Mixed reaction among clubs to sports expo
By The University Observer Archives | Aug 2 2018
Originally published in Volume III, Issue 1 on 30th September by Arran Hussey. A new initiative by the Director of Sports Office has allowed all the sports clubs the chance to recruit members in the sports centre on Friday 20, Monday 23, Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 September from 12 to 7 p.m.Financial support from a sponsor means that the clubs have been given some assistance in setting up their stands and presenting their particular sport to freshers. Locating the exhibition in the centre allows them the chance to give a live demonstration of their sport where possible. However, as a result of the expo it seems likely that no sports clubs will be allocated a stand in the Arts building during Freshers Week, September 30 - October 4. Instead they will be able to set up a stand in any other faculty if they so choose. It is too early to say what impact these arrangements will have. The main concern voiced by the smaller sporting clubs on the first day of the four day expo was as a former club committee member put it: ‘membership will probably be affected. I don’t know if second and third years will come down here, and then if you’re up in the Eng block or wherever during Freshers Week you might have lost the chance to get them in.” Although it was only the opening day of the expo, another captain of a larger club told the University Observer that “6,000 freshers came into College today and at most 1,000 passed through here, on that basis, it’s a failure. I’d rather be in the Arts block.” Some of the clubs commented that though there were fewer people passing by their stand than they were used to, they were all interested in sport. Graham Cooke on the GAA stand said “it’s a much better set up for clubs. It makes sense not to have to hassle people in the Arts block who don’t want to join a sport a club.” A few stands past the GAA, Gavin Plunckett thought that “it’s better than previous years. It was a fight to get a table during Freshers’ Week last year, then you have them stolen and you had to have someone there all the time.” Suzanne Bailey, college’s Marketing and Promotions Executive For Sport, commented, “overall we’re happy, it takes a while for momentum to build. We’ve promotions over the weekend in the press and radio. The 2FM Roadcaster will be there on Monday.” If you haven’t been down to the expo already your last chance to see all the sports clubs together is Wednesday 25th September from 12-7 p.m. After then if you want to join a sports club you’ll have to find them during Freshers’ Week; they’ll be spread around campus. Alternatively, you can find a contact number on most club notice boards in the Arts block.