Netball Success – On and Off the Court

Beth Stanfield
June 10, 2019
University of Leeds Netball
The University of Leeds Netball Club are celebrating four awards after one of their most successful years to date.

Firstly, in February 2019, they were crowned winners of the Student Sport, Special Contribution category at the Leeds Sport Awards. They then went on to win ‘Club of the Year’ at this year’s Sports Colours Awards and Netball club captain, Annalisa Townsend was awarded the Gryphon Leadership Award for her outstanding efforts in steering the club.
Not to mention, a Leeds for Life citizenship award for ‘Project of the Year’ for their schools volunteering project alongside the Leeds Rhinos Foundation.

Netball club at the sports colours awards

Social Sport

The netball club have contributed over 500 hours of volunteering this academic year. This makes them one of our best clubs on campus for giving back.
On campus, social sport activators Anna Blake & Rosie Tate also delivered weekly social netball sessions at The Edge. These sessions enable students to play regular netball without the commitment of being on a team.

“Being an activator helped me to improve my confidence & creativity. Each week we had to come up with fun, engaging ideas for the group.”

Rosie Tate, Netball Activator.

The University of Leeds also supports a huge social netball league with 36 teams competing each year. In order to run, a team of 20 volunteer umpires officiate 2 hours each per week during term.
Here’s what Elise had to say about her time as a Netball Umpire: 

Netball Umpire Quote - "Volunteering as a netball umpire for the past two years has been a great way to be more involved in a sport I love, and a fun way to improve key employability skills. I have been able to help other players enjoy netball as much as I do, as well as improve my confidence both individually and within a team."

New Opportunities

The netball club have been a driving force behind a new schools volunteering pilot in partnership with the Leeds Rhinos Foundation. Seven members of the club volunteered in local primary schools, delivering netball amongst other sports alongside the Rhinos. Each volunteer also committed to achieving their ‘Level 2 Principles of Coaching Sport & Physical Activity’ award to prepare them for their placement.

“The Gryphons into Schools programme has been a fantastic experience for myself and the other netball girls who volunteered. Participating in the schools programme has given me the confidence to do more coaching and take on any challenge. Whether you have done coaching before or not I would highly recommend it – not only because it’s a great experience, but because of the skill set you develop throughout.”

Annalisa Townsend, Club Captain.

Volunteers with school children

Their volunteering enabled over 3300 participations in netball to take place on campus and across Leeds this year. Furthermore, the clubs voluntary activities carried an economic value of over £3500.

“The netball club have demonstrated a genuine passion for netball and created a culture of volunteering in the club in a relatively short space of time. Annalisa was the driving force behind all of this, influencing and supporting others to achieve more. They’ve really shown what can be achieved through hard work and commitment to others.”

Suzzi Garnett, Sports Volunteering Officer

Charity Work

In addition, the club have also dedicated time to charitable activities, such as the Christmas shoebox appeal, rainbow scrunchies during LGBT+ history month, as well as a joint social with Rugby League in aid of the James Burke Foundation and many more.

Finally, congratulations once again to the University of Leeds Netball Club on their achievements this year. As a result, they’ve already got 24 volunteers lined up to support various programmes next academic year.

netball volunteer on the side of the netball court

If your club or society is interested in volunteering you can check out our current programmes here.
Meanwhile, applications for our Gryphons into Schools programme are open – individuals from any sporting background can apply and applications close on Friday 21st June 2019.

For more information about the programmes mentioned or sports volunteering, contact:
Suzzi Garnett, Sports Volunteering Officer
s.garnett@leeds.ac.uk / 0113 343 1544.

Funding to grow volunteering programme

Beth Stanfield
January 24, 2019
volunteers with refugees as part of the football and language refugee programme - posing for a photo
Leeds Sport are delighted to announce that a funding injection from the Footsteps Fund will help us grow our sports volunteering programmes this semester.

Our Gryphons into Schools and Gryphons in the Community programmes will see almost 40 students deployed into local schools and community groups to deliver sport this semester.

students on rowing machines with volunteers encouraging them

The Footsteps Fund uses kind donations from alumni and friends of the University of Leeds to support initiatives that enhance the student experience and have an invaluable impact on individual students as well as the wider community. Students involved in Leeds Sport’s off campus volunteering programmes will develop their own skills and broaden their horizons as well as bring sport to new audiences across the city.

