Alice Martin

Crowds, cheers and student spirit

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An enthusiastic fan holds up a “Go Stingers Go” sign during the 2024 football home opener on Aug. 24. Photo Alice Martin

Alice Martin,
Local Journalism Initiative

Concordia students play a role in empowering Stingers teams and swaying scores

With the Stingers fall teams beginning their seasons in late August, coaches and players say a strong audience in the bleachers has a vital role in bringing the home team to victory.

Football fever

The football team always manages to garner some of the biggest crowds of all Stingers teams. Head coach Brad Collinson says the energy of the crowd is something they feed off of as a team.

“It’s always fun to pack the stadium and make sure that there’s a lot of people here cheering on the guys,” he says. “When you come to a game, there’s a lot of things going on, and we always put up a good show.”

He believes attending games gives students a chance to bond with the larger Concordia community. He notes the Homecoming game on Sep. 21 against McGill as a perfect example of sports games colliding with student life.

Last year, the Homecoming game against the Université Laval Rouge et Or hosted 1,892 fans. It represents a decline from 3,312 fans the previous year when they played the Homecoming game against their crosstown rivals, the McGill Redbirds.

“[Homecoming] is always a big event and there’s going to be things happening all day because of the 50th anniversary of Concordia,” he says. “There are ample opportunities to come here and support the guys. Coming to a game, being out in the sun, supporting fellow students; it’s always a good time.”

According to Concordia Athletics, the football team averaged 1,400 attendees per game during the 2023-2024 academic year. They also sold out a game and nearly sold out another. 

Despite a loss in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec semifinals last year, the Stingers still garnered important momentum at the latter end of their season. 

Their playoff loss was heartbreaking, says fifth-year star quarterback Olivier Roy. Playing at Université Laval’s stadium, they almost managed to overcome the second-seeded team but were defeated in overtime.

The team also won its last three regular season games, including a major upset against the Université de Montréal Carabins, to finish the season with a strong 5-3 record.

Roy says the team will use the playoffs as a launching pad into the new season.

“We’re not trying to think too much about the past and previous years, but most of the guys were there last year, and they experienced the whole thing,” Roy says. “So, we’re trying to learn from the negative and build on the positive from last year.”

Roy and Collinson both say they are excited about the enormous class of veteran players returning.

“We feel that we have a good team on our hands,” Roy says. “We just want to be able to compete at the same level that we finished last year.”

The revenge story of the veteran team will be one to follow this season for football fans. It even convinced Roy, who was hesitant about playing a fifth year, to return.

“I didn’t like the way our season ended last year, so that was obviously a big factor,” he says. “But, just the fact that we have a team that is mature and ready to win right now, it guided me a lot towards coming back this year.”
 

The Stingers drew 1,232 fans to their first football game of the 2024 season. Photo Alice Martin

Soccer spirit

While football gets the boost from the crowd, the soccer teams say they are looking to attract more fans to the field this season. Head coach Greg Sutton says crowds empower teams and add energy on the field.

“When things are going well for teams, then the crowd gets on behind them and pushes them onto even further things,” he says. “Vice versa, when things are challenging for the team, there’s that encouragement sometimes to push you to get through some tough times.”

Sutton says one of their challenges has been attracting fans to the field, but that their team appreciates any level of support.

“I don’t think that the student body really understands how important they can play a role in our varsity teams,” he says. “Their support would be an opportunity for us to take our gains to another level. In our teams, we’re very mindful of that support.”

In Sutton’s opinion, soccer brings a more intimate fan experience, especially at the university, where peers support peers.

“So, for students out there, what’s in it for them?” he asks. “It’s helping create an opportunity for our university and being a part of the success of our university soccer teams.”

Sutton says both teams are in good hands leadership-wise and that they are training together quite well. Women’s soccer’s Dayne Lebans and Lauren Curran will head the women’s team once again this year, while men’s soccer’s Razvan Colici will take the helm after John Cevik graduated last year.

“I think this year seems a little bit different. We seem a little bit more connected on both teams and have a drive that’s a little bit more evident than in years past,” Sutton says. “We’re in a good position where I think now we can really do something special with both teams.”

Stingers fans celebrate a first down. Photo Alice Martin

The Swarm

One Concordia student club, Concordia Swarm, actively tries to get students interested in attending varsity games to create a more involved student body.

Swarm president Kinu’Kai McCalla says they are starting their operations back up after a dormant few seasons.

“The whole purpose of Swarm was about bringing a great atmosphere to games, bringing more of the student body, get them more encouraged to not only go to games, but be a fan of the game,” McCalla says,”[to] embody the Concordia student culture and bring it to life at these games.”

Swarm is currently building its new team and encouraging students to get involved with the club. However, recruitment efforts have been difficult so far. She says fewer students are involved in clubs than in previous years.

“The club’s been around for over a decade, actually, and I saw from their old photos how involved all the students were,” she says. “I just want to bring it back to what it looked like 10 years ago, where every single student was either talking about the games or talking about a sport in the school and just having fun.”

