Five months ago I wrote about the season I lost to the pandemic. Today, I’m writing about the season in front of me: the season we compete again.
Five months ago I wrote about the season I lost to the pandemic. Today, I’m writing about the season in front of me: the season we compete again.
In an exciting home opener for both teams, the Gee-Gees rugby teams put on a thrilling display of athleticism with 70-0 and 65-0 wins over Sherbrooke.
Youngblood, The Rookie and Slapshot are all highly regarded movies that revolve around rookies. And just like them, many of the U of O’s Gee-Gees team will rely heavily on their rookies to put on a show.
After nearly two years without playing, U of O rugby teams will take the field for the RSEQ fall season starting on Sept. 11.
“Deciding to retire has been one of the most difficult decisions of my life. I always say family comes first and I need to live up to my own words. I am very proud of what we have all accomplished to make this team into a national championship contender and more importantly, a great place to play,” said Sparks, in a press release.
“Being able to get exposure at the professional level and being able to compete with big names and pro players is such an exciting experience and I can’t wait to see how I’ll do,” said Guillaume Pépin after being drafted into the CEBL by the Ottawa BlackJacks.
“I threw my cleats in my backpack, clueless to the reality that I wouldn’t have the opportunity to compete against another team for over a year- and counting.”
Do you ever find yourself replaying your favourite memories in your head? Well, so do many of U of O’s student-athletes.
Dylan St. Pierre, who just closed out his final season as a Gee-Gee, is looking forward to participating in the CFL combine despite the change to a virtual format.
The University of Ottawa Rocket League team took down the Sault Cougars in a 4-2 series win to earn themselves the OPSE championship after a strong 10-2 regular season record.
In November, Yvan Mongo was named the captain of the Gee-Gees men’s hockey team. Since then, Mongo has become the face of many initiatives on campus, and has continued to make an impact throughout the university.
There are plenty of recruits throughout the university’s various teams that are sure to make an impact on the athletics program.
For Black History Month, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees football program has taken a creative approach to honour it’s Black community. For every day of February, the program is highlighting an athlete, coach, or support staff from the program who has been successful on the field, in the classroom, or in the workforce.
University of Ottawa Hall of Famer Fabienne Perrin-Blizzard has entered the Canada Elite Basketball League (CEBL) as the assistant coach for the Ottawa BlackJacks. Perrin-Blizzard is currently the only woman to coach professional sports in Ottawa.
“The entire basketball community finds a way to get to that game and that’s what makes it just so awesome,” added Derouin. [On] a special night, we were able to get a win.”
This year, U Sports announced the campaign would be taking place online from Feb. 1 to 7. But even with the shift, various teams throughout Canada have stepped up to make the weeklong digital event the best it can be.
Despite being the most well established collegiate riding program in Canada, and the success the team has seen in both Canadian and American competition, the University of Ottawa equestrian team still faces misconceptions about their sport.
“As the number of cases rise during the second wave of COVID-19, and without an available vaccine, on-going sports restrictions are required to ensure student-athlete health and safety,” said Dr. Taryn Taylor, U Sports chief medical officer.
The fall season has looked much different than usual for all University of Ottawa athletic teams. In addition to the cancellation of regular season games and activities, Gee-Gees teams are following new guidelines to ensure that athletes and coaches are partaking in their sport safely.
As COVID-19 continues to bring uncertainty, various Gee-Gees sports teams are awaiting announcements regarding their seasons, or already shifting their focus to 2021. Athletes from the football team, men’s and women’s rugby teams, and the men’s ultimate frisbee team share their outlook on the current situation.
Yvan Mongo, a Black hockey player on the University of Ottawa men’s hockey team, along with his head coach, Patrick Grandmaitre, has created a special club called “Mongo’s Brave Buddies” that aims to help young BIPOC hockey players.
The University of Ottawa’s Varsity Athletics department has named Chelsea Grills as the new head coach of the Gee-Gees women’s hockey team. Grills previously served as the interim head coach of the team following Yanick Evola’s sudden departure in November hours before a game against the University of Montreal Carabins
The University of Ottawa and former players on the Gee-Gees men’s hockey team have settled a class-action lawsuit, the administration announced Monday evening. The settlement was approved by the Ontario Superior Court on Friday.
One of the standouts of this year’s Capital Hoops Classic may not have been on the court, but rather in the stands. As it had been multiple times this season, the women’s basketball team played to a much smaller crowd than the men’s team.
For many of us who are currently social distancing, it can be hard to stay healthy, both physically and mentally, while isolated at home. Gee-Gees performance coaches shared some advice with the Fulcrum on how to stay both mentally and physically fit while social distancing.