Homepage Featured Secondary Archives - Scottish Student Sport

Thursday 23rd February 2023

In the spirit of LGBTQ+ history month, Scottish Student Sport are giving voice to our amazing LGBT+ athletes. We had the honour of speaking to Hollie Fullerton, who was Glasgow University Sport Associations’ first non-binary club captain and now the current Scottish Student Sport Trampoline Chair. Hollie shared their thoughts on why they think everyone should get involved in sport and how sports clubs can continue to work on being inclusive for all. Find out everything they had to say below:

How did you get into trampolining?

I went to recreational trampolining my whole childhood as my mum was a trampoline coach, but I wasn’t that interested in doing it competitively. I stopped around puberty age and then I got back into it at university. It was a bit of a hop skip and a “bounce” but it all started with recreational and that’s why I think I’m still able to enjoy it now as I didn’t have a competitive upbringing with the sport.

How has your first year as trampoline chair been?

We’ve just one league event left and then I’m done my first year. It’s been a really good year; we just had the Scottish Student Trampoline Open (SSTO) which was the first time it’s been back since 2020.

Students from all over Britain attended the SSTO, did the event go well and can you explain how inclusivity was applied?

Everything went really well. It’s our first year that we introduced a disability category so that’s been our big step. We started introducing it in our first league back in October and we continued it for the SSTO for our first open disability category. We’re so thrilled that people signed up for it and wanted to get involved. It’s really such a great and accessible sport.

Could you explain what being non-binary means to you?

I came out as non-binary a few years ago. I don’t identify with male or female I’m just me. Gender is a big spectrum and there’s lots of different places that people can find themselves on that, but as a non-binary person, I don’t feel a link to gender, I use gender-neutral language, my pronouns are they/them.

What did it mean to you to be Glasgow University Sports Association’s (GUSA) first non-binary club captain?

My coming out tied into all as a sort of weird things happening. I was social secretary my first year, then second year I was club secretary. I was an ally so thought I’d put my pronouns in my email, and it just looked wrong. It clicked in my head that I would rather not be called she/her and that I preferred general neutral pronouns. I had known I was queer for a long time and was out openly, I just never realized that I had these feelings about gender as well. My next year going into it as captain one of our older members of the committee said I think you’re our first openly nonbinary captain. We got in touch with Glasgow University Sports Association (GUSA) and they confirmed I was.

Were you worried about any of your trampoline teammates’ response to you coming out?

We have our executive committee, so it was myself, our captain and treasurer and we’re really close. They were some of the first people I came out to, and they were so great and kind about it. That’s the nice thing about sport, these institutions are such a safe space. We’ve all done our diversity training and we have to be supportive.

Why would you encourage other LGBTQ+ members and students as a whole to get involved in student sport?

I know an unfortunate statistic is that people who identify as queer struggle with mental health. But we also know sport improves your mental health as well as your physical fitness. You’re getting to socialise every week on a regular basis so I think it’s great for anyone, but I think since queer people might be more likely to struggle, it’s even more important they get involved. The socialisation you get from a sports team is absolutely invaluable.

Do you have any advice for someone who may be nervous about joining a student sports club?

I think if someone is nervous to join, knowing there are measures in place to ensure your well-being is such a comfort. Also, a lot of friendships come from being on a team as it kind of forces you to socialise. It gives you something to talk about.

I’m aware some Universities have gendered clubs, for example a men’s hockey team and a female hockey team. Do you have any thoughts about the gendering of student sport clubs when it’s being played at a recreational level?

I think when its recreational it’s important to ask does it really have to be gendered, and does it really make a difference. I appreciate at a certain level bodies can make an impact on sport. But at recreational level, which is what we’re performing at university and college generally, then why not make it for everyone. I do get somewhere like the University of Glasgow the hockey teams are huge so they have to be split in some way, but I think were there can be mixed recreational teams there absolutely should be especially in non-contact sports.

What steps would you like to see being taken next to ensure student sport clubs continue to work on being inclusive for all?

I think measuring up whether being inclusive outweighs a marginal difference in competitive level. For example, this year at trampoline we had trans people competing and I think especially at lower level it didn’t make any difference. We allowed people to compete in whatever category they felt most comfortable in. At trampoline our levels are split into level of difficulty and it’s the same expectation for everyone. If sport clubs have to be split then why not split it based on difficulty level instead if it means more people can get involved. I know it’s very sport specific I just want more people to be included.

Is there anything else Scottish Student Sport could do to promote inclusivity?