Following the success of last year’s pilot project delivering football and English language tuition at the Leeds Refugee Forum in Harehills, the Footsteps funding will help us to deploy volunteers to support four more community groups through our Gryphons in the Community programme this academic year. Students will get off campus and deliver boxing sessions alongside Unorthobox, after school sports at the LS14 Trust in Seacroft, and table tennis and boxing at the Reginald Centre in Chapeltown. A little closer to home students will also get their hands dirty fixing bikes at the Bike Hub on campus and support various cycling activities up at the Brownlee Centre.

volunteers and refugees outside smiling, playing football

The Footsteps fund will also enable us to deliver a new schools programme alongside the Leeds Rhinos Foundation(LRF). Volunteers from the University of Leeds Netball club will work alongside LRF coaches to deliver netball in primary schools across the city. By working with a qualified coach, students will have the opportunity to develop their coaching skills in a supportive environment as well as share their passion for netball with young people in Leeds. This is a partnership we hope to grow to encompass more sports and schools in the coming years.

The funding will primarily be used to support comprehensive training, giving student’s formal qualifications and a meaningful legacy to their volunteering as well as enhancing their University experience.

Suzanne Glavin, Head of Sport at the University of Leeds said:

‘We are delighted to have the support of the Footsteps Fund to enhance and grow our volunteering offer. There is a great appetite from both students and local schools and community groups for these types of partnerships and we are really excited about the impact which the Footsteps Funding will have’

Supported by donations to the footsteps fund by alumni and friends of the University of Leeds

More information about the Footsteps Fund can be found here.
More information about Leeds Sport’s volunteering programme can be found here.

Change Lives In South Africa

Tilly Hall
September 18, 2017
students helping a south african student to ride a bike

Our Gryphons Abroad project is a once in a lifetime opportunity to develop your skills whilst changing the lives of young people in South Africa.

In June we will travel to South Africa and deliver a unique project which aims to raise aspirations through activity and leadership. This student led project is a fantastic opportunity for you to gain a huge amount of skills and experience which will set you apart once you leave university.

What Will the Project involve?

uni student high fiveing sa studentYou will spend two weeks in South Africa, the first week inspiring students through sport and the second teaching them to ride and maintain bikes.
In the first week you teach leadership skills, sports activities and a range of classroom lessons to over 100 primary school children, culminating in a day where the South African students lead in organising a range of activities and a sports festival.
The impact of this week is invaluable to the employability of the students in this deprived area as they are taught valuable skills as well as gaining a huge amount of confidence in their ability.

“Gryphons Abroad is without doubt one of the best things I’ve ever done, I had the best time doing things I never thought I would get the chance to do.”
Amy Grabe, Philosophy Student

students holding up bike wheelsThe second week involves teaching 20+ students to ride and maintain their own school bikes. Travel to and from school in these areas can be an issue due to the distance between home and school (up to 2 hours walk) and this is a barrier to some students accessing an education. You will teach students a skill which can be life changing, this impact is especially clear with young girls as cycling is not a skill that is traditionally taught to women in their culture.

To pay for your place on the trip and donate towards the project costs e.g. buying bikes you will be required to fundraise £2000 over 8 months. This is a challenge which will develop your skills and contribute towards your employability.

“Don’t worry about the fundraising because it seems like a lot of money at the start but it is literally so easy, and such a miniscule part of the process to get to such an amazing country and work with like-minded people that you’re probably going to be friends with for a long time.”

April Leeson, Language Student

Join the Team
We want enthusiastic and motivated students from across the University to join our team for 17/18. The project is open to all students and no prior experience in a sports setting is needed. So if travelling to a different country and experiencing a new culture while leading on a project and making a clear impact on students’ lives in South Africa sounds like it’s something you would like to be a part of the make sure you apply before the 1st October 2017.

We’ve made the application process as simple as possible, all you need to do to apply is email Tilly (n.c.hall@leeds.ac.uk) answering the following question:

Why do you want to be part of the team and what could you offer?

Your answer needs to be a maximum of 1 side of A4 and emailed to Tilly (n.c.hall@leeds.ac.uk) by midnight on the 1st October 2017.
Interviews Will Take Place: w/c 2nd October

Apply Now!

Got any questions? Email Tilly: n.c.hall@leeds.ac.uk or take a look at the Gryphons Abroad Webpage.

Leeds Varsity parkrun, be a part of the series

Lucy Wood
August 15, 2017

Leeds Varsity are excited to announce that following last years success, Varsity parkrun is back for 2017.

If you’ve always wanted to be involved with the greatest sporting event in the university calendar, you can! So how does it work?

Each runner and volunteer will score a point for their University, the University with the most points wins parkrun Varsity.