McCalla herself had been compelled to join the club when she attended one of the football team’s highly-anticipated Homecoming games.

“I really enjoyed the atmosphere and I wanted to somehow get involved with the school, since I wasn’t as involved as I wanted to be, and sports just interested me,” says McCalla, who encourages any student who would want to be a part of Swarm to get in contact with them.

“It’s always fun to pack the stadium and make sure that there’s a lot of people here cheering on the guys.”— Stingers head football coach Brad Collinson

How to support the Stingers

The Stingers football team’s home opener against the Université de Laval Rouge et Or attracted a good crowd of 1,232 fans on Aug. 24. However, Rouge et Or supporters came en masse to support the away team, occupying numerous bleachers and making themselves heard.

Despite the Stingers fan base diligently cheering on the home side, the Stingers fell 36-11 against the Rouge et Or.

For anyone looking to take part in the fun, the Stingers’ game schedule and ticketing platform can be found on their website. Discounts are offered to students.

This article originally appeared in Volume 45, Issue 1, published September 3, 2024.

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Nouvel Établissement announces its permanent closure

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The bar is closing after three years of operation. Photo Alice Martin

Anya Tchernikov,
Local Journalism Initiative

Due to residential renovations and noise regulations the bar is unplugging the turn tables

Nouvel Établissement, a bar in Montreal’s Mile End, will permanently close on Nov. 2 due to noise regulation policy as its upper floors will be repurposed into residential spaces by the building’s owner.

This changes the noise regulations for the bar below, known for its lineup of sets every weekend. 

The closure comes after legendary music venue La Tulipe announced it was temporarily closing as section 9 of Plateau-Mont-Royal’s noise regulation prohibits any amplified noise from being heard outside an establishment.

Ariane Roy Geromin has co-managed Nouvel Établissement with partner Charles Étienne Pilon since its inception. 

“That’s something that I feel saddened me a bit, is that the people that were coming to a safe space—and there’s a lot of people that were really coming often,” Geromin said. “I know it’s really bad now that they won’t have this space anymore.” 

The venue welcomed visitors in September 2021, before it officially opened December of that year.

Before Nouvel Établissement was formally opened, there was a regular “Drink and Draw,” where visitors could come to the bar and partake in exactly what the name entails: illustrating at the establishment with a drink in hand if desired. It quickly grew to foster a community and regulars. 

“I think we were lucky with that, [with] creating a place where people could really come be themselves,” Geromin reflected. “It was really nice to see that happen at Nouvel.” 

DJ sets and artists played every weekend, with new talent constantly on the mixer. For many, this venue came to be familiar.

“I had never seen other clubs that had this sort of decor and also had very cheap cover. I went to some of their Drink and Draw events,” Nouvel attendee Micha Paradis reminisced. “[It was] a great place where I knew I could go out and see people that I know and hear music that I loved.”

As the lease approaches its end, the rent is set to increase, already too high for the co-owners, with profits from the business low. Having known about the incoming closure since June, Geromin has accepted it. 

“It was good timing,” Geromin said.

For many, Nouvel Établissement shutting its doors means losing a space that was dear to them.

Walid El Majidi, aka WALIDord, is a vinyl DJ from Morocco who immigrated to Montreal eight years ago as a student. Venues such as Nouvel Établissement allowed him to meet friends and cultivate a community. 

“I couldn’t go back home and see my family for six years,” Majidi said. “Great relationships get built inside these communities and these events. It is actually how I made myself my own family in Montreal.” 

Beyond Nouvel Établissement, nightlife in Montreal has been a lifeline for Majidi. 

“I feel stronger because I am not alone in it. We built a community where what harms me, harms everyone around me,” Majidi said. “It is not only about partying and going crazy. It is also about this feeling that it creates. […] If I’m sad, then I have this community around me, which brings up this ray of hope that makes me stand up again.”

As Nouvel is pushed out, what is next is unclear. The creators intend to keep in touch with the community they have connected with.

“We are Montrealers. You shut one place down, we are gonna open 10 others,” Majidi said. “If there is any way we can help, we will. That is the power of the community.”

This article originally appeared in Volume 45, Issue 4, published October 22, 2024.

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Concordia Flag Football Tournament takes over Stingers Dome

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Concordia flag football team lines up pre-snap. Photo Alice Martin

Conor Tomalty,
Local Journalism Initiative

Third annual Concordia Flag Football Tournament wraps up 2024 season

The dull, lifeless aesthetic of the Concordia Stingers dome was illuminated with vibrant spirit on April 7, as the Concordia Flag Football team held their third annual Concordia University Flag Football Tournament.

The dull, lifeless aesthetic of the Concordia Stingers dome was illuminated with vibrant spirit on April 7, as the Concordia Flag Football team held their third annual Concordia University Flag Football Tournament.

