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Surrey gets new waste reduction and recycling center

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This photo is a close-up on recyclables. There are pop cans, plastic water bottles, and plastic containers piled on top of one another.
The construction cost for the facility is estimated to be $40 million. PHOTO: Nick Fewings / Unsplash

By: Pranjali J Mann, News Writer

Since September 9, Surrey residents have had access to a new waste and recycling facility. According to Metro Vancouver’s press release, the new disposal site is “designed to fit in with the community and has plenty of room for vehicles, preventing traffic backups on city streets.”

As the release outlined, the new center will include options for users to drop off items, join disposal queues, or pay a fee to recycle “yard trimmings, clean wood, food scraps, gypsum, and mattresses.”

The recycling facility is located on 154 Street in Newton, Surrey. As reflected by the close proximity of residents, the facility is set to serve the growing population of Surrey residents and their needs, according to city mayor, Doug McCallum. In an interview with the City of Surrey he said, “The much-needed new Central Surrey Recycling and Waste Center will serve our growing population, increase waste diversion, and help curb illegal dumping.” 

This central location will provide an alternative to the existing recycling facility in North Surrey at 192 Street. Jack Froese, chair of Metro Vancouver’s zero waste committee, said the new facility will allow users to save time, “reduce their travel distances by about two million kilometers per year — and as a result reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 500 tonnes per year.” 

To incentivize the use of these facilities, Surrey will have “Disposal Day” events in place for its “residents to drop off unwanted waste and household items for free or at discounted rates from September 19–October 2.”        

Chair of Metro Vancouver’s board of directors, Sav Dhaliwal said, “With a 64% diversion rate, Metro Vancouver is already a North American leader in waste reduction and recycling.” Currently, Metro Vancouver operates two similar facilities in Langley and Maple Ridge. 

This new waste center is funded by Metro Vancouver under its five-year financial plan. Construction Business magazine, noted the site currently functions on “environmental and sustainability guidelines.” They also mentioned the possibility of expanding the kinds of recycling materials accepted and integrating “new innovation and technology” in the future. 

Dexter Bligh and Kat Kennedy discuss their journey from athletes to coaches

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photo of Dexter Bligh
PHOTO: Jacob Hall / SFU Athletics

By: Simran Sarai, Sports Writer

At the beginning of September, SFU Athletics announced the hiring of two full-time assistant coaches — Dexter Bligh for the men’s and women’s swim teams, and Kat Kennedy for the men’s and women’s golf teams. The Peak reached out to both Bligh and Kennedy to find out how their coaching journey began, and how they ended up at SFU.

Kennedy picked up golfing when she was eight-years-old, and started competing when she was 13. She began to seriously think about pursuing golf at the collegiate level in high school. “By the age of 15 or 16, I knew of other girls I grew up with getting scholarships to university. So by that age, I focused on getting a scholarship to a university.”

Kennedy would go on to compete for the UBC Thunderbirds golf program, where she won 11 individual titles. Today, she is a Class “A” Professional member of the Professional Golfers Association of Canada.

While Bligh also grew up swimming as a child, his entrance to the coaching world was a little different. His mother enrolled him in a handful of sports growing up, hoping he would land on one he both liked and excelled in. Bligh didn’t have much difficulty choosing. “I was pretty bad at almost every other sport, so swimming was just kind of the one that stuck around,” he joked.

Bligh would go on to swim at a national level, competing against fellow Olympians Ryan Cochrane and Hillary Caldwell. However, his path took a bit of a turn as he began his post-secondary studies. “I would say I probably have a non-traditional journey to college sports, because I didn’t swim in college. I went to UVIC, and I decided at the last minute that I wasn’t gonna swim on the team. I decided I was gonna just lean into my academics a little bit more.”

Despite not competing, Bligh would find himself in a small teaching role. “I got a part-time job in the water, teaching little kids how to blow bubbles and stuff, which was a lot of fun. I just got lucky with a lot of opportunities that led me to coach at the next level.”

