Friday 17th May 2024

Have your say on the future direction of Scottish Student Sport as we seek views ahead of developing an updated strategy.

Further to recent correspondence across the membership the Executive Council of SSS has elected to undertake a refresh of the organisation’s strategy, so as to best position SSS to meet current challenges and future opportunities.

SSS is facing some funding challenges over the next 12-18 months, driven mainly by an indication from Scottish Funding Council (SFC) that its current grant funding to SSS (@ £100k p/a) will be discontinued after 31st July 2025.

In addition, SSS is facing inevitable rises to its core costs at a time when asking members and individual participants to pay more is expected to be difficult.

Alongside the pressure on resources there is, however, also an opportunity to think differently about SSS and to explore alternative approaches to the future. Perhaps the single biggest opportunity in this regard will come from reviewing our relationship to sportscotland. SSS will be invited in to discuss future funding arrangements around Oct 2024 ahead of sportscotland’s new financial year in April 2025.

It is therefore a very interesting moment to be thinking afresh about our core priorities and asking the right questions about where our focus and responsibilities should rest from 2025 onwards.

With this in mind, all members and partners are asked to contribute to a short strategic review exercise this summer.

Phase one of this is to complete a catch-all survey aimed at gathering a range of views.

All those with an interest are invited to complete the survey which can be found here.

Those completing the survey are asked to:

  • Confer with colleagues if this seems appropriate (although multiple responses per institution are welcome)
  • Refer to existing SSS literature as included in tandem with the survey (see below)
  • Familiarise themselves where possible with SSS’ current funding, structures and output

SSS Strategy 2021+      Joining The Team     Work With Us 

 

The survey will stay open until midnight on Monday 17th June. To see what’s included in the survey before filling it out, click here.

Thereafter, the SSS Executive Committee will oversee further consultation with members and partners which will include:

  • A session to explore interim results and gather view at the SSS Conference on 13th June
  • Consideration of the full survey results at Exec Council meeting on 21st June
  • Dedicated meetings with key groups including College leads, sabbatical students and Directors/ Heads of Sport during July and August
  • A series of partner meetings to be concluded by end August

This will allow for a revised strategy to be issued and tested with members during September and give SSS a clear direction to carry in to sportscotland review meetings in the autumn.

Looking ahead to summer of 2025 some change seems inevitable and so even if we are not yet clear what we transitioning towards it is very likely that some organisational changes will come in time.

Nevertheless, in 2024-25 SSS will likely aim to stay true to our current direction and ambition, funding for which our partners have already committed, and to carefully time any structural change so as to deliver for our members, honour partner commitments and where possible, protect our staff.

If at any stage you wish to discuss the future of SSS, please reach out to COO Stew Fowlie or to Jonny Pearson via chair@scottishstudentsport.com

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Friday 19th April 2024

Details have been released for the highly-anticipated Scottish Student Sport Conference 2024, powered by Technogym.

The 2024 Scottish Student Sport Conference, powered by Technogym, will take place on 12th-13th June at Stirling Court Hotel.

Always a highlight of the SSS calendar, the conference brings together our community to network, share practice and celebrate the success of student sport. For the first time, we’re inviting SGBs and decision makers from across Scottish sport on Wednesday 12th to put students in the spotlight, and promote closer collaboration.

Wednesday night will see our ever-popular SSS Awards Night with all the information about categories and nominations to come soon!

Thursday’s agenda will feature voices from across the SSS network, including the Sabbatical Officer Group who will be sharing early findings from their cost of living student survey.

Late sign up is still available! Please email jo@scottishstudentsport.com to secure your place.

Pricing

SSS Members can take advantage of a reduced rate of £70 for a single day ticket, £70 for our awards evening, or for the biggest saving, our multi-day packages: two days for £135 or two days plus awards for £200.

Non-Members can attend a single day for £85, with awards available for an additional £85. Multi-day options allow for a two day conference package of £160, or add the awards evening for a total cost of £245.

