Written by Kelly Baker
As to be expected at a university with such an individualistic atmosphere, varsity athletics are not a focus of life at McGill. That being said, they are certainly there for those who want to get involved. Overall, games are not very well attended, with the exception of the occasional game against one of McGill’s rival schools, Concordia or Queens. These events attract much larger, much rowdier crowds. Intramural sports, on the other hand, are much more popular with students, probably because they require less of a time commitment. Intramurals also offer different levels to participate in, so they can range in degree of competitiveness from absolutely none to extreme intensity. The gym is nice enough, but can get rather crowded because of its relatively small size for such a huge student body. Membership for a semester costs $15. It also offers many different fitness and recreation classes to students every semester that range in price from about $20 for basic fitness and dance classes up to nearly $80 for special martial arts classes. There are also a number of athletic clubs, such as the triathlon and snowboarding clubs, that students can participate in as well.
Between varsity sports, intramurals, fitness classes, and clubs, students have a wide variety of athletic activities available to them. From traditional offerings like football and hockey, to slightly more avant-garde activities, such as inner-tube water polo and Quidditch, there is definitely something for everyone. Even if there is nothing that piques your interest on campus, Montreal has a lot of green space for a city of its size. It’s very easy to get in some physical activity by biking around town or jogging in parks or around Mount Royal.