It's been a busy fall semester and new year for Cougars Athletics and Recreation (CAR) Clubs from preparing for competitions, working on community engagement, and achieving new milestones — there's plenty to celebrate. 
 
Student Executives of our CAR Clubs connected with us to share some team highlights, achievements, and goals from the fall season and beyond. 
 
Badminton Club: The new kids on the block
This year, there's more opportunities to work on your racket skills and play with students who share the same love of badminton on campus. The co-president of the Badminton Club, Darius Behr, restarted the Club while recovering from an achilles tear and exploring new forms of movement through sport. 
 
"We started playing once a week, and then sometimes other people would be there at that time, and I would just ask them, 'Hey, do you want to play next week?'," Behr said. 
 
From creating a Discord chat, to getting people to the courts, the Badminton Club has been in the works for some time. Although there is a competitive element to badminton, entering tournaments are taking the backseat for now while the club focuses on growing. The recreational-style approach gives students the chance to revisit an old passion or learn something new. Participation in the Badminton Club comes at no cost to MRU Students.  
 
"The key thing … we don't want it to feel like a charged hangout," Behr said "The most important thing with any sport is to always prioritize fun and safety."
 
It goes without saying the heated rivalries are still present — whether you play singles or doubles – but new members are encouraged and more than welcome to join with any level of experience and skillset. The club is in the process of creating a player guidebook to help new players with terminology, footwork techniques, and basic rules of play. 
 
Gear up and drop by Stanley Gym Thursdays and Fridays from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. to learn more about the Badminton Club and find a new community to play with. Check out the drop-in schedule at mru.ca/ePlay.
 
Barbell Club: Uplifting through lifting 
The feelings around fears of going to the gym were behind the creation of the new Barbell Club within MRU Recreation. Jose Gomez, a fourth year psychology honours student and President of the Barbell Club, wants to reshape the gym experience for students while helping others become stronger. 
 
"I feel like [people think] everyone looks so intense because they have their headphones on and look pretty locked in," Gomez said. "But I found that if you tap someone on the shoulders and just talk to them, they're always willing to help." 
 
The club plans to host themed workshops, join unofficial and official competitions, and explore ways to grow the social elements of the Club. Building a community through a routine with weekly challenges and removing barriers to wellness are some of the biggest goals for the Barbell Club.
 
With a  one-time payment every academic year MRU Students will gain access to the community meetups weekly on Fridays from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. in the MRU Fitness Centre.
 
Register for the Barbell Club through your ePlay account, and follow the club on social media to keep up-to-date with the Club's progress and events.
 
Women's Rugby Club: Girl-power, literally 
From early morning practices, social gatherings, and working hard on and off the field, the fall season for the women's rugby club was a busy time striving to be better and working on team play. 
 
Katelyn Watts, President of the Women's Rugby Club, knows rugby like the back of her hand as it runs deep in her family.
 
"I tried a lot of different sports but rugby is just the one that stuck," Watts said. "It's one of the only female sports that allow[s] full contact." 
 
The Women's team played in the bronze medal final in the Prairie University Women's Rugby Conference (PUWRC), which consists of four other schools including the University of Saskatchewan, Brandon University, SAIT, and the University of Regina. One of the game highlights of the season was winning 61-5 against the University of Regina Cougars in the fall. 
 
"It's less about the win itself, and more about the learning aspect and being around a rugby community," Watts said. 
 
Community building is an essential part of the team's identity, and the work they do off the field is just as important to them as their performance in competition. From organizing a bake sale on Main Street to making their presence known across the campus community, the team is committed to creating meaningful connections and giving back in ways that extend far beyond the game.
 
While the game wins are something the team continues to work on, the competitive, fun spirit is something the women's rugby team always has an abundance of. One of the things the team is looking forward to is potentially hosting the third edition of the PUWRC playoffs at MRU for the first time next year. 
 
Continue to support the women's rugby team by staying in the loop with their activities, game schedules, and events through following them on social media.
 
Men's Rugby Club: Strength in numbers
The Men's Rugby Club saw another successful season this fall securing a third place finish in the Prairies University Men's Rugby Championship (PUMRC) Development Division Championship. 
 
Co-presidents Ceejay Schneider and Keaton Von Rooyen grew up in their hometowns where rugby was a popular sport to play. This year saw an increased growth of players compared to last year, which meant focusing on building a strong team of rookie and senior players. 
 
"We had a huge influx of rookies this year and we got a good set of guys," Von Rooyen said. "You wouldn't know that somebody's a rookie because we treat everyone equally."
 
