Beyond the lecture theatre: Exploring Durham’s sports scene

Elias Koenig on June 20, 2024

Hi, I’m Isabel a 3rd year student studying an integrated masters in Earth Sciences. For me sport is what has shaped my past 3 years at Durham university – from being captain of Collingwood Women’s football team, competing for Collingwood squash and rounders, to representing the university in touch rugby and Women’s football.

Why embrace sport at university?

Sport for me is one of the key reasons I love being a student at Durham. The opportunity to engage in a variety of sports activities—from playing football eight times a week, to bi-weekly squash and touch rugby, and even trying out lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, and mixed netball. Beyond just playing, sport has been where I have found my people; it’s how I’ve made most of my friends outside my course.

Durham university has two levels of sport, offering a vibrant and varied sporting environment no matter your level of expertise. From college sport where you have friendly intercollegiate leagues and cups that run throughout the year, to Durham university(‘DU’) sport where you get to travel the country on a BUCS Wednesday representing Durham against other Universities.

What’s unique about college sport at Durham?

As a student from Collingwood College, the array of sports and teams is staggering. Did you know that Collingwood College Football Club is the largest amateur football club in Europe, with 18 football teams (16 men’s and 2 women’s)? That’s not to mention the 9 netball teams, 5 hockey teams, and teams for squash, cheerleading, dance, and cricket, among others. Whether you’re into football, netball, rowing, or something a bit more niche, there’s likely a team waiting for you. As well as regular weekly fixtures, college teams also participate in Varsity weekends—  fun and friendly competitions against other colleges, and universities such as York and Loughborough, which are always a fun day out with friends, filled with a bit of sport rivalry!

Collingwood squash

Exploring Durham University (DU) sports

In 2023, Durham was named Sports University of the Year by The Times, a testament to our strong sports culture, which has consistently placed us in the top three of the BUCS table since 2012. But it’s not just about the statistics – DU Sports caters from beginners to international-level athletes with professional support from sports psychologists, nutritionists, and regular strength and conditioning sessions at our state-of-the-art sports performance hub. I always say that being part of Team Durham makes me feel like being a professional athlete, a unique experience that complements my academic journey at Durham.

Sports: Not the only way to get involved

While sports have been my go-to for socialising and staying active, Durham offers a range of other ways to engage with campus life, from theatre and music to various societies and leadership roles. My advice to you? Don’t hesitate to step out of your comfort zone. The experiences that initially seemed daunting have turned out to be the most rewarding parts of my university life.

To summarise my waffle: whether you’re a seasoned athlete or someone looking to try something new, the sports scene at Durham offers something for everyone. It’s more than just games and competitions; it’s about building friendships, developing skills, and making unforgettable memories. So, why not give it a try? You might just find your passion or a new circle of friends waiting to welcome you.

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College sport – Hill v Bailey

Elias Koenig on June 13, 2024

What is college sport? 

College level sport at Durham allows students to get involved with sport at university at a more relaxed and less competitive level and often allows students to learn a sport from scratch. If college sport is something you want to get involved in, it’s important to consider the different sports facilities at different colleges.

Bailey colleges

The Bailey colleges are the older colleges at Durham, located in old townhouses (and a Castle!). This means that space is often limited. That doesn’t mean that students here don’t get involved with sport though. In fact, Hatfield and Castle have a dedicated day where they compete against each other in different sports! Many of the colleges will head over to the Maiden Castle fields (Sport & Wellbeing Park) to play sports like lacrosse, rugby, football and more! Indoor sports like badminton and volleyball are played inside Maiden Castle. The Sports & Wellbeing Park is only about a 15-minute walk from the Bailey, meaning if you want to get involved, the travel isn’t very strenuous. Other sports such as cheer vary from college to college, but a few of the Bailey cheer teams practice in the Hild Bede JCR. The intercollegiate cheer competition is still at Maiden Castle though.

Hill colleges

Hill colleges were founded later and so have a lot more space than Bailey colleges. Colleges such as Grey and Collingwood both have tennis courts for college use. While Mary’s and Stephenson have dedicated outdoor sports areas. Some sports at the hill colleges may still happen at Maiden Castle, especially if there are intercollegiate competitions. For example, floodlit matches, which are attended by the colleges competing, are also often held at Maiden Castle. 

Which is better? 

Even though hill colleges do have more on site sport facilities, the facilities used by the Bailey colleges are not far away and most people who engage in college sport will likely visit Maiden Castle at some point due to the intercollegiate competitions at Durham. 

Most of the sports offered at colleges will also be the same, but it is worth looking at what is offered at each college if there is something specific you’re interested in. For example, Castle did not have a cheer team until this year! 

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