Accommodation

The deadline has passed to book accommodation on site, but we recommend you check the local area for last minute options.

Agenda

We’re delighted to reveal an outline of events for the two days so you can begin planning what to attend! Here’s how the days will look.

 

View the Digital Programme here

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Wednesday 17th April 2024

Join us in celebrating the recent success of our SS Volleyball Men’s National Squad at the Tartan Tournament Challenge held in early April!

As we approach one of the biggest events in the Scottish Volleyball calendar with the Cup Finals Weekend on the horizon, we wanted to highlight the glowing success of our SS Volleyball Men’s National Squad at the recent Tartan Touch Tournament hosted at Kelvin Hall on 6th-7th April.

With the inaugural event as part of the 2024 calendar, our men’s squad took the opportunity to attend and compete across the weekend. The men’s squad came up against fierce competition in Scotland U20 Men Blue, Scotland U20 Men Burgundy and NUVOC. With some brilliantly contested matches, it was our very own SSS team that were able to come out on top with the following results:

Pool stage vs NUVOC – 4-0

Pool stage vs Scotland U20 Blue – 3-1

Pool stage vs Scotland U20 Burgundy – 4-0

Final vs NUVOC – 3-1

Many thanks to our friends at Scottish Volleyball for the invite to the weekend and well played to all teams that competed, with their write-up of the event available HERE. We look to use the momentum from this event to propel us into the Scottish Volleyball Finals Weekend, with both the men’s and women’s SSS teams in action with the below details:

Friday 19th April @ 12:00 – SSS Women’s Exhibition Match (SSS vs Scotland Select)

Friday 19th April @ 14:00 – SSS Men’s Exhibition Match (SSS vs Scotland Select)

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Tuesday 9th April 2024

Get the lowdown as we prepare for two huge football finals this week! Heriot Watt play Stirling in the mens, and St. Andrews face Edinburgh in the womens.

One of the biggest weeks in the Scottish Student Sport calendar is here as the nation’s top footballers prepare for our Football Finals.

In the Men’s competition, Heriot Watt University and the University of Stirling face off for a third consecutive year. aiming to lift the historic Queen’s Park Shield in its 103rd year.

We have another repeat of the 2023 final in the Women’s competition where the University of Edinburgh will be hoping to stop the University of St. Andrews making it three wins in a row.

Get the lowdown ahead of both finals below.

Queen’s Park Shield Final: Heriot Watt University vs University of Stirling

  • Wednesday 10th April
  • 14:00 kick off
  • Oriam outdoor pitches, Heriot Watt campus

Both universities will be looking for bragging rights come Wednesday with their two previous finals being split one apiece.

Heriot Watt won the first of those match-ups 2-1 in 2022 while Stirling go into the final as defending champions following their tight 1-0 win last year.

The hosts have enjoyed a fairly smooth ride to the final as they claimed a 3-1 win away to Aberdeen in the quarter final before coming out on top in a thriller at St. Andrews. 5-3 was the score that day.

On the other side of the draw, Stirling cruised past Edinburgh 6-2 but were made to work for a 2-1 win at home to Strathclyde.

#SheCanSheWill Cup Final: University of St. Andrews vs University of Edinburgh

  • Thursday 11th April
  • 15:30 kick off
  • University of St. Andrews pitches

Edinburgh are facing the mighty task this week of playing two huge games in as many days. On Wednesday they take on Nottingham Trent in their first BUCS Premier North play-off. On Thursday, all the attention shifts to Fife as they travel to take on a formidable St. Andrews team.

St. Andrews walked away the victors in the last two finals against Edinburgh and after their performances this season will back themselves to secure the hat trick. The road here proved to be easy going with a 18 goals scored in their quarter and semi final appearances versus Edinburgh 2’s and the University of Glasgow respectively.

Edinburgh have been in fine form themselves – their BUCS playoff evidence of that. The challenge will be to regroup and recover in time to stake a claim for the #SheCanSheWill Cup on Thursday.

