Last Updated on September 26, 2022 by YGK News Staff
In one of the first major events since the pandemic, Queen’s students will be taking part in a new rivalry game aimed at supporting a good cause.
The inaugural “Tri-Colour Classic” is a basketball game aimed at extending the century-long faculty rivalry between Queen’s University’s Faculty of Commerce and Faculty of Engineering, while donating all proceeds to the Canadian Cancer Society.
According to Hunter MacKinnon, Commissioner of the Tri-Colour Classic and fourth year commerce student at Queen’s, the rivalry learns from the highly-recognized Cure Cancer Classic game, which is an annual hockey game between the Faculty of Commerce and Faculty of Engineering.
“When I discussed the idea with the Cure Cancer Classic executives, we were encouraged to ‘go big or go home.”
From there, MacKinnon says that he and his team of 24 dedicated the past year to organizing all aspects of the game, from logistics to sponsorships.
MacKinnon and his team expect 5500 people to attend Thursday’s event at the Leon’s Centre and hope to raise over $100,000.
The money raised will assist Dr. Donald Mabbott and his team at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto to test a new way to boost cognitive function and improve quality of life for childhood brain cancer survivors.
“They are looking at an unusual but innovative source –an approved diabetes drug called metformin. This drug has shown potential to boost brain growth and recovery,” wrote the Canada Cancer Society in a press release.
In order to make this happen, MacKinnon says that he and his team have recruited highly dedicated volunteers who weren’t just getting involved for “resume padding.”
They’re also encouraging collaboration and some friendly competition between faculties.
“The deans were very enthusiastic about this,” MacKinnon told YGK News. He said that he was thrilled when both faculty deans agreed to do a surprise press announcement at Goodes Hall on September 15th.
Both deans encouraged “healthy competition,” with Dr. Wanda Costen, Dean of the Stephen J.R Smith School of Business saying “Number 1: be safe. Number two: have fun. And number 3: beat Engineering!”
So far, Mackinnon says that he has been blown away by the interest of the event so far.
“Mosea, Bounce, Lugg and Insight Global, North Shore Auto Wash and 99 Pure Country are among some of our sponsors,” added MacKinnon. He’s confident that as the game carries on in future years, the list of sponsors will continue to grow. He credits Mosea and the Residence Society for making the event more accessible to first years by subsidizing ticket prices.
He also says that team tryouts were a resounding success, with over 200 students signing up on the spot.
MacKinnon hopes that the Tri-Colour Classic will inspire students to become a “catalysts for change,” and become a tradition nationally.
The Tri-Colour Classic will take place on Thursday September 22nd at 7:00pm at the Leons Centre. Tickets can be purchased at the Queen’s ARC and Goodes Hall from 11:30 am to 4:30pm.
