BUCS is Back

Trudging up to Westwood under grey skies and damp drizzle – it could only be a BUCS Wednesday. 12 October signalled the start of the 2016/17 season for many of Warwick’s sports clubs, with pre-season pain and hopes for the season in abundance.

An overwhelmingly male set of home fixtures meant that the majority of the afternoon was spent watching men’s matches, but the first sounds of the season came from the Ladies Hockey team. The shouts of encouragement could be heard loud and clear on an important day for both the men’s and ladies’ clubs: the men’s 1s absorbing 2-2 draw with Nottingham 3s was picked as week two’s ‘Game of the Week’, but in hindsight it was the Ladies 2s who offered the greater spectacle. They eventually drew 3-3 with Derby 1s; with nothing to choose between the teams, this was a fair result.

12 October signalled the start of the 2016/17 season for many of Warwick’s sports clubs, with pre-season pain and hopes for the season in abundance.

After spectating from a vantage point that ensured both matches were in full view, I retreated to the warmer Tennis Centre. Though every court was occupied, the fact that nothing could be heard but the sound of ball on racquet was extremely therapeutic. This was gradually replaced by the groans of frustration from the Nottingham Trent men’s doubles 1s, on their way to losing 8-4 to Warwick 3s.

Emerging into the light, I embarked on a journey across time zones: Westwood to Cryfield. This proved especially productive as the route included a stop off at the sports centre to watch some Badminton and Squash. These matches showcased the very definition of a mixed bag: the Badminton men’s 1s went down 6-2 to Birmingham 1s, while the 2s thrashed Oxford Brookes 1s 7-1. It was a similar story on the squash courts, with the men’s 3s taking apart Birmingham 4s to win 5-0 as the 1s were narrowly beaten 3-2 by Leicester 1s.

Even on an afternoon when Cryfield also held Football and Rugby League, you could be forgiven for assuming that Lacrosse was the only sport in action. The vocal support for the Lacrosse Ladies’ 2s could be heard all the way up to Cryfield Pavilion. This proved useful, as it enabled one to watch the men’s game while still being able to gauge how the ladies’ match was going. Despite the best efforts of those on the sidelines, the ladies were defeated 19-10 by UEA.

The men’s game was intriguing, as it pitted Warwick’s 1s and 2s against each other. With bragging rights to play for as well as points, the 1s recorded a resounding 11-2 win to avoid embarrassment.

The vocal support for the Lacrosse Ladies’ 2s enabled one to watch the men’s game while still being able to gauge how the ladies’ match was going.

The inconsistent weather created a far from straightforward return to competitive action for the outdoor sports, but Warwick’s clubs didn’t disgrace themselves. An overall tally of 15 victories, 2 draws and 17 defeats is something to build on over the coming months.

As Team Warwick embarks on another quest for glory, one thing’s for sure: BUCS Wednesdays are just as important as ever.