FROSH 2021: U of C Dinos events to look forward to

By Ava Zardynezhad, September 6 2021—

After a long, relentless year, the Dinos are finally back in the game. Most of the University of Calgary athletic teams are returning to sports starting early fall. In previous years, we’ve had major events that have been well-attended by students, year after year. Since the pandemic is still a reality during this school year, many of these events might not go ahead as they did pre-COVID. Nonetheless, you might be considering getting out there and supporting our U of C Dinos or would like to know what to look forward to over the next few years of your university life. So, here are a few major Dinos sporting events you should know about.

Kickoff 

This event is the major game of the fall term and is the cherry on top of Orientation Week. Kickoff is often the first home game the Dinos football team plays and it always takes place at McMahon Stadium. Since orientations will happen online this year, there will be no Kickoff in 2021. However, the football team will have a number of home games in the fall. All regular-season games — throughout all of U of C athletics — are free to attend for students. So, if you’re itching to watch some live football, be sure to head down to McMahon Stadium on game days and don’t forget to take your student ID. 

Crowchild Classic 

The Crowchild Classic might have the most attendance of all major Dinos events. This hockey match takes place at the Saddledome — home of the Calgary Flames. The Crowchild Classic is a Calgary staple, as the local university teams — the U of C Dinos and the Mount Royal Cougars — go head to head. You will get a chance to watch both our women’s and men’s teams play at this game. For the time being, we don’t know if this iconic event will be happening in the winter of 2022. However, if the plan is approved, you won’t have to look any further than every LRT station screen in the city to find out. 

Pack the Jack 

This is another iconic U of C event that lives up to its name. Every year, the U of C community literally packs the Jack Simpson Gymnasium to support the Dinos Basketball teams. This event often follows the Crowchild Classic and takes place in the winter of 2022. We’re happy to announce that for the foreseeable future — pandemic permitting — Pack the Jack will be going ahead as planned. The date has not been announced yet, but be sure to keep an eye out. 

These are the three largest events planned by the Dinos. However, this year, U of C is fortunate enough to host a few championship games during the fall of 2021 and the spring of 2022. You can catch the Canada West Women’s Rugby Championship at McMahon Stadium on Oct. 28–31 as well as the U SPORTS Women’s Volleyball Championship games on Mar. 25–27. 

We hope that you are able to get out to a few of these games at least once throughout your university experience. As much as these games showcase the skill and talent of U of C athletes, they also reflect the support and team spirit of the campus community.