Clubbing together
Geography student Rowan Sinclair is captain of the high-performing women’s hockey club. With 146 players across five teams, that’s no easy task.
How did it all begin for you?
I didn’t actually play at the University in my first semester, I played for another club. I swapped and came into the team halfway through the season. Everyone was really welcoming and made me feel part of the team straight away, especially the girls in my year. I think that’s a massive feature of the club – we try to be as welcoming as possible.
Tell us about the club.
The club’s been a real support network for me. There is a mix of older and younger members, and we look after each other. We organise team dinners, make sure each other gets to the bus on time and things like that. We’re just a big group of friends.
How has the team inspired you?
There are some girls that will train every week, play every week, also do another sport, drive minibuses for the club. I find the commitment and the time that girls give up really inspiring, especially when sometimes you can feel completely overwhelmed at university. They make the time for it. They give everything they’ve got.
What’s it like being team captain?
It’s definitely been a learning curve – I think especially because the club numbers are so big now. I’m always checking to see if people are enjoying themselves and making sure everyone’s okay. From being one of the ones having the good time to making sure everyone else is having a good time, that’s been the biggest change.
What does community mean to you?
It’s about being there for each other. University stress and hockey training can be a bit much sometimes. The main thing is having a support network – someone is always at the end of the phone or in your flat. We’ve a really strong sense of friendship within the club.
Greatest achievement?
We never turn anyone away. We had 100 Freshers come to trials and we made room for everyone.
Share your stories
We’d love to hear about the clubs, societies and groups you joined as a student here. Tell us about the people you met, the things you did and the memories you have. We’re hoping that if enough of you respond, we could share your experiences in a future Avenue feature.
Email your story to us, along with a picture if you have one.
