The Bachelor of Education program is fortunate to have students who play and have played on the Cougars Women’s Hockey team. We asked a current player Lyndsey Janes about her experience playing on a university hockey team and being a full-time student. Read her response below.

What importance does the coaching staff place on academic success?   

Our coaching staff is a great support system for us when it comes to the academic side of things. Whatever we need to be successful they will try their best to get that support for us. We also receive support from other staff within Cougar Athletics which has been super beneficial to us, me specifically being a first-year student-athlete and adjusting to the new university environment, everyone involved has made the transition much easier.

How much time per week is required for practice?

We practice 4 times a week. We also have team workouts twice a week and we end the week with two games almost every weekend. In total, we are typically practicing 8 times a week. 

What are the academic performance requirements to remain a student-athlete?

In order to compete for our respective teams at MRU, each athlete must obtain a 2.0 GPA while completing at least three courses (minimum 9 credit hours) in the semester in which we are competing. For me personally, I must complete at least 9 credit courses (18 credit hours)  throughout the fall/winter semesters.

How do your instructors support you as a student-athlete? 

When we run into timing conflict with our athletic schedule and academic schedule, we are often given lots of support from our instructors as long as communication from our end is clear and made in advance. Instructors are very accommodating for us with due dates and test/exam dates. I am thankful for my professors at MRU because they make my workload from hockey and school that much easier for me and all other athletes to balance.   

How much travelling is involved? What is the policy for making up missed classes?

As a hockey player at MRU, we play 14 games at home and 14 games away. We travel throughout the entire western side of the country going as far as Manitoba and British Columbia. Because of the travelling demands we often have to leave on Fridays, sometimes Thursdays to ensure we arrive in time for our competitions. My teammates and I are encouraged to set up our schedules so we do not have classes on Fridays with the assistance from academic advisors and academic support from cougar athletics to ensure we are missing as little of class as possible. However, sometimes missing class is unavoidable. To make up for classes missed we often communicate effectively with our instructors to ensure we are completing any missed course content on our own time.

What has been the most rewarding part about playing hockey and attending MRU?

I have been rewarded in many different ways from playing hockey at MRU. I have made 25 new best friends that I know I will be friends with for the rest of my life. Mount Royal and Cougar Athletics have brought me so many opportunities as a student and athlete; I have been able to compete in the sport I love against the best in the country and have received elite level coaching which has made me into a better player all while receiving a great education.

What has been the most challenging part about playing hockey and attending MRU?

The most challenging part of being a student-athlete is being able to manage the intense workload that comes with my academics and athletics. I sometimes struggle with time management and keeping up with all my commitments while still excelling on the ice. However, this challenge is made much easier for me because of all the support I am able to receive from Student Services, Cougar Athletics, and my coaches/teammates.

Thank you, Lyndsey, for sharing some insight about your experience as a student and student-athlete. If you are a prospective student who is interested in getting involved in Cougar Athletics we encourage you to connect with Admissions and Recruitment.