When? Saturday 30th September, 8.30am

Where? Woodhouse Moor

How? Register with parkrun then simply turn up on the Saturday morning wearing your University colours to take part. Staff, students and alumni are welcome. parkrun is a 5km run which you can take as slow or as fast as you like. If you are keen to get involved but can’t run, don’t worry, you can volunteer for your University and you’ll still count towards your universities total. There will be 3 funnels after you’ve finished, you simply need to make your way down the funnel allocated to your University and hand in your token.

Who wins? You will only score a point for your university if you register and wear your University colours. The University with the most participants (runners and volunteers) will be the parkrun Varsity champions!

Helpful Information for on the day

  • Register beforehand
  • Print off and bring your barcode
  • Leave bags and coats at the finish line not the start line
  • Get to the start line for 8:50am
  • Please listen carefully during the run briefing
  • It’s a run not a race, you’re an ambassador for your university. Please be considerate to other runners and park users
  • Wear your university’s colours, GREEN for Uni, PURPLE for Beckett.
  • Try to seed yourself on how fast you think you’ll be able to complete the run
  • Cross the finish line the third time it comes into sight
  • After crossing the finish line stay in order until given a finish token
  • Get your barcode and finish token scanned at your University-specific scanning station

Sports Colours Awards 2017

Lucy Wood
May 13, 2017

On Wednesday 3rd May, players, coaches, students and staff from Leeds Sport celebrated a fantastic year of sporting achievements. The Sports Colours Awards dinner was a fabulous evening, just one of many nights that made up the over arching celebrate week, which culminates with Friday nights grand finale; The Riley’s.

The evening was opened by host Activities officer Taiwo Ogunyinka alongside Sports, Dance, & Martial Arts Reps Ruan, Lauren, and Sam. This lead us in to the first awards of the evening, Club Colours, presented by the reps and Full Colours, by Sports Coordinator and BUCS guru, Rob Fairley. These are awarded to individuals who have gone above and beyond for their society or who have consistently performed highly for their team. This year there were a phenomenal 101 Club Colours awarded showing the fantastic commitment of Leeds Sport club members. There were also a huge 40 Full Colours awarded highlighting the talent of the athletes here at the University.

After a wonderful meal provided by the University of Leeds refectory, attendees were treated to a sensational performance by Dancesport to open the second half of the evening. The performance set a fantastic tone to the evening and showcased the talent among our dancers here at Leeds. The Sports Colours Awards evening also allowed Leeds Sport to celebrate its strength and depth of Sport Scholars whom it supports throughout their time at University.

Following these celebrations, we awarded this years White Rose and Gryphon Award winners who again have excelled either through commitment to their club or their performing excellence respectively. This years White Rose winners were:

  • Olivia Carter (Squash)
  • James Nicholson (Hiking)
  • Ayesha Lee (Cricket)
  • Shona Macloud (Football)
  • Frances Robbs de la Hoye (Rugby)
  • Will Carter (Ultimate Frisbee)
  • Grace Galbraith (Dancesport)
  • Tom Harding (Rugby Union)
  • Jack Bullock (Football)
  • Natasha Shafquat (Hockey)
  • Luke Bowen (Snowriders)
  • Ciaran Lennon (Ice hockey)
  • Nigel Sibanda (Volleyball)

And our Gryphon Award winners, were:

  • Rachel Newborough (Football)
  • Rosie Blout (Cycling)
  • Robert White (Ultimate Frisbee)
  • Fionnuala Crosbie (Netball)
  • Ciara Crosbie (Netball)
  • Savvas Hadjigeorgiou (Hockey)
  • Felix Titherley (American Football)
  • Josh Blower (Lacrosse)
  • Sarah Donnelly (Kick boxing and Krav Maga)

This lead in to our top 9 awards for the evening beginning with 2 new awards; Social League Team of the Year which was awarded to Law Netball, and the newly introduced this year Gryphon Leadership Award, awarded to Hannah Clarke for her outstanding contribution to the Netball Umpire Academy. The next two rewarded our coaches for their hard work to get the teams to where they are. This years Sue Jacklin Club Coach of the Year went to Hockey’s Chris Golding who coached 3 of the hockey clubs teams this past year. Our Mike Brook Performance Coach of the Year went to Women’s Cricket head coach Rick Holland who has gone above and beyond his role in the past 12 months to deliver an excellent coaching experience to the Women’s Cricket Club and the newly formed Women’s MCCU side.

Netballers posing for photo with award and presenter Emma
Hannah Clarke accepting award from Andy

Most Improved Athlete of the Year was awarded to Rowing’s James Boak who since starting rowing from scratch in 2016, was selected for the Club’s new group of ‘Performance Scullers’. In November James entered the National BUCS Indoor Rowing Series, where he placed Silver in the whole of Great Britain, an achievement which no one from Leeds has done on recent records. He has continued to break other Club records, posting the best 30 minute time on the rowing machine to date. He is driven and always gives his all. He is now setting his goals towards the water.