How to follow

We’ll have a live stream of the Queens Park Shield Final over on the SSS YouTube channel – coverage starting just before kick off.

Hit up the SSS Instagram and SSF Instagram for updates throughout both games, including as live highlights and score updates.

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Thursday 4th April 2024

The 99th Scottish Student Golf Championship event took place at Moray Golf Club in Lossiemouth. Here’s a summary of the competition.

Moray Golf Club hosted the 99th Scottish Student Golf Championship and the Golf Team Championship from the 24th to the 29th of March 2024. Despite some challenging weather conditions, players turned up in good spirits and excellent golf was on show throughout the week.

The first 3 days of the event took place under a stroke play format, meaning players are scored individually and compete against the whole field. There were 75 participants in the men’s competition. The first day took place on the new course, and saw UHI’s Taylor Kerr score the best round with an impressive 67.

The second day provided more bitter, turbulent conditions on the new course in Lossiemouth, but thankfully players were able to remain dry throughout. After the second round had finished, a cut took place meaning only the 38 best-scoring players would make it to day three where play would switch to the old course.

Due to adverse weather conditions, only one round was played on the final day instead of the planned two. Despite Kerr scoring his worst round on the final day (73), his performances in the first two days were just enough to see him be crowned winner. Kerr finished the competition on 3 under par, narrowly beating out Ben Brookes and Jerry Fang of Stirling University who both finished on -2.

There was also a team element involved in stroke play, Universities/Colleges were able to submit a team of three or four players, with the three best scores counting for each round. This resulted in a victory for the University of Stirling. Thanks to the team of Will Coxon, Ross Laird, Ben Brookes, and Alexander Farmer.

14 competitors entered the women’s stroke play competition, representing a wide range of institutions. Lorna McClymont, from the University of Stirling, entered the competition with high expectations and she proved herself on the very first day. Scoring 69 on the old course, which was the best of any player.

McClymont continued her strong play on day 2 when the players switched to the new course. Her score of 68 was only matched by the University of St. Andrew’s Lucy Jamieson. This gave McClymont a three-shot lead on the chasing pack entering the final day.

Although she was unable to repeat her score of 69 from round 1, McClymont still scored a solid 72 back on the old course. Meaning she was an exceptional -12 overall for the competition and the winner of women’s stroke play.

Regarding the team element for women’s stroke play, the groups were slightly different. Teams were made up of two or three members from their institutions and the two best scores from each round were taken. The University of St Andrews came out on top thanks to quality golf from Lucy Jamieson, Megan Ashley, and Eilidh Monk.

The second half of the competition took place under match play rules, meaning players play directly against an opponent, competing to win individual holes. In the men’s side of this event, teams were made up of eight players and one substitute. Five teams entered: Stirling 1s, 2s, and 3s, the University of Strathclyde, and the University of Stirling. A strong three days of golf from Stirling 1s resulted in silverware.

Women’s match play was a head-to-head format where the players compete individually. The final of the match play was an all-Stirling University affair. Lorna McClymont continued her form from earlier in the week. This resulted in her facing Ellie Docherty, a native of Moray Golf Club, in the final. Docherty showed outstanding technique in the final and took the victory on her home turf.

Thank you to all the staff and volunteers at Moray Golf Club, who were incredible hosts as always.

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Thursday 4th April 2024

West College Scotland’s Active Health Coordinator Savannah Antoine brings students together for three days of activity and inclusion.

A group of staff and students at West College Scotland celebrating International Mother Language Day

The power of sport to connect was on full display at West College Scotland when over 200 students came together to celebrate International Mother Language Day with three days of activity, camaraderie and fun.

International Mother Language Day – which took place on February 21st – is a globally-observed day created to highlight the importance of linguistic diversity in fostering mutual understanding and respect. For West College Scotland, this offered the chance to connect ESOL (English as a Second Language) and sports students across a variety of inclusive activities, led by their Active Campus Coordinator and Wellbeing team.