Twenty teams from high schools, CEGEPs and universities across Quebec entered through rotating dome doors to participate in this year’s tournament. The event was organized by the Concordia team, who set up multiple booths of sponsors, such as Invictus Gloves, and Grit Protein water, to sell merchandise. The tournament is a main source of financing for the team given their non-varsity status. 

“It means the world to us,” said Concordia receiver and organizer Amélie Brisebois Bentler. “We’re players paying for this, all of this from our pockets. We’re students, all full-time students […] if we can get sponsors to help us out it goes a really long way.”

As it currently stands, flag football does not have a league inside the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ), according to Concordia head coach Alexis Labonté. The RSEQ initially gave a three-year trial period in 2021 but has extended it to four years, meaning that the flag teams will have to wait one more season before varsity status, and proper funding will be met.

“It’s a big year next year,” said Labonté. “It’s crazy because we are still recruiting as if we are a Stinger team, but we’re not. The girls have a mindset that the project’s going to work, it’s going to be a varsity team.” 

Members of the team hold out hope for a league to be formed soon. In the meantime, the growth of the sport itself is marvellous.

“When I graduated CEGEP, I was unsure if I would continue or if my journey was over. Now, I’m in my third year here,” said Concordia receiver Amy Deuel. Deuel added that with the addition of flag football set to debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the sport has received a surge in participation. “It brings a lot of energy. More girls want to play. Every year we have more and more girls, so it’s super fun.” 

The tournament also signified the last round of games for the Concordia team for the season. It was also a swan song for members leaving the team. 

“It’s a rollercoaster,” said Deule. “[Amélie] has a big part in the tournament, contacting all the teams, making the schedule. This year, she’s given a lot of roles to all of us because she’s sadly leaving.”   

“It’s bittersweet. I think I’ve done my time, in a sense,” said Brisebois Bentler. “It’s a hard piece to swallow, to be leaving that in people’s hands.”

Brisebois-Bentler touched upon the growth of the team since its inception back in 2021. “I was there from building the team from the ground up, so it’s really like leaving my little baby to someone else, but it’s going to be in good hands for sure.” 

By the end of the day, the three tournament winners were crowned. For the high school division, the Citadins won over the Voltigeurs 14-0; The collegiate division, which was divided into two winners, the Collège Montmorency Nomades and the Cégep Édouard-Montpetit Lynx won their championships 14-3 and 7-6 respectively; The university winners were the Citadins, hailing from the Université du Québec à Montreal, winning over the Université de Montreal Les Bleues 20-12.    

The Concordia team themselves found success in the 2023-24 campaign. The team finished with a record of 11-1, captured the provincial championship for the first time in the team’s history, and won the Université Laval tournament in February. 

The garnered success helps with recruitment, according to Labonté. The majority of flag programs at the collegiate level stem from French CEGEPs, according to Labonté. Given that Concordia is an English university, winning makes it an attractive destination for athletes looking to make the jump to the next level.

“It’s kind of a loop, eh? If you do well, if you promote yourself well, if you show that you’re a good team, well, people will be engaged to come to your team,” Labonté said.

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AFL Quebec introduces Australian football to Quebecers

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Photo Alice Martin

Emily Douris-Blondin,
Local Journalism Initiative

As soon as they arrive for their weekly practice, Australian Football League (AFL) Quebec players greet each other and spark conversations. Some have known one another for years, and others are completely new to the sport.

Everyone gathers before heading into practice drills, where the newcomers are encouraged to introduce themselves. Although initially nervous about participating, they still feel accepted by their fellow players.

Caroline Leduc, the vice-president of the league, is proud to be part of such a welcoming program.

“Our organization has always been very inclusive and supportive, regardless of a player’s athletic, physical or other abilities,” said Leduc. “We have members from various socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds as well as many members from the LGBTQIA2S+ community, with disabilities, or who have different maternal languages.”

Leduc’s best friend introduced her to Australian football, and she fell in love with the league’s sense of community. Leduc played college basketball, where there was always pressure to be the best, so she was taken aback by how everyone in AFL Quebec accepted each other regardless of their skill level.

Australian football is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field twice the size of an NFL field. Originating from Melbourne in the mid-19th century, the roots of the sport are planted in early forms of rugby and Gaelic football, but it is uniquely Australian.

Australian football is played with a ball similar to a rugby ball but longer and more pointed. Games last 80 minutes, split into four quarters of 20 minutes each.

Two sets of posts indicate the scoring areas at either end of the field. Players can either get six points for a goal when the ball travels between the inner set of posts, or one point for a behind when the ball is sent between the outermost set of posts.

The ball can be propelled in any direction through a kick or a clenched fish, called a handball or a handpass. When in possession of the ball, players must either bounce or touch it on the ground at least once every 15 metres while they run with it.

AFL Quebec is a nine-a-side football league—meaning nine players are on both sides of the field—founded in 2008 to capitalize on the popularity of Australian football in Montréal.