James & Jess posing for a photo with trophy

The Chris Hatton Most Improved Team of the Year went to the American Football who’s team went undefeated and become the BUCS 2A North conference champions, scoring an average of 35 points a game as the number 1 ranked offense in the country. The team also made it to the BUCS Northern Conference Cup finals.

This year’s Roberts Athlete of the year award went to Triathlon’s Sam Dickinson, one of the Universities Sports Scholars. Sam claimed 1st place in the Time Trial Qualifier at the 2016 Kitzbuhel ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup, and 1st in the main Triathlon event. He also took 1st in the 2016 Holten ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup, and 8th in the 2016 ITU World Triatlon Grand Final Cozumel. Sam also achieved Gold in the BUCS Sprint Triathlon 2016 beating Gordon Benson, GB triathlete and Leeds Alumni in the process. He’s definitely one to watch for the future.

Sam Dickinson posing with trophy

Rugby League were the winners of this years Team of the Year, who’s award has now been renamed in memory of James Burke who tragically passed away in April this year. Rugby League are one of the few teams at Leeds that currently compete in the BUCS Premier division. This year they finished an impressive 3rd behind Leeds Beckett and Northumbria, their best league finish in over 10 years. They reached the BUCS Championship semi-finals narrowly missing out on the finals to league winners Northumbria. The team were also victorious in a new event this year, the Yorkshire Varsity, which took place at the Headingley Stadium against a side made up of the best students from across Yorkshire Universities.

Rugby League team posing for a photo with trophy

The Chief Executive of Leeds University Union, Aidan Grills took to the stage to present the final and most hotly anticipated award of the evening, Club of the Year. For the second year running, Women’s Hockey, were announced winners of this award having sent in an impressive nomination excelling in all criteria for the award. The 24 strong club committee efficiently manages 8 teams and uses its strength in numbers to boast as a leading society for charity fundraising. They have created their own website and have been heavily involved with getting involved in the community with their annual ‘Quicksticks’ tournament. Not only that but they have continued to develop relationships with alumni and aid player personal development opportunities with their ‘Hockey Works’ scheme. Congratulations ladies on a well deserved award!

Womens hockey club on stage collecting winners trophy

New Trustee for The Bambisanani Partnership

Lucy Wood
November 29, 2016

This week, The Bambisanani Partnership appointed Leeds Sports Professional Development Manager, Andy Lockwood, as a Trustee.  

Andy became involved in the Bambisanani Partnership 2 years ago and made his first visit to South Africa in 2015 with students and staff from St. Mary’s School, Menston. Inspired by the visit, Andy set about organising his own project with students from the University of Leeds to head to South Africa to further develop the work of the partnership. In June 2016, the first ‘Gryphon’s Abroad‘ leadership project was delivered to over one hundred junior school children and pioneered a unique cycling programme (Cycling to Success) at Mnyakanya School.  Its safe to say the project was a huge success and the students that helped to deliver the project had an incredible experience.

“Over the last two years, I have had the privilege of working with the partnership, initially as a sponsored guest and more recently as a fully-fledged project partner through my role at the University of Leeds. I can quite honestly say that the partnership has had a profound effect on me as an individual and the way in which I view the world. Through my visit with the partnership in 2015 and the delivery of my own project in 2016, I have seen the positive effect the partnership’s work has on the young people and communities it comes into contact with, whether it be supporting young people in South Africa to develop their leadership and coaching skills or supporting our students to develop their skills and broaden their horizons. The charity has an impact upon everyone it comes into contact with. It continues to leave a lasting and growing legacy both in Kwa Zulu Natal and Leeds. It is something that the charity should be very proud of. Sport has an amazing power to change and enrich the lives of young people and this is something that I am incredibly passionate about. I am committed not only through my role at the University of Leeds but personally to the continual development of this work and the good that it does. I believe that my passion and experience will help to develop the partnership further and that I will be able to contribute to its ongoing success. It is a great honour to be appointed to the Board of Trustees and I look forward to playing my part in this amazing charity.”