Over the three day programme, students participated in sports from table tennis to basketball. A buddy system operated between ESOL and sports students to create connections across the participants and create an enriching cultural experience for all involved.

The day was the brainchild of West Scotland College’s Active Campus Coordinator Savannah Antonie. In her short time in the role she has already transformed how sport and activity is accessed by the entire student population.

An image showing Savannah Antoine

Savannah is part of the Active Campus Network, supported by Scottish Student Sport, sportscotland and Colleges Network: an initiative aimed at creating active, healthy environments across the nation’s college campuses.

The energy and excitement across those participating was clear. Natalia Skoromna, a Ukrainian student, commented:

“I wasn’t really sure what to expect but it has been so much better than I thought – I’ve loved it! It has been a really good morning and has really helped my mental health, I already feel much more relaxed. The lecturers have been wonderful – me and my friends would love to be able to do this every week.”

The influence that Savannah has had on campus was shared with her colleagues. Sports Lecturer Alex Beattie highlighted:

“The difference in sport provision since Savannah has started is amazing. Sports halls, which were previously dead space during lunchtimes or break times, are now filled. It’s all students from all sections of the college who are coming and playing. It feels like a college where you’re really playing sport. You see the engagement of the students, it’s been amazing and has made a massive difference.”

International Mother Language Day is just part of a series of initiatives being run across the College to help encourage students to get active on campus. We can’t wait to see sport continue to flourish at West College Scotland!

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Friday 29th March 2024

Scottish Student Sport welcome Ruairidh Campbell as our new Communications Coordinator!

Ruairidh Campbell - new SSS Communications Coordinator

It may be the business end of the SSS competitive season, but we’ve been hot on recruitment and are thrilled to unveil Ruairidh Campbell as our new Communications Coordinator!

We caught up with Ruairidh in his first week as the rugby referee kicks off his time at 48 Pleasance.

What are you most excited about in joining the SSS team?

100% it has to be getting the chance to tell the stories of everyone that helps contribute to Scottish Student Sport. I think everyone involved, whether participating, volunteering or just following, knows of the people and characters without whom sport just wouldn’t be the same.

It’s also going to be lots fun being back on the ground at SSS events. These were always a highlight of the year in my student days so it will be great to capture all the energy and excitement on the day. Lucky for me the SS Athletics Outdoor Championships will be one of my first events.

Take us back to your student sports days. How were you involved?

I spent five fantastic years at the University of Glasgow with most of my time focused on the Athletics Club. When I first joined in 2016, we still had Laura Muir (then fresh from the Rio Olympics) as a member so it was pretty surreal arriving at a flat party to see her there! Over my time with the club I competed at every opportunity on the track and spent a few years on the club committee; ultimately leading to me joining the Scottish Student Athletics Development Group as Vice Chair.

What was your best student sport memory/experience?

My athletics career certainly peaked when I represented Glasgow as Gus (the tiger) in the BUCS Nationals mascot race. By far it was the hardest race of my life (the head especially was a nightmare to keep on) but we had a lot of fun and raised some money for charity too.

Are you still active in sport?Ruairidh Campbell refereeing a rugby match

I still try to compete in athletics on the road and track but these days I’m mostly found on the rugby pitch as a match official. Week to week I referee in the FOSROC Super Series and assistant referee the professional URC and EPCR competitions. I also ref 7s internationally which has led to me travelling to some pretty cool places.

One match I’m yet to tick off though is the BUCS Scottish Conference Final so I may have to change that next year!

What’s your ideal holiday destination?

Italy is definitely a favourite. The food, the scenery, the food again – how could you not love the country? The next holiday plan involves taking a campervan around the Dolomites which I’m very excited for. Saying that, it’s also very hard to beat the Outer Hebrides on one of those rare days the weather is on your side.

Pineapple on pizza: yes or no?

At risk of being turned back at the border on my next visit to Italy I better say no!

