Sports President Candidates

Sports President Candidates

About the Role: Full Time paid - Start date: 25th June 2007. Responsibilities: Union Trustee, Chair of the Sports Council and Sports Executive, helps organise Varsity programme, Sports Awards Dinner and works closely with the sports department of the University.

Jude Bridgewater

Personal Profile

I have studied law over the past four years, worked hard, played hard and discovered what UWE has to offer. Being a rower beforehand I immediate signed up and enjoyed success from being part of the first senior women's crew to win Varsity, to winning Bronze at the European Student Regatta representing Great Britain.
My chosen sport is very demanding but greatly rewarding and has given me opportunities I would otherwise not have had. Rowing is a sport of commitment, challenge, and determination, qualities I could bring to the role of Sports President.

Manifesto

Sport at UWE should be seen as both a competitive and recreational opportunity for all. Students should be able to join a club for serious training or a bit of fun.
To achieve this there needs to be an effective partnership between UWESU and facilities, with a strong student voice. Clubs should be allowed to be run by students without inter-club politics being the biggest hurdle.

I have witnessed how UWESU is run from each direction, as a member of a sports club and from a committee, liaising with the union. From this I understand a sabbatical's demands and challenges, in terms of sport and student politics. Competition and funding are interlinked - investment in equipment and professional coaching boosts performance and maximises sporting potential in both BUSA and non-BUSA sports. To achieve this, an effective partnership needs to be reached between UWESU and the Centre for Sports to capitalise on development for all clubs. In addition a resource pooling with local clubs or Bristol Uni could help cut costs.

I want to facilitate students joining community volunteer projects from the big beach clean to becoming a sports leader and taking part in activity days. Diversity is having 24,000 students at UWE. Mature, postgraduate and foreign students are under-represented in UWE life outside of academia; come enjoy the social and recreational opportunities! Being a mature student myself I have found there is definitely something for everyone.
Sounds great, but where are the problems? See my Facebook.com group for more info!

Adam Glover

Personal Profile

I'm ideal for this role as I'm driven, passionate and dedicated to improving Sport at UWE. I've always had a love for Sport and over the years have had a go at as many different disciplines as I could.
My past sporting achievements include;

• Ulster Trials in Rugby,
• Representing Ulster at All Ireland Athletics Championships (As possibly the worlds smallest High Jumper)
• Representing UWE at British Beach Ultimate Frisbee Championships

I'm currently President of the Ultimate Frisbee Club and through this post I love giving others the chance to experience how good sport at UWE can be.

Manifesto

First and Foremost, I LOVE sport at UWE. Through roles I've played within the Ultimate Frisbee Club over the past four years, such as my current position of President, I've gained invaluable experience of UWESU workings as well as developed a good relationship with staff members which the elected Sports President will be expected to work along side.

UWE Sport holds a social interaction and in turn a pastoral care from your peers which can be a great safety/comfort net for all students and it's this safety net that is of heightened importance for Freshers, unfamiliar with their new lifestyle, and nervous about meeting new people. Therefore as Sports President I would look to build on existing good practice to ensure UWE Sports are easily accessible for all students;

• The new sports facilities at Frenchay Campus are impressive but the pricing needs addressed as students currently receive no discount over non-student users.
• For Clubs who don't train at such easily accessible locations, I intend to introduce appropriate transport links between Club members and their respective venues.
• By helping Clubs enhance their financial assets the overall money available for developing Sport at UWE will increase.
• By increasing local volunteering/charitable schemes awareness Clubs have the chance to give back to those less fortunate than themselves, and gain local community support for themselves & UWESU at the same time.

Ultimately by putting YOU the students first I feel I will have a highly positive role as YOUR Sports President.

Darel Poole

Personal Profile

Hey! My name is Darel Poole and I am a final year student on the BSc Sports Conditioning and Coaching course based on the Hartpury campus, this is why you probably don't recognise me! This is my first year at UWE; I have previously studied Coach Education and Sports Performance.

I have played BUSA Football and Rugby and have loved every minute! I understand that not everyone enjoys taking part in sport but I would like to think that I can introduce some of you to another enjoyable side of sport!!