Both the league and development team practice together at MRU with player skills ranging from complete beginners to advanced levels. Schneider and Von Rooyen shared how their third game of the season against the University of Alberta was a pivotal moment in the team's development.
 
"We ended up losing by three points, but it was that game that our team clicked and found our groove," said Schneider. 
 
The members of the team did not miss on scoring individual awards this past season for their dedication and hard work including Patrick Besplug who was recognized as a PUMRC Second XV awardee, and Von Rooyen for Most Valuable Cougar Award. 
 
However, the season was met with a few injuries which kept the team on their toes, ready to adapt, and change strategies. 
 
"I'm usually a forward, but the last game I just got thrown into the backs because of injuries," said Schneider. 
 
One of the biggest lessons Schneider and Von Rooyen acquired in their leadership roles has been the value of communication between the Club's Executive team and their players. 
 
"Because we are a small Club and we're student led, it's really important for everyone to be on the same page," said Von Rooyen. 
 
With the winter season in full swing the team is moved indoors to work on sevens skills and training while looking ahead to next season. 
 
For more information on events, game schedules, or how to join the men's rugby club, follow them on social media.
 
Fastball Club: It's all in the catch 
The fastball season at MRU came with multiple league awards recognizing its athletes. This included Maeve Maguire, who bagged the Rookie of the Year and Second Team Shortstop, Ava Wurzur who took home the Leadership Award and an academic award, and four other members of the team, Lexi Seland, Jayden Segstro, Abby Fralic, and Shae Segstro, also receiving academic awards from the Western Canada Softball Association (WCSA) league. 
 
Megan Poole, the Vice-President of the Women's Fastball Club, is proud to have the team finish sixth overall in the league. As she graduates this year with a degree in Health and Physical Education, she hopes the team receives more support from the campus community through increased game attendance.
 
"[Fast]ball is a lot of fun to watch, it's a lot like baseball but faster paced so I think people would enjoy it," Poole said.
 
Though she won't be a part of the team next year, she hopes the program at MRU continues to grow. Reflecting on her athletic journey at MRU as a transfer student from the United States, the best athletes are ones that feed on grit and resiliency according to Poole.
 
During the off-season, the club offers drop-in practices for anyone who is interested in playing next year or generally wants to give fastball a try. Practices consist of throwing, running drills, and team fun on Wednesdays at the Triple Gym from 6:00 a.m.-7:30 a.m.. 
 
For more information on the Fastball Club's training schedule and events, follow them on social media.
 
Cubs Dance Team: Embracing the Cougar spirit 
There's no stopping the Cubs Dance Team Club as they accelerate their success from the fall semester through the winter season. From being energy boosters at intense varsity games, supporting MRU students at campus events, and performances that roared, the Cubs Performance Team has showcased the Cougar spirit.
 
The Club's membership consists of three separate teams including a Performance Team and Competitive Team with 24 and 18 dancers, respectively, and a Recreational Team, without a limit on number of members. Previously, each team was led by its own President but the team structure is evolving—one of the best outcomes is better and more effective communication.
 
This is the first year the Cub's Executive team consisted of only three Executives – Addison Ross, VP of Finance, Caihla Telfer, VP of Communications, and Brianna Laperrier, President. 
 
"It's always going to be trial and error, we came into it not knowing how to do anything," Laperrier said. "At this point, we're like 'okay, we're finally getting the hang of it' — it feels good." 
 
The past season brought a year of firsts around campus integration and new opportunities for the team including True West, a competition for varsity dance, created by former Cubs Executive, Emma Calliou, and the MRU Cubs Coach, Kelsea Fitzpatrick, and performing at the MRU Men's Soccer gold medal game. 
 
"We haven't danced at soccer games at all for the past years as the Cubs Dance Team, and it was really fun," Ross said. 
 
Building a community presence on campus and in Calgary is an important part of the Cub's Dance Team's identity. Volunteering at events like the Crowchild Classic at the Scotiabank Saddledome and at the CIBC Run Club in October are team building exercises and showcase their skills and enthusiasm. 
 
"To be a part of a bigger community than just yourself and the university, that's what makes it what it is," Telfer said. 
 
Team members received a warm reception at the CAR Club's Awards Ceremony taking home some big awards including: Yllah Dedal for Most Valuable Cougar, Lize-Marie Hoffman for Relentless Rookie, Caihla Telfer for Cougars Culture, and Kelsea Fitzpatrick for Coach of the Year. 
 
For more information about how you can support the Cubs Dance Team Club, learn more about weekly drop-in classes, and view performance schedules, follow them on social media.