To chat about all things SSS media, Ruairidh can be reached at ruairidh@scottishstudentsport.com

Rugby photo ©: Bryan Robertson

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Friday 22nd March 2024

RGU hosted the 2024 Scottish Student Sport Badminton Championships. Two days full of fast-paced action provided great entertainment for spectators. Here’s a summary of the weekends events!

The 2024 Scottish Student Sport Badminton Championships took place on the 15th/16th of March at RGU SPORT and featured 188 players across 5 different events. The weekend contained incredible moments of determination and skill, which culminated in a series of gripping finals on Saturday evening. Here’s how it went!

Friday morning began with men’s singles action, including a 46-minute match in the round of 128 between Aqeel Khaldun of St Andrews and University of Aberdeen’s Connor Mcrobbie, with the latter winning the third set to advance to the next round.

After a huge number of entertaining matches, the men’s singles final took place on Saturday evening, where Strathclyde University’s #1 Angus Meldrum faced #2 Ciar Pringle from the University of Stirling. A back-and-forth match took place where momentum swung both ways. Ultimately, Pringle’s power allowed him to erase a 1-0 set deficit in a captivating match and take home the gold medal, winning the final two sets 21-18, and 22-20.

Women’s singles proved to be equally entertaining. #3/4 Deepthi Ramesh from the University of Edinburgh proved to be strong from the start, making her way to the final without having a single game enter the third set. Including a win over #1 Toni Woods from the University of the West of Scotland in the semi-final 21-13, 21-18.

The other side of the bracket provided more intense matchups, including a semi-final between the University of Stirling’s #2 Xinrui Tan and Strathclyde’s #3/4 Sophie Ford. Tan advanced to set up a Stirling vs Edinburgh final.

Ramesh’s speed and technique proved too much for Tan, as she won the women’s singles final 21-14, 21-8.

Mixed doubles contained plenty more spectacular badminton and close matches for spectators in Aberdeen. Such as back-to-back 3-set matches for the University of Strathclyde’s #5/8 Finlay Sherrif and Sophie Ford. Including a 1 hour 13-minute game against the University of Edinburgh’s Godfrey Antomarlin and Harriet Dawson in the round of 16 which saw Strathclyde leave victorious.

The University of the West of Scotland’s Jack Macgregor and Toni Woods began the weekend #1 and immediately proved worthy of their ranking, winning their first game 21-5, 21-2. They continued their dominance on their route to the final through powerful and precise shots.

The other finalists, University of Edinburgh’s #2 Zachary Wong and Wen Jun, impressed on the other side of the bracket. Including a toughly contested victory against the University of Stirling’s #3/4 Ciar Pringle and Xinrui Tan 21-16, 21-16 in the semi-final.

The final produced a thrilling game of badminton, Wong and Jun won a close first set 21-18. Macgregor and Dow showed great resilience, fighting back in the second set to win 21-14.

Both teams were visibly exhausted going into the third set but unwilling to give up their chances to win a gold medal. Wong and Jun edged the last set 21-19, bringing home the victory for the University of Edinburgh.

Women’s doubles kicked off with a bang. An opening-round 3-set match featured the University of Strathclyde’s Caroline Deighan and Erin Sinclair against the University of Edinburgh’s Stella Doherty and Shermaine Leung. The Glasgow-based university took a narrow win in the final set 24-22.

Representing the University of Edinburgh, #1 Wen Jun and Jane Yi showed great court intelligence and skill as they advanced to the semi-finals to face the University of the West of Scotland’s #5/8 Toni Woods and Maria Leith. A close match between two strong pairings resulted in a 21-18, 21-17 victory for the University of Edinburgh.

The other semi-final was an all-Edinburgh University affair, #3/4 Anett Karsai and Eilidh Mccallister faced #5/8 Sophie Barrie and Sophia Schubert. Either team could have advanced but clutch shots from Karsai and Mccallister saw them win both sets 22-20.

The first set of the women’s doubles final proved to be tense and hugely entertaining for everyone watching on at RGU. Both teams were impressive throughout, eventually Jun and Yi won 28-26 meaning they took control of the match entering the second set. A fierce second set with several long rallies resulted in a 21-15 win for the #1 ranked duo.

