Field Club President’s Report

Trinity College Field Club President’s Report

James Hughes (2018)

To reference some famous sporting comebacks ‒ Istanbul in 2005, Ben Ainslie and Oracle Team USA, almost every Harlequins game of the recent 2020–21 season ‒ all these seem like good analogies for the Field Club last year. COVID-19 undoubtedly ‘had us in the first half’, and it has inevitably been challenging to sit down and write this report and reflect on what has been a strange year for the Field Club. I am especially thankful to and keen to praise our College sports captains and their teams for their perseverance in the face of various obstacles, and for their willingness to adapt to the new circumstances and still do their best to organise trainings, matches and generally keep College sport on life support this year.

Holding classic events such as the Chaplains’ squash in the virtual sphere will never feel the same, as you cannot engage in the age-old tradition of encouraging inebriated freshers to hand over their email addresses and competing with the Boat Club for sign-ups! At the beginning of Michaelmas, we were encouraged to see an especially enthusiastic and substantial fresher intake, which bode well for the season. Furthermore, having submitted countless risk assessments to College to ensure Old Field could remain open, we were incredibly optimistic as Michaelmas term began. Unfortunately, many sports reliant on external spaces, such as basketball and swimming, were incredibly hamstrung, but for the most part captains adapted admirably, sticking religiously to the COVID rules set out by national sporting bodies, such as sanitising balls between what felt like almost every other phase of play. Sports such as mixed lacrosse experienced a surge of popularity and saw some impressive success in their early fixtures, whilst rugby, with some impressive new fresher performers, played an entertaining, albeit strange, new non-contact format labelled ‘Ready4Rugby’. We were especially proud to see almost no COVID outbreaks within team sport throughout these early weeks; I will remain proud of how College sport was one of the best outlets for people to escape their rooms and socialise in the brave new world of COVIDrestricted university.

Unfortunately, rising cases forced us to curtail College sport at the end of term; ahead of a new national lockdown, the safety of students was obviously paramount. With students forced to stay home over Lent term and thus losing important calendar events such as the Christchurch exchange, we once again

had to adapt. In partnership with the Boat Club (yes, in times of crisis even mortal enemies can work together) we brought back the brilliant personal trainer Carl Van Heerden, who had been so popular over the previous lockdown term, to tailor another programme of weekly, punishing virtual workouts throughout the term. These were well received, and for many students this was an opportunity not only to sweat out the isolation of Lent for the good of body and soul but also to see some familiar faces over Zoom!

Thankfully, the return of students in the Easter term saw the Field Club’s comeback truly underway. Even in the face of looming exams, we saw great enthusiasm for College sport return unabated, as many of the teams managed to squeeze in fixtures, COVID-secure socials and training sessions to make up for lost time. Credit must go to all our captains for their perseverance. I would especially like to highlight teams including badminton, women’s/ mixed netball, mixed lacrosse, football and tennis for their efforts through the Easter term. As Field Club President this year I have largely been reduced to an administrator, ensuring that teams have had all the necessary equipment and support to continue as close to normality as possible in the face of restrictions. Finally, as I have graduated this summer, despite being sorry that my final year of College sport has been a peculiar one, I am optimistic for the year ahead. In the face of the vaccine programme and under the stewardship of the new Field Club President, Rob Paraoan, alongside what will likely be another substantial fresher intake, I have no doubt the Field Club can bounce back for a strong year in 2021–22, even for those sports that have almost had a total hiatus for this season!