Originally Published 22 May 2003

Sport at Warwick is undergoing something of a change. The developments in facilities and new staff mean that the opportunities for taking part in a wide variety of sports and leisure activity are greater than ever before.

Despite the choices on offer it can still seem difficult to get out of the office or lecture theatre and onto the tennis court or jogging machine. Steve Sharman, Assistant Director of Physical Education and Sport, is keen to stress the benefits of taking time out to exercise the body.

"Taking exercise can have massive benefits for staff and students. If you feel healthy you can enjoy your work more and a healthy lifestyle will help you in achieving a work life balance," he said. "Just half an hour of light exercise will help you concentrate and last the whole day."

Staff and Students can take part in a number of activities on campus. The campus has facilities for swimming, squash, climbing, outdoor pitches and many other sports. Fitness classes also offer a great chance to socialise and get fit. Steve points out that you don't have to join a class to get the benefits of regular exercise: "If you can't get to the gym why not take a walk around the lake. Just stepping out of the office for a while will really increase your ability to work."

The Sports Centre is investing in people, as well as facilities. Introductory courses are available so people can try out new sports and staff can use part of their Warwick Learning Account allowance to get involved. Kathryn Cooke, the new Fitness Development Officer, will be overseeing the new facilities and can provide advice on fitness and nutrition.

For those who take their sport a bit more seriously a number of Sports Bursaries are available to support those who are competing at a a national level. Bursaries are available to University of Warwick students and are designed to help with travel and training costs. Students are assessed on merit and particular sports are not prioritised.

A new Swimming Scholarship programme is being offered in conjunction with the City of Coventry Swimming Club. The scholarship, which begins next year, will provide support for Elite Group membership, physiotherapy and other sports science support.

Steve Sharman hopes that the new facilities at the University will help people of all abilities. "We have 73 student sports clubs at the University and we are making major investments in facilities and staff - that just shows how important sport is on campus."

More information about sport at Warwick is available from the Sports Centre website.

For information on sports bursaries please contact Terry Monnington at T.Monnington@warwick.ac.uk.

A list of the 73 student sports clubs is available on the Student Union website.