The Bambisanani Partnership is a multi-award winning charity which uses sport as a catalyst to promote education, health, global citizenship and leadership in one of South Africa’s most deprived rural areas.  Andy will join Founder Trustees David Geldart, Darren Beardsley, Katie Campbell, Barbara Pounder and Diane Maguire on the Board. Chairman of The Bambisanani Partnership, David Geldart, was excited to welcome Andy to the board:

“Andy is an outstanding young man who has gained national recognition for his work in Sport Development and Leadership. He has demonstrated great commitment and personal investment to the partnership and has the vision and enthusiasm to make a significant contribution to the charity, both strategically and operationally. Andy is both a fantastic team player and leader and it is a privilege for us to have him on board.”

University of Leeds are delighted to hear of Andy’s appointment and are excited to be involved in such a fantastic partnership. Head of Sport, Suzanne Glavin, commented on the appointment:

“This is inspirational stuff and I’m delighted for Andy that his hard work , commitment and personal dedication are being recognised through this special appointment. It’s a delight to work alongside people who believe in their product. He is a great ambassador for the University of Leeds and for the power of sport.”

2017’s Gryphon’s Abroad cohort are already well underway fundraising for the second year of the project.

 

Varsity Teams Up With parkrun

Lucy Wood
September 20, 2016
student running in fields

Leeds Varsity are excited to announce another brand new event in this years series. This year, we have teamed up with parkrun to bring you our very own parkrun Varsity.

If you’ve always wanted to be involved with Varsity and help your University score those all important varsity points, now you can! So how does it work?

Each runner and volunteer will score a point for their University, the University with the most points wins parkrun Varsity!

When? Saturday 1st October, 8.30am

Where? Woodhouse Moor

How? Register with parkrun then simply turn up on the Saturday morning wearing your University colours to take part. Both staff and students are welcome! Parkrun is a 5km run which you can take as slow or as fast as you like. If you are keen to get involved but can’t run, don’t worry, you can volunteer just turn up in your colours and you’ll still score a point for your University. There will be 3 funnels after you’ve finished, you simply need to make your way down the funnel allocated to your University and hand in your token.

Who wins? You will only score a point for your university if you register and wear your University colours. The University with the most participants (runners and volunteers) will be the parkrun Varsity victor!

Helpful Information for on the day

  • Register beforehand
  • Print off and bring your barcode
  • Leave bags and coats at the finish line not the start line
  • Get to the start line for 8:50am
  • Please listen carefully during the run briefing
  • It’s a run not a race, you’re an ambassador for the University of Leeds. Please be considerate to other runners and park users
  • Wear your university’s colours, GREEN for Uni, PURPLE for Beckett.
  • Try to seed yourself on how fast you think you’ll be able to complete the run
  • Cross the finish line the third time it comes into sight
  • After crossing the finish line stay in order until given a finish token
  • Get your barcode and finish token scanned at your University-specific scanning station
  • Our Get Out, Get Active team have recently set up their own run club so if you’d like a club to run for, please select Get Out, Get active – Uni of Leeds run club when you sign up.

Become a Gryphon

Tilly Hall
September 16, 2016
Become a Gryphon

At the University of Leeds we provide one of the best sporting experiences in the UK and Leeds is known as “The Home of the Gryphons”.

So how do you Become A Gryphon? It’s simple, all you need to do is get involved in sport in whatever way suits you. Whether you want to volunteer, play socially, compete at the highest level or simply support the Leeds Gryphons clubs you’re joining the Leeds Sport community and becoming a Gryphon.

Follow us on social media and sign up for our monthly newsletter so you don’t miss out on anything!

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Your Varsity Needs You!

Lucy Wood
August 12, 2016

Students, are you still in Leeds this summer? We’re looking for models to be a part of this year’s Varsity campaign which will be displayed all over campus in the run up to this year’s event – and don’t worry you don’t have to play sport to be a part of the campaign. This is a fantastic opportunity to get involved with the biggest sporting event in the University calendar. The photo shoot will take place on Friday 19th August from 9am – 5pm (schedule tbc).

If you are interested and available on the aforementioned date, please contact L.V.Wood@leeds.ac.uk for more information before 12pm Wednesday 17th August.

 

Student volunteer heads to Rio

Lucy Wood
August 3, 2016

University of Leeds student and women’s hockey club member, April Leeson (pictured left), is currently half-way through her 6 week stay in Juiz de Fora, Brazil. Here she is studying Portuguese through an intensive language course. This August, she will be making her way to Rio de Janeiro to participate in the Olympic Games as an official volunteer. She will be part of the accreditation team, where she will be using her language skills to welcome athletes, officials, the media and VIPs onto the park and helping to assist them during their time in Rio.

April, who studies Arabic and Spanish, said:

“This is an excellent opportunity for me to develop her foreign language and communication skills, as well as learning about South American culture, before moving into my final year at the University of Leeds”

Find out more about our Gryphons that are out in Rio here