My name is Steven Watson and I am running for Sports President for the academic year 2016-17. Over the last three years I have been involved in the badminton committee and I want to use everything I’ve learned over this time to help support and develop other clubs at Stirling.
Growth and Support
Union funding for sports clubs is greatly limited. I will help clubs to create innovative fundraising ideas, improving profitability and the overall sporting experience. I would hold marketing and financing drop-in sessions. These will help committees actively recruit new members and will allow for smoother handovers. They will also cover sponsorship deals and teaching committees how to approach different types of businesses. No club should feel that they are not supported by the union.
I would encourage clubs to actively support each other during matches. This can be facilitated through the creation of a supporters club – a club for people who enjoy watching sport and want to be involved in these key university experiences. I believe the social aspects of this club will raise our profile and get more people involved.
Coaching and Recruiting
Continuing the ongoing competitive successes of our clubs is hugely important. I would like to increase the amount of volunteer coaches in clubs: I believe that this is a useful alternative for clubs who cannot afford a professional coach. It will also provide club members with qualifications while improving personal development and linking with the wider aspirations of the University.
A continued focus will be taken on developing external marketing for clubs. Sports clubs will be actively encouraged to engage with media societies, promoting a relationship that benefits both parties. I will be the middle man in these relationships to ensure that everyone involved is getting a fair deal. This will provide great coverage for our teams, and sustainable opportunities for our media societies.
Accessibility and Inclusion.
There are a number of barriers in place which prevent people from joining clubs. I would help to facilitate the creation and development of social sessions in clubs to help them expand. More social oriented sessions attract larger amounts of members which can greatly increase club size and internal funding.
Disability sport has developed over the last few years, but a lot more still needs to be done. I want Stirling to be at the forefront of disability sport by increasing the amount of events we hold, as well as further developing initiatives already in place such as the wheelchair basketball and tennis clubs.
I would aim to greatly increase the amount of international, disabled, post-graduate, and LGBTQ+ members of the sports union. Sport has the potential to link people from all cultures and backgrounds. Events will be held at least once a month to promote inclusion in sport: these events will reach out to different people across the university to show that sport really is for all.