Kennedy similarly embarked on her coaching career through her employment at the Point Grey Golf and Country Club. “I had the opportunity to instruct some players at the facility, and that grew into something I was interested in, helping individuals get better. From that, I kind of knew a coaching path would be something that I had a love and passion for doing.”

So how did these two dedicated coaches end up at SFU? For Bligh, it was a journey a few years in the making. He started as the head coach at the Victoria-based Tyee Aquatic Club and Richmond Wayland Swim Club. 

“I was still looking forward to, what’s the next thing? What’s gonna keep me motivated? What’s the next level of swimming? Obviously, college sports are that. Professionally, I wanted to make sure that I was progressing as a coach.” Bligh felt like learning under SFU swim coach Demone Tissira was the next step.

Kennedy described her path to SFU as “a funny story.” She previously got to know SFU head coach Matthew Steinbach during her time playing at UBC. “Earlier this year, I was in the Lower Mainland playing a tournament, and Matt was caddying for a girl that I was paired up with,” she explained. “We started chatting through the rounds, and I asked him how the season went, and I kept asking questions. From that conversation, we kept talking, and somehow, the opportunity of assistant coach came up.”

As a former Thunderbird, we asked Kennedy how she felt now working for the cross-town rivals. “I will always love UBC, but now that I’m at SFU, connecting with all the players and the coaches, I am falling in love with the team.”

Here’s what you missed on Riverdale

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Illustration of the text, “RIVERDALE OR NOT” done in the style of the show title, Riverdale
Pin the plot on the show!

By: C Icart, staff writer

There are currently 117 episodes of Riverdale. I have seen all of them. Any ridiculous plotline you can possibly think of has probably been done. At this point, I don’t think any of us can believe the show is real. Can you differentiate the real plotlines from the ones I’ve made up? For each question three are real and one is fake. Take a guess and along the way you’ll find out what you’ve missed on Riverdale. 

  1. I put a spell on you
    1. Sabrina Spellman (yup, that Sabrina) comes to Riverdale to resurrect all the first-born children in the town that were killed by the biblical plague caused by Percival (don’t ask me who this is, it’s a long story.)
    2. Sabrina Spellman helps Cheryl transfer Nana Rose’s soul to Cheryl’s body. 
    3. Kiernan Shipka, actress of Sabrina Spellman, writes a letter to the watchers begging for sweet release. 
    4. Sabrina Spellman puts her boyfriend’s soul in Jughead’s body because Jughead refused to be resurrected when she visited him in the Sweet Hereafter.
  2. The girl in red
    1. Cheryl and her girlfriend Heather (Choni forever! Just kidding, that relationship was a mess . . . ) resurrect Alice, Tom, and Frank (I’d tell you who these people are but do you really care?) 
    2. Cheryl’s girlfriend Heather uses her powers to allow Cheryl and Toni’s ancestors to spend one last night together in Cheryl and Toni’s bodies (Messy!!!)
    3. Cheryl performs a ritual to help Archie overcome his weakness to palladium, his kryptonite (because otherwise he’s indestructible, because all the main characters have superpowers).
    4. Madeleine Petsch who plays Cheryl makes a public announcement that she has developed an allergy to the colour red and will be on hunger strike until it is fully removed from her Riverdale wardrobe. 
  3. Out of this universe
    1. Archie is sacrificed by the town when he got Betty pregnant after they had sex next to the fertility doll Cheryl gave them after they decided they wanted to start a family together.
    2. Veronica sells Reggie’s soul to the literal devil (As far as we know, not the producers . . . yet) but only because Reggie sold hers first. Reggie is dragged to hell. 
    3. Cheryl declared Thornhill (where she lives) a sovereign state so now the town has lost its supply of maple syrup (this is serious business, it’s negatively affecting the town’s economy!)
    4. Cole Sprouse yells cut and orders someone to bring him an Advil to deal with the headache of playing three Jugheads at once.