This year trampolining focused on disability, but we also have to make sure we’re inclusive in other areas. For example, British gymnastics recently changed their rules, so we were able to implement gender neutral kit and allowing people to wear religious headwear in competition. So, for the first time we had people competing in hijabs and it’s so nice to have all these different areas fully included. It’s important to question why we have the rules we have and looking at long-standing practices that might be discriminatory. Being open minded and flexible is the main thing.

If you have any questions or thoughts, why not get in touch with our Inclusion & Culture Coordinator:

Phone: +44 (0) 7572 682978
Email: eilidh@scottishstudentsport.com

BACK TO LIST

Tuesday 21st February 2023

The Scottish Student Volleyball Cup Final took place on Sunday the 12th of February, at the University of Dundee.

The Scottish Student Volleyball Cup Final took place on Sunday the 12^th February, at the University of Dundee.

Four different Universities competing including University of Edinburgh, Heriot Watt University, University of Stirling, and University of St Andrews. These teams made it through to the Finals after battling it out the previous weekend in the First Rounds of the event.

Throughout the competition both the Men’s and Women’s teams showed of their impressive range of skills as they battled it out for the championship title. It was a full-day affair, with matches starting at 0945 and last match at 1515

An impressive push from the Heriot Watt’s Women’s team (top of the BUCS 2nd Division this season) helped them to defeat St. Andrews in the semi-finals – the team currently leading the BUCS 1st Division.

Making it in to the Men’s final were Stirling (who had just come off an impressive win against Heriot Watt) and the University of Edinburgh.

We caught up with the University of Stirling’s coach, who was impressed by his men’s team’s resilience to come back and win the game but admitted that Edinburgh would be tough opponents in the final.

In the end it was a successful day for the University of Edinburgh with both their Men’s and Women’s team bringing home the trophy.

After three exciting rounds, Edinburgh’s Men’s team secured the cup with a score of 25-15 in the last round.

When asked about how they felt competing against Stirling in the final, members of the Men’s Edinburgh team said:

“We didn’t want to underestimate them as they just came from a really well-deserved win. We just wanted to be consistent and get a lot of good spikes in and it eventually got us the win.”

The Women’s Final consisted of Edinburgh against Heriot Watt. Following their Men’s team victory, Edinburgh’s Women’s team pulled of another 3-round domination with the scores being 25-15, 25-17, 25-20).

A massive congratulations to everyone involved in the day. A special thank you to the officials, volunteers, and students for making the event a huge success!

Results: Please click HERE for our finalists of the 22-23 SSS Volleyball Cups!

Social Media: Please like our Facebook Page HERE, follow our Instagram account HERE and check out the hashtag #ScotStuVolleyball too!

Photos: Please click HERE for photos from the day!

What Did You Think? We welcome all feedback about our events so please click HERE to tell us your thoughts!

BACK TO LIST

Wednesday 15th February 2023

Glasgow’s Emirates Arena buzzed with anticipation and activity as students from far and wide across the country took part in the Scottish Student Athletics Indoor Championships.

A record-breaking weekend!

Glasgow’s Emirates Arena buzzed with anticipation and activity as students from far and wide across the country took part in the Scottish Student Athletics Indoor Championships.

Scottish Students Indoors 2023 Copyright Bobby Gavin

We were delighted to see students filling the bleachers, cheering on their friends and fellow competitors in a thrilling display of athletic achievement across track and field. The Indoor Championships is one of the premier student athletics events, and the turnout this year was simply fantastic.

Now, on to the good stuff! Let’s break down some of the top moments from the day. In the middle of it all was the 60m, with University of Glasgow’s Ethan Pottie the only men’s athlete to break 7 seconds – in both the preliminary rounds and the final!

It was a similar story in the 400m, with Scott Hannaway (University of Abertay) breaking 50 seconds, the only athlete to do so.

That’s not all for the Men! Rory Muir (Guest athlete) helped the University of Strathclyde’s Calum Young’s drive for the gold Student medal in the Men’s 3000m with both athletes achieving PB’s for their efforts. The competition was particularly fierce, with the top 4 athletes in this race getting PBs!

Scottish Students Indoors 2023 Copyright Bobby Gavin

Record-breaking performances appeared across the board for the Women, starting off in the Field with the Shot Put. The University of Glasgow’s Amy Kennedy broke the student record, throwing a respectable 13.73m, a total of 0.44 more than the previous record holder.

The Women’s 4x200m 2018 relay record was broken not once, but twice in a superbly exciting straight final. Athletes from University of Glasgow A broke the record with their second place 1:44:01, but University of Strathclyde A calimed the new 4x200m record by managing a blistering 1:40:81! Congratulations to Rachel Callan, Kelsey Stewart, Emma Barclay and Erin Campbell.