Finally, entering men’s doubles, Kenneth Cheung and Adam Pringle were the favourites, ranked number 1.  After three strong performances, they advanced to the semi-final to set up a Glasgow derby, when they took on the University of Glasgow’s #5/8 Alastair Campbell and Alex Chudic. Supporters were plentiful and passionate for both sides. The Strathclyde pairing grabbed the victory, 21-11, 21-7.

The other semi-final featured another Strathclyde duo, #5/8 Angus Meldrum and Finlay Sheriff matched up against #2 Torben Trapp and Zachary Wong from the University of Edinburgh. The duo from the University of Edinburgh advanced after two intense, competitive sets, winning 21-18, 21-15.

Unfortunately, the University of Edinburgh pairing was forced to retire in the final, as Wong was in serious pain due to a cramp in his calf and was unable to participate to the best of his abilities. This meant Cheung and Pringle were crowned winners and took gold medals back to the University of Strathclyde.

The University of Edinburgh won the Scottish Student Sport Badminton Championships 2024 thanks to their victories in the mixed doubles, women’s doubles, and women’s singles. Wen Jun won the MVP award for the weekend, her impressive physicality and technique were vital in Edinburgh’s victories in mixed doubles and women’s doubles. She won 11 games and was undefeated across the two days.

A massive thanks to RGU SPORT and RGU Badminton for helping us host an amazing event, and to all the volunteers who made it run so well.

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Saturday 9th March 2024

A review of the BUCS Scottish Conference Finals, held in St Andrews on the 6th of March 2024, which featured 9 different sports!

The excitement and anticipation in St Andrews were immense as the town played host to the BUCS Scottish Conference Finals 2024 on Wednesday the 6th of March. A total of 22 fixtures and 9 different sports gave many student athletes the chance to make a memory they would not soon forget, and the opportunity to bring home valuable silverware to their University or College.

The opening act of the 2024 Conference Finals saw St Andrews University 3s face-off against Stirling University 2s in the Women’s Hockey Trophy. A large following of Stirling supporters and a strong home crowd for St Andrews created a passionate atmosphere for the first game of the day. A hardly fought first half meant Stirling opened the 3rd quarter with a slender 2-1 lead. However, shortly after the half-time break Stirling’s quality began to show and the match finished 6-1 in favour of the visitors.

Despite the grey skies and bitter temperature, the impressive standard of hockey continued in the Women’s Hockey Cup when Edinburgh University 4s took on Aberdeen University 1s. A back-and-forth 70 minutes eventually resulted in Aberdeen University lifting the cup, after they held onto their 3-2 lead in the final minutes of the game.

The Men’s Trophy final provided another opportunity for St Andrews University to clinch hockey silverware. This time, an impressive performance produced a gold medal for their 3s, who beat out Edinburgh University 6s 3-0.

The final hockey affair of the day was Edinburgh University 3s vs Aberdeen University 1s in the Men’s Hockey Cup. A heated affair soon lost any sort of discipline, leading to the referees having to brandish multiple cards, including a red to one University of Aberdeen player. With Aberdeen 3-2 down, they pushed intensely for a 3rd goal, playing without a goalkeeper for the last 5 minutes. However, they were punished for missing too many chances and Edinburgh University were able to hold on at the death.

The first tennis event of the day involved 2 impressive teams, with Strathclyde University 1s facing Dundee University 1s in the Women’s Tennis Cup. There was brilliant entertainment on show for spectators including 2 closely fought matches that required tiebreaks to decide the winner. Ultimately, Dundee came away with a victory, winning 5-1 on the day.

Despite the unfortunate wind and rain, incredible tennis was still on display from both Edinburgh University and Stirling University in the Women’s Tennis Trophy which followed fast four rules. A brilliant outing from Stirling Women’s #1 and #2 who did not drop a match in both their respective singles and doubles together proved to be the difference maker. Stirling won 4-2 overall.

