Spring 2025

Message from the Upper School Athletics Director

Ms. Carla Di Filippo

Hello Gators,

This past spring season was more wet, cold and windy than what we were used to, but we persevered and, as usual, had a great time representing the green and gold. Havergal saw 24 teams take to the fields, pitches, diamonds and courts with more than 380 students playing on a sports team this spring. Even though it rained during most games, there were always smiles and laughs to be heard. Our annual staff vs. students softball game took place two weeks ago during lunch. The Senior Softball Team came out strong with big hits and perfect fielding. This team was determined to flip the script on the staff motto: “staff don’t lose” and win the coveted trophy. Congratulations to the team on their big win! 

This spring Havergal took home six CISAA championships in Softball (U14 and Junior), Ultimate (U14) and Track and Field (U13, U14 Overall, Novice — Grade 9). Congratulations to Anjola Hopkins (‘28), Victoria Ogunlaja (‘28) and Niahm Richards (‘28), who qualified at the OFSAA (provincial) championship in Track and Field! 

Our Rowers had one of their best seasons to date with more than 20 medals won over three regattas. Recently at the CSSRA’s (Canadian Nationals) in St. Catherines, the team took home first in JR 63kg 8+, third in Sr Women’s 2, and second in Jr Women’s 63kg 4+. The Sr. Women’s 8 and Jr Women’s just missed the podium both by less than a second. 

On Tuesday, May 27, we celebrated all of our spring MVPs and Coaches Award recipients. The spring assembly provided the Athletics Department the chance to honour our most prestigious awards: Athletes of the Year and the Sonia Labatt Armstrong Sportsmanship Cup. Congratulations to Lucy Falconer, Middle School Athlete of the Year, Claire Hicks, Junior Athlete of the Year and Rachel Dirks, recipient of both the Suzanne Curtis Memorial Trophy (Senior Athlete of the Year). The Sonia Labatt Armstrong Sportsmanship Cup went to Maddy Evans. View the full list of spring award recipients here. Grads who participated in athletics over 80% of their time at Havergal were also honoured (view the Overall Contribution to Athletics Award here). Congratulations to all award winners! 

I would like to thank the teachers, staff and community members who spend time coaching at Havergal. We are truly blessed to have such dedicated and experienced coaches leading our teams. A huge shout out to Peyton, our Gator Zone editor, for all of your work this year. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge two of the most kind, funny, passionate, hard-working, green and gold in their blood people at Havergal: Kaya and Maddy. It was an absolute pleasure to watch you both lead SpoCo, support each other and continue to make Havergal Athletics so special. 

Have a wonderful summer Gators and see you in September.

Ms. Di Filippo

Message from the Junior School Athletic Director

Ms. Anna Bartlett

Athletic excellence soared to new heights this spring as Havergal students demonstrated exceptional skill, determination and sportsmanship across multiple disciplines!

For the first time in the Junior School, we had co-ed teams as Havergal joined with Crescent School to form two highly successful Havercrest U12 Ultimate Teams.

The U12 Softball Team had quite the season with a depth of seriously trained pitchers. They demonstrated exceptional teamwork and determination, improving steadily throughout the season and showcasing impressive skills in every game.

Our Track and Field athletes achieved remarkable results at the CISAA Championships. In Grade 5, Charlotte Goldthorpe broke a CISAA record by running the 200m in just 30.73 seconds! Charlotte and Halle came first and second in the 400m, while Brooke claimed first in high jump. The U11 Relay Team secured a victory! In Grade 6, Clara and Abby placed first and second in high jump, while Carol, Arianna and Celine swept the podium in U12 Discus.

The U10 and U9 Basketball/Soccer Squads showed tremendous growth this season, developing fundamental skills in both sports. Our youngest athletes in the U8 MultiSport Squad enthusiastically explored various activities, building a strong foundation for future athletic endeavors.

As we celebrate these remarkable achievements, we look forward to carrying this momentum of excellence, teamwork and Havergal spirit into the upcoming school year!

