Rep the maroon, see you soon!

Are you a MacEwan student looking to feel some real school spirit? Wandering around campus with your eyes locked on your phone instead of browsing the bountiful posters tacked on the walls? I’m proud you even found your way to this article; that’s step one. 

Nearly every weekend, your MacEwan Griffins take to the field, court, and rink, representing the student body—yes, that’s you—against other universities in the U Sports’ Canada West League. Do you really want the University of Alberta to out-cheer you in your own domain? What about the University of Calgary, British Columbia, or even Saskatchewan? Heck no!

Your Griffins soccer teams will set our field ablaze starting Sept. 7 to kick off the 2024 season. The men’s team takes to the Edmonton Scottish Dome—our home turf for the season—against Mount Royal University, then against Calgary the next day. The women’s team will take home advantage the following weekend to defend the Griffin’s den against Calgary and Lethbridge. They’re looking to make a solid return to the playoffs after a killer season last year, finishing 10-2-2 in the regular season. Get a group together and head on down to the Dome for an exciting afternoon this fall! 

Everybody knows where Rogers Place is, but did you know that the second rink—the Downtown Community Arena—is home to your Griffins hockey teams? You do now, so there is no excuse not to join the crowd on Oct. 4 in raising an elite atmosphere as the men’s team faces off against the University of Alberta Golden Bears. Your men’s team is riding the high off a season where they earned their way into a playoff spot for the first time since the switch to Canada West. They’ve done it once, and they’ll do it again—so make sure you’re there to witness it! The women’s team will take to the ice the following day, Oct. 5, also staring down the Golden Bears. With solid prospects like Sydney Jack joining the team and esteemed players making their return, your women’s team is looking to battle their way to victory this season. The faceoff between teams in the same town always becomes a fierce and competitive match. Head to the rink and cheer loudly and proudly for your MacEwan Griffins!

You’ve passed the David Atkinson Gymnasium and grabbed a spot on the sidelines for orientation, so why not do the same for a game? That same gym is where your Griffins basketball and volleyball teams will take out the competition for the 2024-25 season. Volleyball will launch the Griffins’ court sports on Oct. 18 against Trinity Western University, followed by basketball on Nov. 1, where they’ll be facing Mount Royal University. Your women’s volleyball team advanced to playoffs last season and aims to make a triumphant return. The men’s team will strive to change the narrative after recruiting new talent like Mitchell Croft and more, setting their sights on making their Canada West playoff debut. Men’s and women’s basketball teams are entering this year with ambition and drive to reach playoffs and build a bright future in the name of the Griffins. 

The stands used to roar for these incredibly deserving athletes, but those roars have lessened in recent years. We used to have pregame parties at Towers before heading to one of the games; why go home after class and complain that there is “nothing to do” or you’re “bored?” There is plenty to do every day on and off campus if you invest in your life beyond academics, and I highly recommend a Griffins game.

With the crowds from last year, it felt as though we were playing away games on our home grounds. Don’t miss out on fostering a robust and resilient fanbase to soak up the university experience. Fill the stands, sport your maroon merch, go with friends, meet new ones, and remember to cheer as loud as possible. Go Griffins!

For all Griffins team schedules, check out macewangriffins.ca. 

---

Cover photo by Rebecca Chelmick