January always feels like one of the busiest months at UCC. Many of our classes head to Norval, we welcome over twenty-four teams to our campus for our U12 basketball and U12 Boyd Caldwell hockey tournament, and we get into the school spirit with an afternoon of face-painting and cheering on the Blues during Winterfest. As I walk around the arena, the basketball courts and the indoor turf and bubble, I am amazed at how much our teams have improved and how even the most hesitant student now has the confidence to pick up a racquet and play a game of pickleball with friends.

 Here are some highlights from our winter term so far:

• Our U12 intramural program had the opportunity to work with hockey skills coach and former professional player Mike Clarke.

• The U14 ski team headed to Mansfield for both a time trial day and a race. They won the first race of the year at Mansfield!

• U13 Blue basketball found themselves losing a tight game against Crescent but will look for an exciting re-match as they head to Ottawa for the U13 CAIS National Championships this week.

• U12 hockey brought home a gold medal from Lower Canada College’s tournament.

• A huge thank you to our UCC families who hosted students from Lower Canada College at the beginning of January. Our students formed new friendships and it was a memorable experience for all.

• Winterfest welcomed a U14 Blue vs White hockey game on Mara Rink. We filled the stands with both Prep and Upper Students and cheered on our friends. A huge thank you to Mr. McGarr for bringing the band out and having them perform.

Some quick reminders:

• Please notify your coach if you are missing games as this allows them to plan their lineups in advance. We have already planned for Norval absences 🙂.

• Unless your coach tells you otherwise, gym uniform must be worn at all times during Games. If you are on the ice, please wear appropriate clothing for the cold (gym UCC pants and UCC sweater).

• All athletes have signed a commitment letter before making a team. This commitment letter included the unfortunate consequences of breaking it. We hope families understand that this has been put in place due to the overwhelming number of kids we have trying out for a sport. We make arrangements for overnight trips and factor roster size into our budgets, making last minute changes extremely difficult. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.