Ms. Bartlett

A Message from the Student Editor

Peyton Furgiuele

This year at Havergal has been filled with exciting games, team bonding and many memories. I have had the joy of helping to share just some of the stories from our athletics. The spring season is one of my favorites at HC because everyone is so eager to get outside and play the sports they love. Whether it is the Softball Team on the pitch or the Rowers on the water, people come alive when the spring sports commence. It’s been amazing to see the joy that sport continues to bring to our community.

I want to give a huge thank-you to Ms. D. for all she gives to athletics at Havergal. She always goes above and beyond and we would not have the opportunities we do without her. As well, thank you to our incredible Sports Prefects, Maddy and Kaya, for the leadership and heart they’ve poured into Havergal Athletics this year. Their commitment to building an inclusive, empowering and spirited environment has made such a meaningful impact, especially for young women discovering their strength and confidence through sport.

To all of the athletes, thank you for showing up and working together to accomplish your goals; you’ve created memories that will last far beyond this season. And finally to our Gator Zone writers: thank you for capturing those stories with creativity and enthusiasm. You’ve helped communicate these stories so our community can see what Havergal has to offer.

As we wrap up the spring season, I hope this edition of the Gator Zone gives you a chance to reflect, celebrate and feel proud of what we’ve accomplished together. Every story or anecdote I’ve heard about the incredible female athletes at Havergal has truly made me even more proud to be a Gator. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Go Gators!

Peyton

Message from the Sports Prefects

Maddy & Kaya

It’s hard to believe the school year is already coming to a close and, with it, another incredible chapter of Havergal Athletics is over. As we wrap up our final edition of Gator Zone, we’re so excited to celebrate a fantastic spring season filled with sunshine, school spirit and standout performances.

At the start of the year, we set a clear goal: to make everyone at HC feel comfortable joining a sports team and embracing their inner athlete. We wanted Havergal Athletics to be a space where every student could discover their passion, feel empowered and find a sense of belonging through sport. We’re proud to say we’ve made meaningful strides toward that vision.

Events like Gator Days, our daily Instagram content and Athlete of the Week have all helped strengthen the HC spirit. These moments didn’t just celebrate athletic accomplishments, they brought us closer together as a community. One of our favourite additions this year was our Gators Do Anything segment, which encouraged students to try new sports, even if they didn’t feel “good enough.” The feedback has been amazing and we hope to see it grow on Instagram even more in the years ahead.

Thank you to every student who participated in, or supported, Havergal Athletics. Your energy, encouragement and enthusiasm helped build a culture that’s welcoming, spirited and truly one of a kind. We also want to recognize the people who make athletics at Havergal possible: our amazing coaches. Not only do they show up every day, but they also bring energy, dedication and heart to everything they do. Their constant support and belief in us as athletes mean more than we can put into words. We are so grateful for everything they do.

A huge thank you as well to Ms. D., our incredible Director of Athletics. You pour your heart and soul into this role, working tirelessly behind the scenes with contagious energy and care. You juggle it all while making sure everything runs smoothly — Havergal simply wouldn’t be the same without you. We are so lucky to have you as a mentor and role model!

We also want to thank Erin for keeping everything organized behind the scenes and helping us stay healthy and supported. Thank you both so, so much!

And finally, a massive shoutout to the Sports Council! Without you, none of our events would have been possible. From athletic assemblies to Gator Days to Hockey Day, your hard work brought the vibes and made every moment unforgettable, even when it meant showing up early and putting in extra hours. This year’s council was truly something special; we’re beyond grateful for all the laughs, memories and dedication you brought to the table.

Thank you, Havergal, for giving us the experience of a lifetime and making this year so meaningful. We know Havergal Athletics will continue to grow and thrive, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.

Thank you Havergal, we love you!

Maddy and Kaya

The Spirit of the Game

Audrea Au-Provonost & Callie Slightham

Spring is always a wonderful time: the snow starts melting, the flowers start to bloom and, best of all, it’s the beginning of Ultimate (Frisbee) season! Ultimate stands out as more than just a game; it’s a unique blend of athleticism, teamwork and spirit. Ultimate is an unconventional sport that combines elements of Frisbee, handball and football, with the goal of reaching an end zone.

