CONESTOGA COLLEGE
Conestoga hosts inaugural Ontario college's women's cricket tournament

Conestoga hosted the first-ever Ontario Collegiate Recreation (OCR) Women's Cricket tournament won by the Conestoga Condors - competing in their first official championship.

The Condors competed alongside three other teams, the Humber Hawks, Cambrian Golden Shield and University of Toronto - Mississauga Eagles, at the event held at the Conestoga Student Recreation Centre at the Kitchener - Doon campus in late January.

The team went on to win again at the following tournament hosted by Humber on March 10. 

The formation of Conestoga's cricket team was driven by passionate students who sought to bring the sport to the college. Team captain Misha Shah played a pivotal role, reaching out to find enough players to assemble a roster.

"I emailed, I asked around, and there just weren't enough players at first," Shah said. "But when the men's team started gaining attention, we thought, Why not have a women's team too?' And here we are, winning the championship." 

Some of the team members, including Shah, grew up playing the sport and the tournament was a return. For some international students, it was an opportunity to continue playing in Canada.

"When I got the email about a women's cricket team at Conestoga, I was so excited," said Tanvi Patel. "It was my first experience playing in Canada, and to win the first tournament - it's something I will always remember."  

Shah believes the tournament marks a turning point for the visibility of women's cricket at the college level in Ontario and will inspire future players to pick up a bat. "There were so many players on our team who had never played before and they still became champions," she said. "Now, more students will see that they can try something new and succeed." 

Patel agreed: "This tournament showed that women's cricket belongs in Ontario colleges." 

Kristen Bolliger, manager of Programming & Athletic Operations, said the women's sport offerings have been gaining momentum in the Athletics and Recreation Operations over the past few terms.

"Through Condors Recreation, we offer women-only sports programming to teach new skills, transfer sports knowledge and, most importantly, spark engagement in physical activity through social wellness. Having students like Misha bring more female students into the recreation centre and start a community of female cricket players is what was needed to drive this initiative forward," Bolliger said.

"Hosting the first women's cricket tournament in the OCR helped increase the visibility and support for women's cricket in Ontario. After seeing the success, another institution offered to host a tournament. Offering women's cricket provides a platform for female athletes to showcase their talents and encourage more women to participate in sports." 

The success of this event sets a precedent for future OCR women's cricket tournaments - and the players are eager for more competition after their first championships, including possibly outdoor matches in the summer.

"We don't want to stop here," Shah said. "We want more games, more tournaments. We want to keep growing."  

Athletics & Recreation offers programming and facilities designed to engage Conestoga students and enhance their health and wellness through varsity and extramural athletics, intramural sports and fitness classes. The Student Recreation Centre at the Kitchener - Doon campus provides a full range of recreation and athletic services.