Deputy Editor Vacant Climate

2 1

SPORT A GUIDE TO SPORT AT YORK

EMILY SINCLAIR (she/her)

@EmilySinclair_

A BIG PART of student life for many is sport and fitness, something York doesn’t lack. But, if you’re like me when I was a fresher, it can all seem quite daunting and overwhelming. Here is a short, handy guide to the key things you need to know as a fresher looking to get involved this year.

‘At York, Sport is all about having fun, being social and giving everyone the opportunity to get involved’

University Sports Clubs

The University has more than 60 sports clubs to choose from with many of the University Teams having the opportunity to compete in top level competitions such as BUCS (British University College Sport). Equally, every year you’ll have the chance to

compete in the Roses tournament - the largest university sports competition in Europe - against Lancaster University. If you’re interested in the ‘big leagues’ (as such!!), these are the teams for you. On the University Team, training tends to reflect the level of sport you’re at. This means that often you are expected to train three to four times a week, with BUCS matches usually on Wednesdays. However, this isn’t completely set in stone and it is worth getting in contact with the particular team you are interested in. All teams also offer trial ‘club sessions’ open to everyone if you don’t want to commit to team level.

College Sports

College sport is open to everyone and is a great way to get active at university whilst not taking up too much time. Competing at inter-college tournaments (such as Varisty with Durham University), it is a way to get involved in a community (with regular socials and events) as well as exercise. College matches/events tend to be on weekends, so whilst it’s theoretically possible to play for both college and uni sides, that does take a substantial amount of time in a week. Finding the right balance between enjoying sport without it negatively affecting your study is key.

The best way to find out more about college sports is on their Facebook pages or to have a chat with your college team or Sport’s representative. PREPARE, TRAIN, WIN: Sport at York

Sports Club Membership

In order to join any of the sports clubs on campus you must pay an AU fee which goes directly to the York Sports Union. You can pay this through the YUSU website and there are different types of membership available. Which membership you need depends on the club/ society you are looking to join and can be found on the YUSU website. The Gold Tier= £10- for any club who train off campus

The Black Tier= £20- for any club who train on campus at the York Sport facilities

Working Out

There are two main gyms at the University of York. One on Campus West, the Sports Centre, and one on Campus East, the Sports Village. The University of York has recently invested £9m into their sports facilities meaning they now have a 25m swimming pool, 3G football pitches and an Olympic-sized velodrome. For more information google ‘York Sport’ to find out about pricing and what each location has to offer.

“At York, sport is all about having fun, being social, and giving everyone the opportnity to get involved.”

1

NICHE SPORT AT UNIVERSITY

KATIE PRESTON (she/her)

@kxtieprxston

ONE OF THE exciting things about coming to university is the chance to join a huge variety of clubs and societies. There is everything from Animal Crossing Society to Pole Dancing, the University of York has an amazing number of sports clubs and groups for freshers, and returners, to join.

With Fresher’s Week up and coming, Vision interviewed the Octopush Team at the University, asking them the importance of joining a team and what drew them to join a less “mainstream” activity.

Also known as underwater hockey, Octopush is played at the bottom of a swimming pool. Players wear masks, snorkels and flippers and attempt to hit the puck into the opposing teams’ goal. It is a team sport, with six players in each team.

Speaking to Ellie, Vision was informed of the importance of community within the underwater sport:

“Teamwork is of vital importance as individual players can only remain in possession of the puck for as long as they can hold their breath, before they have to pass the puck to someone else and come to the surface.”

Ellie then explained how she got into the sport at university, and the benefits of joining a niche sport:

“I enjoy swimming and most other watersports so I decided to give it a try. However, some other members of the club have been playing Octopush for years and are always happy to advise new players.”

“Octopush training sessions are a great way to keep fit without swimming competitively. The emphasis is also on teamwork rather than individual performance. Personally, I enjoy the fact we play games each training session, allowing us to practice our tackling, defence and passing.”

Vision also asked the Octopush team about upcoming competitions in the next academic year:

“Although Octopush is a less known sport we still have lots of competitions over the year. This includes Student Nationals, which was held in Leeds last year, The Winter Tournament (usually held in Oxford University) and we even compete in Roses!

“Despite not being a mainstream sport there are many Octopush teams both nationally and internationally. Saying you play Octopush is always a good conversation starter in interviews or with family / friends and I have explained many times what the sport is and how it is played. Over the course of the year, we run socials, including glove making (as gloves are an essential part of the kit), we also have pub socials”.

“I would recommend any freshers who enjoy swimming and other watersports to come and give Octopush a try. We’re a friendly team who are happy to teach you everything and make you feel welcome from your first session. We train Mondays and Tuesdays 9-10pm at York Sport Village, there is also the opportunity to train on Fridays and Saturdays too!”