TMU Homecoming 2025. Shades of blue and yellow flooded the Mattamy Athletic Centre as students of all ages, walks of life, and majors spilled on to the ice arena to cheer on TMU Bold Men’s Hockey against the University of Toronto’s Varsity Blue’s Men’s Hockey.
I was in the beginning of my third year of university, and my friend Aisha and I decided to soak in the university experience by going to our school’s homecoming game. I was not that knowledgeable about hockey, and it was the first hockey game I ever attended — but boy was I glad to have experienced it in such a memorable way.
Through skids of ice, twirling of TMU Bold towels, cheers from the crowd, and a win for TMU, our homecoming was certainly a night to remember and was overall, one of my favourite days at TMU.
It was so enjoyable to see my school come together as a community in such a beautiful fashion. Our school has a large, diverse population of students from across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and all over the world. This was a moment where the separation that comes with the hustle and bustle of university life turned into a harmonious and unified occasion.
It was sports that brought that cohesion together.
Later on that year, I took a course title SOC 505: Sociology of Sport that I would definitely recommend to anyone. I learned about how people in society can live very individualistic and alienated lives due to instances like the modern workforce. I also learned about sociologist Richard Giulianotti and his insight into how sports can function as a means to promote social solidarity in such a society.
That concept holistically changed the way I saw sports.
2026 was a massive year for Canadian sports. As a witness to all these events, I enjoyed seeing the GTA and the country band together in anticipation and excitement over sports.
That year truly reflected the concepts I learned in my sociology class: that sports function as a means for connection in a society that can be isolating. Here’s some moments from the past year that show this in action.
The Ultimate Hockey Showdown: Canadian Hockey in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games
Without a shadow of a doubt, many Canadians were tuned into the Winter Olympics this year. Especially considering that both the women’s and men’s Canadian hockey teams made it to the gold medal match against the U.S. Enthusiasm and nerves filled both mine and the nation’s system as both matches occurred across the globe in Italy.
People gathered at restaurants and bars for these matches. They wore jerseys, cheered, clapped, and gasped at what were intense games that would both end in overtime in favour of the U.S.
Restaurants are typically communal in nature, but are still somewhat individualized as people stay within their respective tables and groups. During large sporting events such as Olympic hockey, they become more collaborative when everyone diverts their attention to multiple flat-screen TVs. During this time, everyone has the same purpose and goal in mind: to support Canada in their fight to win Olympic gold, all while drinking and snacking on some good eats.
I remember going to church on the morning of the men’s hockey game. My family and I would constantly check our phones and update each other on the score. When I got to church, men’s hockey was the conversation of the hour. I recall being in long and passionate conversations with adults and teens alike about the game, even talking about the women’s match that happened a couple of days prior. We would keep each other updated on the score of the men’s game until it was officially over.
Later in the day, I texted my friend Aisha about both games, and we discussed how proud we were of Canada for a job well done despite such a heartbreaking loss.
Hockey and the Olympics promoted a sense of national pride and allegiance. Although we all have our separate lives, work or school, and separate ways of living, at this time, we became allied together for our national sport.
There was a psychological solidarity that occurred while rooting for Canada to win. Social solidarity lies in the people gathered together at restaurants, in their homes, at church, across text waves, and through many more methods to support Canada for a job well done.
The Toronto Tempo: The Emergence of Canada’s First Women’s Basketball Team
This year, the Toronto Tempo made history as our nation’s first women’s basketball team to compete as part of the WNBA.
Leading up to the game on May 8, 2026, the energy was electric as the city waited in anticipation to fiercely cheer on our girls for the first time ever. The city joined together in a way that was unprecedented, as this would be the first gathering for a Canadian women’s basketball team.
Social media accounts exploded in support of the Tempo, such as the Toronto Blue Jays, the WNBA, and even Prime Minister Mark Carney. The CN Tower was also lit in burgundy (the team’s colour) in triumphant loyalty.
Fans crowded the Coca-Cola Coliseum to witness the game live, while others across the GTA tuned in on their TV screens. Athletic greats such as former Canadian soccer player Christine Sinclair, Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse, and former Toronto Raptors players Serge Ibaka and Chris Boucher were in attendance as well.
Around this time, there were many TikToks that showcased what occurred that night. The arena was packed not only with fans, but with an enthusiasm that had been channeled throughout the city.
Every point that was scored hit differently as it marked the beginning of a new era of sports in Canada. There was also a special, cohesive feeling of pride for women, as this was the first professional Canadian team in the WNBA, marking immense progress for the visibility of women in sports.
Although the Toronto Tempo ended up losing that night, individuals and establishments all came together for this night in history. These different corners of society who would otherwise be separated came to a sort of collective consciousness where they all became one for the sake of women’s basketball.
Canadian Pride: Supporting Canada During the World Cup
This summer, Canada was one of the host countries for the FIFA Men’s World Cup, one of the biggest sporting events that features the best soccer players in the world. Toronto and Vancouver were our host cities.
One of my earliest memories of this years World Cup was watching the fellowship amongst individuals before the start of games. I specifically remember seeing a TikTok of Canadian and Bosnian fans high-fiving and encouraging one another to have a great time watching their countries compete in Toronto.
Ironically, I just so happened to be downtown on two separate occasions when a game was happening in Toronto.
The first time, my friends and I decided to check out a watch party location for one of the matches. These were areas that allowed fans to come together to cheer on their favourite teams together. I remember seeing small shops, canopies, and large benches where people in jerseys lounged around and conversed before the game started.
The second time I was downtown, my friend and I were heading back to Union Station before Croatia was scheduled to play a game. While walking, we heard a group of men cheering and shouting a chant undoubtedly about the World Cup. We decided to diverge from our path to see what was going on, and we found a band of Croatia supporters chanting together in support of their soccer team within the outdoor seating of a restaurant.
These instances I witnessed online and in-person reminded me of the concept of social connection coined by Richard Giulianotti. Watching those TikToks of Canadian and Bosnian fans together emphasizes their unity, despite coming from different countries, in their love for sport.
At the FIFA watch party, I remember thinking about how incredible it was to see a busy area in Toronto, where independence is prominent, for fans to come together and enjoy soccer games amongst strangers.
When my friend and I heard the Croatian fans, I was excited as I went around the corner to see what was going on. I felt uplifted seeing those men break away from the everyday procedures of life and simply live in the moment while cheering for their team.
Soccer did this. Soccer and the World Cup produced a culture of international relations where those who were innately distinct from each other, whether through culture or location, could blossom in solidarity.
communitas and the Importance of Sports
Just like at TMU’s Homecoming in 2025, I will never forget 2026’s iconic roster of sporting moments.
There is something special about sports that transcends the independent aspects of mankind that separate us. Sports bind us together in ways that’s invigorating.
I’m sure you, your friends, or family can think of a moment in sporting history that you have not forgotten to this day.
In my Sociology of Sport class, I also learned about the sociology and anthropology concept of communitas. Communitas explains the solidarity that people feel when partaking in an activity or sharing an experience as one. I feel that communitas is the backbone of why sports can create such social cohesion when society can otherwise be so disconnected.
Even if sports don’t necessarily draw you in, humans crave connection. I believe that sports, and more importantly the camaraderie they evoke, ignite the concept of communitas and bring people together to create lasting memories.
People can then look back on these memories and smile, knowing it was a time where they witnessed a synergy, togetherness, and harmony that is a massive part of the human experience.