This past Saturday, September 29 was UTM’s homecoming. It was a full day affair, starting at 12 p.m. and ending at 8 p.m. There were quite a few activities for the whole day including two soccer matches, a residence and social media challenge, food stations, UTM bookstore pop-up shop, and two basketball games.
Brittany Tierney, the varsity program administrator, said that “homecoming was getting alumni to come out and reconnect with the UTM community in support our Varsity program” Tierney explains that “being a satellite campus, we don’t get that same kind of community feel, we get kind of under the gaze of bigger U of T. So to see so many people out and supporting UTM and kind of feeling like this is their home, [that] this is where they can have school spirit, is really awesome.”
As per Brittany’s words, the activities around campus really were an attempt to ignite the UTM spirit. Although the results of the two soccer games were not in UTM’s favour, there were still quite a few students who came out to watch. The women’s soccer team lost 5-0 to Humber and the men’s soccer team lost 4-3 to Humber.
Students could also get their faces painted at Oscar Peterson Hall by two resident Dons, Caitlyn Pires and Sienna Woodhall. There were also free hair extensions and beaded necklaces. Pires and Woodhall were also coloring people’s hair blue with washable hair spray.
Outside of the OPH entrance, UTMAC members were handing out free t-shirts and had an area where students could make their own posters for the basketball games. UTMAC was even giving information to students about how they can get more involved with athletic activities on campus.
There was also a social media challenge happening on Instagram. The challenge was easy: get involved in an activity, take a picture, and post it on Instagram with the hashtag #MyUTMAC. After the challenge, there was a parade from OPH to the gym, where everyone started lining up and waited for doors to open. The doors opened at 3:30 p.m. The first 50 people in the line got a UTM hat and the next 50 people got UTM water bottles.
The women’s basketball match started at 4:00 p.m. The UTM Dance Team performed in between quarters and there were musical chairs during halftime. UTM won the match 43-39 against Georgian College.
Men’s basketball started shortly after. During their halftime, raffles and prizes given out. The UTM men defeated Georgian College 81-71.
There was quite an audience for both the soccer and the basketball games. There were parents, children, families, friends, and even other varsity team members such as athletes from the cross-country team. Everyone enjoyed themselves, occasionally leaving to get food and returning to watch the rest of the match.
This article has been corrected.
- October 9, 2018 at 4 a.m.: Changed: “Brittany Tierney, the varsity program administrator, said this homecoming was an attempt to “get the alumni to come out and support our varsity program.” to Brittany Tierney, the varsity program administrator, said that “homecoming was getting alumni to come out and reconnect with the UTM community in support our Varsity program”
- October 9, 2018 at 4 a.m.: Changed: Tierney explains that the goal was to build a sense of community on campus and ignite the UTM spirit since the St. George sports teams tend to gather a larger audience. Brittany points out that students need to feel that UTM “is their home, UTM is where they can have school spirit.” to Tierney explains that “being a satellite campus, we don’t get that same kind of community feel, we get kind of under the gaze of bigger U of T. So to see so many people out and supporting UTM and kind of feeling like this is their home, [that] this is where they can have school spirit, is really awesome.”
- October 9, 2018 at 4 a.m.: Removed: The turnout was quite low compared to previous years.
- October 9, 2018 at 4 a.m.: Changed: ‘UTM cheerleaders’ to “The UTM Dance Team….”
- October 9, 2018 at 4 a.m.: Updated: The score 79-65 to 81-71