The league has men’s and women’s 18-a-side teams, the Quebec Saints, which compete against other representative teams across Canada and the United States.

The league also has a men’s and women’s division, which comprises teams from Montréal and its surrounding areas.

The regular season generally runs from May until early September, followed by a series of finals that last until late September. The preseason runs from February until April, consisting of training sessions and games.

AFL Quebec prides itself on focusing on inclusiveness and accessibility.

“We do everything possible to keep participation costs to a minimum,” said Leduc. “We are also helping with the integration and social support of newcomers in Montreal. We have many newcomer players, primarily from Australia but also from elsewhere, who have recently moved to Montreal and join us in an effort to make connections and grow a community in their new home.”

Morgan Whyte, the president of the league, was born in Canada but spent some time in Australia as a child. He enjoyed AFL Quebec from the first training session he attended.  

“I don’t really have any other friends outside of [AFL Quebec],” said Whyte, chuckling. “You come in, and you get into a position where everyone is so nice and so welcoming… When I’m thinking about what I’m going to do on the weekend, I think about my footy friends first.”

AFL Quebec is partners with Équipe Montréal, an organization bringing together LGBTQIA2S+ sports clubs and their allies in the greater Montréal region. They participate each year in the Montreal Pride Parade and the Community Day that takes place the day before. 

AFL Quebec also won the 2022 Équipe Montréal Event of the Year for their 2022 Pride Round. The Pride Round is an annual event held by AFL Quebec that includes Australian football sessions, games and other activities. This year, it will be held on June 9 at Collège André-Grasset.

But AFL Quebec’s diversity goes beyond Pride.

“I like the diversity because [all players are] not the same shape, but we all have our place on the pitch,” said David Marra-Hurtubise, a league member and board member. “There’s a big mix of personalities and every origin, too.”

Marra-Hurtubise learned about Australian football from his Australian brother-in-law. He had played soccer for the last 25 years, but he now loves getting to play with both his hands and feet.

Similar to Marra-Hurtubise, most AFL Quebec players said they found the sport through friends and family, but Carmela Jerry discovered the game about a year ago on Reddit.

Jerry loves the positive attitude everyone has, whether they are experienced or new players. Although she knew nothing about the sport, she liked how she could join even though she had no knowledge of it.

”You don’t have to even know the rules of the game before you join, so that’s been super great,” Jerry said.

Newcomers can join any sessions, even in tournaments like the Pony Platter.

The Pony Platter has been the traditional pre-season kick-off tournament since 2012. Hosted by the Ottawa Swans, it is held at the Manotick Polo Ground. 

“I wasn’t there when the tournament started, but I heard some players went to a thrift shop and found a plate with some engraved horses on it, so they called [the tournament] the Pony Platter,” said Leduc. “Since then, the women also started playing as well, and we bought a small red horse statue.”

The Quebec Saints and other teams across Canada visit Ottawa each year for the anticipated tournament, an all-day event with multiple games of men’s and women’s Australian football throughout. This year, the 2024 Pony Platter is held on May 11.

“The Pony Platter is a very friendly game when you start the season,” said Leduc. “It’s always a great time and good for new players to experience the game for the first time.”

This article originally appeared in Volume 44, Issue 13, published April 2, 2024.

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Concordia to consider adopting the IHRA antisemitism definition

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Concordia University will consider the implementation of the IHRA definition of antisemitism. Photo Alice Martin

Maria Cholakova,
Local Journalism Initiative

IHRA’s definition of antisemitism has been widely debated

On May 27, Concordia University, McGill University, University of British Columbia and University of Toronto (UofT) presidents attended a House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights meeting to speak about antisemitism on Canadian university campuses. 

During the hearing, criminal defence lawyer Mark Sandler presented 14 recommendations to the members of Parliament (MP) that aim to address antisemitism in Canada. 

One of the recommendations constitutes the implementation of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism in all levels of government, educational institutions, police services and human rights commissions.

IHRA’s definition of antisemitism has been criticized by 128 scholars, who have described it as aiming to “discredit and silence legitimate criticism of Israel’s policies as antisemitism.”

Concordia President Graham Carr spoke in front of Parliament on how the university has been handling antisemitism on campus. 

In his testimony, Carr highlighted the Nov. 8, 2023 Hall building altercation, when an escalation between Concordia’s Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights and Israeli student club StartUp Nation led to two arrests, due to tensions between the clubs.

“That incident gave Concordia a black eye,” Carr said. 

When MP Anthony Housefather asked if Concordia would adopt the IHRA definition, Carr said that he will “consider it going forward” and that his team has already had a meeting regarding the potential implementation of the definition. 

Of the four universities, only UofT rejected the implementation of the IHRA definition of antisemitism. 

According to Concordia’s spokesperson, the university expects that the Standing Together against Racism and Identity-based Violence (STRIVE) Task Force’s subcommittee on antisemitism will evaluate whether the IHRA definition needs to be implemented.
Housefather also asked Carr if he opposed the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, also known as BDS, with Housefather describing it as “demonization and delegitimization of Israel.” 

