Sports Exec Blogs

Maartje- Treasurer

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:52:58 Z

Who am I and what do I do?

I’m Maartje Heldt, a final year Economics student. I have been part of the Volleyball Club (club member, player and committee member) ever since I started university and it has been a big part of my university experience. My role on the Sports Exec is one of two Treasurers, a heavily administrative part of the committee. My main job is in the finance office, where we oversee club budgets, authorize payments and make sure budgets are being spent accordingly. A lot of numbers, a lot of signing and a lot of emails. Luckily that is not all I do, I am able to help out with all the sports events that happen throughout the year (Speed Dating for Sports, We Are Active, BathActive, This Girl Can, etc.)

How do I fit into the rest of the Sports Exec?

Sport Exec have monthly meetings to get together to keep each other updated on what everyone has been working on, if anyone needs any help or if anyone wants to contribute any new ideas. In these meetings we also discuss decisions that need to be made on SU sport while keeping in mind who it will mainly impact. The committee nights are run by sports committees giving their input on the topic of discussion, this is then brought to the SU sports officer to make sure they know what students think and use this as a basis to improve on what is on offer. This means that we all work together, not only sports exec, to bring our sporting’s opportunities to its best ability. Being one of two treasurers, I mainly work with the other treasurer to see if there have been any issues that need to be discussed or if we have encountered any problems. I also offer my help if any of the other exec’s need it to ensure that we work together to achieve our end goal.

What have I done so far this year?

Going into the first semester I felt quite nervous for what Sports Exec had to offer, but it’s not so scary as I thought. Every week I attend my finance session, where I sign off any forms that have been submitted to the finance office, email clubs, and making sure club accounts are in a good state. I was also involved with helping organise ‘This Girl Can’, attended committee nights, helped out with sports day/fair as well as T-shirt collections. I helped out with a couple of events organised by other sports exec members such as Speed dating for sports, volunteered to help out at Snowball and attended the sports exec meetings to debrief about everything that is happening.

Where do I fit into SU Sport – Is doing a sport essential for being on the Exec?

In my first year I joined the Volleyball Club accidentally. Volleyball was not my main sport, but I thought it would give it a go and seeing as my friends were trying out as well, I thought why not. From that moment I knew I found a new passion for it. I was part of the 2^nd team in first year and then 1^st team in my second year (was ecstatic about it) and this year. My committee experience started in second year where I was the treasurer and this year, I am secretary for the Volleyball Club. This passion for a sport has helped me realise that I wanted to do something not only for volleyball but for all sports and that’s why I joined sports exec by being treasurer. I think being part of Exec it is important to have a passion for changing/helping out on a bigger scale than just one club and for sports.

Why should other people go for the role and what have you enjoyed so far?

As treasurer I would say this job is pretty self-explanatory – keep control of the finances/transactions that are happening. However, it is also about having an eye for detail, making sure you double check everything you do and not to worry if you have any questions about what you are doing (the finance staff are all so sweet). If you are interested in knowing about the finances that the SU go through, treasurer for sports exec is a great place to start. You don’t have to worry about not having enough skills/knowledge about the position because there is so much help available from the finance staff, the SU officer, the sports exec and the other treasurer and if that is not enough, google is always available too. I have enjoyed being a part of a team that have the same passion for sport and that wants to help out the SU by organizing events, volunteering to help with events and just make sure it is known that we are here as another person to talk to if there are problems.

What is left to be done?

This semester I will keep attending my finance sessions and keeping an eye on club accounts as the academic year will come to an end. I would love to make a document by the end of the year to make handovers for treasurers a little easier (a little top tips for treasurers) to explain the processes and experiences. Those are specific to my position on the committee; however, I know I will be busy helping out other Exec members and other sports events that will occur throughout the year: Varsity, Inclusivity Sports Day, Committee nights and just in general making sure sports is constantly represented.

If you want to get to know more about what I have done, more about treasurer or just have a chat in general feel free to email me at mh2129@bath.ac.uk

Megs- Welfare Officer

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:52:39 Z

Who am I and what do I do?

Hi guys, I’m Megs – a 3^rd year Chem Eng student; I joined the Basketball club as a player in my first year and have ever since owed the club for my most enjoyable moments at uni! I found being on the basketball committee last year a great experience which prompted me to run for my role on the Sports Exec Committee this year. As welfare officer, my main responsibility is to coordinate and aid the welfare and inclusivity officers across all sports alongside Maria – the Inclusion officer. This includes working with the sports staff and officer to provide training for all aspects of the W&I roles, in addition to being a source of advice and link to the SU for the officers.