Hailing from the granite city, Stefanie Tucker (University of Aberdeen) had a belter of a day! Stefanie broke the Women’s 3000m record by nearly ten seconds, taking the crown from Emily Kearney (record set in 2015) – the new record (and personal best for Tucker) now stands at 9:43:76. Stefanie also got to lift some silverware as she was awarded the Ian Tatton Trophy for the Best Overall Performance for this run.

Last, but not least the Women’s 200m record was smashed by UHI’s Lois Gardland, taking Rebecca Matheson’s 2020 record with a time of 24.36. This was a new PB for her too!

The scores on the doors

Full results from the event can be found HERE – an amazing 122 PBs were set at the event overall!

The Ian Cosgrove Trophy awarded to the Best Overall Institution went to University of Glasgow. The full breakdown of points can be found HERE.

Scottish Students Indoors 2023
Copyright Bobby Gavin

Thanks and Photos

Thank you to all the Officials and volunteers for making it happen, without your tireless support we couldn’t bring such fantastic competition to students, your time and effort are greatly appreciated. We’d also like to extend to huge thank you to the students, who turned up with the energy and excitement to create an amazing competition environment.

Link to photos from Bobby Gavin

Check out the highlights video here!

What Did You Think? Please let us know how you found this event by completing our Feedback Survey!

See you all at the Outdoor Championships on 22^nd April!

BACK TO LIST

Thursday 9th February 2023

The Scottish Student Games were held over the 4th and 5th of February, bringing together student athletes from colleges and universities across Scotland, and beyond, for a thrilling showcase of skill and athleticism.

This year’s games featured a diverse range of sports, including trampoline, judo, table tennis, wheelchair basketball, swimming, and fencing, offering something for fans of every discipline and students of all abilities.

Trampoline

The trampoline open was incredible, with students from twenty four institutions and guest entries from across the UK and Ireland showing off their aerial skills.

The judges were impressed by the high level of difficulty and execution displayed by the competitors, with many athletes showcasing blistering displays and breaking personal bests in the individual, syncro, DMT and two-trick categories.

For the first time ever this event featured a Disability Category, in partnership with All Stars Disability sports club, further driving home the SSS ethos of inclusivity for all.

The full results round-up can be found here and photos here.

Judo

The Judo Championships took place on Saturday, bringing together eighteen institutions (as well as a few guests) in the biggest Judo Championships in Scottish Student Sport history!

The competition was intense, with athletes battling it out for medals in their respective weight classes.

Many students return to Strathclyde the next day to learn from Paralympian, Samuel Ingram, at the Training Day. The students got a lot from it and the sense of community within the sport is clearly developing year on year.

You can see the full results here and the event photos here. Thank you to Fergus and Tracey Pirie for capturing the Championships!

Wheelchair Basketball

Wheelchair Basketball Open was another standout event, with eighteen athletes coming together and showcasing their skills and athleticism.

The competition was incredibly competitive, with teams battling it out for the title of SSS Champion. In the end, it was Team Four: Becky Gordon (Heriot-Watt University), Jennifer-Rose Tennant (Heriot-Watt University) Conor Smart (University of Edinburgh) who emerged victorious, taking home the gold medals with a hard-fought victory over their opponents.

See the results and the photographs.

Aquatics

Aquatics was also a major focus of the weekend, with athletes heading west to partake in the Swimming Championships. The competition was incredibly close, with athletes from five institutions taking to the pool. The best overall institution (most points) was won by the University of St Andrews, with swimmers from the seaside town dominating in the pool with their incredible speed and endurance.

See the results here and the event photographs by Craig Fellowes here.

Fencing

Fencing was another stellar event, with fencers from all over Scotland battling it out in the biggest SSS Beginners since 2017. The competition was intense, with athletes showing off their mastery of the sport and their quick reflexes and precision in foil, epee, and sabre categories. We were excited to welcome ten institutions, as well as guests, into the Open for two days of fantastic competition.

See the results here and photos by Adele Cook here.

Table Tennis

Continuing our record-breaking trend, this year’s Table Tennis Championships were also the largest in SSS history. Students from across Scotland and beyond took to the table in a number of epic bouts, with both individual and doubles competition. The final matches were particularly nail-biting, with lightning-fast reflexes and comebacks galore. Congratulations to Andrea Arcari (University of Glasgow) who was awarded Player of the Tournament!

Full results can be found here and photos found here.

The SS Games were a thrilling showcase of the best talent from colleges and universities across Scotland. From the incredible aerial skills of the trampoline gymnasts to the technical mastery of the judo athletes, there was something for everyone to enjoy. The event was a testament to the dedication and hard work of the athletes who participated, and of course, the tireless hours put in by the volunteers that made it happen.

