For Ivan and Ken, the MBA Games (held at the University of Alberta in Edmonton) started in early October, when they were unsuspectingly nominated and voted in as team captains. Previously, only one captain organized the games, but as the two new leaders would soon find out, having someone there to share the responsibilities would be invaluable.
Upon election, Ivan and Ken met with MBA Games veterans from last year’s team to get a timeline and checklist started. There was no shortage of items on the list, what with a lipdub video to create, a dance to choreograph, and the minor detail of finding 38 other people to drag along for the ride. The most intimidating part of the early stages of the process was finding enough people, since Sauder did not have a long history of success in the games to fall back on. It was up to the captains to drum up excitement for the games and in this area they definitely succeeded. Nearly 60 people signed up to fill 40 spots!
Once the team was selected and participants were placed on specific athletic and academic events, the captains could concentrate on making the lipdub video. Luckily there were several very talented people in the class that had the perfect skill set to pull this off. A special thank you goes out to Janelle Berry and Teddy Lao for their tremendous effort. They organized and recorded a legendary video that contained 70+ people scattered throughout the business building, wearing the craziest costumes imaginable and dancing to complex choreography, all the while keeping the group focused on the task at hand. The final product received top marks at the games and put Sauder ahead as a contender from the very beginning.
Aside from the standard logistics of getting 40 people registered for the games and booked for transport to Edmonton, the next big step was choreographing a dance to be performed live during the opening ceremonies. Another thank you has to go out to the second year MBA student, Lezlie Mintz, for putting together a highly engaging and entertaining routine that everyone enjoyed performing. With final exams coming around and the schedule picking up toward the end of the semester, it was difficult to find the right time to practice. The team was extremely patient with the process and learned the dance as an MBA student should…efficiently and just enough.
The games took place on the weekend of Jan. 6th – 8th, which was immediately after winter break. Luckily everyone remembered all they had been taught and the team was ready for competition.
The entire team made it to the games early on Friday, which gave the team time to practice the dance and new cheers that our spirit leader, Graeme Millen, wrote for everyone. When it came time for the opening ceremonies to begin, the energy on the team reached a fever pitch. Everyone was in full Sauder tracksuits with face paint and banners to boot. The team was clearly ready to get rowdy and represent Sauder as high energy and high volume.
One by one the teams from other schools performed for the crowd and little by little the energy Sauder brought into the room seeped out of us. We were given too much time to think and get nervous and compare ourselves against our competition. The room was extremely loud throughout the performances, which made it very difficult to hear the music and concentrate on what was happening on stage. When it was finally our chance to perform, we decided to enter the stage with a quiet swagger to get the crowd to settle down. The point wasn’t driven home, however, until Jason Murray took center stage and quieted the crowd by leading the Sauder team in a rousing rendition of the New Zealand Rugby Team’s world famous Haka. Once the audience’s attention was captured, the team on stage never let it go, executing a near flawless dance routine. Needless to say, Sauder made its presence felt early on at the games.
The Sauder team never let up from there. Here are the finishes for each of the events in the games:
Day 1:
Lip dub/Opening Dance – 1st
Ultimate – 2nd
Dodge ball – 5th
Marketing – 5th
Finance – 9th
Chuck wagon races – 6th
Bull-riding – 3rd
Day 2:
Water polo – 4th
Volleyball – 3rd
Strategy – 9th
Operations Simulation – 2nd
Jeopardy – 7th
Scavenger Hunt – 1st
Standout performances went to the scavenger hunt, ops sim, ultimate, volleyball and water polo teams. In addition, Keith Bootle did some outstanding work grabbing the bull by the horns and tying for 3rd in the bull-riding competition.
When the games wound down and the awards were being presented, we knew we had competed admirably across the board. The organizers presented the top three in points for academics, athletics, and spirit and we didn’t make it in any of the categories. When the overall scores were announced, the team had little expectation that we had made it into the medal category. But when the screen flashed UBC Sauder at 3rd place, everyone on the team erupted with excitement, handing out congratulations all around. The team realized we had competed with the best and proved we could stand alongside any school in the country.
UBC had never finished so high at the MBA Games and it is a testament to how exceptional this group of people really is. I have had a chance to reflect back on the experience and it makes me proud to have been apart of such a special group of people.
The team was able to find ways for every single person to contribute to their maximum potential. When someone needed a breather, there was always someone there to jump in the game or the case comp without hesitation. We picked each other up when we may have seemed down about a performance, congratulating each other and staying positive in the face of adversity or defeat. After a loss, no one pointed fingers or said anything negative about anyone else. We made sure everyone knew how valuable he or she was in getting the team as far as they could.
Finally and most impressively, the people on this team never wavered under pressure, playing hard until the final whistle. The key was that no one intimidated us, no matter how strong they appeared to be. We were the underdog, but we played like champions.
Sauder! Ahoo Ahoo Ahoo! Sauder!
Posted on behalf of: Ken Harris