A brand new sports strategy mapping out the future of Cardiff University sport over the next five to seven years is to be developed in time for ratification at the University AGM next February.
It is hoped that the new strategy, which is being developed by Sport and Exercise and the Athletic Union (AU), will be delivered by February in order to provide University sport with greater funding, better support and a more promising future.
The strategy’s vision states: “We will work in partnership to deliver a quality service that offers students, staff and the community access to healthy lifestyles and participation, as well as competition and performance sporting opportunities, in an organised, fun and safe environment.”
Crucial for the improvement of sports provision at Cardiff University, the sports strategy will provide the University and Athletic Union (AU) will a renewed sense of direction and continuity.
It will also help define exactly what Sport and Exercise will be able to do and what sporting facilities can be developed for the future.
The strategy, which is still in its initial stages, has a long way to go, but Athletic Union President Olly Birrell has deemed the progress already made “a really big step forward”. He continued by adding “it’s something students have been crying out for”.
The AU and IMG Councils were consulted to allow students to air their views on the new strategy.
A discussion will also be tabled at Student Council on November 24, and a questionnaire will be circulated, to gauge what students’ really think about University sport.
In previous years a lack of a sports strategy has held back the possibility of money being put in to sport by the University, who were unwilling to act without a structured plan for the future.
However, this year, with a new head of sport, Stuart Vanstone, the future is once again looking bright.
Olly Birrell is confident that the sports strategy will deliver results. He said: “Armed with exactly what students have said, we are in a much better position to say what we want from the sports strategy.
“I’m feeling really positive. We’re not going to see anything happen in the next year, but I think this is the beginning stages of what could be putting sports at Cardiff University back on track to what they should be.”
Next year’s Invest in Sport fun run will be backing the sports strategy, making sure that the specifics decided are carried through. With hundreds already signed up, the support for the new strategy is already evident.
AU executive member Tom Lia said: “It think that it is very important that we have a clear strategy in place so that we have consistency in policy and strategy from year to year, which until now hasn’t seemed to have occurred.
“I also think that the definition of who is responsible for what is one of the key issues addressed by the strategy which was neglected prior to this.”
Executive members Morgan Bailey and Darryl Light also welcomed the proposals, but Morgan warned that “too many students still have their heads in the sand regarding the new Sports Strategy and are happy to moan without doing anything about it”.