Carr explained that “the university’s position, since 2014, has been in opposition to BDS.” 

Later in the meeting, Carr also testified to the importance of combating hate speech while not limiting freedom of expression. 

According to Carr, the university has seen over 70 academic events by both Pro-Palestinian and Pro-Israeli students. During the 2023-24 academic year, the university cancelled four Pro-Palestinian events and one Pro-Israeli event, all of which aimed to bring external guests on campus.

MPs encouraged university presidents to enforce their Codes of Conduct, prevent hate speech on campus and fight antisemitism. 

Several MPs and speakers talked about the importance of conflating antisemitism and anti-Zionism. 

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Motionball Con U raises funds for Special Olympics

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Left to right: Anthony Colonna, Michael Kuczynski and Robert Lemieux pose for the picture. Photo Alice Martin

Alice Martin,
Local Journalism Initiative

Marathon of Sport brings Special Olympics athletes together with community

Special Olympics athletes and participants of Motionball Concordia’s Marathon of Sport took the field at the Stingers Dome on March 30 to raise funds for Special Olympics Quebec and Special Olympics Canada.

During this year’s iteration of the Marathon of Sport, Motionball Concordia raised $4,500, despite their goal of $10,000.

Shelley Craig, the mother of Leo Soudin, explained how important the funds were to athletes like her son. Soudin, who was present at the event, has been a Special Olympics athlete for 12 years and started out doing downhill ski racing.

“[Special Olympics Quebec] decided for downhill ski racing, that it was important that they had the proper [helmet] because there’s a certain specific helmet for racing,” said Craig. “And they decided that it was important to protect the athletes, so they would have these helmets, but they’re very expensive. So they gave money towards it to purchase it.”

The evening of activities included bowling, spikeball, Q-tip hockey and soccer. Around a dozen Special Olympics athletes attended the event alongside participants and organizers.

Robert Lemieux and Michael Kuczynski are both Special Olympics athletes who are well accustomed to Motionball and have been attending the organization’s events around Montreal for a long time.

Lemieux, who plays mostly bowling and soccer, explained his favourite part of Motionball was the people. “The friendships, meeting new friends, meeting old friends. Motionball’s like a family to me,” he said.

Kuczynski, who plays floor hockey, softball and golf, has been going to Motionball events since 2018 and has been involved with the Special Olympics since 2003. He echoed Lemieux’s sentiment, saying he loved “meeting new people, the activities, the whole nine yards.”

Anthony Colonna, who is the event director for Motionball Montreal and has become a good friend of Kuczynski through Motionball, admired Kuczynski’s love for the organization.

“Every year since I’ve been running [Motionball Montreal’s] Marathon of Sport, [Mike] knows our events are done in the morning. Our events usually start at 8:30 a.m. [and] Mike is there before I’m there—at 6 a.m.—to set up,” Colonna said.

Although many old faces were present, the Marathon of Sport still suffered an underwhelming turnout, according to event director Chelsea Morgan. She explained that the event taking place on Easter weekend was the main cause.

“It was just a little disappointing to not have the numbers that we typically do,” she said. “But overall, we still have a good base of people that are very invested in what Motionball is, and keep up the key parts of it, which is integration, celebration and inclusion.”

Morgan, an athletic therapy student, still felt happy with the event, especially considering other athletic therapy students had joined to help out in the Marathon of Sport.

“We know the importance of being active and the joys that playing in sports bring,” said Morgan, when asked about the large proportion of athletic therapy students. “We understand how sports brings people together.”

Motionball events happen all over the province during the year. Motionball McGill is set to hold their own version of the Marathon of Sport on April 7 and the larger Motionball Montreal event is held annually in September.

This article originally appeared in Volume 44, Issue 13, published April 2, 2024.

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Potential policy change could harm U Sports men’s hockey

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Stingers centre Gabriel Proulx, faces off against a Gee-Gees player. Both are formerly from the QMJHL. Photo Alice Martin

Jared Lackman-Mincoff,
Local Journalism Initiative

Potential policy change could harm U Sports men’s hockey

U Sports men’s hockey could have a major obstacle coming its way.

Hockey writers have begun wondering about the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)—which governs varsity athletics in the United States—possibly changing its amateurism policy to allow eligibility to junior hockey players from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).

The NHL’s agreement with the CHL forces NHL teams to send their prospects back to their CHL teams if they are not yet ready for the NHL. Therefore, the junior level is filled with top NHL prospects already signed to their entry-level contracts.

CHL players receive stipends for their services, and go toe-to-toe with players already under professional contracts, deeming the entire league professional by NCAA standards. As such, players relinquish NCAA eligibility by playing a single CHL game.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said in February, “We are headed towards a future of where CHL players are going to be able to play NCAA hockey. The question is when.”

CHL players that don’t make it to the NHL or another professional league often turn to U Sports hockey to continue playing hockey while pursuing higher education.

