Friday 6 December 2013

BUCS round-up

UCLan's Netball teams continued their impressive form with a trio of wins in the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) leagues this week.

Our 1st team retained their 100% record with a 43-30 win at MMU Cheshire 2nd, while our 2nd team beat their fourth team 45-37. The 3rd team are top of their division after a 55-48 win at home to Bangor 2nd.

Men's Basktetball 1st enjoyed a 82-69 victory against Northumbria 2nd and the 2nd team cruised to a 97-29 win against MMU Cheshire 4th. Women's 1st lost 40-50 at home to Leeds Met Carnegie 2nd.

Men's Football 1st won 4-1 at Edge Hill 1st, but our 2nd, 3rd, 4th and Women's 1st teams all slipped to defeats. Women's Rugby Union won 57-10 at Manchester 2nd.

Men's Hockey 1st and 2nd both lost, but Women's Hockey 1st won 6-4 at home to Manchester 3rd. Women's 2nd were edged out 3-1 at home to Liverpool Hope 1st.

Men's Badminton 1st won 5-3 against Manchester 3rd and Men's Table Tennis 1st beat Bangor 1st 10-7. Men's Lacrossse 1st and Men's Fencing 1st were both defeated.

It was an excellent week for our Golf teams as all three recorded victories. The 1st team moved back on top of their league with a 5.5-0.5 win against Birmingham 1st, our 2nd team won 4.5-1.5 at Leeds Met Carnegie 2nd and the 3rd team won 5-1 at home to Durham 1st.

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre round-up

It's been a busy few months at Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre (STFSC). With Christmas just around the corner, staff member Khalid Afzal rounds-up events from the first Semester:

During Fresher's I'm sure many of you were out experiencing the night life, spending most of your loans and fishing for freebies – particularly STFSC memberships!

In the lead up to Halloween the staff made their own Hollywood-style 'Thriller' video, before our students showed us how it should be done with their own version. It was great to see everyone getting into the 'spirit' of Halloween!

STFSC celebrated its second birthday during November with some old school party games. We had 'Pin the Tail on the Donkey' and 'Pass the Parcel' in the gym, while downstairs we had 'Guess the Weight of the Birthday Cake' and 'Match the Baby Photo to the Staff', as well as many other games. It was a nice addition to your regular visit to the Sports Centre.

Following our Birthday we had a traditional STFSC event - the infamous Aerobathon. The theme of our 7th Aerobathon was simply 'love' - love for STFSC to be precise. If you were lucky enough to be involved you also got one of our free t-shirts! Once we were all dressed we were ready for two hours of Zumba and Aerobics. It was one of our best turn outs yet and the positive vibes were sky high. Be sure to join our Aerobathon family next semester.

We know how you guys love your fitness classes. Some prefer Bootcamp, others prefer Spinning, and many enjoy Zumba. We always want to bring fresh and new ideas, and that's what we did.

These included Weight Loss, Core Strength, Women's Weights and High Intensity women's weight classes. A new addition to the studio classes was Kick-Boxercise, just another way for you to batter those pads for a great cardio workout.

We've had many other activities whether that's academic, Student Union related or recreational or hosting events, such as ETTA National Table Tennis Competition, 5-a-side league, Careers in Sports Conference and Wear Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness.

That's all for Semester One, so make sure you keep an eye out on all the opportunities available to you in the New Year at your UCLan Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre.

Thursday 28 November 2013

BUCS round-up

This week's British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) fixtures saw most of our teams in knockout action.

Men's Football 1st and 2nd teams both progressed, beating Liverpool John Moores 3rd and Leeds Met Carnegie 3rd respectively. Men's 4th lost at Grimsby 1st, while Women's 1st were defeated at Northumbria 1st.

Rugby League 1st are through to the last 16 after a 54-16 win at Newcastle 2nd.Women's Rugby Union enjoyed a comfortable 34-7 success at home to Liverpool John Moores 1st.

Men's Hockey 1st won 6-1 at Bolton 1st, while Women's first secured a 10-2 victory at Manchester 5th. Men's 1st and Women's 1st Basketball both slipped to heavy away defeats, but our Netball teams are both through to the next round - the 1st team overcoming York 1st 56-31, while our 3rd team won 62-32 against Manchester Met 9th.

Men's Tennis 1st won 8-4 at Liverpool 1st, but our 2nd team crashed 10-2 at Leeds 4th.Men's Badminton 1st won 8-0 against MMU (Cheshire) 2nd, while Women's 1st beat Hull 1st 5-3.

Men's Table Tennis lost heavily at Lancaster 1st, but our Women's team put up an excellent display in a tournament at Leeds. Katie Lee, Yali Wang and Becca McGrath battled hard to get though to the final, eventually losing out to a Keele University team containing two of the top ranked ladies in the country

UCLan Golf 1st team's long unbeaten streak in the league is over after they lost 4-2 at Northumbria 1st. Our 2nd team also lost to Durham 1st, but the 3rd team sealed a 5-1 win at Liverpool 1st.

Thursday 21 November 2013

BUCS round-up

UCLan Rugby League in action
UCLan Rugby League moved to the top of the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Northern Division 2A with an impressive 34-12 win at Bangor 1st.

Men’s Rugby Union 1st lost at home to Leeds 2nd, and there were defeats for Men's Football 2nd & 4th teams. Men's 3rd drew 1-1 with Manchester 3rd, while the 5th team beat UCFB (Burnley) 3-1. Women's Football 1st lost 3-2 at home to Northumbria 1st.

UCLan Rams American Football team crashed 30-9 at Liverpool John Moores 1st, while it was a disappointing week in Hockey, with all four of our teams losing.

Men's Basketball 1st lost 64-61 at Leeds Met Carnegie 2nd, while the 2nd team slipped to their first reverse of the season with a 74-70 defeat at Salford 2nd. Women’s Basketball 1st lost narrowly at Manchester 1st.

Netball 1st retained their 100% record at the top of Northern Division 2A with a 39-33 win at Liverpool 2nd. Our 2nd team beat Liverpool John Moores 3rd 45-32, while the 3rd team enjoyed a 52-30 success against Cumbria 2nd.

Men's Tennis 1st & 2nd teams won 8-4 against Lancaster 1st and Keele 2nd respectively, while Women's 1st picked up their first point of the season with a 6-6 draw against Lancaster 1st.

Men's Badminton 1st drew 4-4 at Lancaster 1st and our Women's team maintained their unbeaten record with an 8-0 win at home to Manchester 2nd.

Squash 1st lost 4-1 at home to Lancaster 1st, Men's Table Tennis 1st lost 10-7 at Lancaster 2nd and the 2nd team crashed 14-3 at home to Leeds Met Carnegie 2nd. Mens & Women's Fencing teams both suffered defeats, while Men's Lacrosse 1st lost heavily at home to Bangor 1st.

Our three Golf teams remain unbeaten with the 1st team securing a 6-0 win against Nottingham 1st, while our 2nd team drew 3-3 at Sheffield 1st. The 3rd team also drew 3-3 at Leeds Met Carnegie 2nd.

(Image: Jodie Williams Photography)

Wednesday 20 November 2013

UCLan hosts National Table Tennis Championships

The best young table tennis players in the country are set to converge on UCLan this weekend for the English Cadet and Junior National Championships.

Over 250 players will battle for national honours at Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre, with some of England's finest up-and-coming talents scheduled to compete.

The Manager of UCLan's STFSC, Martin Baines, said: "After successfully hosting the Championships last year, we are once again looking forward to welcoming these young athletes to our sports centre to train and compete at our first-class facility.

"This builds on our successful track record with the sport after we welcomed international table tennis teams from USA and Australia to use the centre as a pre-Olympic training base in 2012."

Among the entries are Junior singles favourites Helshan Weerasinghe and Tin-Tin Ho, who are both looking to add to fine domestic records with more National titles in Preston.

Sixteen-year-old Helshan, a former Cadet National Champion, is looking for his first junior title after ending up as a losing finalist in both 2011 and 2012 to current England senior squad member, Sam Walker.

Tin-Tin swept the board last season with five titles out of five. The 15-year-old is one of the biggest prospects in English table tennis having also represented Europe in the World Cadet Challenge.

Friday 15 November 2013

BUCS round-up

UCLan's Golf teams have maintained their unbeaten start to the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) season. The 1st team won 5-1 at Leeds Met Carnegie 1st, while our 2nd and 3rd teams fought out a 3-3 draw.

UCLan Rugby League made it four wins on the spin with a 32-16 success at Lancaster 1st. Men's Rugby Union 1st lost 43-5 at Sheffield 1st, while Women's 1st fell 39-20 at Chester 1st.

Our first four Men's Football teams all crashed to defeats, but the 5th team won 1-0 at UCFB Burnley 3rd. Women's 1st triumphed 8-0 at home to MMU Cheshire 1st.

Women's Hockey 1st won 8-4 at Manchester 4th, but Men's 1st and 2nd lost at home to Keele 1st and Liverpool John Moores 2nd respectively.

Netball 1st won 48-28 at home to Manchester Met 1st, our 2nd team lost 57-46 at Liverpool 3rd, but the 3rd team enjoyed a 56-49 success at Keele 3rd.

Men's Basketball 1st lost 78-74 at Newcastle 1st, but the 2nd team won 89-77 at home to Glyndwr 1st. Women's 1st lost 80-43 at Bradford 1st.

Men's Fencing 1st and Men’s Lacrosse 1st were both defeated. Men's Table Tennis 1st beat Liverpool 2nd 14-3, while the 2nd team won 10-7 at Sheffield Hallam 2nd.

Men's Tennis 1st retained their 100% record with an 8-4 win at Keele 1st, while our 2nd team drew 6-6 with Bangor 2nd.

Squash 1st lost 12-5 at Keele 1st, while Men's Badminton 1st and 2nd lost 6-2 at home to Keele's first two teams. Women's Badminton 1st remain unbeaten after a 5-3 win at Liverpool 1st.

Friday 8 November 2013

BUCS round-up

UCLan Rugby League maintained their 100% start to the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) season with a 28-6 home win against MMU Cheshire 2nd. Women's Rugby Union enjoyed a 17-15 cup success at Manchester Met 2nd.

Three of our Men's Football teams were also in knockout action. The 1st team won 5-1 at Edgehill 2nd, our 4th team beat Bradford 2nd 2-0, but the 5th team lost 3-0 at Lancaster 2nd. Women's Football 1st also lost 4-2 at Liverpool John Moores 1st.

Men's and Women's Hockey 1st teams are through to the next round of their cup competitions. The Men beat Liverpool John Moores 2nd 3-0, while the Women beat Edgehill 1st 2-1. Both our 2nd teams slipped to heavy defeats.

Men's Basketball 1st won their league encounter with Manchester 1st 65-60, but the 2nd team lost 62-85 to Sheffield Hallam 2nd in the cup. Women's 1st lost 65-35 at Lancaster 1st. Netball 1st enjoyed a 50-29 cup win at Northumbria 3rd, but UCLan Rams American Football and Men's Lacrosse 1st both slipped to league defeats.

Men's Tennis 1st secured an 8-4 cup success at Liverpool Hope 1st, Men's Badminton 2nd progressed to the next round with an 8-0 win at Bangor 1st, while Squash 1st went through after a 3-0 win at Edgehill 1st.

Our Golf teams have made a strong start to their new league campaign. The 1st team beat Loughborough 1st 6-0 and our 2nd team triumphed by the same score at Liverpool 1st. The 3rd team drew 3-3 with Sheffield 1st.

Friday 1 November 2013

BUCS round-up

UCLan Rugby League continued their unbeaten start to the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) season with a 44-14 win at home to Chester 1st.

Men’s Rugby Union 1st lost 36-10 at home to Leeds Met Carnegie 2nd, while our Women’s team were beaten 34-10 by Edgehill 1st.

Men’s Football 1st moved to the top of Northern Division 2A with a 6-0 win over Manchester 2nd. Our 2nd team drew 0-0 with Lancaster 1st, while the 3rd team lost 7-3 at home to Manchester Met 3rd. Women’s 1st lost 5-1 at home to Manchester 1st.

Men’s Basketball 1st beat Lancaster 1st 86-73, while the 2nd team won 53-47 at Liverpool 2nd. Women’s 1st lost 28-62 at home to Newcastle 1st. Netball 1st won 58-36 at Lancaster 1st, but the 2nd team were defeated 78-37 by Salford 1st. Our 3rd team cruised to a 58-8 success over Salford 2nd. Men's Hockey 1st and 2nd both crashed to heavy defeats.

Golf 1st and 2nd enjoyed victories over Birmingham 1st and Leeds Met Carnegie 2nd respectively, while the 3rd team drew with Durham 1st. Women’s Fencing 1st lost 135-55 at Newcastle 2nd.

Men’s Tennis 1st notched their third whitewash of the season with a 12-0 win over Liverpool 3rd. Women’s 1st fell by the same scoreline to Liverpool John Moores 1st. Men’s Badminton 1st won 5-3 at Liverpool 2nd, while the 2nd team prevailed by the same score at Cumbria 1st. Men’s Table Tennis 1st lost 11-6 at York 1st, but our 2nd team enjoyed a 12-5 win at home to Keele 1st.

Thursday 31 October 2013

Scorchers secure silverware

UCLan Scorchers Handball Club won their first ever trophy as our Women's team claimed victory in a tournament at Liverpool John Moores University.

Scorchers entered teams in both the Men's and Women's sections of the event which also saw John Moores, University of Liverpool, Manchester, Manchester Met and Bangor represented.

The ladies won their final 6-1 against University of Liverpool, with the highlight being Kimberley Fullwood's spectacular lob which put the team 3-1 ahead. Our Men's team were third after day one, having enjoyed victory over Manchester Met and a draw with Bangor. They eventually had to settle for 5th place, with John Moores beating Manchester in the final.

Chairman Nick Gaunt was delighted with both teams' efforts: "I'm incredibly proud of the achievements this club has made in it's first ever venture away from UCLan. After just three weeks of training we've achieved so much with no funding.

"I'm ecstatic the girls came away with a trophy, and I thank everyone for the effort they've put in to help us win. Our men battled very bravely on the final day with a depleted squad. Everything we do here helps us edge our way closer to full BUCS status. Handball is a huge sport with a massive fan base and it's time we got the recognition we deserve."

For further details about the club and how to get involved please email Nick Gaunt.

(Image permission: Surya Jonckheere)

Friday 25 October 2013

BUCS round-up

UCLan Netball led the way in this week's British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) games this week with a trio of wins.

Our 1st team won at Manchester 2nd, while our 2nd and 3rd teams enjoyed victories at home to Keele 2nd and Cumbria 3rd respectively.

Men's Basketball 1st lost 64-63 at Northumbria 2nd, but Men's 2nd beat Cumbria 1st 95-45 and Women's 2nd won 55-50 against Leeds Met Carnegie 2nd.

Men's Hockey 1st and 2nd teams both lost, but Women's Hockey 1st beat Liverpool 2nd 5-0, while the 2nd team drew 0-0 with Manchester 5th. Men's Football 1st drew 2-2 at Liverpool John Moores 2nd, while the 2nd team lost 7-1 at Bangor 1st.

Men's Tennis 1st beat Liverpool John Moores 2nd 12-0. Men's Badminton lost 6-2 to Bangor 1st, but Women's Badminton 1st cruised to an 8-0 win over MMU Cheshire 1st. Squash 1st beat Lancaster 2nd 4-1, Women's Fencing 1st lost to Northumbria 1st, while Mens' Table Tennis 1st secured a 9-8 win over Lancaster 1st.

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Cheryl shines for Scorchers

UCLan Scorchers ladies celebrate their success
UCLan Scorchers Handball club continued their push for BUCS recognition with a strong showing against Bangor University.

Cheryl Heard led the way for our Women's team in a 23-8 win, while the Men's team lost narrowly despite missing a number of key players.

Both teams are in action again this weekend as they travel to Liverpool John Moores University for a six-team tournament featuring the hosts, University of Liverpool, Manchester, Manchester Met and Bangor.

For further details about the club and how to get involved please email Nick Gaunt.

Thursday 17 October 2013

BUCS round-up

UCLan Ladies Basketball 1st team
UCLan's teams enjoyed a mainly successful time in the first full round of games in The British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) leagues this week.

In Rugby our League team started their season in style with a 36-4 win at Cumbria 1st, but our Men's Union 1st lost 41-6 at home to Bishop Burton 1st.

Men's Football 1st beat Edgehill 1st 5-0, our 3rd team won 2-1 at Liverpool Hope 1st and the 4th team won 3-1 at Bolton 1st.

Men's 2nd lost heavily at Chester (Warrington) 1st, while our 5th team lost to a single goal to their 3rd team. Women's 1st lost 9-0 at Northumbria 1st.

Men's Basketball 1st cruised past Leeds Met Carnegie 2nd 89-59, Mens 2nd won 63-55 at Manchester Met 3rd and Women's 1st beat Manchester 1st 50-44. Netball 1st and 2nd both enjoyed home wins, while the 3rd team narrowly lost at Bangor 2nd. Our four hockey teams were all defeated.

Men's Tennis 1st beat Liverpool Hope 1st 12-0 and the 2nd team drew 6-6 with Huddersfield 1st. Men's and Women's Badminton 1st were both successful and Men's Table Tennis 1st won narrowly at Bangor 1st.

Men's Squash 1st lost 3-2 to Manchester 3rd, Liverpool 2nd Fencing beat our 1st team, but Women's Fencing 1st produced an excellent 106-43 win at Hull 1st.

Monday 14 October 2013

UCLan Athletics team up with Harriers

UCLan Sport's Athletics team have announced a tie up with Preston Harriers Athletics Club.

The link will allow UCLan athletes to gain access to regular professional coaching with a view to improving results in a variety of competitions.

Spokesman Michael Smith says it's a massive move for the club: "We've been trying to link up for a number of years and I'm delighted we've been able come to an agreement. Our athletes will now be able to receive top class coaching and hopefully we'll see the benefits during the BUCS season.

"We started well last weekend with a strong performance in a relay style cross country event in Manchester. For the first time in the club's history we were able to field a women’s team as well as two men's. Our next race is in Edinburgh during November and we'll be competing across a variety of disciplines throughout the season."

For further information on UCLan Athletics club please email Michael.

Thursday 10 October 2013

BUCS round-up

The new BUCS season got off to a quiet start, with just two of our Rugby Union teams in action. In Northern Division 4A UCLan Men's 2nd team cruised to a 28-0 win against Lancaster Univeristy 3rd, while in Northern 1A UCLan Men's 1st slipped to a 44-0 loss at University of Liverpool 1st.

Next week sees UCLanSport teams in action across twelve sports. Highlights include our Men's Rugby League team travelling to face University of Cumbria 1st, Men's Football 1st welcoming Edge Hill 1st to UCLan Sports Arena and a first-ever game for our Women's Lacrosse team at University of Manchester 2nd.

Tuesday 8 October 2013

UCLan Basketball reach for the top

With the new BUCS season just around the corner, UCLan Basketball are hoping for a productive 2013/14 campaign.

For the first time in the club's history they have three teams competing in the BUCS leagues and Chairperson Jordan Radwell is targeting success across the board: "I'm really excited about this season. Having three teams competing in BUCS highlights the strength of Basketball at UCLan.

"There's plenty of competition for places in our two men's teams, while we probably have enough players to field two ladies teams. Hopefully we can do that in the future. Our aim is to have all our teams playing in the top level of University Basketball within the next couple of seasons."

For more information check out the club's Facebook page or follow @UCLanBasketball on Twitter.

Monday 7 October 2013

Women's rugby team target success

After narrowly missing promotion last year, UCLan's Women's Rugby Union team are looking to set the record straight in 2013/14. Established 15 years ago, the team are currently in Division 3A in the BUCS league.

Chairperson Sian Perrin thinks they can go one better this time around: "Last year we came second in the league losing only one match to Lancaster.

"We were three players down in the final minutes and only lost by a few tries. However, we did go on to beat them at Varsity in the following weeks when we had a full numbers.

"We have a good relationship with the Preston Grasshoppers, with some of our girls playing for them as well as UCLan. We also get some of their girls to come down and help out at training.

"Skill levels range from total beginners who have never played rugby before, to girls who've only ever played League and switch codes for the first time. This year we hope to win the league, be promoted and maybe introduce a Sevens team or even a second team.

"We're a huge family who are serious about rugby and have an exciting social side creating genuine friendships."

For further information about the club or if anyone wishes to join please email Sian.

Friday 27 September 2013

UCLan cricket on the rise

UCLan's cricket teams are looking to build on a successful 2012/13 season.

After a third placed finish in a six-a-side indoor tournament held at Yorkshire CCC's Headingly facility, our first team followed up by winning the BUCS Northern 2A Division during the outdoor season.

Chairman Alex Renshaw believes the club is set for another good year: "Our first team won promotion losing just one game all season and while we've seen some very good players leave us we're hoping to be more than competitive once again.

"Our second team struggled a little bit last year, but our aim this time is for them to challenge for promotion. We plan to submit at least two teams into the outdoor league and we would like to stress we accept players of all ability levels.

"The motto we like to go by is if you commit to the club by attending training and our social events you'll play."

Training is held on Friday evenings between 8-10 pm at Myerscough College from 4 October. For further information please email Alex.

Tuesday 24 September 2013

BUCS Trials 2013/14

UCLan has released details of "Trials Wednesday" for students looking to try out for the University's BUCS teams. A total of 17 different sports are represented including Badminton, Netball, Basketball, Rugby and Football.

Trials Wednesday is on September 25 from 12-6pm at Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre and UCLan Sports Arena. UCLan Rams American Football team held their trials on Sunday and will train for the first time this evening (pick-up from outside SU Essentials at 7pm).

For further details on all the trials please click here.

Friday 20 September 2013

UCLan Tennis targets success

UCLan Tennis Club is aiming for a successful 2013/14.

The club currently runs three teams – two mens and one ladies – and are hoping to attract more members ahead of the new BUCS season.

Tennis Chairman Robert Henson outlined the club's plans: "Last year was poor on the men’s side with both teams suffering relegation. However, we are hopeful that the first team will be much stronger this year and could push for promotion. For the ladies we would hope to remain in Division 2A as we've lost a few players.

"This year we are offering more in terms of social play and alternatives to traditional tennis. There will still be Monday club nights at UCLan Sports Arena from 5pm onwards, with free coaching 6-7pm and equipment provided.

"On Tuesdays we will be offering Cardio tennis alternating with Touch tennis in conjunction with Sport4U from 7-8pm at the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre, while on Wednesdays there will be team training indoors at South Ribble.

"It’s just £20 to join on the Students Union website and an extra £25 for BUCS membership in order to play in the teams. Club Socials will be every other Wednesday and we’re also hoping to offer our members hoodies at only £10."

Anyone interested in joining the club can attend the Sports Fair on 20 September at 53 Degrees or email Robert for more details. Details of UCLan's 'Trials Wednesday' can be found here.

Tuesday 17 September 2013

UCLan teams up with Preston Swimming Club

UCLan's Sports and Exercise Science Department and Preston Swimming Club (PSC) have announced an exciting new partnership designed to help young people progress through sport.

The partnership will enable students to further enhance their skills by working closely with PSC’s swimmers & coaches.

They will develop close working relationships with the swimmers to help them in a number of key areas. Students will be working closely with the current coaching staff at PSC in areas such as Sports Physiology, Strength & Conditioning, Soft Tissue Therapy and Sports Nutrition.

In return the swimmers and staff of PSC will have access to the most up-to-date methods and techniques. Students will be involved in setting up programmes for the athletes, bringing PSC closer to larger programmes in the region who already have this support.

These are truly exciting times for both parties and it should allow the continual development of Preston Swimming Club and also help students progress in their chosen field of expertise.

Both parties are very keen to see this partnership mature and develop, and it's hoped this can be the start of some exciting times for both in the future.

Wednesday 4 September 2013

Promotion aim for Netball teams

UCLan's netball teams are targeting success on a number of fronts this season.

Our three teams enjoyed mixed fortunes during 2012/13 - the first team retained their place in BUCS Northern Division 2A, the 2nds just missed out on promotion from 5A on goal difference, while the 3rd team gained promotion into 7A.

Their aim this season is to carry on chasing promotion across the board, as well as progressing in the Northern Conference Cup and Northern Conference Plate. If anyone is interested in playing netball this season they are welcome to contact Vicky Smith.