How do I fit into the rest of the Sports Exec?

As part of this role, there is a lot of interaction with the inclusion officer. For example, the inclusivity award encompasses a range of targets that differ from club to club and Maria and I have been a contact point for clubs which are aiming to achieve the award. We can give advice regarding how to increase the mental health support within the club as well the support for international students, disability students and other minority groups.

A great part of being on the committee is also the opportunity to take part and help out with a range of events that may not be part of the individual roles. I have really enjoyed attending speed dating for sport and we the active this year just to name a couple of the great things that Tom, the SU sport staff and Exec committee have run so far this year.

What have I done so far this year?

This year I have helped co-ordinate and publicise Mental Health first aid training for all Welfare and Inclusivity officers amongst other skills training workshops. We have also had great success with the good lad initiative workshops for many sports members and hope to see more of this in the future.

Where do I fit into SU Sport – Is doing a sport essential for being on the Exec?

You’ll get the chance to work with everyone in the sports and activities office at some point throughout the year with the various events such as Freshers’ week, Snowball and Varsity. It’s not necessary to play sport but an idea of how committees work with the SU would really help you in your role on Exec. Don’t worry if you don’t know everything – everyone is willing to help out and make sure you have the best support possible!

Why should other people go for the role and what have you enjoyed so far?

You’ll receive some great training in areas that are transferrable to any career, role or hobby. On top of this, you can really make an impact in areas that you are passionate about – this role would give you the platform in order to have your views heard by many. Finally, you’ll work with a great group of people and build friendships with people who have similar interests and passions to you.

What is left to be done?

Even though great progress is being made into making sport available and accessible to as many students as possible, there are still barriers that prevent people from taking part in sport. In this role there is a great opportunity to target each barrier and ensure everyone feels welcome enough to join a sports club!

Owen- Media and Marketing Officer

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:52:16 Z

Who am I and what do I do?

Hello everyone, Owen here; Media Officer on the Sports Exec. I undertake this role alongside completing the final year of my Aerospace Engineering course here at Bath as well as being a part of the Student Media Exec commitee and playing hockey recreationally. As Media Officer, I coordinate all SU Sport audio, visual, print and online media by working closely with the Marketing and Sport staff at the SU as well as engaging with sports clubs' committees to enhance their own media offering. A primary regular part of the role is being the admin of the @subathsport instagram account, where a post updates, features and stories.

How do I fit into the rest of the Sports Exec?

I primarily liase with the Sport Officer to provide updates for upcoming SU Sport events on the instagram page, while I also work with the Performance Sport Coordinator, the Volunteering Coordinator and the Recreational Sport Coordinator to output our regular instagran features - Saturday Spotlight, Volunteer of the Week and Rec Focus, respectively. I also coordinate the Team of the Week entries and voting, while laising with SU Bars to secure Score tickets for winner of these awards! Aside from social media work, I assist other members of the Exec with visual and print media through connections in SU Marketing and at Student Media. Enabling articles to be published in Bath Time magazine and covered live by Campus TV has provided a new outlet for SU Sport events to reach a wider audience and participation network.

What have I done so far this year?

Aside from running the instagram page and helping out at sports events (Snowball, sports fayre in Freshers' Week), I have also coordinated the Sporting Showcase programme alongside the Sport Officer. The goal of this is to bring more spectators to student sport matches and encourage engagement in student sport from the wider SU membership. I also attended BUCS Nationals with Tom and 135 student athletes to gather visual media content and keep students updated via the SU Instagram page.

Where do I fit into SU Sport – Is doing a sport essential for being on the Exec?

I've played hockey for the rec team for the last five years, however I never made it into a leadership role at the hockey club. I was inspired to run for Media Officer after working with Campus TV last year on their BUCS Super Rugby coverage, so in essence it wasn't through SU Sport that I came into the role. While an appreciation of how SU Sport works is required, not being in a sports club or a regular player should not hinder the role of Media Officer. Being well organised and having a good eye for marketing are more important traits, you will pick up sports knowledge from your fellow Exec members along the way. Evidently, enjoying watching sport is quite important; in my role this year I have probably watched sport for about 10x as much time as I've played it!

Why should other people go for the role and what have you enjoyed so far?

Free Score tickets!! Plus some incredible experiences at the top level of student sport. The chancce to network with and produce coverage for students who could go on to be household names in sport has been really exciting and will stand anyone in good stead if considering a career in the Sports Media industry. The guidance I've recieved from SU Marketing has also been a real bonus, I am now effectively trianed in commerical social media optimisation which is a great arrow to have in the quiver. Having your ideas valued at the top table of the SU is also an exciting prospect. The staff at the SU really listen to the opinions of the Exec as the voices of the student body.

