Sarah Ledden | Staff Writer
The motion to introduce a Sport and Exercise Officer to the Students’ Union was passed by class reps at last SU Council last week, with History student Conor Clancy being elected to the position. The aim of the new position is to promote and encourage the student body to engage in recreational exercise and physical activity with the help of the Sports Department. Previously these duties were assigned to the SU Welfare Officer, with initiatives such as the gym buddy scheme and bike renovation scheme run being run this year.
Speaking to The University Times about the new position, Welfare Officer Stephen Garry stated that he does not see the new position as a separation from the Welfare office. “The Welfare office will continue to work on these issues, but it’s useful to have an officer dedicated to an area where we felt further focus would be beneficial,” he said. “Good physical health has a multitude of benefits and is often intrinsically linked with the maintenance of positive mental health.”
Conor Clancy, elected Sport and Exercise Officer, told The University Times that his focus is on “recreational exercise as a part of life” and expressed a desire for College sports facilities, such as Botany Bay, indoor courts and College Green, to be more accessible for students. Clancy feels that there is a desire among students and staff to maintain an active lifestyle, however “co-operation between the two is often difficult”; he believes that his role will be instrumental in helping to resolve this.
Clancy said that while College facilities are available for students to access, many students are discouraged either by a lack of awareness or the expense of booking. As part of his role, he hopes to campaign for these spaces to be available free of charge for students during off-peak times. This would “promote the presence of casual and diverse exercise on campus while simultaneously maximising the use of our facilities to the benefit of the student body and refraining from creating a financial burden on the college.”
Clancy commends the “excellent participation in non-club activities” of students, mentioning events such as Cancer Soc’s 24-hour Relay for Life, 5-a-side tournaments and Quidditch tournaments as demonstrations that “students are eager and willing to participate”. Clancy also praised calendar events such as Health and Sports week and RAG week for getting people involved, but feels that weeks such as these should not be isolated. “My view is why should this be limited to only a few weeks a year?” he remarked.
In addition to this, Clancy hopes to inform and aid students in submitting applications to generate new sports clubs. He has experience with working through the “complicated process” of setting up a club and feels that providing students with guidance through this process will “encourage students to raise their voice about the kind of sports and sporting events they want to see”. Clancy also advocates increased inclusion of students with disabilities in sports in the coming year.
Other student officers elected at Council include Damien McClean as LGBTQ Rights officer, Ana O’Sullivan as International Rights Officer, Maedbh Costello as Citizenship Officer, and Trisha O’Byrne as Oifigeach na Gaeilge.