Answers 

  1. I put a spell on you
    1. This is true! It happens in Chapter 114.
    2. Also true! Can’t remember the reasoning behind it but I’m sure it doesn’t make sense anyways. It’s in Chapter 99.
    3. This didn’t happen, but it probably should’ve. #freetheriverdalecast
    4. Yeah . . . Chapter 114 is a truly iconic episode.
  1. The girl in red
    1. It’s true! Percival (the bad guy) had executed them. Check out the resurrection in Chapter 116.
    2. If there’s one thing the Riverdale writers are gonna do is find a way to give us Choni content even when they are not together. It’s in Chapter 117.
    3. The special effects in this ritual scene added 10 years onto my life. I swear it’s true. Do yourself a favour, watch Chapter 109.
    4. In an interview she once said her mom would probably disown her if she dyed her hair. I mean . . . It’s probably a joke but even if it wasn’t it’s still better than her Riverdale mom being a serial killer. 
  1. Out of this universe
    1. True!  (Chapter 96)
    2. Also true! (Chapter 98)
    3. Why would I make this up? It’s true. (Chapter 96) In fact, all of these plot lines happen in Rivervale, a parallel universe to Riverdale. Why is there a parallel universe? Bestie, I don’t know . . . I think it’s related to the explosion that happened when Betty and Archie found the bomb Hiram (Veronica’s dad) put under Archie’s bed right as they were about to hook up . . .
    4. False. But season 6 is giving major Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man energy.  

Confessionals: Halloween girlie refuses to be confronted by her own fears

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Peak Web
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An illustration of an envelope flying away.
There’s nothing scarier than confronting your fears! ILLUSTRATION: Jiamin Bai / The Peak

By: Ab-horror-nt and Valid (Kelly Chia, Humour Editor)

I am human. I am mortal. And alas, I think I have an all too relatable conundrum. The fall of all reputable Halloween girlies, the grand hamartia of everyone who claims they adore the spooky autumnal season: I have declared a war against all things that scare me. I like a tasteful amount of scary. I like consuming scary things at the emotional distance I hold between myself and a spider — I respect their existence in theory, but will avoid all eye contact. I think this is fair! I am NOT a Halloween fake fan, just a Halloween-sometimes-fan. I’m not just talkin’ about your typical Mike Myers and Chucky shit, either. Everything that scares me has to go. 

RECENTLY, YOUTUBE HAS DECIDED TO CROSS THIS TINY THRESHOLD I’VE SET. I’m not sure when it happened or how it heard, but it knows my every fear, I swear it on The Peak’s policy on publishing truthful narratives. It started with the 45-second ads about the new horror movie on Amazon. Upsettingly unskippable, but I guess it’s acceptable in late September. Sure. I’m a Halloween coward, I accept this. I’ll do what every coward does and look up the movies’ plotlines later so I can enjoy them in peace. 

But for YouTube to come for my blood and soul by casually pushing me towards every online dating application in existence . . . that, I shall never forgive. Fall is for being cute, witchy, and listening to every Florence + the Machine album in existence. It is not accountability season, contrary to what everyone is saying about every planet retreating into outer space. If you think I will be vulnerable to another human being on an . . . application, you’ve got the wrong Peak editor here, bucko. I only express my feelings to my Twitter following of 25 users like every god-fearing Zoomer. 

Then there’s the Grammarly ads that have cropped up as I prepare to write my first essay of the semester. No, I don’t need help. I don’t need to talk to my TA about my ten different essay ideas that I’ve barely narrowed down! I don’t need a robot to tell me my writing is at a seventh grade level and that my language is too “flowery.” Hmph. 

Who does YouTube even think it is? It’s not like the algorithm relies on my search patterns or anything . . . 

The calm before the storm: Sam Patton and the wrestling team’s preseason routine

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Photo of wrestler Sam Patton holding his opponents leg mid-competition.
PHOTO: Paul Yates / SFU Athletics

By: Simran Sarai, Sports Writer

September has been a busy month for many SFU athletic teams with competitions coinciding with the start of the academic school year. However, there are some teams that have yet to compete this fall semester, like men’s wrestling. The Peak set out to learn more about what a typical training day looks like with junior Sam Patton. He said the team starts with a morning run — of course, a morning run for an athlete means something entirely more taxing than a scenic jog. 