As a result, former CHL players make up the majority of U Sports men’s hockey rosters. Twenty-one out of the 25 members on the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team previously played in the CHL.

“[The current policy] kind of protected us a little from losing talent down to the U.S. colleges,” said Concordia Athletics Director D’Arcy Ryan.

However, the NCAA’s inception of the name, image and likeness (NIL) rules in 2021—which allows athletes to receive compensation for their personal branding—incited a shift in leniency regarding amateur versus professional status of athletes.

CHL players would be attracted to American colleges rather than Canadian universities should they have the choice, largely because of the discrepancy in allowable scholarships.

Ryan explained that U Sports only allows scholarships to cover tuition and other compulsory academic fees, meaning that Canadian universities cannot offer much money to entice an athlete. “Whereas in the States, making living accommodations, room, board, all that would be covered. We can’t compete with that,” he said.

However, an NCAA policy change is not as simple as it may seem. The earliest the policy could be discussed is in April at the annual college hockey coaches conference. By that time, the U Sports men’s hockey recruitment cycle for 2024-25 will have mostly run its course.

It would also take some time yet for the policy to be changed. The decision would need to go through several different committees within the NCAA for approval and execution, according to Jim Connelly of United States College Hockey Online.

“This is something that we’re gonna talk about in April. We might vote on it in June, and then next December there’ll be a conference where somebody else will hear it and they’ll vote on it,” he said, adding that NCAA operations mimic parliamentary order.

But Adam Wodon, managing editor of College Hockey News, does not believe that the change will come from the NCAA itself. He thinks it is more likely that a CHL player sues the NCAA and demands to be made eligible.

“The NCAA keeps losing every court decision that there is,” he said. “That takes some kid playing [in the CHL] to say, ‘I want to go play in the NCAA. They’re not letting me, so I’m going to sue them.’ to do that. And then some court will say, ‘Yeah, you can’t stop them from going.’ And then it’s just open season at that point.”

U Sports declined The Link’s interview request and indicated that it has “no comment to make about media reports on a potential coaches association vote in the United States.”

UPDATE: In an earlier version of this article, Adam Wodon’s quote was mischaracterized. The Link regrets this error.

This article originally appeared in Volume 44, Issue 13, published April 2, 2024.

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The palette of protest

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Protesters picket the Hall auditorium. Photo Alice Martin

Alice Martin,
Local Journalism Initiative

Rarely will you see protests without art, and often will you see it go beyond symbolism

Most of the time, protesters don’t march in the streets empty-handed.

They brandish handmade signs, banners or anything to get their message across. In any protest, art serves multiple purposes to strengthen the broader cause.

“I personally really love the use of art in organizing and protests,” Arts and Science Federation of Association (ASFA) academic coordinator Angelica Antonakopoulos said. “Art in protest is a very eye-catching way to send a message, instead of having to go person-to-person and tell them what you’re trying to accomplish.”

Tuition hike strikes

Over five days last March, the tuition hike strikes mobilized students from select student associations to enforce hard picket lines. Hard pickets require students congregating in front of a classroom to dissuade other students from entering. 

With dozens of classes having to be picketed at the same time, and only so many students, protesters used hand-painted banners with dual purposes: displaying their demands and protecting protesters.

“[Banners] are big, they’re flashy,” Antonakopoulos said. “They have a message on them. [Students] don’t have to come up and talk to you and they still get the gist of what the protest is about.”

According to Antonakopoulos, Concordia’s Code of Conduct prohibits students from physically blocking a classroom. She said banners act as a bypass.

“[Students] were more than free to lift the banner and go underneath if [they] really want to go into class,” she said. “It protected both students that were picketing and students that were dissenting towards the cause.” 

She said that banners help students “think twice” before crossing a picket line, as well as avoid physical confrontation.

“There was a lot of verbal engagement with students with flyers and FAQ sheets coming out,” she said, noting that that was what picketers were told to do. “[But banners] send a poignant message in a non-confrontational, peaceful vehicle.”

Students paint Mackay Street to advocate for its pedestrianization. Photo Alice Martin

Pedestrianize Mackay

In September 2023, the Pedestrianize Mackay group staged a protest demanding that Mackay St., between Sherbrooke St. and Maisonneuve St., be closed to vehicles and converted into a pedestrian area for students.

For Mowat Tokonitz, communications vice president with the Urban Planning Association, it was one of the first student mobilizations he was part of.

“It’s something that really interests me and it relates to my program,” Tokonitz said. “I think it’s important to have actual campus space outside that we can use, while also having less cars.”

The protest consisted of blocking Mackay St. at the intersection of Sherbrooke St. Demonstrators also painted an enormous version of the vibrant pink, green, blue and yellow Pedestrianize Mackay logo on the road.

Tokonitz said painting the road was a good way to appropriate the street and show its potential to a wide range of Concordia students who pass by daily.

