Just as students settle into another year and become overwhelmed by required reading lists and forthcoming essays a dim light appears in the distance. No, it’s not a flame coming from under your pyromaniacal roomate’s door. It’s inner-city rivalries, and their heating up at U of T.
Yes the “TRY” University Cup is coming. This is going to be a 20-event series between Ryerson, York and U of T, involving a variety of sports. The school with the most overall wins in a pre-arranged game schedule, will get bragging rights for the next year.
“The sports that will be involved are football, field hockey, hockey, badminton, volleyball and basketball” said Blues information co-ordinator Adrian Bradbury. He was involved with the planning committee, along with personnel from York and Ryerson. “We tried to have a balanced schedule, but wanted to make sure we included all the rivalries” he added.
The possibility of a major sponsorship came up during development meetings over the summer. “We talked to a lot of people,” said Bradbury, and while there was some interest, “not enough for a major sponsorship.” So the schools will go it alone this year, hoping to entice a future sponsor. The Sept. 27 football game between York and the Blues will be the first official competition in the “TRY” Cup series. This is the annual Red and Blue Bowl, the yearly matchup between Toronto’s two university football outfits. The actual launch of the rivalry-laden tournament will be Sept. 23 at a provisionally scheduled press conference.
“We want to make a lot of noise during the first couple of events and attract a crowd,” explains Bradbury. “Hopefully the underage double-cohort audience who are looking for something to do will come and have a good time and enjoy the giveaways. This is a good time for it with twice as many students around.”
This is one effort among several to increase school pride and fight off apathy among the student body at U of T-whether or not the bleachers at Varsity Field will be successfully filled with enthusiastic students.
