Dicta 2013 | Page 82

DICTAcommittee Law Sports Josh Carruthers, Male Sports Representative 2012/13, celebrates a year of triumphs for the UBLC sports teams. W ith the sporting calendar drawing to a close, it is time to look back on another successful season for the sports teams. The UBLC has a thriving sporting community and this year has seen five teams compete in weekly intramural matches. As the Male Sports Rep, it has been fantastic to see so many students representing their society and participating in sport this year. Indeed, the football team saw a remarkable 30 players turn out for the first training session of the year. The greatest sporting achievement this year has come from the basketball team who capped a fine season by winning the intramural play-offs. Law kicked off the regular season with a dominant 50-30 victory over Economics. The following round of matches saw Law comfortably beat their fierce rivals, the Medics, in a game which finished 62-29. The team’s unstoppable run of form led all the way to All Star Saturday where they produced a commanding display in the final to overcome Economics for the second time. On the same day UBLC’s very own Justin Pak won the 3-point shootout to round off an outstanding season for Law basketball. This year has also been memorable for the football team. After a slow start 82 | DICTA 2013 to the season, Law, playing in their new kit, secured a first win with a resounding 12-1 victory over the Engineers. Despite a string of games being cancelled due to poor weather over the winter period, Law continued to recover from their poor start. The team completed a well-deserved double over a solid Christian Union side, beating them 1-0 home and away. The team finished the season on a high with a stunning 6-0 victory over top of the table ESN. This result was particularly encouraging and bodes well for the future of Law football. The players also have the famous end of year tour to look forward this summer. The side went to Prague in 2012 and this year’s tour promises to be even better, with talk of Sofia or Budapest as potential destinations. Meanwhile, it has been a season of highs and lows for the UBLC rugby team. Despite a promising start to their campaign at the Opening Festival in October, the team has really struggled to cement a starting XV. Law has nonetheless produced a number of impressive performances, including a hard-fought victory over the Engineers in a scrappy game at Coombe Dingle. In the summer there is also the opportunity for students to participate in the intramural cricket tournament which culminates in a Finals Day. This popular event is always a highlight of the sporting calendar and allows competitors to enjoy a barbeque and a cold beer after exams. Unfortunately the female sports teams have suffered from a shortage of players this year. However, there have still been some great games. Captained by Marcia Owusu-Mfum, Law netball were involved in a tight match against PsychSoc which eventually finished 2-1 after a last-minute winner. Equally, the hockey team have played a number of enjoyable games under the leadership of Liz Longster and Kamil Butt. It has been a pleasure to be involved with UBLC sports this year. I would like to thank Freshfields, Linklaters, Addleshaw Goddard and Travers Smith for their generous sponsorship. I would also like to thank everyone who has supported the teams this year, in particular our predecessors Jon Down and Harri Davies, whose experience has been invaluable. Finally, I want to wish our successors the best of luck for next season which I am sure will be just as successful.