“Usually we’ll start with a morning team run, we’ll run the trails. We’re lucky, being on the mountain, because the trail runs sort of simulate a match, with all the ups and downs. It works the lungs.” These morning jogs are just the preface to the day of practice that follows. “After the run, we’ll have an afternoon wrestling session,” Patton said. “On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, it’s a hard practice. They basically kick us into shape.”

What does a hard wrestling practice during preseason look like? Well, it begins with a “dynamic warm-up for 10 minutes.” From there, the team launches into some light prep work as teammates pair off to practice moves before heading into drills. One important aspect of training the team focuses on is preparing themselves for scenarios they might encounter in competitions. Similar to live wrestling, Patton describes this as a “simulated game.”

These types of practices are designed to overload an athlete to the point of feeling a little burned out, testing both their physical and mental ceiling. “It’s a hard practice, but it’s rewarding once you get through it,” Patton said. After a gruelling day of work, what do wrestlers get to look forward to the next day? Training. “Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, we’re in the weightroom lifting. Tuesday and Thursday mornings, we’re wrestling.” says Patton. Not to worry, the team gets a rest day on Sunday, an entire week after workouts.

With such a rigorous practice schedule, one might wonder what else these athletes could possibly fit into their schedule. On top of maintaining physical fitness, wrestlers have to stay motivated, mentally prepared, and up to date with coursework, while they wait for the season to kick off in November. Once the season does start, it runs all the way into March, occupying both the fall and spring academic semesters. “We really try and preach to the younger guys on the team to get ahead in your classes while we’re not on the road every weekend, and we’re not cutting weight,” Patton explained.

He uses the closeness of the men’s wrestling team as motivation to get through a tough practice at the end of a long week. “I’d say we’re a pretty tight-knit team,” Patton said. When they aren’t training together, they’re hanging out. “It makes it a lot easier when you have a close team and the guys are all fun to be around.” Patton added they often “watch [a] UFC fight or go out for wings.”

As much as the majority of the preseason is team-based, personal reflection heading into the season is also required. For Patton, this means a combination of things. “Personally, I do short-term goal setting, long-term goal setting, what I want out of the season as a whole, and what I want to take away from each practice or take away from each week.” While he has personal milestones lined up, Patton focuses on one thing come game time: visualizing. “If I hopefully end up in a big match, I’ve gone through that in my head multiple times, and it’s no surprise.” 

With just over a month of preseason remaining, Patton and his teammates feel like this year, luck is on their side. “There’s a few really talented individuals, who were either unlucky with injuries last year, or just didn’t quite have the showing they wanted at regionals. I think the team’s hungry. We’re gonna really attack the season, and I think we’re gonna see the results this year.”

Indigenous studies should be integrated into SFU’s degree requirements

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Indigenous studies should be part of SFU’s breadth requirements. PHOTO: Manmeet Sagri / The Peak

By: Hannah Kazemi, Staff Writer

SFU claims to offer a “well-rounded student experience,” but this can’t be true if students lack a genuine understanding of the trauma and oppression Indigenous peoples faced throughout Canadian history. There was a heavy focus on Indigenous studies at my high school, but when I started university that emphasis faded. This is especially concerning for individuals continuing their education with post-graduate studies or pursuing a career in fields that involve the public sphere. 

With the faculty of arts and social sciences (FASS) being SFU’s largest faculty, there are undoubtedly thousands of hopeful lawyers, teachers, and policy makers among us. These graduates will inevitably end up interacting with Indigenous people and others who experience marginalization in their fields of work. This is not exclusive to these career paths, though. Indigenous leaders have expressed support for Indigenous studies in BC’s school curriculum, because increasing our awareness of culture and identity fosters sensitivity for the people we interact with. It opens up opportunities for learning and productive dialogue.