Scottish Student Sport would like to extend a massive thank you to the Officials, Sports Development Groups, Venues and Volunteers on the day for making the sport a roaring success.

What Did You Think? Please let us know how you found the SSGames by completeing our Feedback Survey!

BACK TO LIST

Thursday 26th January 2023

In October 2022, we launched the 2022/23 Leadership Programme, which this year consists of eight nominated enthusiastic students. Read on to learn how they’ve been getting on!

In October 2022, we launched the 2022/23 Leadership Programme, which this year consists of eight nominated enthusiastic students. This programme is designed to advance their skills in the masterclass sessions and put them to the test during their volunteering hours at some of our SSS Events. This year’s cohort have developed learning in areas such as growth mindset, collaborative working and productivity as well as motivation, from both members of the SSS Staff Team but also industry experts from our network including Guy Richardson from Eiger Performance and Ross Simpson, Assistant Director and Head of Sport, The University of Edinburgh.

This January we have just launched for the second semester, meeting in person to discuss high-performance behaviours ahead of the new term and reflect on the success and learnings from semester one. This semester the team head out to some of our SSS Events to solidify their personal development and put some of their newly developed knowledge to practice. SSS Leadership Programme offers individuals an opportunity to develop their skills and has helped some of our graduated Leaders reach positions such as Institution Sports Presidents, Ronan Welch current Strathclyde University Sabbatical Officer was part of the 2021/22 Leadership Course and here is his advice for those who wish to do the programme.

“Taking part in the SSS Leadership Program last year was very useful in developing me as a leader, and the skills I learned throughout the program I now use daily in my role as Sports President at Strathclyde. Particularly Guy Richardsons sessions at the start and end of the program – make the most of those sessions in challenging, and being challenged on your leadership style, the self-reflection you do here will be invaluable! With the weekly mastermind calls, make sure you put the effort in and speak up in them – you’ll get out what you put in. Finally, enjoy it – you’re in a group of highly motivated people who come from a range of institutions, sports, and backgrounds – use this opportunity to network, listen, and learn as much as you can from each other and you’ll come out of the year massively better off for it!”

BACK TO LIST

Wednesday 11th January 2023

Orienteering has recently been introduced into the Scottish Student Sport Network. Read on to find out more!

Orienteering has recently been introduced into the Scottish Student Sport Network. Although, many of us have experienced orienteering at some point whether it be at a school or an outdoors centre. Not many of us have tried orienteering as a sport.

Orienteering is an exciting outdoor adventure sport suitable for all ages and fitness levels. The aim is to navigate between checkpoints or controls marked on an orienteering map. There is no set route so the skill and fun come from trying to find the best way to go.

Orienteering can take place anywhere from urban environments such as the centre of Edinburgh to the wilds of the Scottish Highlands. Orienteering provides a fantastic opportunity to travel around Scotland and connect with nature. If you like being active outdoors in Scotland, orienteering is a great sport for you!

Orienteering at Scenic Balmoral

What do you do when orienteering?

Using an orienteering map you navigate through a course of control points, marked with an orange and white flag. At each control point you use an electric dibber to record that you have arrived safely at the control. At the end you receive a print out of your overall time and splits between controls.

You can walk, jog or run the course. In competitive orienteering, the challenge is to complete the course in the quickest time. Orienteering combines techniques of decision making, navigational skills and problem solving so the fastest runner doesn’t always win.

How do I try orienteering as a student in Scotland?

GB Orienteer Grace Malloy approaching a control marked by an orange and white flag

We currently have four student orienteering clubs in Scotland:

Aberdeen University Orienteering Club
Edinburgh University Orienteering Club
Glasgow University Orienteering and Hill Running Club
Stirling University Orienteering and Hill Running Club

We plan to increase the number of student orienteering clubs in Scotland over the next few years.

Relay start at the Scottish Student Championships 2022

If your institution doesn’t have orienteering clubs we have local orienteering clubs across Scotland. Local orienteering clubs host events and training sessions for people of all ages and are a great way to get involved in orienteering as a student. Anybody of any experience level can join an orienteering club. Find your local club through this link: https://www.scottish-orienteering.org/get-involved/find-your-local-club/.

If you want to try out orienteering before joining a club or going to an event, there are many permanent orienteering courses across Scotland’s parks, cities and countryside. MapRun is another way to try orienteering. MapRun is an app which allows you to use your smartphone to enjoy orienteering. There are MapRun courses all across Scotland and many of which are on university and college campuses.

How Maprun looks on your phone

What happens at the Scottish Student Orienteering Championships?

