University life brings a swarm of interesting feelings, learning opportunities and perspective-bending encounters. Some are wonderful and profound, others challenging, pushing us to our limits. One of the toughest pills to swallow is the realization that, as we gather experiences, it seems someone else has already done what we're doing and thinking. Our bubble of uniqueness is popped: Simultaneously devastating and empowering as we realize that yes, in fact, this class assignment is beatable, roommate situation survivable, and, much to our chagrin, that game-changing idea has already been brought to life.

Well, rest assured that many millions of students around the world, including a large handfull from McMaster, have been playing Intramural Sports for quite some time. While the early-early days at McMaster remain trapped in past-players' memory banks, we did uncover a photo archive of Intramural Champions dating back to the 1970's and quickly realized these gems were too good to be hidden in a storage cupboard. So, we've brought them back to life on our Facebook page with the intention of reconnecting old friends, exploring historical hair and fashion trends, and proving to us all that, hey, some of those ideas you're having as you navigate University life  might just be unique after all: Consider that for most pictured in our Champions photo archive, the idea of the digital scanner we used to bring them online was as far-off as a romantic encounter with an alien species in some Star Trekian fantasy. If there wasn't already enough incentive to play with us - fun, friendship and sweat - just think: If you do play, some kid will be looking at your photo 30 years from now and realize that, yes, you too went before them, and, yes, your hair did look like that.

For me, this photo archive has gone well beyond fashion into the realm of a Big Fish-style story - an awesome movie if you haven't seen it. As I was flipping through the photos, years of stories shared by my father (Rick Pettit, McMaster Alumnus '73) were suddenly brought to a new level of credibility: Could all those stories - of Whidden Hall during the Animal House years, of nights at the Rathskeller, rugger matches on the back fields and student-living on the Hamilton mountain - be true? Well one certainly was: His "New House" Whale Sperms did in fact repeat as Intramural Innertube Water Polo Champions in 1970-71 and 1971-72. Well done, Dad. Well done. Enjoy the photos!

View the Intramural Champions Photo Archive