The T-Birds are leaving behind a glorious series of victories achieved in the month of November, but fortunately the athletes will finally have a break to pig out on candy canes and watch Frozen into the deep hours of the night – after finals are complete, of course. Welcome to the winter edition of the T-Birds 5-on-5.
Brianna Cairns (BC): cross country
Chris Adams (CA): football
Hannah Xavier (HX): nordic skiing
Susan Thompson (ST): women’s basketball
Tera Van Beilen (TVB): swimming
1) How are the cold winter months going to impact your training regimen?
BC: There are going to be some seriously chilly lanky runner legs … but it’s probably not going to stop us from running around in sports bras like crazy people anyways.
CA: We will train inside and this means running stairs. We’ll see if coach Joe makes us break last year's record of running stairs for 47 minutes straight.
HX: A cold winter is actually necessary for our training! We are hoping for a ton of snow so we can get some really good training and racing in this year.
ST: It's pretty easy to get warm during the heated football games every Christmas practice — even the coaches get competitive.
TVB: The pool has been struggling lately because it’s so ancient — it might just freeze over this year. We may need some pointers from the women’s hockey team on how to deal with the cold. Also, you’ll spot my teammates and I on campus rocking our giant, blue swimming parkas – super warm and trendy! Be jealous, not judgmental!
2) What is your favourite warm drink to consume while wrapped up in endless blankets?
BC: Hot chocolate! With tea! Not as bad of a mix as it sounds, I promise.
CA: My favourite drink to cuddle up in front of the fire with has to be the basic PSL (pumpkin spice latte). Sadly, once the ’Bucks stops serving the PSL, I’ll have to settle for the eggnog latte.
HX: Coffee is always my go-to warm drink, but I would never say no to peppermint hot chocolate.
ST: Hot cocoa and Baileys ... emphasis on the Baileys.
TVB: Baileys with a splash hot chocolate.
3) Do you have any holiday traditions?
BC: My sister and I rock matching Christmas pajamas and eat way too many waffles.
CA: Every Christmas Eve, my friend Warren Reece and I watch Elf and drink hot chocolate. His cat Gio usually joins us. Ladies – Gio is a great cuddler, especially during the holiday season.
HX: My sister and I get to open one present on Christmas Eve!
ST: Too many to count, but having my Papa read ’Twas The Night Before Christmas to my whole family on Christmas Eve is the best one.
TVB: Christmas baking! #PiesOnPies
4) What’s the best gift you have received from a fellow athlete?
BC: Our captains made us Thunderbird bracelets with our favourite motivational running word on them (mine says “go!”).
CA: My girlfriend is a fellow athlete … that is all.
HX: The best gift I ever received from a fellow athlete was a beautiful handmade birthday card.
ST: Has to be TVB and Erin [Assman]'s baking as well as summarized class notes – that would be a close second. You da real MVP!
TVB: A lucky four-leaf clover necklace from my roomie, Erin Assman, the Christmas before qualifying for the Olympics.
5) If you were a character from Frozen, which character would you be?
BC: Oh man, I know I’m going to be hated for this … but I actually haven’t seen the movie. There’s a snowman, right? Can I be the snowman?
CA: Olaf because he loves warm hugs.
HX: I took a quiz that said I would be Anna because I’m eager, cheery and I like chocolate so we'll go with that.
ST: The rolling trolls because I'd love to have their healing powers for all my injuries.
TVB: Oaken (the YOO-hoo, big summer blow-out guy) or one of his family members in the sauna because the cold ain’t my thang.