Warwick Squash win national award
Warwick Squash have won the first ever national BUCS ‘Club of the Year’ award in the annual BUCS ceremony at Heriott-Watt University, Scotland.
The club overcame competition from the University of Derbyshire Football Club to triumph, despite their work in enrolling five teams across BUCS leagues, allied with their sterling community and charity work this year.
It is understood that the UV Squash Festival held on campus this year was the deciding factor in Squash’s victory. It was the first event of its kind to run in the UK, and there were 146 participants.
However, the club also improved conspicuously over the year. Membership increased by 18 per cent to 293 members, 20 per cent of whom were female. The proportion of international students also increased as a result of squash taster sessions run during orientation week.
Second-team captain Shawn Gubbin was delighted by the accolade.
“We are incredibly grateful for the award and we aim to exceed this year’s efforts next year,” he said.
“Squash is one of the quickest-growing sports in the UK and for the University of Warwick and the club to be recognised as a major player in its development is a huge honour.”
BBC presenter John Inverdale, who has been embroiled in controversy after disparaging remarks about Wimbledon ladies’ champion Marion Bartoli, was on hand to present the awards in his capacity as BUCS president.
The awards justified Loughborough University’s billing as sporting heavyweights, as they received the overall points trophy for the 34th successive year.
Imperial College clinched the Right to Play ‘Red Ball’ award for their efforts in fundraising for BUCS’ official charity partner Right to Play, while the University of Bath’s London 2012 200m freestyle silver medallist Michael Jamieson won Sportsman of the Year.
Meanwhile, Southampton Solent University’s Barbara Dudek won the Student Volunteer of the Year award for her work in coaching local children whilst holding down captaincy roles within the university.
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