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You don’t have to be great to start; you just have to start

Find out how sport has transformed Tom's life at university.

Tom co-founded a run club with two friends called Bubble Bath Run Club.

As a Welshman, the only sports at my school were rugby and football. Despite loving both sports, I felt limited and put in a box.

After attending the residential with the Pathway to Bath programme, my eyes opened to the endless sports that the University of Bath had to offer, as well as the amazing facilities such as the Sports Training Village (STV).

During my time at Bath, I discovered my love for running and American football as well as carrying on with my passion for football. Sport has helped shape me into the person I am today, and also helped me during my studies and in terms of my career prospects.

American football

During Freshers' Week, I made it one of my goals to try a new sport, and the sport I chose was American football.

Playing a new sport like American football, especially after watching the National Football League (NFL) on TV, was unbelievable. Despite having no previous experience, I was accepted into the team and guided through how to play the game. This welcoming environment helped me develop as a player and led to me being given a chance to punt in the final!

We ended up having a remarkable season, going unbeaten and winning the Southwest Division II.

Football

While at the University, I was also able to continue my love of playing football.

The University offers four ways to get involved with football through British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS), inter-mural (department/course), inter-hall (accommodation) and six a side. This is great as it allows you to play football casually or very competitively.

I chose to play in the Inter-halls team. This team allowed me to meet new flatmates and friends while also allowing me to enjoy my football without the commitment of intense training.

In my third year, I now co-manage the team, which is really rewarding and has helped develop my confidence as a leader!

Bubble Bath Run Club

I started my running journey very casually by making a New Year’s resolution to run 100km in January. One month became three, and by the end of March I absolutely loved running, especially on campus as you have access to the trails of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the Cotswolds. What started out as an initial challenge has now evolved into a love and even a habit. I haven’t looked back since!

During my second year, my love for running turned into co-founding a run club with two friends called Bubble Bath Run Club.

Bubble Bath Run Club is a Sunday run club that is open to runners of any ability. Our aims were to create a place where people could socialise and make new friends while enjoying the benefits of running.

It’s been incredible to see the journeys of runners at the club, with some going from never having run before, to now being able to complete a 5km.

The run club has also allowed me to make new friends and develop my creative side through running an Instagram page and creating merchandise.

Benefits of sport

Mental health

The benefits of exercise to the mind are endless. I like to view exercise as an outlet - it helps simplify your problems and also brings you joy.

University work can be challenging and intense. Therefore, it’s important to be able to escape and refresh your mind. Running really helped me in this scenario, as I was able to think through problems and also reflect on the progress I was making in the sport.

Exercise also creates endorphins, which help boost your mood. I found this really helpful during exam periods!

Social interaction

Team sports are hubs for social interaction, as you’re all building towards one goal. Therefore, these environments are perfect for making new friends. I found my best friends through sport, making my time at university so much richer.

Career prospects

Although unconventional, sport and exercise can have a massive impact on your career prospects. Sport allows you to demonstrate key skills such as teamwork and communication. Additionally, sport allows you to develop your leadership and organisation skills by being a part of a committee, or even captaining or coaching a team.

Sport has helped me massively in terms of developing my soft skills. American football taught me the importance of teamwork, football taught me how to lead and create buy-in from a group of people, and running taught me self-discipline and allowed me to showcase my entrepreneurial side through Bubble Bath Run Club.

What I've learned during my time at Bath

I can’t overstate how important sport has been to me during my time at the University. Bath offers something for everyone, so make sure you join a sport and just start!