University Sport

'Allowing exceptional people to do exceptional things'

Durham has a great reputation for University sport and being part of it is a fantastic experience.

Durham University is consistently ranked within the top 8 out of 152 H.E. institutions in the British University Sport rankings. In 2008/09 Durham finished in sixth position and the pace at which we are developing leads us to believe that Durham has a chance of breaking into the top three institutions within the next two years. We also had 25 students representing their country at Under 20 Level and beyond and this figure rises on an annual basis. A number of our international athletes are scholarship students. More information about sporting scholarships can be found here.

To maintain this level we are always looking to recruit the very best athletes, so if you are a prospective student, or someone who is already at Durham but has not yet got involved, please get in contact with us, as we are always happy to answer any of your questions.

At the present time we have full time coaches in:

and part time coaches in a further 15. The difference that a professional structure can make to the development of student athletes should not be underestimated. We are an ARA Rowing Performance Centre (the only one North of the River Thames), we have First Class County Cricket status, British Fencing Centre status, compete in the England Hockey National League and boast a host of rowers, fencers and lacrosse players who compete at an international level on an annual basis. On average we help to develop over 25 student athletes, across over 15 sports, who compete at international level each academic year.

We are also an English Institute of Sport hub site and a British Olympic passport holder’s site.

The university continues to host the House of Sport which is home to a number of regional governing bodies. Our close working relationship with such external partners ensures that students have every opportunity possible to progress through their sport specific performance pathway. This is evidenced by the continual flow of student athletes who compete at the highest of levels whilst studying at Durham. Current examples include Kira Roberts (Fencing), Sarah Cowburn (Rowing), Nick Cresser (Canoeing), Emily Taylor (Rowing), Jamie Cachia (Hockey) and Sandra Hyslop (Canoeing), all of whom represented their country at senior international level whilst studying full time at Durham in 2007/08.

The performance sport athlete support structure is also extensive. Students can access a wide range of services including strength and conditioning, injury support, nutritional guidance and lifestyle management support. As is suggested above we work closely with governing bodies of sport and the university’s programmes in basketball, cricket, fencing, lacrosse, rowing and tennis are all delivered in conjunction with the respective national organisations. Few institutions more seamlessly, successfully and consistently combine sporting and academic excellence.

For the 2009/10 season Durham will have no fewer than 13 teams in BUCS Premier Leagues, demonstrating the fact that they are all within the top 12 University sides in Britain.

We cater for over 50 sports, but at the same time we are always looking to increase our programme. Over the last three years the governing body for University Sport have sanctioned events for Men’s Lacrosse and Ultimate Frisbee, helping to signify the recognition that the sporting offer within Universities needs to continue to grow and develop in pace with the demands of University students. As a consequence, if you play a sport which does not appear to be part of our current programme, please get in touch with the President who will be pleased to help wherever possible.

General enquiries should go to the Team Durham President: Tel: 0191 334 1699, or email sports.union@dur.ac.uk.

Sporting scholarships are also available for high calibre student athletes. More information about these scholarships can be found here.