Jenna Payette, Contributor

Dear Ice Hockey,

“Anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”

This quote from Steve Prefontaine hung in my brother’s room growing up and became the silent force that subtly shaped me. As the baby of my family, I was pushed to challenge my limits and continuously raise my standards. The ice was the one place where I truly felt confident enough to do so.

You revealed a fire within me that can’t be extinguished. Years of being middle of the pack taught me to speak up and make my voice heard. Years of being trusted as a leader taught me that vulnerability is not a weakness. And the constant chirps I heard as the only girl? They built my resilience.

You’ve taught me that failure is simply feedback, discomfort is a sign of progress, and joy is the reward for perseverance.

I hope my younger self knew how much her life would change the moment she picked up that stick.

Eternally yours, 

Jenna

Zain Ahmed, Staff Writer

Dear Rugby,

They say love shapes you into something greater than yourself. You’ve done exactly that. From the moment I met you when I was 10, you saw past my (then) gangly height and unsuspecting build, and recognized potential I couldn’t see. You took me in, made my parents’ blood pressure soar week in and week out, and for a decade, you have remained constant.

Heartbreak came in my first year at McGill when I fell short of a shot at Varsity. But, like any great love, you emphasized that worthwhile things don’t come easy. The adversity made me fight for you and earn my place a year later as a rebranded player.

You have given me brothers in arms, loyal soldiers who stand beside me in those passionate and intense 80-minute battles—friendships for life. 

Through injury and triumph, you are my North Star. You have shaped me not just as an athlete, but as a human being. You have taught me that family isn’t just about blood—it’s about the people who stand with you in the scrum of life. Rugby, I will forever be indebted to you. The hooligan’s game played by gentlemen. 

With love, 

Zain

Auxane Bussac, Student Life Editor

Dear Swimming,

As a child, I dreamt of being the next Laure Manaudou. My dad grew up in water; you were his go-to sport. His mom and sister both swim competitively to this day, so you are a family affair. 

I was thrown in a pool at a young age during a “baby swimmers” class and kept on taking swimming lessons regularly until I was old enough to start competing on a team. I was proud of being a strong enough swimmer to impress my dad. 

But it all went downhill. After my first competition at 13, I was supposed to move to the higher-level group. During practice my new coach yelled at me for doing the crawl with my palms open, which slowed me down. He made a great point, but I was traumatized and quit. 

Spoiler alert: I won’t be the next Manaudou, but I miss you and sharing this passion with my dad. You were my first love and heartbreak but you taught me that giving up on something I love for fear of not being good enough is not an option anymore. Thank you.

Love, 

Auxane

Mairin Burke, News Editor

Dear Basketball,

My parents determined I was an anxious kid early on. Their solution? Put me in every available sport to distract me, from hockey to track to trampolining. But it was you alone that truly quieted my brain. Shooting a free throw or executing a pick and roll took a unique level of focus that crowded out all other thoughts. I was hooked.

But I grew to resent you in high school. Your three-hour evening practices full of wind sprints, and weekend tournaments spent in rural Ontario where there was nothing to do but roam around a local mall, took their toll. I’m ashamed to say I ended up ghosting you—the pandemic preventing practice-as-usual was just a convenient excuse.

In retrospect, you brought me peace worth foregoing any Saturday sleep-in for. I am forever grateful that you pushed me beyond my limits and introduced me to some of my dearest people. So take this as my apology. Maybe we can still be friends?

XOX,

Mairin