Manifesto

I'm Darel; I wish to represent you as Sports President. I have played football and rugby at university and experienced winning a BUSA championship and also playing in the leagues. I have been a member of the sports executive at Bath, supporting the president to run sport. These are my best experiences and I want to help you guys to utilise your opportunity to enjoy sport like I have.
If elected my focus will be increasing access to sport across three levels; Performance, Recreational and Spectator. Not everybody enjoys playing sport but love watching it instead. I want to collaborate with the union bars and Activities President to arrange screenings of high profile sporting events! Picture yourself watching the super bowl on a huge screen with other fans!!
I wish to help clubs set up second teams and eventually enter these teams into BUSA, thus (with the new points structure) gaining UWE more BUSA points and boosting the universities sporting status as a whole!!
Recreational sport is as important. Intramural competitions provide people with the opportunity to play sport for fun. I want to ensure intramurals continue and that it stays as low cost as possible.

As a Hartpury student I want to maximise the potential for sport this campus can offer and ensure these students have the opportunity to play for UWE or Hartpury respectively.

A final note, your suggestions are welcome throughout the term and my main aim is to ensure you enjoy your sport whilst at university!

Lily Priggs

Personal Profile

I came to UWE to study drama. Although I've enjoyed my course, I've really enjoyed being part of the student community. I joined kickboxing in my first year, gaining the position of social secretary in September 2005. Along with my social duties I've organised the first training weekends, club championships, British University fighting league, and won the English opens. This year I became the Martial Arts Rep to the Sports Executive. In addition to my duties I've successfully campaigned for facilities which weren't previously available. Among other new campaigns, I'm organising the first Martial Arts varsity and Thai boxing club.

Manifesto

UWE sports deserve to be nationally recognised - this hasn't happened. Together we can change this.
We train hard and should have easy access to first class facilities. We are told that this is the case, but the high prices, current policies of hiring spaces to outside organisations and the poor evening and weekend transport links limit our ability to make full use of them.
Among the commitments I am willing to make to you are:

• To investigate and instigate improvement to communication between clubs and the union, training locations and, importantly, potential new members.
• To provide support structures for clubs to: generate income (more varsities, more attractive sport nights); communicate with members (assistance with web updates, pre-term mail outs); and access facilities (better transport, lower costs)
• Allowing clubs and executives to have more input into the running of their clubs.
• Stick to budgets and deadlines

I'm the best candidate. Having been nominated Martial Arts rep I have had first hand experience of how the Union and Centre for Sports work. I have seen where potential solutions have been pushed aside - I don't want to let that happen. Being a member of the kickboxing committee I have, like most sports clubs, experienced the frustration and inefficiency of the current system. My study of drama has given me communication, teamwork and leadership skills. Carrying a creative idea through to its practical conclusion takes dedication and commitment. I would bring all these skills to the role of Sports President.

Kat Smart

Personal Profile

I'm currently the Sports President; I have gained much experience and knowledge in the role and believe this makes me the best candidate for Sports President 2007-2008. I've always been heavily involved in the Student's Union since my first year. I was a member of student staff in the activities centre for the duration of my Psychology degree. Over the past four years I've been a member of the Hockey, Trampoline, Netball and Kickboxing clubs. I've played Intra-Mural netball for three years and was the president of Hockey when the club won most improved sports club last year.

Manifesto

There are many reasons why I believe that I would be the best person for the Sports President role. As Sports President this year I have learnt so much and would like to be re-elected for a second time to continue the work that I have begun this year and to be able to expand my ideas and see projects and future developments through to their further stages.

As Sports President this year some of the things I have worked on are:

• Reviewing the constitution
• Introducing give it a go week
• Developing the Intra-Mural programme
• Developing a working relationship with the centre for sport
• The sports strategy
• The Students Union's strategic plan

I want to be given the opportunity to:

• Expand and develop what I have already been working on this year
• Continue to iron out problems and issues that have arisen with the Centre for Sport this year
• Work to keep Wednesday afternoons free
• Work with all clubs to improve them, both developmentally and on a performance level
• Continue discussions with the Centre for Sport with regards to fees for usage and membership prices for students
• Develop our expanding intra-mural programme

I am so passionate and have such enthusiasm for this union and would thrive on the opportunity to be given another year as the Sports President. I'm very hard working, committed, approachable, organised and determined which I hope you would have seen from this year.

Voting: March 5th - March 9th 2007
UWESU use online voting. All registered UWE students have a vote.
Results: Friday 9th March