We had our Scottish Student Orienteering Championships in November this year. This was our first event to be affiliated with Scottish Student Sport. The Scottish Student Championships are held over a weekend. On the first day we have relay races. Each institution enters teams of 3 to take part in the relay. Each team member runs a different leg in the replay. The relay legs are different levels of difficulty so beginners and elite orienteers can take part in the same race. On the final day of the competition we have individual races. Individual courses have different levels of difficulty so there are courses suitable for beginners and elite orienteers.

There is also a social on the Saturday which provides an opportunity to meet other orienteers from other universities. You can still enter and represent your institution at the Scottish Student Orienteering Championships even if your institution doesn’t have an orienteering club.

Edinburgh University Orienteering Club our 2022 Scottish Student Champions

What do I gain through orienteering?

Edinburgh University men’s teams wins first and third place at the Scottish Orienteering Championships

Orienteering exercises both the mind and body. Being outside in nature has also been shown to improve our mental wellbeing, making orienteering fantastic for both your physical and mental health.

Orienteering is a social sport. Student clubs will travel across Scotland to events each weekend which makes joining an orienteering club a great opportunity to travel whilst studying.

If you are interested in starting your own student club please or want more information on orienteering please contact heidi@scottish-orienteering.org.

BACK TO LIST

Wednesday 14th December 2022

Reflecting on Semester 1 of the 22/23 season!

HALF-TIME | 💯🏆

Reflecting on Semester 1 of the 22/23 season!

We’ve had so much action happening across our competitions and development this semester, with students from around the world, sports a-plenty, and smiles from ear-to-ear 😄

Roll on 2023 📲

BACK TO LIST

Wednesday 7th December 2022

Members of the SSS Network came together for a day of learning and collaboration!

FESTIVE GATHERING | Re-live the learning 📣

Members of the SSS Network came together for a day of learning and collaboration!

Keep an eye on our socials or head to the SSS Website to keep up with the latest development opportunities.

BACK TO LIST

Tuesday 29th November 2022

Check out the highlights from our recent Women’s Indoor Ultimate Championships

Check out the highlights from our recent Women’s Indoor Ultimate Championships, where we were delighted to welcome teams from universities across Scotland!

The action was electric and is certainly worth checking out down below!

📸 Photo album can be found HERE

BACK TO LIST

Monday 28th November 2022

Our network is full of people who dedicate their time to get involved and help ensure that student sport runs smoothly and today we are celebrating someone who helps make sport happen.

At SSS we make a conscious effort to support and celebrate our volunteers. Our network is full of people who dedicate their time to get involved and help ensure that student sport runs smoothly and today we are celebrating someone who helps make sport happen.

Ana Jurado Santos is a 3^rd year Bio-Med Student at Dundee University, and last year Ana won Scottish Student Volleyball Volunteer of the year. Although initially shocked stating that the win was not expected Ana reflected on how proud she has been to receive the award, noting that she felt that her hard work had been recognised.

Ana has always been encouraged by her parents to jump in with two feet, and her first on campus year was no different. During the 21/22 season Ana was not only volunteering as the volleyball club Social Media Manger but also in the women’s 1^st team and District League Captain and Coach. She mentioned that not only did this make her feel like she was part of something bigger but that it helped her integrate into the Dundee community and it helped her find a group of friends that have supported her during the year.

We asked Ana what advice she would give students: ‘University is not all about the academics, it’s about finding yourself and your purpose, volunteering and being involved in sports help you do that.’ Ana said that she has found sport the best way to meet new people when she moved to Dundee, and that unlike high school at university you have to make a conscious choice to be involved. She advised that by jumping two feet into sports volunteering you can find friends for life, so don’t be scared just take small steps and make people aware you are willing to help.

The final take away from her experience that Ana wanted to share was ‘I realised that I am a special case, where I give a LOT of time, and it is quite intense. I just wanted to mention that from an organisational point of view, volunteering comes in many shapes and sizes. And all are appreciated. Whether it is a few hours a week or a lot, showing up to fundraisers and events that clubs and the sports union organise, providing a venue for socials and meet ups or taking part in any other way.

I don’t want to put any people off by saying that Volunteering takes an intense toll and time and effort. In these kinds of things, all the small bits matter as much. A lot of people doing smaller bits of volunteer is much better than one person doing a lot.’

“If you are motivated by Ana’s volunteering and are looking to do likewise please contact your sports union/department or check out our vacancies page. Equally if you have an inspiring story about a volunteer within the SSS network that you would like to share, please contact Jo Foster, Learning & People Development Officer.”

BACK TO LIST

Page 1 of 10
1
2
3
...
10
→