JMCC athletics gets down to business

The case competition program takes a fresh approach to its sports coalition this season

SportsSamuel Kayll — Published September 16, 2025 3 minutes

For the John Molson Competition Committee (JMCC), all these are possible. Based out of Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business (JMSB), the JMCC selects the school’s top minds to compete in academic case competitions regionally, nationally and internationally.

With top-three finishes at major competitions like Jeux du Commerce (JDC) and JDC Central (JDCC), JMCC has built a reputation as a powerhouse in the world of case competitions.

But these contests go beyond academics, featuring sports, debate, social studies and other disciplines outside business. This balanced approach creates a more well-rounded competition with a variety of fixtures, not just a select few. 

Ivan Belichki competed during his first two years at JMSB and rose to the position of VP of Sports this year. He sees athletics as an essential part of JMCC’s competitions, providing students with an opportunity to compete in areas they may have missed out on.

“Being in university, it's hard for people to find time to play sports,” Belichki said. “This is an opportunity for people to be part of a team.”

JMCC co-president Alexandre Siriwardhana played AA and AAA basketball before joining Concordia’s business program. He expressed his excitement at the opportunity for JMSB students to represent their school in a familiar, personal way.

“There are a lot of athletes that decide to go to business school and don't pursue playing sports at university level,” Siriwardhana said. “It gives an opportunity for students to still play at a competitive level at some of the biggest competitions in the country.”

Team selection begins early, with the committee selecting its cohort of athletes and training them throughout the semester.

For gatherings like JDCC, schools compete in two sports: one revealed at the beginning of the year, and a “surprise sport” unveiled a month before competition. This leads teams to search for well-rounded athletes, not just specialists. 

While sports don’t get as much attention as academics, they highlight the friendly rivalries between schools. JMCC co-president Alexandre Tawil celebrated the athletic events as a way to provide a different form of competition. 

“In sports, it's much more confrontational, where students have to manage different emotions,” Tawil said. “It resembles fair play and sportsmanship, and all of these values that are extremely important to thrive for.”

However, over time, the divide between the athletic and academic delegations at JMCC has only grown. Athletes train separately from their contemporaries in business, divided by fields and classrooms. Even during competitions, the sporting events are often held separately from the host schools. This can lead to a clique-like divide between the delegations.

As VP of Sports, Belichki wants to change that. As a competitor, he saw the disconnect firsthand—and this year, he plans to bridge the gap. 

“I'm picking the best team that's gonna go and bring a win back for JMSB,” Belichki said. “But I'm also looking for players that are going to reach out and make friends and build their team around the rest of the delegation.”

Spirit and participation play a role in team success—not just in team chemistry, but as a legitimate area of scoring that helps determine the top school. Tawil, alongside Siriwardhana, made a point of emphasizing connection in the coalition’s mandate and uniting the team before competition.

“After competition, that's when students are usually the closest because they went through those two days of intense competition and they bonded,” Tawil said. “And it happens every single year—people say, ‘I wish we had bonded before the competition and we could have gone there already close.’”

As the JMCC gears up for its yearly competitions, past successes have the team riding high on expectation. But there’s also a sense of change. And Siriwardhana believes that change can push the coalition to even greater heights. 

“We want to show to every other school that JMCC dominates in every single aspect— academics, sports, etc.,” Siriwardhana said. “Last year we dominated at JDC and JDCC, but this year we want to leave a lasting impression that we can take on any discipline.” 

This article originally appeared in Volume 46, Issue 2, published September 16, 2025.