Law’22 students Nick Morrow and John Varriano have been named Varsity Academic All-Stars by Queen’s University. They both earned high academic standing while playing on varsity teams in 2019-20. 

Morrow, an aspiring litigation lawyer, competes in the men’s triathlon. Varriano, who is interested in environmental, employment, and intellectual property law, plays on the men’s rugby team. The two All-Stars share how they manage to excel in both intense physical training and studying in a rigorous program, and more.  

“Whether it was running track in undergrad or triathlon in law school, I have never seen athletics as something to balance with school,” says Morrow. “Instead, I see athletics as an escape and a great stress reliever. When studying long hours or when the exam period becomes stressful, as a break, training becomes a staple that helps me re-focus rather than getting in the way. Training involves hard work, committing yourself, and understanding what works for you to achieve your best results. This translates well to academics. To me, they are complimentary.” 

For Varriano, it has always been about setting priorities. “Balancing rugby and school means that I have to accept some sacrifices in other areas of my life, but it’s always been worth it because of how much I love the sport and team,” he explains. “I have also been fortunate to have coaches who understand how demanding being a student can be; they have always stressed that school comes first and if we ever need to talk, they always have an open door. That being said, there are always points where I get a bit overwhelmed and it can lead to some late nights, but I think that’s something most students have dealt with at some point and you just have to put your head down and get your work done.” 

To compete at the varsity level requires many hours of training and practice before competing, but COVID has limited or shut down athletic facilities this academic year. However, that hasn’t stopped Law’s two All-Stars who have found ways to keep in shape. 

During a regular rugby season in the fall term, each week Varriano would spend about nine hours practising and three hours working out, followed by a post-game-day swim with his teammates in Queen’s Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC). Even during the off-season winter term, he would have three practices and workouts a week and a tournament every month. 

“I am fortunate to have a small workout space nestled in the corner of my basement at home that I share with my family,” he says about his new routine. “I definitely miss working out with the team in an ARC gym, but I’ve been able to make do. The varsity athletic staff did a really great job of adapting workout routines to our individual circumstances, so I felt very supported throughout the year. I also took up cycling and do a lot of walking to keep my cardio up.” 

With three sports to juggle in the year-round sport of triathlon, Morrow can train in swimming, biking, running, and cross-training sessions seven to nine times a week. “Luckily, the sport of triathlon can be performed with very few barriers to training,” he says. “Over the summer months, it was quite easy to lace up a pair of shoes or put on a wet suit and jump in the lake. Now that it has gotten colder and facilities remain closed, I have picked up my outdoor running, and cross train in my room with some old mid-2000’s p90X and Insanity workout videos I had saved away on my computer.” 

Everyone is looking forward to when Nick Morrow and John Varriano can get back to representing Queen’s in their sports. Go Gaels go!

By Lisa Graham