. . . Tertulias: Big Players

Ornella Nzindukiyimana on P. K. Subban

P. K. Subban and the Limits of Professional Hockey

In 2007, when P.K. Subban was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens, it was a dream come true for the self-described lifelong Habs fan. There is arguably no hockey town like Montreal and his debut into the league via the Canadiens seemingly turned over a new leaf for hockey and sport in North America. However, Subban's post-retirement accounts, amongst other Black hockey players' accounts, challenge the notion that the deeply conservative sport has significantly shifted its stance in the last half-century. This calls for an in-depth analysis of the figure of the Black hockey player and an investigation of the hockey institution's limitations.

Ornella is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Kinetics at St. Francis Xavier University (located in Nova Scotia, on the unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People and home to the oldest Black communities in Canada). As a social historian, she studies 20th century Black Canadian sport participation, asking how nationalism, colonialism, Multiculturalism, immigration, and the intersection of race and gender have shaped Black peoples’ practices and experiences. Nzindukiyimana has documented histories of individuals and groups in boxing, track and field, swimming, and baseball; she is currently working on expanding those histories, and on new ones in surfing, basketball, and hockey.

Courtney Szto on Harnarayan Singh

Mahriaa shot, Keeta goal! Harnarayan Singh and the Future of Hockey

He started commentating games from his living room on a Fisher Price microphone set. Today, he's a play-by-play announcer for Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi. Does Harnarayan Singh's presence in hockey and style of commentary signal a more diverse future for sports broadcasting in Canada?

Courtney is an Assistant Professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen's University. She has published widely on racism in hockey, including her award-winning book "Changing on the Fly: Hockey through the voices of South Asian Canadians," and the publicly available "Policy Paper for Anti-Racism in Canadian Hockey." Dr. Szto runs anti-racism education for the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) and consults with the Hockey Diversity Alliance and Black Girl Hockey Club.

Stephanie Dotto on Olivia Dunne

“We Want Livvy!” Gender, Labour and NIL in NCAA Women’s Gymnastics

In 2021, the US Supreme Court ruled that student athletes playing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) could receive compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness (NIL), something previously forbidden under the NCAA’s rules. Shortly thereafter, Olivia Dunne, a Louisiana State University (LSU) gymnast with huge social media followings, became the largest NIL earner of all NCAA athletes. However, when a horde of young male fans showed up outside of a meet, screaming for Dunne and heckling others, media celebration of Dunne quickly turned to hand-wringing. Media outlets, which have sometimes framed the new NIL rules as placing too much power in the hands of young athletes, cast Dunne as alternately responsible for the behaviour of her male fans and incapable of handling the burdens of fame. This framing is part of a larger, troubling conversation that draws on sexism and ageism to infantilize female gymnasts. 

Stephanie has a PhD in Canadian Studies from Trent University, and currently teaches as a course instructor in the Department of Gender Studies and Social Justice at Trent University Durham. Her research focuses on race, class, performance, Canadian identity, and – more recently – gymnastics.