Tuesday, July 28, 2026

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• University of Waterloo to host 2026 U SPORTS/FHC Field Hockey Championship
• Keeping curiosity alive
• Computer Museum Open House today

University of Waterloo to host 2026 U SPORTS/FHC Field Hockey Championship

Sydney Blackburn takes a shot on goal. (Photographer: Steve Brooks)

This article was originally featured on Athletics and Recreation's website.

The Waterloo Warriors, in partnership with U SPORTS and Field Hockey Canada, are excited to announce the 2026 U SPORTS/FHC Field Hockey Championship will be hosted by the University of Waterloo from November 4 to 8, 2026. 

The championship will bring together the top university field hockey teams from across Canada to compete for the national title on Warrior Field. Building on the success of the renewed national championship format introduced in 2024, the tournament continues to showcase the best of university field hockey and ensures national representation from coast-to-coast. 

Last year's championship saw the York University Lions capture the national title, defeating the University of Victoria Vikes in the gold-medal match in Charlottetown, PEI. The 2026 championship will feature representatives from the Ontario University Athletics, Atlantic University Field Hockey League, and the Canada West, along with the host Warriors. Final participating teams will be determined through regular-season competition and conference qualification taking place throughout September and October. 

"We are thrilled to welcome the best university field hockey student-athletes in Canada to Waterloo in 2026. Hosting national championships is an opportunity to showcase not only outstanding competition, but also the exceptional experience our campus, community, and volunteers can provide. Building on the momentum and success of the 2025 and 2026 Miller Waste U SPORTS Women's Hockey Championships, we are excited to bring another premier U SPORTS event to Waterloo and create a memorable championship experience for everyone involved," said Roly Webster, Director of Athletics and Recreation. 

"Field Hockey has a long and storied history at Waterloo, and recently our Warriors captured OUA gold in 2024 and OUA bronze on home turf in 2025. We can't wait to see the black and gold back on the national stage this fall." 

Susan Ahrens, CEO of Field Hockey Canada is excited about the growth and the continued connectivity of the university pipeline with the Field Hockey Canada brand. The last two years at York and UPEI respectively have set an exciting precedent of university hockey championship events.  

"Over the past two years, we have seen the excitement and enthusiasm grow for the newly created final-four style national championships in the university hockey space. I'm greatly looking forward to the event in Waterloo and excited to see this event continue to innovate and grow," Ahrens said. "My many thanks go out to the University of Waterloo team for taking on this initiative and the Field Hockey Canada staff, especially Hailey Yhap for leading the LOC in delivery of a truly national university tournament." 

The Warriors Field Hockey season begins Friday, September 11 when the black and gold take on the Queen's Gales at home. See the full OUA Field Hockey schedule here. 

Keeping curiosity alive

From left to right: George Stroubakis, Patrick Matlock and Khadijah Vakily.

By Heather Eustace. This article was originally published on Waterloo News.

Each student’s experience is unique; some begin university right out of high school, while others return to study later in life. For the latter, there may be multiple priorities to juggle — full-time work, childcare or elder care responsibilities— all on top of their schoolwork.

University education later in life is a big commitment, yet a surprising number of students make that leap back to school. In the Faculty of Arts, mature students make up 13 per cent of the undergraduate population (age 25 and up) and 26 per cent of the graduate student population (age 30 and up).

How do they manage all their priorities? What drives them in their pursuit of education?

Some are motivated by curiosity, like George Stroubakis, who returned to university to earn his PhD in Philosophy. This pursuit was undertaken when Stroubakis was already firmly established in his career as the head of People Systems. But it wasn't an easy decision. “I was worried about how I was going to study and work full-time,” he says. "I overcame my apprehensions by planning my time very carefully.”

Initially, he said he struggled with imposter syndrome but soon learned to feel confident in his work and the ideas he contributed. He found that studying for knowledge’s sake rather than with a career goal in mind was very freeing. “I could focus on knowledge and giving flight to ideas that had been fluttering in my mind for years”.

Stroubakis also found his classroom peers to be very supportive and keen to engage in discussion about research ideas and scholarly interests, despite any differences in age. “I am really proud of the community we fostered in our department,” he says.

Now, with his dissertation well underway, he reflects: “If, overall, the experience has been transformative, if it turned me into a better communicator and a better thinker, my mission is accomplished. The goal for me is to be able to engage in the tradition of my discipline to add my voice to the collective endeavour of ideas, and to be a contributing force for good.”

This quest for knowledge is also the driving force for Patrick Matlock, an undergraduate in Philosophy. Committed to lifelong learning, Matlock studied six different disciplines while raising his family and working full-time with Waterloo’s Information Systems and Technology (IST). He is now retired and continues to study while caring for an elderly parent. When asked what keeps him motivated, he said learning made him “feel more complete as a human.”

His continued education was always a part of daily life, which made time management a necessary skill. “I treat school each term as a marathon,” he says. “I pace myself and know how to teach myself.” For Matlock, each new discipline is built on the last, which allowed him to think critically about knowledge and knowing, he says.

Along with supporting his own academic work, Matlock considers his maturity, life experience and breadth of knowledge as an asset that he readily shares. “I have taught other students about art, history, physics, math, programming, and electricity,” he says.

As he completes his Philosophy degree, we look forward to seeing what Matlock will choose next in his journey of lifelong learning.

Not all mature students have the luxury of studying purely for the love of knowledge. Khadijah Vakily returned to university initially to stay competitive in her career as a schoolteacher. Now receiving her degree in Liberal Studies, Vakily feels excited by learning and is considering graduate studies.

At first she was trepidatious in her studies, but then realized that her life experience was an advantage. “My younger classmates often felt self-conscious about networking, making friends or setting boundaries — things that I no longer worried about,” she said.

Reflecting on her return to school, Vakily says it’s never too late to try something new. “Having this kind of open-minded approach has allowed me to explore new interests, new languages, and new yet lasting friendships.”

Curiosity is key, she says. “Keeping that curiosity alive is what will give you the energy and motivation to keep life interesting, no matter your age.”

Mature students inspire us to seek out new knowledge and understanding of the world and our place in it — and above all, to stay curious.

Computer Museum Open House today

On Tuesday, July 28 from 11 to 4 p.m., the Computer Museum will be holding its Spring 2026 Computer Museum Open House in the Davis Centre Fishbowl (room number DC1301).

This term's theme is Re-Creations: Clones and Copies. From sequels to remakes, there's much to be had about adaptations. With each adaptation and recreation, there are opportunities to learn more about computers, both old and new. Play with retro computers, encounter interactive exhibits, and discover all sorts of artifacts!

Alumnus Michael Gardi (B.Math 1982) will be showcasing his latest reproduction of the Sol-20 at 12:30 p.m. during the Open House. His talk is called "A Sol-20 Reproduction: Scratching a 45-year-old itch." 

Michael is an avid maker who has recreated and honoured dozens of computers, gadgets, and trinkets. Check them out on his website, Mike's Makes.

All visitors are welcome! Attendance is free, and there are no sign-ups. Just drop by Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics.