First published in CommUnicate issue 333

Warwick Sport is a joint collaboration between the University’s Physical Education and Sport Department and the Students' Union. Its board is chaired by former Olympic athlete Dave Moorcroft, and its aim is to enable all University members to engage in sport and physical activity.

Based within the Sports Centre on central campus, Warwick Sports offers activities in all the University's sports facilities. Warwick Sport currently has 77 sports clubs which are open to all staff and students, with 54 teams competing every Wednesday in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Leagues. Warwick Sport organises a Sports Courses Programme (golf, swimming, boot camp, squash & racketball and climbing), offers subsidies for individuals to become qualified coaches and officials and supports talented athletes (both students and staff) with a University Scholarship Scheme.

The Department of Physical Education and Sport works very closely with Warwick Sport, and oversees all of the sports facilities, including the swimming pool, fitness suite, athletics track, Tennis Centre, Cryfield Pavilion and the climbing wall. The Sports Centre is now IFI (Inclusive Fitness Initiative) accredited. The IFI programme supports facilities to become more inclusive, catering for the needs of disabled users.

Warwick Sport recently organised the Sports Relief Mile event for Coventry on campus in which over 500 individuals took part in 1, 3 and 6 mile events.

In conjunction with the Tennis Centre, Warwick Sport hosted the Barclays BUCS Tennis Challenge Event, the Regional Qualifiers as well as the National BUCS Tennis Finals.

Warwick Sport once again beat our rivals Coventry University in the Annual Varsity Matches in a closely contested competition between many of our teams.

After a successful BUCS season, Women's and Men's Lacrosse and Men's Rugby Union 1st Teams were promoted to the Premier Leagues.

Warwick Sport Facilities

Facilities at the main Sports Centre comprise a 25 metre, six lane swimming pool plus sauna; six squash courts; The Bear Rock Indoor Climbing Centre and specialist 'bouldering room'; The Running Bear Fitness Suite and performance weight training area; two four-court sports halls, an aerobics studio and physiotherapy clinic.

Our Westwood site is designed as a mini sports village and includes: three-court sports hall with lecture facilities; changing rooms and physiotherapy areas; three synthetic sports pitches; an eight-lane Mondo athletics track; indoor tennis centre plus floodlit outdoor courts; and a grass American Football Pitch.

Cryfield Pavilion serves over 60 acres of playing fields including eight grass football pitches, three rugby pitches, two cricket squares and two lacrosse pitches.

The Pavilion itself can host 22 teams in individual changing rooms and has a fully equipped social area that can be used for post match hospitality, lectures, meetings and conferences.

Following the completion of the Warwick Sport 2015 Strategy, Warwick is aiming to create the most active University community in the UK. Warwick Sport is looking at developing the opportunities for staff to engage in physical activity in a number of ways through an active lifestyles programme, working in conjunction with other University departments.

Over the summer Warwick Sport is looking at organising a number of staff events and mini tournaments. The aim of these will be to improve inter-department relations, boost team morale and have fun. More information will be available on insite soon.

For more information on Warwick Sport, visit the Warwick Sport website