The club are holding a taster session at Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre on Monday 23 September from 5-7pm where everyone is welcome to come and join in some fun match play. Trials for teams are on Wednesday 25 September.

If people are looking to play netball for fun instead of competitively they can also get in contact with Vicky, as she in the process of setting up a fun league closely linked to the club.

Tuesday 3 September 2013

STFSC Squash Ladder League

The STFSC Squash Ladder League is now up and running. Ladder leagues are designed to allow you to meet new players and compete against people with similar abilities.

Once on the ladder you can play the person up to two spaces above you and (if you win) swap places with them. We offer flexible match times to fit into your schedule and beginners are extremely welcome. Join today and see how far you can climb.

For further information please email Morley Lewis or contact STFSC Reception on 01772 895400

Monday 2 September 2013

Scorchers looking to build

Hugely popular in mainland Europe, Handball is quickly growing in the UK. UCLan Scorchers were founded after Great Britain's venture into the sport at London 2012, with the aim of establishing Handball as a recognised BUCS competition.

Scorchers Chairman Nick Gaunt is keen to get more people into the sport: "We started the Scorchers last year, after a few of us saw Handball for the first time in the Olympics. Our members were few - mainly international students as it's a lot bigger abroad than it is here.

"However, our aim is to get more members and hopefully grow the sport in the UK. This year we plan on having enough people for three teams - two male and one female. At the moment we have to organise games ourselves, as we are yet to be acknowledged by BUCS.

"Last season we had three friendlies - two against Edge Hill University and the other against Liverpool John Moores. We are really looking forward to playing Edge Hill again as tempers were high last time and it's definitely the beginning of a healthy rivalry between the two clubs. The Scorchers owe an awful lot to Sport 4 U, as they helped us with coaching and finding new members."

Anyone interested in joining the club can visit their stall at the Sports Fair on 20 September at 53 Degrees or email Nick.

Sunday 1 September 2013

UCLan instructor joins cycling elite

A fitness instructor from UCLan has been ranked alongside the likes of Mark Cavendish in the top one per cent of cyclists in the country.

Steve Abbott, who works at the University's Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre, is now a British Cycling Elite Licence Holder after a successful season with Teamwallis Cycling Team led to a promotion.

The accolade applies to the UK's top professional cyclists such as Cavendish and Peter Kennaugh and to serious amateur cyclists who have gained over 300 points in a racing season. The status allows Steve to compete in any Elite National UK race events apart from those solely for professionals.

Steve's success of three wins and seven podium finishes in the 2013 UK season has allowed him to enter this elite category and join some of his cycling heroes.

The 36-year-old, who lives in New Longton, commented: "I've always had modest ambitions of success and I've certainly exceeded them. To get to this level is fantastic and it just shows that hard work brings rewards."

Unusually Steve only took up cycling at the age of 29 after being inspired by elite racers such as Sir Bradley Wiggins. The dedicated athlete juggles a full-time job at UCLan as a Duty Officer teaching spinning, boxercise and circuits with up to 20 hours a week on his bike.

"Working shifts helps me to manage a busy schedule,” Steve said. “I can sometimes fit in a four hour ride in the morning before work though it can be tiring if I've got to teach a spinning class in the afternoon."

The University's sporting arm, UCLanSport, has aided Steve's development through sports science power testing and coaching advice. The cyclist has also worked with UCLan students by taking part in various research studies.

During the race season Steve races up to five times a week and has to fit recovery rides in between. This year he's raced in Belgium in the warm up event for the Scheldeprijs Flanders Classics cycling race which attracts over 10,000 cyclists.

Steve added: "I've had a great season and racing in Belgium is definitely one of the highlights. I'm already looking forward to next year where I aim to continue to improve my performance and push myself as much as I can."

Thursday 29 August 2013

Rams target play-offs

UCLan Rams are aiming high ahead of the new BUCS American Football League season.

After a creditable debut campaign in the North West Division, the Rams have targeted an unbeaten year and a spot in the National play-offs for 2013/14.

The team - founded two years ago by Sam Bloomfield - have come a long way since gaining affiliation.

Initial sessions saw 30-40 players train every Sunday for three hours, with no promise of competition and barely any kit or equipment to work with.

In March 2012, after numerous failed attempts, the Rams finally discovered they had been awarded a Sport England grant. This enabled them to buy most of the equipment needed to field a competitive team.

In 2012/13 the newly formed UCLan Rams began recruiting members and coaches and with around 100 people attending rookie sessions, they proudly took their place in the league. Almost 70 players stuck with the team throughout the season, which ended with a 5-3 record and a fourth-placed finish.

The team trains on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and has plenty of social events throughout the season - including watching NFL action every Sunday evening with free food.

Anyone (male or female) wishing to join the club as a player, coach, assistant or even social member is welcome. For further information visit the Rams at the Sports Fair on 20 September at 53 Degrees. Alternatively you sign up to the club via the Students' Union website.

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Referee Scholarship Programme

The Referee Scholarship Programme is a joint programme run by UCLan Students’ Union and Lancashire FA.