It’s also the only sport that Havergal participates in with Crescent School, forming Havercrest. This sport helps build bonds between schools and fosters a sense of community. A special feature of Ultimate is that there are no referees. The game relies on the sportsmanship and integrity of its players, and each team completes a survey at the end of the game to rank the other team on spirit and quality of play. Teams also select a player from the other team to receive the “Spirit Award” for the game. This feature helps create a culture of mutual respect and fair competition, which sets Ultimate apart from many other team sports.

Havergal was one of the first schools to participate in the Ultimate league and the program has grown significantly over the years, expanding into Division 1 and Division 2 teams due to the number of students eager to play. We currently have two U14 Teams, one U16 Team, and both a Division 1 and Division 2 U20 Team. Havercrest is fortunate to have Ultimate coaches who have been involved with Team Canada. The U16 Team coach, Brittany Dos Santos, is a player on Team Canada, and the D1 U20 coach, Ms. D., has been one of the team’s Head Coaches and is the Senior Team & World Games Program Advisor for Team Canada for 2025. 

This season, Havercrest faced fierce competition from other COSSOT schools, making the games even more exciting and challenging. The highlight of this Ultimate season was Havercrest’s two U14 Teams facing each other in the finals, securing a first and second place medal. 

Ultimate has become more than just a spring sport at Havergal, it’s a tradition that brings students together and pushes players to grow both on and off the field. With dedicated coaches, a strong team spirit and a culture rooted in respect and collaboration, the Havercrest Ultimate Teams continue to thrive. Here’s to another successful season and many more to come.

Havergal Pride on Wheels

Kiana Kay & Jordy Meyerowitz

Havergal had an impressive new addition to the Athletics Department this year and it was the infamous Gator Bus. There’s something about the new Gator Bus that just feels right. It’s bold, green and full of HC pride as it rolls down Avenue Road; a true symbol of Havergal spirit on wheels. Whether it’s heading to a hockey game or picking up the Ultimate team, it carries more than just athletes: it carries our pride.

The first time you see it, you can’t help but smile. It’s loud, it’s spirited and it’s everything HC stands for. With the Gator across the side and our green and gold shining bright, it turns every away game into a statement: Havergal came to win.

What makes it even better is how it brings us together. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the team or cheering from the stands, when that bus drives by, we all feel a little more connected, a little more proud. It’s not just about the game, it’s about showing up, representing our school and doing it with heart. The school is constantly getting messages from people in the community that has a Gator Bus spotting all around the city, truly exemplifying the bond the Havergal has through its spirit and athletics

The Gator Bus is more than just a ride: it’s a reminder of our strength, our energy and our community. ROLL GATORS!

Staff Spotlight: Mr. Nichols

Peyton Price & Marlowe Herman

The annual student-staff softball game brought energy, laughter and a healthy dose of competition to Ratcliffe Field. One of the standout members of the staff team was Mr. Nichols, who is a long-standing coach at Havergal. With early experience coaching youth baseball, he developed a deep appreciation for the teamwork, skill and passion that this sport demands. He’s drawn to how softball blends individual moments of excellence with the cohesion of team play, and loves the poetic unpredictability of a game that starts with the ball in the defence’s hands. Mr. Nichols has always been a strong advocate for the growth of women’s sports and has dedicated countless hours to guiding our outstanding Havergal athletes to success.

During the game, many of Mr. Nichols’ former players took the field for the student team, showcasing the talent and determination he helped nurture. After a tough battle, and many years of staff defeat, the students rose up and took the win. Highlights included standout pitching from Peyton and Sadie, strong plays at first base by Catherine and excellent fielding from Kate. One of the most unforgettable moments came when Mia hit a walk-off home run, proving that sometimes the staff DO lose. The game was not without fun and unexpected moments, like when Ms. Jean-Paul overran second base and the original call was overturned. While there may have been complaints about the ump’s (Ms. D) bias, the students kept fighting and came out victorious. In his final year at Havergal, the loss may have stung, but for Mr. Nichols the true reward was seeing the students he mentored grow into confident athletes and leaders. Coaches and mentors like him make softball more than just a game.

#StudentsDon’tLose