Ryerson sports suck.
It’s a phrase often echoed through Ryerson’s halls. We haven’t had a lot to cheer about since Ryerson opened its doors almost 50 years ago. Ryerson’s last championship came in 1972 when the women’s basketball team brought home the banner.
Some students say they don’t want to read articles about Ryerson teams losing games. But Ryerson’s athletes deserve better than apathy and negativity they get. Ryerson, and not just the athletic department, needs to take a long hard look and decide whether it’s simply satisfied with crappy to mediocre teams every year or whether it wants to start putting in the time and money it takes to build a winning program. So far, Ryerson seems happy to wallow in crap.
Despite Ryerson’s poor commitment to athletics, students had a lot more to cheer about this year. Marie Claire Ross set four unofficial world records at the OUA championship and finished fifth in Canada in the 50-metre butterfly.
Both basketball teams provided excitement on the court winning most of their home games in January and February. The women made it to the playoffs for the first time in seven years, while the men kept their playoff streak intact, clinching a berth for the fifth straight year.
The fencing team carved up some good results with individual fencers placing third, fifth and 11th in Ontario. And Don Lee, not superman but close, took on the task of coaching two teams, studying fashion, working part time and playing squash. Lee was hoping to capture the number one ranking in Ontario — he finished sixth.
But student frustration with Ryerson’s sports teams will not dissipate with a few stellar performances. The future looks bleak, especially with the upcoming graduation of Marie Claire Ross, hoops star Carl Harper and three women’s basketball starters, Karen Ure, Georgia Parkes and Sandrise James. But one thing is for certain. It’s time for Ryerson to decide whether it wants to start rising to the top.
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