We are looking to identify active referees wishing to continue their studies who are committed and have the potential to progress through the referee pyramid.

The successful applicants will either be operating within an Academy type structure with their Parent County FA already or will show the desire to operate within one.

For more information on these packages or to apply for the Elite Referee Programme please email us or call 01772 894843.

Tuesday 23 July 2013

Top 10 finish for UCLan at Corporate Games

Following a fantastic 2012 UK Corporate Games hosted in Preston, 110 organisations were represented this year including big names such as the RAF, Accenture, IBM UK, CSC, Ernst & Young, Jaguar Land Rover, Lloyds Bank, BUPA, Asda, Unilever, along with Warwick & Coventry Universities.

The games comprised of 127 events in 22 different sports, held at various venues across Coventry and Warwick between 3 and 5 July.

Despite only entering teams in three sports (dragon boat, women’s golf, and women’s soccer 5’s), UCLan achieved joint eighth place in the overall medal table with a fantastic 23 in total, and were overall winners of Division 4 (21-50 team members) with a staggering 223 points, beating the likes of Barclaycard, EON, HSBC, Dunlop amongst others.

Our Dragon Boat team, aptly named 'Oarsome', comprising of 15 staff from Learning and Information Services, came a very well deserved and hard fought fourth on the Saturday long course. It went two places better on the Sunday short course taking second place and the Silver medal position, beaten by only 1/20th of a second, in an exciting but gruelling race described by the organisers as the closest finish they had ever seen.

UCLan also took silver and bronze medals in both Women’s Golf events with Jan Peace and Wendy Skerritt putting in superb individual performances. The UCLan women’s 5-a-side football team 'Invincible' made it through to the final with ease, going on to win gold and rounding off a hugely successful weekend of sport for the University.

Monday 22 July 2013

Cash boost for Lancashire's rising stars

Young sporting hopefuls from across the County have been awarded a cash boost to help them towards their sporting goals.

14 young athletes from Lancashire were awarded a £500 grant and support from UCLan in the latest round of the Lancashire Rising Star Fund. The project, in association with Lancashire Sport Partnership, Lancashire County Council and UCLan, awards the grants to individuals to cover costs such as travel, training, accommodation, competition fees, and equipment.

In addition, each recipient will receive a package of support from UCLan that will include strength and conditioning services, nutritional advice and support and access to UCLan sports and training facilities.

The Rising Stars will be invited to a presentation evening at UCLan in September to celebrate their sporting achievements and present them with their grant. The next round of funding will be announced later on in the year.

Details of the athletes can be found here. If you would like to support Lancashire's future sporting stars please email or call 01772 299830.

Monday 15 July 2013

DSE National Junior Athletics Championships 2013

This weekend saw more than 250 junior athletes descend on Preston for the DSE National Junior Athletics Championships 2013.

UCLan Sports Arena was the venue for the two-day event which has previously been used a stepping stone onto greater achievements.

Paralympians such as Hannah Cockcroft, Shelley Woods, Aled Davies and Hollie Arnold all competed in past events as part of their development into world class athletes. This years' results are available here. Photographs from the event can be found here and here.

UCLanSport would like to offer its congratulations to everyone who took part this year.

Thursday 11 July 2013

The myth about weight training for women

Laura, one of our Fitness Instructors at Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre (STFSC), has kindly submitted a guest article to the UCLanSport blog:

I have been here for over 12 months now and have done numerous amounts of inductions, fitness assessments, programmes and personal training sessions.

I have done programs for males and females in my time at STFSC, but the main issue I've come across and would like to address is the misunderstanding about women and Weight Training.

MYTH: 'Lifting weights makes you bulky and masculine'

This could not be further than the truth. Lifting weights can benefit both men and women, and by including strength training into your workout and pushing yourself that little bit further, it is the only way you will see results and get stronger. I think one of the key points is that muscle actually takes up less space than fat, so if your aim is to lose fat, then building muscle will lead to you looking leaner and more defined.

A further important factor as to why lifting weights will not make females bulky or masculine is down to the hormone called testosterone. The hormone in men can be responsible for the increase in muscle size due to weight training. Men can produce up to 20 times more testosterone daily compared to women. Take a look!

Men: 300-1200 ng/dL

Women: 30-95 ng/dL

ng/dL = nanograms per deciliter

With the above ranges you can see the difference between the production of testosterone in men and women. Men have a significantly higher amount of testosterone compared to women. Therefore, it is clear by these figures that women do not have the hormonal support to gain excessive amounts of muscle. It is not completely ruling out the possibility of you building some muscle, you just won’t build muscle like a man. It will result in a more toned figure.

WEIGHT TRAINING for WOMEN

The stereotypical workout for a woman includes a lot of cardio, followed by picking up a light dumbbell and doing numerous amounts of repetitions. While doing an endless amount of repetitions has its benefits, lifting heavy and challenging weights is going to benefit you more, especially if your aims include weight loss, strength and an improvement of your body shape.

