The City of Bath College has launched three competitive sports teams to encourage students to lead active lifestyles.
Students now have the chance to play football, rugby and netball against hundreds of other college teams across the south west of England.
About 50 students aged 16 to 19-year-olds have already signed up to play competitive games three or four times a term in the British College Sports (BCS) league.
It is the first time the College has ever had a competitive sports programme affiliated with BCS.
The aim is to inspire and motivate students to become engaged in regular physical activities so that they get into sport for life.
There is no compulsory PE beyond secondary school so the new teams are an exciting opportunity to get students “into the habit” of playing sport.
It comes as City of Bath College steps up the profile of its sports department and promotion of the health and well-being of its students.
The College is also working closely with Premiership team Southampton to combine high quality football development with continued academic study. The 14 students at the Southampton FC Academy are working towards a Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma Sports Performance & Excellence qualification.
Sport Development Officer James Gray said he hoped the new sports teams would make a difference to the lives of students.
He said: “I am passionate about sports and it’s great that students now have even more activities to participate in.
“There’s no better way to keep fit and healthy than to get involved in sport.
“Signing up for these new football, rugby and netball teams are also a great way to get involved in college life. Being part of a team gives students a great sense of belonging and challenges them to work together.
“Students will also come out of their shell and make new friends. There’s great camaraderie in sport.
“It’s about a lot more than health; it is about the mind and body. Sport enhances the experience of students during their time at college and improves their concentration in the classroom.”
Members of staff run the three competitive teams, which train and play fixtures on Wednesday afternoons.
The rugby team, which has secured funding from the RFU for three years, is headed up by keen rugby player and Public Services lecturer Christian Wells. The team plays at the Oldfield Old Boys RFC and will compete against more than 150 teams in the South West.
The netball team, which had its first home game against Yeovil College last week, plays at Bath Leisure Centre and is run by Public Services lecturer Laura Smith. There are approximately 125 college teams competing in the region.
The football team is already proving popular with more than 30 students interested in playing against the 800+ college teams. James Gray, who has a FA Level 2 coaching qualification, heads up the team, which uses the facilities at the Glasshouse Playing Fields in Combe Down.
James, a former Larkhall Athletic 1st Team captain who also coaches Larkhall Athletic Under 18s, said he hoped the new provision of sports would help boost student enrolment numbers.
He said: “It’s all going well; we’ve got some talented players on all three teams.
“Now it’s about getting more people involved and increasing our reputation in sporting circles.”
He added: “I’d also love to see improvement in the players and the teams. It’s not all about competiveness but it’s always nice to win, everyone likes to win!”
Zumba and kick-boxing are also offered on Monday and Tuesday afternoons in the College gym. Both are free-of-charge to students at City of Bath College.
And on Wednesday afternoons students have the choice of basketball, badminton or five-aside football at a drop-in sports session at Bath Leisure Centre.
The College also has table tennis and pool tables and students are encouraged to play mini-tournaments during their lunch breaks.
