“Osgoode Hall—winning in the courts and on the field!” That’s what our (unofficial) team cheerleader, Sanjam shouted to Kailey after we won our Flag Football Intramural Team, to which Kailey rolled their eyes at.
“Kailey, that’s the best quote ever, it’s so fitting! Don’t be a hater.” Sanjam replied. Of course, Kailey would disagree. It’s a great pun, so I’m commemorating it, much to Kailey’s probable dismay.
This season was the first intramural game some students played or observed. For some, football was a sport they enjoyed. The team members were exactly what you’d expect your Osgoode peers to be: inviting, warm, encouraging, but still competitive. For many team members though, football was a hobby that they were (insanely) good at and excited to participate in. And it was always fun watching the enthusiasm everyone brought to every game. What I wish I knew was that it was semi-competitive and while my friend and I felt that our lack of experience held the team back, all members were incredibly encouraging and celebrated our small victories with us. Our supporting Osgoode “cheerleaders” also came to show support during the season, and we were thankful for their encouragement on and off the field.
Though my friend and I didn’t know how to properly throw a football before we began the season in September, one of us at least learned how to catch it by the final game. That’s what got us a few yards when we played, and we were so proud of how far we came (seriously, it was an accomplishment to catch a ball close by and somehow not lose yards).
But it was such a great season and when the next begins, I know that the team is thrilled to do it all over again. For those interested that missed out: (clearly) any skill level is welcome and it’s a great pause from the stressors of everyday life. For me, it was a great distraction after our Torts midterm and I was happier trying to catch a football than I was thinking about what I didn’t do on the exam.
On a side note, I finally understand how cheesy these “victory” messages are. But I’m saying that after I happily wrote this.