For the majority of university athletes, recognition comes in the form of trophies, accolades, and team victories. A special way McGill honours its varsity athletes is by wrapping doors in the Athletic Complex with their images, featuring team members from a range of sports from artistic swimming to rugby. The doors were recently rewrapped to feature current student-athletes. 

Martlets Soccer midfielder Elisabeth Pronovost, U3 Science, reflected on the experience, sharing that it feels surreal to see her photograph every time she goes to the gym and even joking that she sometimes hides her face when using her door so McGill students don’t make the connection. 

“I feel really at home at McGill, and knowing that I represent the team on that door just makes me feel like it’s both ways,” she shared. “It’s not just me enjoying McGill, but also I’m really a part of it.”

Beyond showcasing the athletes themselves, the photographs represent team memories and unique journeys that have brought these athletes to McGill. For artistic swimmer Sonia Dunn, U1 Science, that journey began at five years old. 

“One of my elementary school friends, her older sister did artistic swimming, and she invited me to her year-end show as a playdate because she found the sport really boring,” Dunn recalled. “She even brought toys so we could go play somewhere else. But I didn’t want to leave—I was just captivated from the beginning.” 

That moment sparked her dedication to the sport, a passion that has now earned her a place memorialized in the athletic centre. For artistic swimming, the rewrapping of the doors celebrates more than Dunn’s athleticism; it provides recognition of an underappreciated sport.

“McGill is one of the only universities in Canada where artistic swimming is a varsity sport, while at a lot of other schools, it’s just a club,” Dunn explained. “So, to have the additional honour of being recognized in the sports complex is really special. Obviously, it’s kind of a niche sport, so any recognition we can get is definitely a positive.”

That sense of pride extends past the walls of the athletics complex. Whether it’s the roar of the home crowd at McGill’s annual November artistic swimming meet or the soccer team’s trip to Paraguay to promote women in sports, the connections formed through competition are unforgettable. 

Nicolas Vicente Louis, U3 Management, recalled a particular bonding moment with the rugby team. 

“We had a trip to Quebec planned two winters ago, and 30 of us guys split between five or six cars, we just went away for the weekend,” Vicente Louis recalled. “[We] had a blast. We rented a chalet and just had a good time and a half.”

For those whose faces now grace the athletic complex doors, the honour is both a personal milestone and an inspiration for future athletes. Vicente Louis spoke about growing up playing rugby with his younger brother, who is currently playing rugby in high school in London. 

“There’s only one guy out of the 45 who gets a door. It’s very special […] and even in a few years, when we come back for alumni games, if my picture’s still up there, it’ll be a cool souvenir,” Vicente Louis reflected. “An added benefit is that it’ll help incentivize my little brother to come and join the team.” 

More than just a photograph, the doors tell the stories of McGill’s athletes—stories of perseverance, community, and the deep passion that makes them more than just competitors. They are a lasting tribute to the spirit of McGill sports.

“I truly feel like the team is a family, and the coaching staff is also part of that family. Representing McGill, to me, means so much and it’s like a part of who I am—a part of my identity now,” Pronovost expressed.