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada published a list of 94 calls to action to “redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation.” Number 62 on their list discusses changes to education, which mentions curriculum changes for the K–12 system. These changes proposed increasing funding to integrate teachings about Indigenous history and cultures into classrooms. There’s a need for an increased focus on Indigenous education at the post-secondary level as well.

Earlier this year, British Columbia followed up on this change to the K–12 curriculum, making Indigenous studies a mandatory graduation requirement for students starting in the 2023/24 academic year. We haven’t seen this at BC universities yet, though. The University of Winnipeg made it mandatory for all students to take at least one three-credit course in Indigenous studies in 2016. Lakehead University in Ontario did the same, and the University of Regina also made one Indigenous-focused course a requirement for students in the faculty of arts. It’s time for SFU to be next.

Understanding Indigenous culture isn’t just about learning Canada’s colonial history. Canadian media often portrays Indigenous people poorly, and doesn’t acknowledge their  strong communities and rich cultures. History courses which focus solely on colonial events rarely expand our understanding of Indigenous identity. Instead, these courses must center Indigenous culture and agency through storytelling and exploration of Indigenous languages. 

Indigenous studies shouldn’t be mandated through a single required course. Instead, it should be part of SFU’s breadth requirements, giving students the option to choose a directed course that interests them. SFU currently requires six units each of breadth-humanities, breadth-science, breadth-social sciences, and additional courses outside each student’s major. These additional six units outside one’s program are where the Indigenous studies requirement could come in: students should be required to take at least one course with an Indigenous focus. The knowledge that can be gained by taking even one Indigenous studies or Indigenous-focused course is so important to developing more understanding of the world we live in and how we can make it better.

Monday Music: Nostalgic songs from my iPod Nano

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ILLUSTRATION: Alyssa Umbal / The Peak

By: Petra Chase, Arts & Culture Editor

If I could bring back any cultural artifact from my formative years, it would be my iPod Nano. Whenever I hear a song from that era, I’m transported to a time when life was carefree. As a pre-teen, my iPod Nano played a seminal role in shaping my personality and individuality. It granted me the freedom to discover and curate a music library of my own, instead of listening to whatever was on the radio or the CD’s my parents had. Not only are these songs nostalgic, they’re also songs that deserve to be revived even a decade after their release.

“Lip Gloss” by Lil Mama

Photo credit: Jive

Lip gloss isn’t the only thing popping in Lil Mama’s groundbreaking song, “Lip Gloss.” At only 17, Lil Mama’s commanding rap flow and contagious confidence shot her to mainstream success. Eight-year-old me was convinced that the lip gloss she applied in her music video was magic, until her mom revealed — plot twist — “it was you all along!” The song not only has a boisterous rhythm perfect for strutting into grade four with glitter adorning my lips, it also instills the message that beauty comes from within. This classic is just as addictive now as it was then.

“Pyramid” Charice ft Iyaz

Photo credit: 143 Reprise Warner Bros.

“Pyramid” popped into my head recently and it was exhilarating to re-experience this power-duo’s R&B ballad after a decade. It’s one of those rare songs that can’t be overplayed and his powerful vocal range is majestic. The song is credited under Jake Zyrus’ dead name, and I highly recommend checking out some of Zyrus’ newer music, because his talent is next level.

“Don’t call me baby” by Kreesha Turner

Photo credit: EMI Music Canada

If you grew up in Canada, you’ll probably recognize this song because it was all over the radio in the summer of 2008. The nostalgia is so strong, it brings me back to a particular car ride when I was belting out the lyrics with a friend. We were probably on our way to hang out at the mall and get slurpees from 7-Eleven. While I love this song because it brings me back to the excitement of my childhood summer break, Turner’s brassy voice and assertive, catchy lyrics never get old.

“Poison” by Elise Estrada

Photo credit: RockSTAR Music Corp.