“The fact that we also had the street blocked off, and we had picnic tables and banners and things in the street, it gave a very basic example of what that space could be in the future,” he said. “It really didn’t take very long for there to be street furniture on Mackay and for people to be out eating lunch. I can only imagine what it would be like if that was permanent.”

Looking back on the tuition hike strikes and Pedestrianize Mackay, Antonakopoulous said the mural painting was a great way to engage students in the cause.

“It’s always really a fantastic way to build community because mural painting is not like a picket. It’s not like a protest,” she said. “We need to be cognizant that there are a lot of people that don’t engage with that, right? They don’t engage with noise, they don’t engage with confrontation.”

Ned Mansour’s sixth chalk drawing, made on Aug. 30. Photo Alice Martin

Divest for Gaza

The pro-Palestine student encampment at McGill University stood strong for over 70 days before being demolished on July 10. To protect itself and the privacy of campers, the encampment used a variety of colourful handmade signs from different student movements on the gates.

When a private security firm dismantled the camp, the colour didn’t stop. Activists still gather daily in front of the Roddick Gates to repeat their demand: for McGill to divest from companies involved in arms manufacturing and the settlements in Gaza and the West Bank.

This is the case of Ned Mansour, a Montreal artist whose father is Palestinian. He has been coming to the gates for over a week—a new tradition for him. He aims to go to the Roddick Gates every day, barring rain and other engagements.

Mansour was working on his sixth painting when he met with The Link. This painting was inspired by a photo he took. 

“I try to choose something that has to do with what’s happening right now, with the genocide, and just a reminder of how many days it’s been since the genocide has started,” he said. “I try to pick images that are visually striking and can fit on this thin column.”

Mansour’s paintings are made with chalk, something protesters have been using every day to write messages and demands on sidewalks and university grounds. As a wedding photographer with experience in drawing, Mansour applied his skills to McGill’s walls.

Despite squabbles with security, his motivation to keep drawing remains steadfast.

“Every day that passes, somebody’s being killed in Palestine, and the genocide is happening in real-time,” Mansour said. “So I wanted to do something that’s in real-time as well. We feel here, it seems like it’s almost a mirror image of what’s happening in Palestine. Obviously, we’re not being killed, but there are forces that are trying to silence us.”

Mansour’s chalk drawings, like the days that go by, are ephemeral. Every night after he finishes drawing, security washes them away, providing him with a fresh slate for another drawing.

“They think that by erasing our work and our message, that we will stop, but what they’re doing is actually encouraging us to come back and remind them again of what’s happening,” Mansour said. “Just like the Palestinian people that are being erased right now.”

This article originally appeared in Volume 45, Issue 1, published September 3, 2024.

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Concordia vandalized after demonstration

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Henry F. Hall Building windows smashed following demonstration on Sept. 29. Photo Alice Martin

Alice Martin,
Local Journalism Initiative

Demonstrators smashed windows and threw Molotov cocktails at police officers

During the evening of Sept. 29, the lobby windows of Concordia’s Henry F. Hall Building were shattered as part of a demonstration and march organized by autonomous students.

Demonstrators also spray-painted pro-Palestine messages like “Free Gaza” and “C = Complicit” on the windows of the Hall building lobby. As they marched, demonstrators also held a banner that read “Hope lies in the fight” with an anarchy symbol next to the message.

Around 50 demonstrators had gathered on De Maisonneuve Blvd. for an “impromptu demonstration,” according to SPVM spokesperson Jean-Pierre Brabant. He said the windows were broken using blunt objects like baseball bats and hammers.

Four arrests were made on the scene, police later identified the arrestees to be in their 20s. The demonstrators were released without charges conditional to the results of an ongoing investigation.

“I am extremely concerned about the violent escalation of recent protests,” said Concordia President and Vice-Chancellor Graham Carr in a statement sent out to students on Sept. 30. “Concordia students, faculty and staff can certainly express themselves in a civil and respectful manner, but we cannot, as a community, tolerate intimidation or hatred in any form on our campuses.”

Montreal police arrived on site after 911 calls reported broken windows at the university, but by then demonstrators had already begun walking down De la Montagne St. The march continued down Sainte-Catherine St., with demonstrators breaking the windows of multiple store fronts, according to Brabant.

The SPVM representative said that multiple police officers attempted to scatter protestors who were committing criminal acts, with some officers chasing after demonstrators.

“During the pursuit, demonstrators threw at least two Molotov cocktails and incendiary objects in the direction of the police officers,” Brabant said. He added that no one was hurt in the demonstration.

According to videos circulating on social media and shared by accounts such as @clash.mtl on instagram, fireworks were also set off during the march.

“We will aim to gather evidence and see with surveillance cameras if we can find any information to know who did what and if anyone committed criminal acts,” Brabant said.

According to police, the demonstration died down at around 11 p.m. 

In his statement, Carr said that Concordia is assessing the events and will take “appropriate action” in accordance with the university’s Code of Rights and Responsibilities.