What is left to be done?

The showpiece event! Varsity. Student Media are keen to make this the biggest and best Varsity in memory and I hope to help them achieve that. I am currently coordinating live streaming coverage for three fixtures on the day, as well as live entertainment for spectators at the event. The hard work begins now.

Becky- Performance Sport Officer

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:51:25 Z

Who am I and what do I do?

Hi! I’m Becky Wilde, the Performance Sport Officer on the Exec. My role was new this year and it has definitely been a case of trying to figure out what it involves and what I can do! I represent and support performance athletes and their views as best I can, as well as helping out with all the other activities the Exec help organise. Outside of the exec I can always be found in the STV as I am part of the British Rowing World Class Start squad here at Bath. I also sit on the Rowing club committee as Vice-Chair and am in my final year of Sport and Social Science!

How do I fit into the rest of the Sports Exec?

As a member of the Exec I attend our regular meetings, discussing issues that may arise, helping make decisions, and representing performance athletes to ensure they have a voice in SU Sport. I also help out at the various events the Exec organises. These include the monthly Committee Nights, helping facilitate conversations and support committee members. As the Performance Sport Officer I work with various people, such as Team Bath staff and the SU Sport Officer, covering various topics from anti-doping to Talent ID.

What have I done so far this year?

This is the first year I have been on Sports Exec and my first semester was a busy one! Alongside other members of the Exec I helped out at the Sports Fairs, trying to ensure we introduced as many freshers as possible to university sport and getting clubs lots of sign ups! As mentioned I also attended and helped run the monthly Committee Nights. A range of topics have been covered and it is always really interesting to meet so many committee members from different sports and listen to their views and experiences. I am also on the Team Bath Athlete Forum and attend these meetings as part of my role. It is always inspiring to sit in a room with Olympians, and it is great to be able to have athletes from such a range of sports brought together. I listen to the issues student-athletes bring up and ensure we try and solve them, to help their experience at Bath and their performances.
The Talent ID event in Semester One was a large part of my role in Semester One. I helped organise and run it, alongside Team Bath, pointing students towards new sports they might excel in. It was great to see students trying their best in so many different tests, and also learning how we can improve future Talent ID events.
In addition, the Saturday Spotlight Instagram feature is something I have set up this year. The aim of this is to recognise as many student-athletes’ achievements as possible. We have so many succeeding every week on a national and international stage, in so many different sports, they need to be celebrated!

Where do I fit into SU Sport?

Sport has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have always wanted to be an athlete, but coming to University really made me realise the importance of sport for everyone! I came to Bath as a swimmer, having swum at an elite level for 10 years. However, at the end of first year I switched to rowing, after a long period of struggling with my mental health. It would be no exaggeration to say rowing has changed my life and last summer I was lucky enough to compete at the European U23 Championships. I have seen the best and worst sides of sport, and although I am heavily involved in the performance aspects, I see every day how much of a difference it can make to any person’s life. I don’t think it matters what sport you do, or if you even do one at all, if you’re passionate about it and want to help people through it, then the Exec is a great place to start!

Why should other people go for the role and what have you enjoyed so far?

It’s been a great experience being on the Exec so far this year. I have met many new people and learnt a lot about the many different sports here at Uni. Having been involved with the performance side of sport at Bath I knew little about how the recreational side of things worked, but the Exec has really opened my eyes to this. Being part of this team, as Performance Sport Officer, is so much fun and very rewarding, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has an interest in or is involved with performance sport. If you’re passionate, able to work in a team and listen to athletes’ views, you’ll be great!

What is left to be done?

There are still lots of things I want to achieve as Performance Sport Officer this year. Semester Two events include Varsity and Blues Awards, both of which come under my role, and I am looking forward to helping organise and attend these events! Aside from these I want to ensure we are continuing to celebrate student-athletes achievements and supporting them as best we can.

If you’re interested in being Performance Sport Officer next year please feel free to message or email me (rbw28@bath.ac.uk)!

Ryan- Volunteer Recognition Coordinator

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:51:11 Z

I’m Ryan Napier, I’m a final year studying Chemistry and I play Basketball for the Men’s 2^nd Basketball team. My role on Exec is Volunteer Recognition Coordinator, meaning I work with the University Sports Department to develop and promote the Volunteer Recognition Scheme. This scheme is done at the end of the year to recognise and reward all of the great volunteers that make everything possible in Bath SU Sport.

How do I fit into the rest of the Sports Exec?

