McGill University announced in November that it would be cutting many varsity and club sports teams due to financial struggles. These cuts will affect 25 teams across 15 sports for the 2026-2027 season, including badminton, baseball, fencing, figure skating, golf, lacrosse, logger sports, nordic skiing, rugby, sailing, squash, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and field hockey.
Clara Smyrski, the McGill field hockey captain, says that the team is feeling deeply frustrated about the decision. “We are forced to say goodbye to a sport we love and to our favourite part of our McGill experience. More than that, McGill is saying goodbye to a 50-year-old team, and Quebec is saying goodbye to the only collegiate field hockey team that has ever existed in the province.” Further frustration comes from “a general lack of transparency from McGill Athletics that has destroyed any trust that existed between student-athletes and their athletics administration.”
Hailey Craig, a former Chateauguay Valley Regional High School (CVR) student who currently plays for the Quebec Field Hockey team, says that this sport has taught her “the importance of teamwork, respect, and good work ethic.” She was shocked to hear the news of the cuts and adds, “From the moment I first started it in high school the love I gained for that sport has just grown. For the past two summers I have had the opportunity to play field hockey for Quebec and that has truly been one of the best things I have ever done.” Though she is not a McGill student, she feels the impact and explains that McGill hosted beneficial training sessions that she attended in the past.
One of the biggest frustrations is the inconsistent reasoning by which teams were cut. Smyrski explains that it couldn’t have been based on performance, because teams who are underperforming are still around; it couldn’t be based on popularity, because sports like women’s rugby and track and field are cut and they are significantly more popular than some sports that were kept; and it couldn’t be based on space, because they use the same field as other sports that are still practicing. She adds, “We were holding out hope that we would be kept on as a varsity team because we are entirely self-funded, we use minimal to no resources, and we practice at 6:30 in the morning when no other team wants the field.”
A sport under threat
There are currently only four high schools in Quebec that have field hockey teams including CVR. Lisa Evans, a field hockey coach and teacher at the school, says this news has been devastating. Coaches and players are feeling sad and angry.
CVR has a rich field hockey culture, but these cuts take away the chance to pursue it long term. “Most of the students come in and they’ve never even heard of it, and then they’re exposed to it. And they enjoy it. And then, they see a path to continue. But now, with McGill cancelling – it’s like cutting them off at the knees,” Evans says. Smyrski adds, “Cutting university field hockey out of the province altogether will discourage young kids from picking up the sport. As someone who cannot imagine their life without field hockey, this is heartbreaking.”
Young girls need role models
Evans explains how field hockey serves as a good equalizer: “They come in in Grade 7 and they’re all at the same level … They’re all really starting at zero. And with teenage girls, it’s hard to get them any confidence … At an age where we see a huge drop-off with teenage girls that they leave organized sport, we see them joining.”
It’s also important to note that young girls need to see themselves represented. Evans says that “It’s sad, and it makes me worried for the next generation of girls who need role models to look up to … to feel like they can do it.” She adds that now, when women’s sports are finally starting to see some recognition, this loss is hugely detrimental.
Not Québécois enough?
The question has been raised as to why the field hockey team has been cut, especially since it is a team that is self-funded and doesn’t receive financial support from McGill. “I do think this adds to the narrative of the Quebec government discouraging any activity that they do not feel is ‘Quebec enough’,” says Smyrski, before noting the McGill Athletic administration has admitted that “The only reason the flag football team was prioritized over the field hockey team and therefore made into a varsity sport was because of its ‘growing popularity in Quebec’.”
For young people in the province who still want to be involved with field hockey, Sharan Gil, the head coach at McGill, shares a few different resources. There is Fleur de Lys Field Hockey, which offers “programs for developing athletes, and they are launching a new female winter league for players aged 15-20. This league provides a supportive and competitive environment for young athletes to continue growing.” There are also clubs that train year-round and compete regularly in tournaments, including the Chelsea Phoenix Field Hockey in the Gatineau area, and the South Shore Field Hockey Club.
Just under 2,775 people have signed a petition demanding McGill reinstate the team. The petition can be found online at: bit.ly/4iUaPkn