Fun comes first
Sports club helping people stay active, social during pandemic
SYDNEY — Like many people, Mandy Mo has found it difficult to stay active and meet new people during the CODID-19 pandemic.
Add in the fact that she's stranded more than 10,000 kilometres away from her family in Tianjin, China, and it's easy to understand how challenging lockdown life has been for her and other international students over the past year.
Now, thanks to the Sport and Social Club of CBRM, Mo says she feels like she's found a new home and made
lots of new friends.
“Like a lot of international students, we are all experiencing some hard time — maybe not too much friends and (not) too much social activities,” said Mo, a recent Cape Breton University masters of business administration graduate.
She was one of about 20 people throwing a flying disc around in the Brookland Elementary School gym in a game of Ultimate Frisbee on Wednesday night.
“At least this club gave us — me, like a lot of international students — an opportunity to take part in activities and meet friends, and sports always make me feel so happy and positive, and a good mood can affect each other,” she said.
“Because of the virus I cannot go back to my hometown and sometimes I really feel down. I really feel like the club is a home, like a family. I love this club and I really, really hope more people like me join the club.”
FUN FIRST
William Roy formed the Sport and Social Club of CBRM more than a year ago when he and his partner Erin Flynn realized there were very few recreation and sport opportunities for adults living in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.
“There's men's hockey but I don't have equipment out here and I've never played in a league for hockey. There's a couple of rec options but a lot of them aren't co-ed and a lot of them end up being a bit more competitive than I want — I really want it to be an open thing where regardless of how fit you are, how out of practice you are, what your age is, what your skill level is, that you can come into a welcoming environment and feel free to bring any of your friends or any of your partners,” explained Roy, who modelled the non-profit club after a similar group in his native Edmonton, Alta.
So the CBU MBA graduate approached the Cape Breton Partnership, which has a business development program with Mashup Lab that supports rural entrepreneurs. They connected him with the CBRM recreation department and the club, which is run by a five-member board, was ready to launch before COVID-19 forced them to put their plans on hold.
However, now that restrictions have relaxed somewhat the club recently began hosting events twice a week at Brookland Elementary School.
On Mondays, it’s a variation of soccer called futsal and on Wednesday night they alternate between Ultimate Frisbee, floor hockey and flag rugby.
“The attitude is all about fun first. There’s always going to be a competitive element to sport but it’s about making sure everybody feels included,” said Roy. “It’s really nice. I’m just really enjoying being able to play some sports again and connect with people. I think one of the most exciting things was the first time someone came who no one knew. That was a really nice thing for (us). It’s really nice to get out, have some fun and make connections.”
LOTS OF LOCALS
Like Mo, Eric Lee also felt isolated during the pandemic. Normally a physically active person, the CBU MBA graduate from Beijing was tired of spending most of his day in the house.
“I was basically staying at home all the time, getting so bored,” said Lee, who is a member of the club’s board. “Once we started this, this saves my day.
“I believe since the pandemic started we have been staying away from pretty much everyone that we don’t know — even the ones we do know, we don’t get really super close to. This club, we follow all the protocols ... so we feel safe. We don’t really have a huge community here and it’s great to get connected with more people here.”
While international students make up about one-third of the roughly 20 people who have been attending Sport and Social Club of CBRM events, local residents like Paul Bunyan are also enjoying the chance to get some exercise and meet new people.
“I came home after work and there was a post that showed up in my Facebook newsfeed that said, ‘Do you want to play Ultimate Frisbee today?’ I was like, ‘Absolutely,’” said Bunyan, who is originally from Troy, Inverness County, and now lives in Coxheath. “I’m a 37-year-old man. I don’t get a chance to get out and play a sport with this diverse a group of people ever. It’s really cool to get out and meet all these different people who are from all over the place and represent every different aspect of life, basically. It’s kind of neat: everybody just comes out and has some fun and I’m really enjoying it.”
SWEAT AND SOCIALIZING
As the CBRM’S adult and senior recreation co-ordinator, Chelsea Currie was thrilled when Roy approached her department for help launching the club. A former all-star striker with Cape Breton University’s women’s soccer team, she’s not only a board member but an active participant.
“It resonated with me. I came out of a varsity experience and then it was like sports are over now, and that’s kind of the way society makes it, but Will realized there was a massive gap; we have a lot of international students, we have a lot of young adults who are looking for reasons to stay here and this is the type (of) thing that creates quality of life for people — and it can be meaningful,” she said. “There’s a lot of people who might never have connected otherwise. There are a lot of people here who I never met until now and next week it will probably be the same thing so that social piece is honestly the most gratifying part I think, not just as a programmer but as a participant, as well.
“We get a sweat on and get to have some fun and have some laughs and chirp people — it just makes the week, especially in the pandemic, go by with a little more enjoyment.”
As for Mo, she’s modest about her athletic ability but effusive in her praise of the club.
“I’m not a good player but I really love this club because I can take part in all kinds of activities and feel more happy. And especially in this club, we come from different countries. We can experience different cultures, different people from different countries. Very interesting. It’s a good time for me to have for more communication and interact with different friends.”