By regularly meeting and collaborating on various events run by exec, we work together and each contribute to the overall running of sport. I have made suggestions at meetings, created a poll for committees to have a say on how volunteers are recognised and rewarded as well as being able to help with stories on the Instagram account. I worked with Ben and Matt in helping to run Snowball, particularly with the Wheel™ and have worked with Owen to ensure Volunteer of the Week has been promoted on Instagram.

What have I done so far this year?

This year I introduced ‘Volunteer of the Week’ to allow recognition of volunteers on a more regular basis and committee of the Semester also helps to acknowledge the great work sport committees do. In addition to this work specific to my role, I have helped in organising, running and promoting some of the sporting events this year such as Snowball and speed dating for sport. I have really enjoyed the committee nights so far this year, where great discussion takes place around various important topics and ideas are shared.

Where do I fit into SU Sport – Is doing a sport essential for being on the Exec?

Since my first year I have played basketball for the Men’s 2^nd Team and been very involved with the basketball club in different ways. I helped referee and table at recreational games in my first year, I was equipment and social sec in my second year as well as helping Ben to run the D-League (recreational development league) and this year I am Wheelchair Basketball Secretary. I think that having had experience and involvement in sport has helped me with my role on sports exec, but I don’t think you need to have played competitively or at a high level to be on exec, as long as you have experienced SU Sport and have the passion for making it better.

Why should other people go for the role and what have you enjoyed so far?

If you have been a volunteer in SU Sport yourself or can see how important they are to the running of all the sports at the university then this role would be great for you. The time commitment is steady throughout the year, allowing you to work around deadlines and busy times. The main time commitment is around Easter (wish me luck) when the Volunteer Recognition Scheme is in progress. It has been so much fun getting to know the other members of Exec, being involved in the various events and the experience gained will be really valuable for my future. If you would like to know more about what I’ve done as part of Exec or what can be done with my role, feel free to get in touch ran35@bath.ac.uk

What is left to be done?

As mentioned, the Volunteer Recognition Scheme (my main job) is yet to be done, so this will be the focus of my Exec work this semester and the planning has started. I am also very excited for Varsity, which I am hoping to get involved with. Thanks for reading and do consider applying for Sports Exec next year (or after placement).

Ben- Events Coordinator

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:50:44 Z

Who am I and what do I do?

My name is Ben Goldmann, I’m a final year Chemistry student and I’m one of the two Events Coordinator on the Sports Exec. While organising all the events sounds taxing at first, it is not actually that bad at all. Most of the events are actually organised by the committee as a whole and my job is to help out with as much as I can with planning and executing. The only event we had to organise ourselves was Snowball. This involved a great deal of planning, but it was a very rewarding job overall.

How do I fit into the rest of the Sports Exec?

The Sport Exec Committee is like a hand with more than five fingers. We work together in perfect harmony and thus achieve great things. As one of the fingers, I both have my own responsibilities and group responsibilities. Take the thumb. It has the main responsibility to scroll through the Instagram feed, but at other times it must work together with the other fingers to play the piano. In real life, I meet with the SU bar manager to iron out details for Snowball, but at other times I help out with the We The Active Program.

What have I done so far this year?

As mentioned before, my main focus for the semester was organising Snowball. Now let me just make it clear, I have been working close with the SU bar and the other Events Coordinator, so I was not left alone to organise the biggest sports event of the semester. A lot of the boring organisation bit is done by the SU bar, so fences, security and most drinks are all sorted out. There was still lots left for me though! There are some things that were done previous years and all I needed to do was decide to have them again or cut them to fit into the budget. Examples include decoration, the marquee and the casino. With the leftover budget I needed to be creative. What could we do to make the event more fun, while not wasting a lot of money? So, I came up with The Winners Wheel. The idea was that every attendant gets a free spin on the wheel to win prizes. A lot of my time was spent doing calculations to make the wheel as good as possible, whilst not running out of budget. The final touches for the event included music choice and deciding where everything is going to be positioned (cloak room, casino etc.). Of course, aside from that I was involved with loads of other bits to help the SU sport run smoothly. These included helping sort out BUCS T-shirts, assisting with freshers week sporting events and more recently, getting some social media coverage of the We The Active program.

Where do I fit into SU Sport – Is doing a sport essential for being on the Exec?

I am part of the basketball club and play BUCS games weekly. While doing a sport is not a criterion, it is strongly encouraged. In my view people who understand the incredible experience that is being part of a sport club would usually have more passion and therefore are more likely to do a better job. The intensity, the competitiveness, the camaraderie, these are things that one can only understand by being involved in sports. This is not intended to put off non-sporty people from applying! It is more along the line of “Yes, please apply, and while you are at it join a sports club!”.

