for granted”

“You kind of realize when you’re done that awards and banners are not everything”

VISUAL BY KONNOR KILLORAN

MATTHEW LIN/THE EYEOPENER

MATTHEW LIN/THE EYEOPENER