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Four Labelle sisters play rugby together for the University of Calgary Dinos, a first at U Sports or NCAA level, as the team marks Truth and Reconciliation Day.
Four sisters from the Labelle family are playing together for the University of Calgary Dinos rugby team, a situation the players believe is the first of its kind at the U Sports or NCAA university level. Danyka, Kayal, Austyn and Jaityn Labelle all suit up for the Dinos, and Jaityn said she is fairly certain they form the biggest sister act in varsity sports. The Dinos, who are 1-3 to start the season, host Victoria on Sunday afternoon.
Kayal and Austyn are twins and the latest to join the program, signing with the team in the off-season. Their arrival means opponents now face a family group that has developed its own vocabulary for the physical side of the game. Kayal said the sisters like to describe a particularly hard hit as getting Labelled, adding with a laugh that such tackles are memorable because they do not happen often. She explained that players usually focus on bringing an opponent down rather than delivering a huge collision, but that it feels good when a tackle lands cleanly and the other player lets out a loud sound on the way to the ground.
Indigenous Heritage on Display
The Labelle sisters are Indigenous, and their presence has shaped how the Dinos observe Truth and Reconciliation Day. The whole team took part in a smudge ceremony, and the sisters taught their teammates how to hoop dance. Danyka said the day carries real weight for her because the team has always been more than just a group of athletes. She described the program as a family, and said it means a great deal that everyone was willing to show up, learn as much as possible and use their voices to share the traditions with others.
The family connection on the roster does not stop with the four sisters. Their cousin, Kiera Anasol, also plays for the Dinos, and she said the relatives did not initially realize how closely they were related. It was only after looking at the family tree that they understood they were closer than they had known, according to Anasol. She said the group has built a strong bond and that she does not think she would be as comfortable without her cousins on the team.
Sister Act Reshapes Dinos Rugby
The Labelle sisters bring a rare dynamic to university rugby, where rosters are usually built from players who meet as teammates or rivals rather than as siblings. Having four sisters on the same side creates an unusual level of familiarity, and it also gives the Dinos a distinctive identity. Jaityn said the arrangement appears to be unprecedented at the university level, a claim that reflects how uncommon it is for one family to supply so many athletes to a single varsity squad at the same time.
That identity extends beyond the scoreboard. The Dinos used Truth and Reconciliation Day as an opportunity to learn from the Indigenous members of the team, with the smudge ceremony and hoop dance serving as shared experiences for the whole roster. Danyka said the willingness of her teammates to participate and amplify Indigenous voices mattered a great deal to her, and she framed the team as a family rather than simply a collection of players. The combination of family ties and cultural teaching has given the squad a close-knit character as the season continues.
On the field, the Dinos are still working through the early part of their schedule. The team sits at 1-3 and will look to improve that record at home against Victoria on Sunday afternoon. For the Labelle sisters and their cousin, the game offers another chance to compete together in a setup that they say has no clear precedent. Their bond, built on family history and shared traditions, is now part of how the University of Calgary Dinos play and present themselves in university rugby.
University Of Calgary Dinos Labelle Sisters Rugby U Sports Truth And Reconciliation Day Indigenous Heritage Victoria
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