This is the song I knew not to play around my parents. “I know you’re bad, but I’m loving it,” felt like such scandalous lyrics at the time, not to mention Estrada’s heavy breathing, which I now realize was my sexual awakening. If you grew up on Canadian radio, you’ll probably recognize this adrenaline-inducing pop bop. I just wish it was on Spotify so I could add it to all my upbeat playlists.

The last hoorah for swimmer Jordan Doner

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photo of Jordan Doner mid-competition in the water.
Doner will be pursuing other interests outside of swimming when she graduates. PHOTO: Korey Doner

By: Isabella Urbani, Sports Editor

“Enjoy the experience.” Those are the words senior swimmer Jordan Doner wishes she could tell her freshman self. “Everyone says university goes by fast, and it really does!” Although time felt like it flew by for Doner, it wasn’t without unpredictability and instability. “My journey here at SFU hasn’t been an easy one, we’ve had quite a few coaching changes,” the new team captain revealed. Doner has been coached by three separate coaches in the span of five years. This will be her second season under head coach Demone Tissira. 

While adjusting to new leadership has been a recurring challenge for Doner to face, the breaststroke swimmer’s preparations have gotten easier overtime. The biggest change in her routine has been picking up weight training to improve her strength and stamina for months of competition. “Staying in good shape in the summer is important to be ready for the season,” Doner shared. With extra time on her schedule next year, Doner hopes to take up weight training full-time, and experiment with rock climbing. 

Some of Doner’s fondest memories during her time at SFU has been receiving All-American honours, awarded to individuals and teams who finish in the top-eight. Doner did so last season with her team’s fifth-place finish in the 4×400 freestyle relay at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships. “It’s a great feeling to see all the hard work pay off at the last meet of the season,” Doner said.

As for this season, the returning senior is most excited to be reuniting with her fellow teammates and getting to witness how they fare in her final season. She has her sights set specifically on training camp in San Diego, which will take place before SFU’s first invitational during the first week of October in Stockton, California. Doner’s team-orientated approach has a lot to do with her mindshift change from freshman year to senior year. “I’ve realized it’s not only about how fast you go in the pool,” Doner admitted, “It’s about having fun and enjoying the experience with your teammates, because eventually swimming ends, but your friends will last forever.” 

Doner first got a glimpse of friendship when her swimming journey brought her to SFU. Hailing from Newmarket, Ontario, she made the trek west to stay within the country and compete at the NCAA level. Doner describes her initial transition as a “big change,” but one that was made easier with the support of her teammates. Now entering the year as a swim captain, and the only senior on the women’s team, Doner is looking forward to being an anchor for her teammates “both in and out of the pool.” She encourages new student athletes to reach out for support. “Even if it’s just talking to your teammates, there are lots of people who are here to support you.”

Food for Thought: The desperate journey to my Ketoprak

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An illustration of Ketoprak in a bowl with a side of peanut sauce an an Indonesian flag on a toothpick
ILLUSTRATION: Alyssa Umbal / The Peak

By: Emily Huang, SFU Student

It all started when my parents in Indonesia sent me a picture of the Ketoprak they had for lunch.  As the day dragged on, the image of vermicelli noodles glistening in peanut sauce, accompanied by fried tofu, rice cakes, and a hard-boiled egg, haunted me.

Ketoprak is one of Jakarta’s iconic street foods. Whether enjoyed by the side of the street or in an open-air restaurant, vendors selling this plate of vermicelli noodles all have a similar set of equipment: mortar and pestle, two pans, and a tall red-capped biscuit can to store crackers. All of this equipment can be found behind an iconic wooden cart. What makes this dish so special extends beyond its taste — It encapsulates a familiar scenery and taste of home, which I cannot experience in a foreign land like Canada.

Giving into my Ketoprak cravings and homesickness, I decided to visit my nearby grocery store the next day to endeavour making it myself.

