Meet the captains

With the 2014/15 season of sport fast approaching, blood will be shed,  old rivalries will be rekindled, and initiations will be “enjoyed”.  Ahead of this year’s action, The Tab spends some time with some of those leading the charge for their respective teams.

Men’s Football – Jack Taylor

Course

History, Second year

Hometown

Blackburn

What was the funniest or most memorable moment of last season/tour?

Winning the league last year was pretty special. Wish I had something humorous to say here, but a moment that stood out for me was a 90th minute winner against Leeds from Jesse Walklin. It absolutely stunk of Beckham vs Greece 2001, and probably secured the title for us.

What makes you the best team at uni?

We’re nothing more than group of lads with self-professed, substandard chat and an unbelievable passion for a Wednesday night.

Who is the one to look out for in your club (and why)?

I think this is a massive year for Lewis Whybrow. The lad believes he’s crafty in and around the box and claims to love sticking it in the onion bag.

For anybody reading this that took their eye off the ball and missed out on trials, there is a chance for a second bite of the footballing cherry through retrials. The best way for anybody to keep up to date with what is going on is through the club’s Twitter and Facebook pages. Search @NewcUniFootball for Twitter and NUAFC – Newcastle Uni football team for Facebook.

Women’s Hockey – Kirby O’Donnell

Course

Geography, Second year

Hometown

Belfast, Northern Ireland

What is the funniest or memorable moment from last season/tour?

Last year’s hockey ball was hilarious, but probably not the most memorable for many! A highlight from it would be the two 1s players disappearing relatively early on in the night and being found asleep locked in the toilets at 6am the next morning.

What makes you the best team at uni?

We demolished the Poly last year at Stan Calvert! I’m told that the 6 wins for hockey equated to around 25% of Team Newcastle’s overall Stan Calvert points. Not just our team but the club that is evidently Newcastle’s finest. We also narrowly missed out on promotion to BUCS Premier North last year, losing on strokes in a playoff!

Who is the one to look out for in your club (and why)?

The one to look out for on a night out would probably be former 1s captain Maya ‘Fresher’ Thrasher. When she actually makes it out on a Wednesday, you’ll normally find her passed out halfway up the stairs of Tiger or asleep in one of the booths! The one to look out for on the pitch is Ciara Bamford. She started on the 3s this season and towards the end of the year had claimed a regular starting position on the 1s!

Men’s Cricket – James Essex

Course

Geography and Planning (BA, lol), Third year, important to mention that I also took a gap year and saw the world. Yolo.

Hometown

Born in London, Made in Chelsea.

Where are you most likely to be spotted?

Pret A Manger/Daniella’s/Trop/Koos/Lectures (hi Mum)/Some form of German automobile (roof optional)

What was the funniest or most memorable moment from last season/tour?

Several worth mentioning.

1. Beating Leeds Met after listening to them play house music out of their dressing room was one highlight, especially considering some of the on field confrontations, not naming any names…#guilty

2. Watching Michael Darby, ex-president and current cricket badger, refuse to be given run out against Warwick, before eventually walking off, toys flying in all directions

3. Nearly being lynched by Edinburgh’s Braveheart look-a-like opening batsmen after several members of the side engaged in ‘polite’ conversation with the young man.

4. Being called the worst human being in the world by a Durham batsmen, before watching him get out next ball, before proceeding to smile politely in his direction. Cricket.

5. Matt Baxter “Dilscooping” Loughborough’s first class bowler into the next county.

6. Hand Hockey.

What makes you the best team at uni?

How long have you got? I will just give a couple of pointers: we get all the BUCS points #prem, we have the best chat in England, we go to Madame Koo’s on a Thursday a lot, and we all took gap years.

Who is the one to look out for in your club (and why)?

Caleb Jones is the AU Officer, the AU Officer, the AU Officer….(repeat ad nauseum to the tune of “Yellow Submarine”) Also, Will “Meryl” Street knows Joe Root and Tom Clarke has a girlfriend.

Netball – Tess Richardson

Course and year

Geography, Third year

Hometown

Manchester

What is the funniest or memorable moment from last season/tour?

A lot of Wednesday night socials got very out of hand, so it’s difficult to pick the funniest one! The most memorable on the field moment for us has to be our great performances at Stan Calvert.

What makes you the best team at uni?

Definitely the people!! We have the broadest range of characters you could possibly imagine, and it makes for some very funny times.

Who is the one to look out for in your club (and why)?

We have a couple of new freshers who have joined us for our preseason training who are definitely ones to watch!

Rugby – Jack Cooke

Course

 Law, Third Year.

Hometown

 Donaghadee, Northern Ireland

What was the funniest or most memorable moment from last season/tour?

 The funniest was probably when our first team flankers decide to have a sing off/rap battle in the middle of bar blanc, Jesmond, on rugby ball day. The most memorably has to be the entire club singing 40 Geordies on the pitch after the 1st team won clash of the titans last year.

What makes you the best team at uni?

We are the biggest standalone club at the uni, which means you are always going to know someone in the club and there is always somewhere for people to fit in. We also brought in the most BUCS points last year, but if none of that interests you we are the home of last year’s most attractive fresher, Will Eversfield, and this year’s front runner Thomas Houchin aka “Houch”.

Who is the one to look out for in your club (and why)?

Rhodri Adamson played for England counties last year, and is a very dangerous player on the pitch.  Off the pitch, Calum Harris is one of our social secretary’s, but to be honest you’ll almost certainly hear him before you see him, then you’ll probably instantly regret meeting him.

Women’s Lacrosse – Elizabeth Scutt

Course and Year

Biomedical Science, Second year

Hometown

Guildford

What is the funniest or most memorably moment from last season/tour?

Our initiation was a cracker! I was certainly the first one carried home…. And many drunken bus rides back from games!

What makes you the best team at uni?

We all have a lot of fun together, but also train hard. Lacrosse is a club that is also great for people who have never played before, as we run a great beginners session every week.

Who is the one to look out for in your club (and why)?

I’d say Lucy Horan – She’s our new fresher and is already very much settled in the team!

Ice Hockey – Sam Clarke

Course

 Geography, Third year.

Hometown

Nottingham

What was the funniest moment last season?

One of our players receiving a pack of tampons from the Northumbria team before we played the varsity match. Great banter from the poly.

What was the most memorable moment of last season/tour?

Winning the National Title against Birmingham 6-0.

What makes you the best team at Uni?

For me, we are the best team at Uni as we are very successful and do more than just play sport. Last year we organized a beginners program for people who cannot skate and raised over £700 for the rainbow trust selling tickets for our game against Northumbria. We also won a national title and had the second biggest crowd to a Newcastle Uni sporting event (400+ vs Northumbria). This year we are trying to get funding to start a women’s league team due to increasing interest. Without being part of the BUCS system, the Ice Hockey Club grows year on year and we hope to gain more awareness, popularity and success this coming season!

Who is the one to look out for in your club (and why)?

Szergej Maszlov. Joining Newcastle University this year to do a Masters degree. He is from Hungary and has played Ice Hockey for the Hungarian National Team at the World Championships. He is set to be a star on the team and help us gain another National Title.