How hard is it to balance the academic side of the degree and sport at Oxford?
An Oxford degree will inevitably be academically challenging, but you can definitely do sport alongside. Swimming is one of the heavier blues sports in terms of time commitment, but it is entirely manageable. Planning your work around sessions and lectures/tutorials can really help and if you’ve swum as an age grouper you’ll be used to having to be organised. Communicating with the captains and your tutors is important too – everyone’s extremely understanding so be proactive and honest about how you’re doing – there will be heavier weeks workwise during the term so don’t suffer in silence. The entire squad have all been there so there’s always support/advice on offer.
Does training clash with lectures/tutorials?
Morning training normally finishes by 8:30 and lectures won’t start before 9 so you’ll be able to make both as the pool is a 5-minute cycle from the city centre. Several of the team will get out the morning sessions 10 or 15 minutes early depending on how far away the lectures are and to make sure they can fit in breakfast before their lectures. Evening sessions usually start at 7pm so your academic commitments should be over by then. If there are any clashes, tutors are understanding about fitting in university sport so there will often be ways around a clash.
Will I still be able to have a social life if I swim?
Of course, socialising is key to having a great time at university! University swimming is far more enjoyable than age group swimming and there is a great team atmosphere! We have socials every Wednesday evening, and then go out as a team. There are also lots of opportunities to go for some food with your teammates after training or a quick lunch during the week. We don’t train in the evening at the weekends, so you can get stuck in with the social scene at college then too.
I haven’t swum in a few years; would I still be able to join OUSC?
Loads of the blues and seconds swimmers have taken time out (often several years) from swimming before coming to university so it’s very common, with lots of people going on to PB whilst with OUSC. If you’re even remotely tempted, get in touch or come and find us at the freshers fair!
Can para-swimmers join OUSC?
Absolutely! 2020 saw the first para events at the Swimming Varsity match, and we have also had para-swimmers compete on the team at BUCS. There is also a dedicated para-blues criteria for swimming. In the past, para-swimmers have trained alongside our existing blues and seconds squads depending on what works for them best, and we also have 1 para-specific session every week!
How big is OUSC?
The club currently has about 25 members on the blues team and 40 members of the seconds team made up of a mix of undergraduate and postgraduate and from a range of subjects and colleges.
Does the University offer any sports-based scholarships?
The Blues Performance Scheme supports clubs (including OUSC) and individual athletes and is run by the University’s Sport Federation. Other University-wide funding opportunities include the Blues Committee Grants and the Vincent’s Awards. Many colleges may offer financial support too so check with your JCR/MCR. OUSC also has financial support for members of the club to cover expenses associated with being on the team (e.g. training camp, BUCS Competition costs etc.).