My first priority was the peanut sauce. Unfortunately, without a mortar and pestle, the backbone of the Indonesian kitchen, I surely wouldn’t be able to replicate the mouthwatering flavours and textures that can only be derived from crushing garlic and peanuts rigorously with stone. I wasn’t going to eat my Ketoprak with the nuts still crunchy, as that would be a sin against my tastebuds, but I struggled to find a different option. On the shelf stood a perfectly good bottle of Lee Kum Kee peanut sauce — the saving grace of any cheap recipe — and I decided it would do. 

Looking back, I should have backed down while I still had honour. Before me, there was a plate of vermicelli noodles drenched in a sauce that was ten shades too light and smelled too much like vinegar and defeat. I should have used peanut butter instead. Despite the aching feeling in my chest, food was still food, and I did not have the heart to throw it out. I took one bite out of the fried tofu and was satisfied enough to present my best efforts to my friends. 

Joko Widodo, one could not imagine the shock on my face when I saw the same conflicting expressions on their faces. Maybe it was because the Ketoprak had some enchanting jinx or that we all had rose-tinted glasses that led us to believe that peanut sauce can never taste that bad. Regardless, the three of us collectively agreed to forget about the dish in favor of the divine instant noodle rations our parents shipped to us in all too good timing. 

In the end, what mattered was the burst of oily shallots and bucket-load of MSG to bring me the comfort from home I was pining for. Even still, I still look forward to the day when I can indulge in a plate of Ketoprak again while feeling the 40-degree-celsius winds of Indonesia against my face. Maybe, then, I could share a piece of my other home with the place I grew up in, starting with a very good bottle of maple syrup.

Letter to a legend: Watching Serena Williams for the last time

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overhead shot of a woman waiting for the ball to be served.
She was a symbol of Black excellence and transformed the sport of tennis. PHOTO: Renith R / Unsplash

By: C Icart, Staff Writer

Serena Williams won her first major title at the US Open in September 1999. She was 17, and I was six-months-old. By the time I started watching tennis with my parents, Williams’ reputation at the top of her sport was clearly cemented, and I hadn’t known anything else. I quickly became a fan of the woman who is widely regarded as the greatest of all time with 23 Grand Slam titles. Her power and flawless outfits captivated me. Reading the racist and sexist comments online about her build angered me. Her perseverance, despite the hate, motivated me. Growing up, I would set alarms at odd hours just to be able to watch her Grand Slam matches, regardless of the time zone she was playing in. My parents would laugh as I prepared to watch her defend her Australian Open titles at 3:30 a.m. 

When Williams announced she would be “evolving” away from tennis, the news hit me like a ton of bricks. I had never known a time when she wasn’t playing professionally. I intended on watching the US Open anyways, but I wrote down Williams’ matches in my calendar to make sure I wouldn’t miss a thing. I no longer live with my parents, but I texted them as soon as the match started to ensure they were watching. Watching Serena together had always been our thing, and that first-round match may have been the last time we had the chance to do so. 

Before she even stepped onto Arthur Ashe Stadium, a lovely tribute video narrated by Oprah played. And there she was, in all black, covered in sparkles. The outfit was custom-made and had six layers to represent her six US Open titles. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen as many Black people in the crowd of a tennis match. Even when I briefly looked away from my screen, I knew when she won a point because the crowd would erupt in cheers. 

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Williams, now a 40-year-old mother, who hadn’t played much leading up to the tournament. But she won. In the second round, it happened again. My mom called me, and my dad texted me. Here we were, over 20 years later, still in awe. Suddenly, it was the third round. She lost the first set against Ajla Tomljanović and fought back during the second. My eyes were glued to the screen as I watched her save five match points. She was not going down without a fight. In the end, Tomljanović defeated her. It was bittersweet to watch her do her signature twirl one last time, but all good things must come to an end. Watching her has always made me feel like I was part of something bigger, and I wasn’t the only one. A record-breaking 4.8 million viewers watched her last match at the US Open. Thank you for everything, Serena, and may the next chapter of your life be everything you want it to be. You’re a legend. 

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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

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© The Peak Publications Society

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society