Get involved with sport at Imperial!

Sport has been for myself, and many of my friends, an integral part of university life. Being at university can be stressful not only because of academic pressure, but also because of moving away from home, dealing with finances, making new friends and stresses from home, as well as being pushed outside of your comfort zone daily. Sports can help to alleviate this stress as well as give you a sense of belonging and achievement. Different sports offer different positives at different commitment levels and at Imperial there is a huge range available to get involved in (over 60 clubs), from more traditional rugby, netball and athletics to some you may never have even heard of, including; ultimate frisbee, futsal and kabaddi. For freshers and returning students alike, it can be confusing to try and find your preferred sport. Even within each sports club there are different teams which play at different levels, with mixed or single-sex teams, contact or non-contact.

With all this choice it is difficult to find a sport you like. You must meticulously plan your schedule, so you can know with pinpoint accuracy your location at 08:23 on 03/10/2018. You must also optimise your route through freshers’ fair, making strategically timed stops at each sport club stall. Implementation of finance algorithms within Excel is necessary to ensure that your budget can withstand sport’s membership, match fees, tour, networking events, transportation, and personalised garments.

In honesty, my advice is to enjoy freshers week but do try to take advantage of the opportunities available around freshers’ week. Personally, I fumbled a through my first week in a drunken stupor, missing my American Football’s (my chosen sport until injury forced me to quit) trial sessions. I regret not making more time for “give it a go” sessions, which are put on by clubs to give a taste of what the club can offer. I encourage you to try as many as possible. Imperial has such a vast range of sports that I had never heard of prior to university. I’ve tried American football, ultimate frisbee, futsal, underwater hockey, lacrosse and mountaineering to name a few, all of which have been very enjoyable, and everyone was very welcoming. Many recruits only pick up their sport in university. You’ll be sure to find the sport right for you.

As there are many different sports there are many venues too. Training occurs across west (near Heathrow) to more central London. With most sports that are played on grass or 3G, training is at Harlington or Heston. It is worth noting that trips to-and-from Harlington are about 2-3 hour round trip via public transport from the main campus. The cost in time and money is substantial, although some clubs hire Imperial minibuses which can reduce the cost. Indoor sports are mostly played at Ethos, Imperial’s sports hub, and rowing takes place at Imperial’s own boathouse in Putney. Training sessions can also take place in local parks (such as Hyde Park and Lillie Park), Union rooms, and non-imperial gyms. Imperial has two gyms, one in Ethos and one in Reynolds building, both with strength conditioning rooms that often hold sessions for sport’s teams with qualified coaches. Sports teams are also split broadly between IC (Imperial College) and ICSM (Imperial College School of Medicine). Pick your allegiances as you wish. The main difference is the location of sport’s nights, IC being at the Union and ICSM at Reynolds.

If you have queries about any club, the best place to ask is during Freshers’ fair or get in contact with the club directly. If you’re interested in writing, be sure to get in touch at fsport@ic.ac.uk.