Obviously, I am not suggesting that you all go and pick up the heaviest dumbbell in the gym and try and curl or bench press it, strength gains will take time. However, if you stick at it, you will feel and see the benefits more than doing an endless amount of repetitions with the lightest weight in STFSC (1kg).

If you are a complete beginner then don’t be afraid to start off with the fixed weights machines, they will help you gain a little bit more confidence in weight training, as well as an idea of your strength. However, you are going to improve eventually and will need to challenge your body that little bit more and there is nothing better than free-weights and compound exercises. Yes ladies, this means that you may have to enter the dreaded and masculine free-weights area in the Fitness Suite at STFSC.

But do not worry, we are here to help, guide you through, and eventually change the balance into our favour ladies! Therefore, here are some challenging compound exercises to help you get that shape you have been aiming towards.

DEADLIFTS

Deadlifts are full body workouts and target the legs, back, abs, traps etc. So you can see that this exercise is going to target those areas that women want to tone and shape up.

SQUATS

If you want legs like a Hollywood film star then including Squats into your workouts is going to help you achieve them. Squats target the whole of the upper legs, quads, hamstrings, glutes. They are one of the best exercises for overall leg development.

LUNGES

Lunges are good for again targeting those hard areas us females like to tighten up, glutes, quads, hamstrings.

PRESS UPS

Press-ups are great for improving your upper body strength; you don’t even need to include a weight. Press-ups target the chest, triceps and shoulders, giving us ladies that nice toned upper body.

Overall, we have discussed why weight training will not cause you to become bulky and masculine, and how it will instead improve body shape, assist with fat loss and improve strength. I do realise we haven’t discussed any specific training methods, but at STFSC we are available to help you find what training methods are suitable for you. All you have to do is ask!

Thursday 4 July 2013

Preston City Games



UCLan was the host venue as hundreds of people from a range of different businesses went head to head in the first ever Preston City Games. The event saw teams from 37 firms compete in different sports including badminton, football, netball.

Other sporting activities included hockey, running, rounders, rugby and table tennis, with the fun taking place at both the UCLan Sports Arena and the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre.

The sporting day was hailed a huge success by organisers, who are already looking forward to next year's event on Saturday, June 7th.

Councillor Tom Burns, cabinet member for leisure, said: "It is great to see the business community come together and support the first Preston City Games. Everyone had a fantastic day and I hope they and many others will join us next year when the event will be even bigger."

Winners on the day included BAE Systems, who won in the badminton mixed doubles, UCLan, who won at netball, and Preston Council, who scooped first, second and third place in the men's 5k running event.

The games were held as part of the Guild legacy, as well as the city's status of European City of Sport in 2012 and followed on from the UK Corporate Games which were held in the city last year.

Kate Youngman, senior sports development officer at Preston Council, said: "It was a brilliant day, we couldn't have asked for better weather. The atmosphere was fantastic. Everyone had a beaming smile on their face. It ticked all the right boxes for us and we have had some great feedback already."

The games were organised by Preston Council, Preston College and UCLan.

Monday 10 June 2013

England dominate Six Nations event

The Junior and Cadet Six Nations Table Tennis competition returned to England in 2013 with the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre the host venue.

The top youngsters from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Guernsey and the Isle of Man descended on UCLan for the event which saw England capture three of the four team titles on offer.

Manager of the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre (STFSC), Martin Baines, commented: "It was a fantastic opportunity to boost interest in the sport in Lancashire and I’m delighted UCLan could play a part in this."

UCLan had previously welcomed international table tennis to STFSC when the USA and Australian teams used the centre as a pre-Olympic training base in 2012.

The Six Nations event gave young aspiring internationals the chance to test themselves against higher quality opposition and English Head Performance Coach, Nick Jarvis, noted the importance of these challenges in a young player's career."There is always great rivalry in home internationals in any sport," said Nick. "Our players relished the competition and the experience should prove invaluable in the future."

Sunday 9 June 2013

UCLan cyclists break Chris Hoy record

Student cyclists from UCLan smashed a track record set by Olympian Sir Chris Hoy 16 years ago.

The four-man team - James Claydon, Chris Nicholson, Julian Pearson and Martin Woffindin - set a new record and won gold in the Men's Team Pursuit at the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Track Cycling Championships 2013 in Glasgow.

Their time of 4:37:04 broke the record set by Heriot-Watt University in 1997 when the six-time Olympian Hoy was a student there. The team pursuit event is a four kilometre race against the clock.

Sports Coaching student Martin said it was an amazing feeling to break the record and win gold in the final against the University of Strathclyde: "It was a big shock as we didn’t come close to breaking it during qualifying and then it all came together in the final," he said. "Our teammates were watching the clock and knew with a kilometre to go we had a chance of breaking the record, so it was very tense and exciting."

Teammate and Sports Technology student Julian said: "To find out Sir Chris Hoy was one of the people who held the record before we broke it was astounding and to think we are on par with someone like him at our age is a great feeling."

Over 25 universities and colleges from around the country took part in the event at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow. The UCLan Students' Union Cycling Club attracts both experienced and beginner cyclists and has over 25 members.