Why should other people go for the role and what have you enjoyed so far?

I mean after reading the previous paragraphs, the better question is why wouldn’t they? I mean where else are you going to get the opportunity to organise a party for 2200 people? I can’t say it is an easy job, but if you put effort in, it is so rewarding to see people enjoying themselves at Snowball. At YOUR Snowball. You will have the ability to put a personal touch onto the event, which in my opinion is amazing. Not only that but you will be part of a great group, where everyone is serious about making sports at Bath better than ever. You will have an amazing time together and you will be able to make a difference. If you are still not convinced, there will also be free SCORE tickets waiting for you as a sweetener.

What is left to be done?

For this role semester 1 is the busier semester, however there is still loads of events for me to be involved with that are delivered by the SU, the biggest one being Varsity. Stay tuned. As for the future of the role, Snowball is one of the most popular events in the calendar year and it is unlikely to go away any time soon. That means that the job is never actually finished. Every year people are striving for new things to get excited for. It will be your job to delivery the novelty they so desire.

Jord- Recreational officer

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:50:29 Z

Who am I and what do I do?

My name is Jordan Edwards, I’m a final year BSc Economics student and I’m the Recreational Sports Coordinator on the Sports Exec. Although it’s a long-winded title, this essentially means that I oversee recreational sport taking place in clubs throughout the university, as well as assisting in the coordination of other non-competitive and non-club events, such as the Speed Dating for Sport events! Another part of my role is promotion of the amazing Bath Active events, sessions free of charge on campus designed to help people play sport without having to commit themselves fully to the financial burden that can also apply!

How do I fit into the rest of the Sports Exec?

All members of the Sports Exec attend our meetings, meaning that we all have our input on the direction of the SU Bath Sport and take decisions which can affect all of our positions (so in this way I don’t just work with recreational sport). I volunteer at events held by other members of the Sports Exec, and several of the committee members have to work together to achieve our goals. For example, myself and Tom Sawko (the Sports Officer) worked closely to achieve the Speed Dating for Sport initiative, and over the coming semester I will have to work with Maria (Inclusion) to help her with the Inclusivity in Sport day, which will be awesome! I’ve also worked with Owen, our media officer, on trying to promote recreational teams on Instagram through the Rec Spotlight!

What have I done so far this year?

This year I assisted our Sports Officer, Tom Sawko, in the running of the first ever Speed Dating for Sport, which aside from being great fun was a great event to help with – it was amazing to see so many students turn out to try new sports in the indoor session and I was genuinely surprised to see those who insisted on carrying on with the beach volleyball portion of the outdoor session, despite a torrential downpour. I’ve also been helping out with some of the t-shirt collections and activities days that we’ve had, as well as lending a hand with the running of Snowball in December! I’ve also attended meetings with the rest of the Exec – unfortunately I’ve missed the amazing committee nights which have been held in the first semester, due to a part-time job I have. However, I’ve been following the discussions that have taken place and it has been awesome to see our sports committees engaging in important discussions on how the SU Sport can develop itself.

Where do I fit into SU Sport – Is doing a sport essential for being on the Exec?

Personally, I rowed with Bath University Boat Club as a novice during my first year at university and have since played volleyball for the past three years, which I adore. Despite having never played volleyball before attending at Bath, I am now the Men’s Thirds Captain – sometimes all it takes is some perseverance! Although I don’t think doing a sport in necessarily essential for being on the Exec, it’s definitely important to have a passion for sport itself and to care about what SU Sport is trying to achieve at Bath and believe in the positive effect sport has on the students here.

Why should other people go for the role and what have you enjoyed so far?

Aside from the perks (free Score tickets and free merch) I’ve had a great time getting to know the committee and volunteering at the different events. It’s great to be able to have my input in SU Sport given how much it has offered to me over the course of my time at Bath and I’ve always been very passionate about recreational sport as a way of streamlining people into more competitive squads. All in all, if you have a passion for recreational sport this role is a no brainer, and you’ll get to attend and play sport at events which you perhaps wouldn’t usually think about.

What is left to be done?

This semester will be a busy one, with another round of Speed Dating for Sport events, Inclusivity Sports day will be taking place on the 5^th March and of course we have Varsity in April to look forward to! Throughout this time, I’ll be assisting other members of the Sports Exec in their roles also and carrying on with the work we started in Semester 1. If you ever have any questions about recreational sport at the university, Bath Active or the Speed Dating and inclusivity events, feel free to get in touch through my email, je445@bath.ac.uk!