Heriot-Watt University went up against Edinburgh Napier University in the Men’s Tennis Trophy which also took place in a fast four format. Despite a great effort from Napier’s #1 who recorded a convincing singles victory, Heriot-Watt proved to be the stronger team on the day resulting in a 5-1 victory.

In the Men’s Tennis Cup Stirling University 5s took on St Andrews University 2s. This matchup provided highly competitive, back and forth tennis, which resulted in half of the matches going to tiebreaks. Stirling were crowned champions after a 4-2 victory.

The Women’s Netball Trophy featured Strathclyde University 4s matching up against Heriot-Watt University 4s. Strathclyde asserted their dominance early meaning they took a 17-point lead into half-time. Despite Heriot-Watt showing flashes of good play in the second half, Strathclyde walked away with a comfortable 51-28 victory.

However, the Women’s Netball Cup final supplied a much closer contest. Aberdeen University 1s trailed Edinburgh University 3s by just a single point heading into the final quarter. A huge effort in the final 15 minutes by Edinburgh led to them lifting the cup after a 41-33 win. The early stages of the Men’s Football Trophy final were a tightly contested affair, however after Edinburgh University 4s opened the scoring their confidence levels elevated and they put in a dominant performance. Eventually resulting in a 10-0 win over a hard-working Edinburgh College 1s team.

A huge display of home support was on show in the Men’s Football Cup final as St Andrews University 1s battled against Stirling University 3s. The Saints took advantage of early pressure and gave their many fans something to cheer about when they scored just minutes into the match. Stirling applied pressure in St Andrews defensive third for much of the match, but a composed performance resulted in a 3-0 win for the home team.

The final football fixture of the 2024 conference finals involved Stirling 2s versus Heriot-Watt 1s in the Women’s Football Cup. An intense game which saw chances for both sides and moments of individual brilliance came down to the final moments on a cold, windy night. Heriot-Watt established an early lead after scoring on the 15 minute mark, but Stirling cancelled it out with 2 goals of their own either side of half-time. Stirling were able to sustain late pressure from Heriot-Watt and defend their 2-1 lead until the final whistle. Spectators watched on in suspense while the Heriot-Watt goalkeeper made a flurry of crucial saves.

The Men’s Rugby Trophy got off to a rip-roaring start. Physical play from Stirling University 2s and costly penalties by Strathclyde University 3s resulted in a 19-0 lead for the men in green. However, Strathclyde were able to weather the storm and begin to put some points on the board themselves. However, Stirling came out victorious on the day, 46-22. In no small part due to their set piece dominance.

Two impressive teams faced off in the Men’s Rugby Cup when Stirling University 1s played Glasgow University 2s. A muddy pitch and whipping winds proved to be difficult conditions for the two sides who still put on a thoroughly entertaining display of rugby. Stirling pulled off a 27-14 win that provided great pleasure to their many fans watching. The game included a man of the match display from Stirling’s loosehead prop who was excellent around the breakdown and showed off some bone-breaking carries.

Heriot-Watt University 1s played Aberdeen University 1s in the Women’s Rugby Cup final. Heriot-Watt came flying out of the gate with several early tries meaning they established a healthy lead. They continued their impressive performance with slick passes and line-breaking runs which contributed to a huge 78-0 win despite the tireless effort of the Aberdeen players who fought until the final whistle.

Two teams determined to lift silverware faced off in the Mixed Badminton Cup Final. Intense rallies which featured spectacular moments of technique impressed spectators in the matches between Glasgow University 2s and Edinburgh University 2s. Despite some impressive performances from Glasgow, Edinburgh proved to be the stronger squad on the day, leaving St Andrews as 11-1 victors.

Stirling University 1s took an early lead and held possession for most of the first quarter against Glasgow University 2s in the Women’s Lacrosse Cup. A number of stunning saves from the Glasgow goalkeeper meant Stirling were unable to extend their lead. Glasgow was able to capitalise on Stirling’s missed opportunities and eventually ran away with the match which finished 18-4. Meaning Glasgow would be the team to bring the cup down South.