This event follows a Sept. 25 pro-Palestine student walkout where Concordia students demanded the university divest from Israel. The walkout saw severe police intervention, as well as three arrests.

This article originally appeared in Volume 45, Issue 3, published October 1, 2024.

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Stingers fueled by $100,000 alumnus donation

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Stingers quarterback Olivier Roy loads up for a pass during the Stingers football home opener against the Laval Rouge et Or. Photo Alice Martin

Jared Lackman-Mincoff,
Local Journalism Initiative

Former Concordia football player sets up student-athlete scholarship

When Al Fiumidinisi played for the Stingers football team in 1985, he faced a reality much different from his comfortable CEGEP life.

Playing football for Champlain Lennoxville in CEGEP, Fiumidinisi and all of his teammates lived on campus. They had a practical daily routine that allowed them to do everything they needed to on a given day.

“Classes would finish at 4 p.m. We’d have our practices from 5 p.m. until about 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m. Afterwards, we’d go to the cafeteria to eat and study, and go to bed,” Fiumidinisi said. “It was the perfect scenario.”

Not to mention that he was playing for one of the best CEGEP teams in the country at the time.

But once he arrived at Concordia, all of that changed.

He realized that, like himself, most of his teammates lived off-campus. He lived on Montreal’s North Shore and had to commute roughly three hours per day to and from the Loyola Campus, where his games and practices took place.

“It was taking me about an hour to an hour-and-a-half to get to school. And then I would go to my practices,” he said. “[B]y the time I got home, it would be 11:30 p.m., 12 a.m. I was exhausted.”

He really wanted to continue playing football, but quit after one year.

“I just couldn’t do all the travelling,” he said.

In June, almost 40 years after his time at Concordia, he donated $100,000 to the university,  designated as a scholarship for student-athletes. For the next 10 years, one member of the Stingers football team and one member of a Stingers women’s team will each receive a $5,000 scholarship.

Fiumidinisi—currently a senior portfolio manager at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce—majored in finance and minored in accounting at Concordia. As such, he also instructed that the scholarships be awarded to student-athletes enrolled in a John Molson School of Business program.

Fiumidinisi remembers the difficulties of balancing his studies and sports, and wanted to help those who are going through the same struggles.

“Some people just like to build their bank account and get as much as they can. That’s not my game,” he said. “My kids are well taken care of, and everybody’s good. I think it’s good karma to give back.”

Fiumidinisi took out student loans to pay his tuition. He is hoping that the scholarship will help alleviate the recipients’ financial stress, and perhaps allow them to afford slightly higher rent.

“Instead of paying $1,000 [for] someplace really far away, maybe they could spend $2,000 and be much closer to campus and be able to do the sports they need to do,” he said.

The Stingers are used to receiving small, recurring donations from their alumni. Receiving large sums of money all at once usually only happens once a year on Giving Tuesday, an annual and well-known November tradition where the university encourages students, staff, and alumni to donate to its various departments.

“It’s always uplifting when we see alumni giving back based on the importance that they found and derived from the non-academic aspect of their time at Concordia,” Recreation and Athletics director D’Arcy Ryan said.

Ryan says that the new scholarship also holds practical value for the department.

“If we’re using it on the front end and deciding beforehand what team will get it on the women’s side, it can be used as a strong recruiting tool,” he said.

This is the single largest donation the Stingers have received since late 2022, according to Ryan, when Montreal-based Power Corporation of Canada donated $1.3 million to Concordia Stingers athletics. It aimed for the department to develop resources in women’s sports for nutrition, mental health and mentorship.

One member of the Stingers women’s hockey coaching staff, Devon Thompson, was able to hone her coaching skills and leadership abilities thanks to the donation.

In late 2021, former Stingers basketball player George Lengvari donated $1 million each to Concordia and McGill basketball programs.

“I’m kind of hoping [Fiumidinisi’s donation] has trickle-down effects with regards to other alumni looking to do something in a similar vein,” Ryan said.

The Stingers football coach will make a recommendation to the Concordia financial aid and awards office each year, while the women’s scholarship recipient will be decided by the Athletics department.

“These kids work hard. They spend 35 hours a week just doing football and they go to school,” said head football coach Brad Collinson. “Some of them have part-time jobs, so anytime we can relieve some financial stress from them, it’s important.”

The Stingers football team is allowed to hand out a maximum of 33 scholarships per academic year. This new scholarship does not add to that total, but it gives the team another one to work with.

Nevertheless, Collinson hopes that the winners will be inspired to pay it forward when their time comes.

“The winner of that will be very happy and very appreciative of what an alumnus did for them,” Collinson said. “And hopefully moving forward when they graduate, they’ll do the same.”

Fiumidinisi shares the same wish. He believes that everybody—not just Concordia alumni—should do their part in helping others.

“If everybody gave back, I think we’d live in a better place,” Fiumidinisi said.

This article originally appeared in Volume 45, Issue 1, published September 3, 2024.

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