University of Bath Blues Awards 2020 Order of ANNOUNCEMENTSVirtual Awards Monday 27th April Ribbons, Colours, Gethin John Bevan Club Member of the Year, SU Sport Volunteer Coach of the Year and The Ivor Powell Award Tuesday 28th April Honorary Colours, Half Blues, The David Vandelinde Award, The Martyn Hedges Award and The Tugendhat Trophy Wednesday 29th April Full Blues Thursday 30th April Honorary Blues Friday 1st May Team of the Year, Club of the Year and Sports Personality 2020 BLUES AWARDS 2020 W elcomAt this challenging time for everyone e also made incredible contributions in I hope that you are all keeping safe developing and promoting their sports in, and looking after those around you. and beyond, the University. Under normal circumstances I would My role is to work with the Blues be welcoming you all to the University Committee to ensure that the award of Bath Blues Evening, but for obvious of Ribbons, Colours, Half-Blues, Full reasons this is not possible this year. Blues and the Special Awards reflect This is my first year as Warden of the appropriately high and consistent Professor Blues. On a personal note, I have standards of achievement. The Blues Keith Stokes discovered a great deal about outstanding Committee work hard to maintain these standards and all award winners are Warden of the Blues successes across such a wide range of sports. It is important that we celebrate thoroughly deserving of recognition. these successes and we should all be proud It is a pleasure to acknowledge the of the sporting achievements of students achievements of those who have at the University of Bath. Over the past contributed so much to sport at the twelve months, our athletes have excelled University of Bath. Congratulations to all in University competition and on the award winners and thank you all for your international stage. Many students have dedication to our sporting heritage. Stephen Baddeley sports from bobsleigh and lacrosse to We also provide lifestyle support for Director of Sport windsurfing and skiing. 133 Dual Career student-athletes, two Three scholars – Imogen Allison of whom – Max Ojomoh (Business (Sport & Exercise Science), Tash Administration) and Gwilym Bradley Pavelin (Natural Sciences) and (Economics) – competed for England Sophie Drakeford-Lewis (Integrated and Wales respectively in this year’s Mechanical & Electrical Engineering) U20s Six Nations Rugby tournament. – have established themselves as There has been plenty of success on regulars in Team Bath Netball’s the BUCS stage too, including 26 2020 Superleague team, England medals – nine of them gold – won international Sophie having been voted across five different sports when 135 by her peers as Superleague Young student-athletes proudly wore the Blue Player of the Season last year. & Gold at the 2020 BUCS Nationals It has been another outstanding Tim Nurse (Sports Performance) helped in Sheffield. 12 months of student sport at the Great Britain Hockey U21s successfully University of Bath and while we are Twelve teams won BUCS titles, with retain the Sultan of Johor Trophy and sadly unable to gather in person for the men’s and women’s badminton 1sts swimmer Tom Dean (Mechanical this year’s Blues Awards, there is still once again topping their respective Engineering), who is aspiring to much for us to celebrate. Premier South tables. That was matched represent Team GB at the rescheduled by the futsal men and women, as well as One of the highlights of the past year Tokyo Olympics in 2021, won 400m the women’s water polo team. was undoubtedly when we hosted freestyle silver at the European Short- There has also been cup success the Modern Pentathlon European Course Championships. plus individual titles in sports such Championships. It was a huge success, There were further silver medals as shooting, duathlon and modern both in terms of organisation and for while representing Great Britain for pentathlon. the Pentathlon GB athletes who won a Kirsty Way (Sport & Exercise Science) fabulous five gold medals at their home Thousands of students proudly in team DMT (double mini venue. Myles Pillage (Biochemistry) wear the Blue & Gold every week trampoline) at the World claimed two of them, the second and I would like to congratulate all on Championships in Tokyo and Ben after teaming up with fellow student their achievements and contribution Jones (Chemistry) at the Master’U BNP Oliver Murray (Electronic & Electrical over the past year, as well as celebrate Paribas tennis team tournament in the invaluable contributions made by Engineering) in the men’s relay. France, while rower Laura Macro (Sport club officials, coaches, physios and Both Myles and Oliver are among & Exercise Science) won lightweight support staff. the 42 student-athletes who receive women’s single gold at both the scholarship support, generously European University Sports Association Keep well, stay safe and I look forward provided by alumni and friends of the Championships in Sweden