Student athletes get set for season ahead
Published On Thu 3 Sep 2015 by Grant Hill
Around 300 University of Dundee athletes from 25 sports will this weekend return from the summer holiday early to begin a six-day training camp designed to get them in peak physical condition ahead of the new season.
The Warm-Up Week runs from Saturday 5th until Thursday, 10th September and will see the students take part in sport-specific training sessions alongside a range of conditioning sessions and workshops on topics such as nutrition and lifestyle management.
This is the fifth annual Warm-Up session prior to the students returning to classes and the largest to date, with more students and clubs taking part than ever before. Warm-up Week allows the University’s sportsmen and women to spend time with top coaches and on team-building sessions that will ensure the students are ready to maximise their individual and collective strengths on the sports field.
It precedes the annual Sports Fair on Friday, 11 September when representatives of the Sports Union will encourage new and returning students to sign up for the 43 sports clubs on offer at the University. The following day will see the inaugural Committee Conference take place. This training event is designed to help club committee volunteers from the University sports clubs to support their members.
Paul McPate, Assistant Director of the University’s Institute of Sport and Exercise (ISE), said “These pre-season training camps have been shown our athletes an advantage when the competitive season begins.
“We’re delighted than more teams and students than ever before will be taking part this year. The objective is to increase the levels of success our teams enjoy in student competition. The week will be physically and mentally challenging but it gives students the chance to mix and work with members of other teams, building a greater feeling of community amongst the many sports teams at the University.”
Dundee University Sport is the partnership between ISE and Dundee University Sports Union. They have joined forces to maximise the strengths of each partner in enhancing the provision of sport for students and staff.
The Sports Union represents some 43 member and associate clubs, ranging from archery to volleyball. Several University teams have enjoyed success at a national level in recent years, and many sportsmen and women from the University have gone on to represent their country and achieve individual glory in their chosen field.
Sports Union President Dominic Marshal said, “Student sports are thriving at the University and the more success our teams enjoy the more students are being encouraged to take up sports. We have teams and activities to suit any taste and our clubs will be delighted to welcome new members and answer queries from curious students at this year’s Sports Fair.
“There are great physical and social advantages to being an active student athlete and we would encourage any student who fancies joining to speak to the respective club, regardless of their previous experience. The introduction of the Committee Conference is also another hugely positive initiative as it will help our volunteers to provide a better service for members through sessions focussing on topics such as development, planning and conflict management.”
The 25 teams taking part in this year’s Warm-Up Week are Archery, Badminton, Basketball (men & women), Boat (rowing), Fencing, Football (men & women), Handball, Hockey (men & women), Judo, Karate, Lacrosse, Netball, Pole, Rugby, Squash, Shinty, Trampoline, Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball (men & women), and Water Polo
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 384768
Mobile: 07854 953277
Email: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk