By Gabi Grande
Student-athletes at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) are often burdened with high-stress environments due to their active lifestyles.
To combat this, two TMU Bold varsity teams welcomed support animals to help their players through their hectic schedule of weekly games, daily practices and classes—one being a visiting service dog (VSD) and the other an emotional support animal (ESA).
Luca, a four-year-old golden retriever and VSD has cemented herself as a staple on the women’s basketball team’s bench.
Jude Tate, Luca’s handler, said they’ve been with the team for two years. “In 2023, the coaches of the women’s basketball team met Luca to see if we were interested in volunteering for the team,” said Tate. “We were keen to give it a try.”
And try they did. Since that initial encounter, according to Tate, Luca has attended all home games in 2023 and 2024—as well as team practices each week.
But what is Luca’s role on the court? It’s simply being present— nothing more, nothing less. During game-day, Luca is often seen wearing a Bold branded t-shirt, sitting at the players bench and standing with the team when “O Canada” plays before every tip-off at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.
The women’s basketball team has accepted Luca with open arms. “The team members welcomed Luca and some of the players [have a] deep affection for [her],” said Tate. “Lots of team members shout when they see her and give her hugs and kisses.”
A 2015 study described the positive effects of the St. John’s Ambulance Therapy Dog Program on university campuses. The study found “[therapy dogs] are being offered on campuses to help address growing concerns of student mental health…[the dogs] unequivocally offer love and support to students.” This principle is now being applied in new ways, such as on sports teams.
Tate and Luca continue to show up for their team as integral members. TMU Bold women’s basketball head coach Carly Clarke believes Luca was exactly what the team needed.
“We had seen and read some things about the use of therapy dogs, both in academic settings and in team settings,” said Clarke. “Luca [was] trained to be able to enter the space, so it just made sense.”
With Luca becoming a regular presence on the team, Clarke associates her with instant boosts of morale for the team.
“She naturally uplifts spirits [and] provides a bit of a reset for our student-athletes in our practice or competitive environment,” said Clarke.
Similarly to Luca, two-year-old bullmastiff and ESA, Bowie, joins the women’s volleyball team alongside her owner and fourth-year libero, Mary Rioflorido.
Rioflorido credits Bowie’s official registration as an ESA as his ticket to the action. “There were some policies where you just can’t bring a regular dog in,” she said. “Knowing he was an ESA, people were a lot more welcoming to him, to have him in the facility.”
Bowie acts as a lighthouse during emotional storms, providing comfort and safety whenever needed.
“It’s kind of an unspoken thing. Sometimes I don’t want to talk about things when things go wrong,” said Rioflorido. “So just having him there and just being able to pet him, it’s nice to have his presence.”
Following back-to-back home game losses to Waterloo in February, Bowie was a beacon in the team meeting.
“I had Bowie there just sitting, and he was also listening to the coaches,” said Rioflorido. “Even though we lost, it was a serious conversation. Bowie [was] there.”
Luca and Bowie continue to act as key members of the Bold while providing a sense of calm in their environments. With their natural charm and ability to ground players, both four-legged friends are the irrefutable unsung heroes of their teams.
“He’s a breath of fresh air,” said Rioflorido. “He’s a good dog.”
Leave a Reply