and the to seeing you all enjoying your sport University, across a whole range of Henley Women’s Regatta. again soon. Student Spo rt, Review of the Year The Blues Awards ceremony encourages us to reflect on all showcasing hard work and talent, and camaraderie. This Girl that has been achieved within student sport at Bath. Looking Can week hosted 20 different ways to get active in a female-only back at the 2019-20 sporting year, there is so much to be environment, including Fencing and Rugby sessions. proud of - new ideas coming to fruition, developments of the December’s Snowball was once again a huge student-led work of previous years, stories of success and opportunities success that saw thousands coming through the SU doors to to learn. Please join me as we celebrate a year of hard work. celebrate Semester one’s achievements, and say goodbye before The 2019-20 committee year started as soon as exams finished. the winter break. A new cohort of committees spending one of their first few days Semester 2 kicked off with more opportunities for our students of freedom back at university, training for their new roles. Not to get into sport at Bath! In the first week back, the SU, a fairytale start, but ensuring a safe, enjoyable sporting offer for Department for Health, and Sports Department volunteered a community of over 6,000 students was never going to be easy. their expertise for ‘We The Active’. This 2-day event, reaching The summer consisted of committees asking lots of questions hundreds of students hosted sessions aiming to inspire, intrigue about their new roles, and a confused Sport officer going straight and equip students leading active lifestyles. The completion of to the (very tolerant) SU Sport staff to ask exactly the same questions. We found our feet, eventually! the first 3G facility on campus increased our ability to cater for the packed student sporting calendar. BUCS nationals, provided The start of the academic year was full of excitement and a hugely memorable weekend, with the Blue and Gold winning anticipation. Sports Executive committee training, a vibrant 26 medals over 7 sports! (green) sports fair, thousands attending taster sessions over 49 sports, and a record crowd at the Rec watching our The student-led inclusive sports day in March showcased some Rugby Union Men’s 1st team win against Cardiff were just of the regular, and some new adaptive and inclusive sporting a few highlights. offers, provided by our clubs, from wheelchair rugby to VI rounders. BUCS Conference cup was another huge event for During November, campus was full of questionable facial hair, Bath, with four wins from a possible five. with the Sports department and SU sport and other members of the university getting involved with Movember. Our sports clubs The above is only a fraction of the amazing work of our sporting stole the show this year, raising the majority of the university- community at Bath, and I fear that the word-count remaining total with great moustaches, competitions and other events. The will only allow me to scrape the surface of the amazing work that Kickboxing club’s Fight Night was another incredible fundraiser, has been done this year! A greater focus was seen for initiatives that helped encourage participation easily throughout each semester! The familiar Talent ID, and new Speed dating for sport events provided pathways to ease hundreds of students into competitive and recreational sporting communities respectively. Recreational offerings of clubs this year expanded yet again, were also organised by our club committees, with Snowsports, increasing beginner-level participation in so many of our clubs. Mountaineering, Cycling and Surf all providing some excellent The BathActive provision expanded yet again, with more clubs, opportunities to get out of Bath and get active. and offering sessions and coaching-time enabling a free, easy As ever, so many memories were made in matches and introduction to activity. The inception of the Bath Activators competitions. Throughout the year, huge performances like these ensured friendly faces at sessions, and the Bath Active Bites were seen across the board by so many teams, from Cycling’s hill allowed our doctoral community to get active for free during climb and track squads and both Futsal first teams in BUCS, lunch breaks. to Cheerleading at nationals. As ever, so many of our athletes This year saw more, better quality mental health peer support represented their countries in Rugby Union, Badminton, training offered to welfare and inclusivity officers, captains and Lacrosse, Touch Rugby, Rowing, Hockey, Trampolining, other committee members. Clubs collaborated with Be Well Windsurfing, and many more sports. Week, nightline campaigns and many more wellbeing initiatives. The 2019-2020 year will forever be remembered as a year that In its second year, the Exercise Peer Mentorship Scheme increased was cut short due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.