Why DU Sport is overrated

Sport at Durham can be fantastic, with over 75% of the student body participating in some sport at any level throughout their time here. Wednesday afternoons are rightly kept free so as to allow  a sea of purple tracksuits to trade the lecture halls for the fitness suite in Maiden Castle.

The efforts of these committed souls, constantly striving to ensure Durham can be second to Loughborough for one more year, has led me to conclude that playing sport for Team Durham is overrated. Why?

The training

Six times a week, Monday mornings and Friday evenings, no thank you. If you’re the type of person who decided against rowing in your first year because of the ever-present threat of a 7am erg session then some DU sports may not be for you.

The constant aching from two sessions of strength and conditioning and one of cardio before actually playing any sport can not be worthwhile.

Maiden Castle

It may not be too far if you’re on the Hill but imagine living in Gilesgate! The walk itself is probably enough exercise for one person and there is always the possibility that you would get there just for training to be cancelled.

Just face it, anything more than 15 minutes away in Durham just can’t be worth your time.

Missing out on college sport

College sport is the essence of sport in Durham. People of all abilities can be pushed together into a rag-tag team playing purely for their own enjoyment and nothing is  a greater spectacle. Yet playing in many DU teams prevents you from playing and showing your pride for your college.

Why would you want to miss all of the mistakes, slips and John Terry-esque moments that are so much more frequent in a game played between a J and an F team?

Losing

Is it not a little bit frustrating to be extremely good at every sport that we play but still only second best? Loughborough are consistently being named sporting university of the year, and the BUCS league table has seen Durham hit the dizzying heights of second for 5 years in a row.

To be fair to Loughborough if it was a country it would have beaten the likes of Canada and New Zealand on the Rio 2016 medal table but it still must feel pretty frustrating. All of those hours in the gym and the trek to Maiden Castle is for nothing; after all if you aint first you’re last.

Choose Life

Choose going out with your friends on a Friday or god-forbid even a Wednesday. The thought of that training session doesn’t have to hold you back if you’re not playing for DU.

You could have one more shot or indulge in a Paddy’s parmo if you so wish. So much more free time is available to be wasted away however you see fit. A daytime TV marathon perhaps, or you know; actual degree work.

Playing a sport should never, but occasionally does become the central focus of your time at university. Get a degree rather than a new PB.