Serena Anagbe / Photo Editor
Students playing dodgeball in the LBYMCA.
Despite being a smaller campus and being home to only two varsity sports teams, athletics play a huge role in campus life at Wilfrid Laurier University Brantford.
“Playing on a sports team really enriched my first-year experience,” said Alex Vessoyan, a criminology student heading into his second year and a member of the men’s extramural hockey team. “It’s a pleasure to wear the Golden Hawk on your chest and I’m glad I had the opportunity.”
Students also noted the small campus makes sports more important to the school.
“The size of our campus definitely has a lot to do with our athletic involvement,” said Kaitlyn Heffern, a third-year social work student and member of the extramural volleyball team. “Everyone knows each other, so more people feel comfortable trying out for their sports teams.”
Heffern added “the comfortability with one another makes [Laurier’s sports] community super engaged,” further highlighting the strong sports community at Laurier Brantford.
Outside of varsity and extramural teams, intramurals are also super popular among students. Fifth-year criminology student Jake Storm says intramurals are a “stress reliever” and “something to look forward to every Thursday night.” Storm, who plays intramural volleyball, also pointed out how “intramurals aren’t just about the sport, but also the people you meet.”
On top of the numerous sports teams that Laurier Brantford has to offer, there are also numerous clubs related to athletics to join.
One of them is the Athletic and Wellness Council, which is a club that promotes a healthy and active lifestyle for first-year students at Laurier. Second-year forensics student and club member Adam Cronin said “being in a club has been one of [his] best experiences on campus.” Cronin also said, “if you want to make your time at Laurier memorable, involving yourself in clubs is the best way to do it,” again showing how important the clubs are to the school.
Laurier Brantford’s athletic clubs and teams are a great way to get involved and meet new people and they have built a tight-knit community unmatched by any other school.
With the first day of the fall semester coming up right around the corner, students can expect another amazing year from Laurier’s athletic clubs and teams.
This article was originally published in print Volume 23, Issue 1 on Thursday, Aug. 31.
