1 September 2011
Sporting students warm up for success
More than 100 students from the University of Dundee will demonstrate their commitment to sporting excellence when they return from holiday a week early to take part in a pre-season training camp.
Eleven university teams have signed up for Dundee University Sport's 'Warm Up Weekend', which intends to give them a head start when the university sporting season kicks off later this month.
The Warm Up Weekend, which runs from Friday 2nd until Sunday 4th September, involves sport-specific training sessions, along with conditioning and team building sessions, which are designed to ensure that the student athletes are as prepared as possible for the new term.
Some of the country’s top coaches will be present to put them through their paces, and the additional team building sessions will ensure that the students are ready to maximise their individual and collective strengths on the sports field.
Paul McPate, Assistant Director of the University’s Institute of Sport and Exercise, said 'This is the first time that a pre-season training camp for sports teams has been organised and the response from student athletes has been excellent.
'The weekend's sport, conditioning and team building activities will ensure that the university's teams will be well placed to continue their excellent results in Scottish and British Universities competition in the coming year.
'The student athletes will be physically and mentally challenged over the weekend, but will also have the opportunity to mix and work with members of other teams, building a greater feeling of community amongst the many sports teams at the University.'
Badminton, basketball, football, karate, hockey, rugby, squash and ultimate frisbee teams have all signed up and committed to returning early to Dundee to ensure the best possible start to their season.
Last year Dundee University improved their points total in inter-university competition by 12.4 per cent and achieved some outstanding sporting successes.
Amongst these successes were Men’s Rugby, Women’s Hockey, Men’s Football and Men’s Basketball all winning their respective British Universities and Colleges (BUCS) Conference Cup Finals and women’s volleyball reaching the final of the BUCS Championship for the second time in three years.
Notes to editors:
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 51 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.
The leading-edge facilities and expertise available has seen ISE designated as an accredited training venue for both the 2012 Olympics and 2014 Commonwealth Games.
After a £4million extension in 2007, ISE can boast the most extensive range of sport and exercise facilities in Tayside, including several fitness studios, specialist facilities for a range of sports, and a regional strength performance centre (SPC).
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277 |