An eager crowd and high-flying action were on show in the Women’s Volleyball Cup. A commanding performance produced a straight sweep in sets for Edinburgh University 2s who beat Glasgow University 2s, 3-0.

A thrilling match with a booming atmosphere followed when Dundee University 1s grappled with Heriot-Watt University 1s in the Men’s Volleyball Cup final. Vicious spikes and elbow-scraping dives featured in a strong Heriot-Watt performance meaning they took the first two sets with relative ease. However, Dundee showed great fight in the third set, at one point erasing a 5 point deficit to tie the set at 14-14. Unfortunately for Dundee, Heriot-Watt regained momentum in the set following a timeout from their coach and eventually won the match 3-0.

Basketball was on the agenda for the closing matches of the 2024 Conference Finals. Aberdeen University 1s faced Dundee University 1s in the Women’s Basketball Cup. A closely contested opening 2 quarters resulted in a slim Dundee lead at half-time. Dundee’s physicality proved to be too much for Aberdeen as a number of offensive rebounds lead to second chance points for Dundee who extended their lead to 11 by the final buzzer. The match finished 52-41.

The climax of the day’s events showcased the Men’s Basketball Cup. A highly rated Stirling University 1s team matched up against Robert Gordon University 1s in a venue packed full of spectators who cheered on both sides from the bleachers. From the first moments of the game Stirling came out hot, finding ways to score on all 3 levels and RGU’s defence did not appear to have any answers. RGU were able to find some momentum in the game but still found themselves down 17 points down at halftime. Stirling cruised their way through the 2nd half and were crowned champions following a 95-75 victory.

BUCS Scottish Conference Finals 2024 was a wonderful event which was only made possible by the hard-work and dedication of referees, Saints Sport staff, and volunteers. Check out photos from the day on our social media accounts below.

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Photo credits to Jacob Portchmouth and Andrew Leinster.

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Wednesday 17th January 2024

British Blind Sport (BBS) is hosting a free sports taster event for blind and partially sighted people in Glasgow, in partnership with Scottish Disability Sport.

Try VI-inclusive sports in Glasgow at British Blind Sport’s ‘Have a Go’ Day for blind and partially sighted people!

British Blind Sport (BBS) is hosting a free sports taster event for blind and partially sighted people in Glasgow, in partnership with Scottish Disability Sport. The event will take place on Saturday, January 27th from 10am to 3pm at the Emirates Arena, 1000 London Road, Glasgow G40 3HG. The event will feature a fantastic line-up of sporting activities for blind and partially sighted people of all ages and abilities to participate in alongside their friends and family. Confirmed activities include athletics, judo, tennis, and goalball.

BBS ‘Have a Go’ Days have been held successfully across the country for many years, encouraging blind and partially sighted people to become more active. The event will give blind and partially sighted people in Glasgow and the surrounding area the opportunity to try adapted sports and learn about inclusive opportunities that they can continue to enjoy and participate in after the event in their local area.

Vicky Cook, Participation Officer at British Blind Sport said, “We are delighted to start the new year by hosting a ‘Have a Go’ Day in Glasgow to give blind and partially sighted people a chance to try out different sports and hopefully discover a new passion or hobby. Physical activity plays such an important role in living a happy and healthy life, our ‘Have a Go’ Days ensure that more people will get an opportunity to experience some of the activities available.”

To register to attend, please follow the link to complete the form:

Junior: www.britishblindsport.org.uk/forms/view/juniorglasgowhagd

Adults: www.britishblindsport.org.uk/forms/view/seniorglasgowhagd

For more information, please visit the British Blind Sport website:  www.britishblindsport.org.uk/hagd

Or contact Vicky Cook, Participation Officer on 07983498120 or email vicky@britishblindsport.org.uk

British Blind Sport is always grateful for the help of volunteers at events. Please get in touch to discuss volunteering opportunities.

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