Last Friday, the Architecture Student Society hosted the 29th annual Ditchball tournament in front of our Master's studio and lecture hall. Not only does this event bring students together from all years and disciplines in the faculty, but it also gives all students an excuse to take the day off classes. Professors only come to school to stand on top of the ten-foot ditch, and watch their students below. Ditchball is 'sport' invented by some architecture students at the U of Manitoba, and it is the biggest event that is hosted by our student society. I have actually never played the game because I have no desire to lose my teeth, or break a leg. It is extremely rough, and players are required to wear hockey/football gear. Each team must have 5 players in the ditch at a time (including at least one female), and a goal keeper on top of their team bridge at the end of the ditch. The object of the game is to throw the giant, heavy, grey ball from the bottom of the ditch to your goal keeper. After twenty minutes, the team that gets the ball onto their bridge the most number of times wins. This sounds pretty simple, but even walking in the ditch is tricky because the ditch walls and floor are coated in a thick layer of ice. As soon as the ball is dropped from above, the game turns into a five-on-five wrestling match. Players thrown their bodies around while chasing the ball, and people pile up on top of it as they become exhausted.

Although extreme violence is not tolerated, games do get pretty intense.

At the end of the day, a new champion was crowned, and everyone went home to ice their bruises... and to study for our final exam on Monday.... I should really get started on that...