不良研究所

For Kayel and Austyn LaBelle, joining the University of 不良研究所 team is a rare opportunity to play alongside family at the varsity level, something few athletes ever experience.

Thanks to their arrival, the Dinos have what is believed to be the first varsity team with five family members on the same roster.

Moments like this are uncommon in university athletics, as age divisions and different development paths often keep siblings from sharing the same field. For the LaBelle sisters, that changed when they all chose to continue their rugby careers in the same place.

The sisters join a roster that already includes their sisters, Danyka and Jai 鈥� as well as a cousin, Kiera Andasol Dubyk. Their arrival highlights a dynamic that extends beyond sport 鈥� and shows how familiarity and trust can shape major life decisions. 

Danyka recently completed her third year studying in the and the , while Jai, who joined the Dinos last season after transferring from the University of Alberta, has completed her fourth year pursuing a degree in education. Cousin Kiera, meanwhile, recently finished her first year in the .

A smoother transition through connection

鈥淛oining a team where I already have family connections has definitely made the transition from high school to university life a lot easier,鈥� says Kayel, who will begin her first year this fall in the concurrent Bachelor of Arts in French and Bachelor of Education program. 鈥淎s a rookie, it can be hard to feel welcome and accepted in new places, but having my sisters, my cousin, and teammates I already knew made it much easier coming in.鈥�

The best recruiters for a team are often those already on the roster, says head coach Simon Chi, BSc鈥�99, MSc鈥�04, MBA鈥�07. 鈥淚f those conversations are positive and siblings want to come to the same program, then it鈥檚 a good indication that you鈥檙e doing it right,鈥� he says.

Balancing shared experience and individual identity

While family connection can ease the transition into a new environment, it also introduces a different kind of challenge. For Austyn, who will also begin her first year this fall in the concurrent Bachelor of Arts in French and Bachelor of Education program, joining a team alongside relatives does not mean blending into the background.

鈥淐arving out my own pathway and identity on a team with my family means recognizing that the positions we play, what we鈥檙e studying and what we want for our future are all different,鈥� says Austyn. 鈥淲e share team goals, but we also have goals for ourselves individually.鈥�

That balance between familiarity and independence is something many athletes navigate, whether or not family is involved. Chi says the program focuses on giving players the space to grow into their own roles.

鈥淭hey鈥檒l have the freedom to be distinct within each other,鈥� he says, noting that identity often develops naturally over time within a team environment.

Building toward the future

For Kayel, the decision to continue her rugby career at U不良研究所 was tied to long-term goals. Having played rugby from a young age, she sees the next step as part of a larger path.

鈥淔or me, U不良研究所 was an obvious choice because of my future goals to play rugby professionally and to pursue teaching,鈥� says Kayel.

Austyn points to a similar motivation, shaped by the demands of balancing sport and academics.

鈥淏eing part of the Dinos program will push me on and off the field,鈥� says Austyn. 鈥淚 want to make sure I鈥檓 always doing my best so I can show up for others.鈥�

A shared moment with broader meaning

Their arrival also marks a rare moment within university sport. According to Chi, this may be the first time four sisters and a cousin have had the opportunity to play together on the same varsity team, something that has not been possible at earlier stages due to age-group restrictions.

Beyond the uniqueness of the situation, the story reflects something more widely relatable. Whether in sport, school or work, people often gravitate toward environments where they feel supported, understood and connected. 

As the LaBelle sisters prepare to take the field together, the upcoming season will mark the first time they compete alongside their sisters and cousin at the varsity level, carrying that shared foundation forward both individually and as a family.