What is Wednesday for?

Starting at Imperial does feel like being thrown in the deep end despite the sense of pride forcefully bestowed on any fresher. Sport can be one of the best ways to find your feet and a sense of normality. Whether you are a medic, an engineer, or do a degree that gets made fun of, pulling on a kit can give you valuable social connection and calibre.

One of Imperial’s quirks is the medics vs non-medics varsity. The Medical School, ICSM, runs its own clubs, has its own union, and every year fields teams against the rest of Imperial. It’s probably the most competitive and fiery varsity around, with a long weekend showcase of fixtures across multiple sports once a year. If you are a medic, it adds extra spice if you choose to play for Imperial rather than the School of Medicine. Then there is the legendary Bottle Match: the Royal School of Mines vs Exeter’s Camborne School of Mines, one of the oldest student rugby fixtures in the world, where the trophy is, fittingly, an actual bottle. Over the years, other sports have been added to the varsity.

Beyond that, rivalries run across London. Varsity against UCL is a highlight of the year, spanning dozens of sports and always fiercely contested. Matches with LSE carry their own edge, with “best in London” bragging rights up for grabs. Even if you have never cared about student sport before, you will quickly find yourself swept up in it. BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) and LUSL (London Universities Sport Leagues) do sometimes feel like prime La Liga.

Imperial has plenty of strengths. The Dodgeball club is a national force, with many of the Wolverines players going on to represent their countries, and as a former member, I cannot recommend it enough. Cricket, basketball, fencing, medic’s football, hockey, table tennis, and volleyball are also strong, and with so many teams across so many sports, freshers have the chance to make an impact straight away.

Joining a club is the fastest way to meet friends outside your course with training sessions, away days, and socials (not all, but most often, drinking-based) as important as the matches themselves. The Union keeps Wednesday afternoons free of lectures for exactly this reason, so students can train, play and get to know each other more intimately.

Sport at Imperial is not confined to campus, and travelling to training or tournaments is half the battle as a fresher. The Ethos Sports Centre in South Kensington is the hub with a gym, swimming pool, climbing wall and courts.

Larger outdoor fixtures happen at Harlington, Imperial’s dedicated sports ground near Heathrow (yes, a Piccadilly Line slog), which hosts football, rugby and hockey matches among others. The rowing club train out of an attractive stretch of the Thames in Putney, while other sports make the most of London.

To join any club, you will first need to sign up as an Imperial Athlete, then pick your sport through the Union website or at Welcome Fair taster sessions which you hopefully have attended. Once you have paid your membership, you are officially part of the team. I must admit whilst the Imperial Athlete system is overly convoluted, once you are in, you are in. You can also use the same system to purchase different add-ons provided by Move Imperial.  

Move Imperial is Imperial College London’s dedicated sports and fitness service. It is separate from Imperial Athletes (which handles the clubs) and focuses on giving all students, staff, and alumni access to fitness opportunities. You could sign up for the Student Gym & Swim Membership which costs £80 per academic year and fight for a spot at Ethos, Hunger Games style, if you would like. Seriously, its hell in there. 

With more than sixty clubs on offer, there is something for everyone, so get on down to try outs if you have not already. 

Want your club featured in Felix? Reach out the Sport editor at fsport@ic.ac.uk.