Sports Clubs and Societies at Warwick

In this blog our undergraduate students discuss the sports clubs and societies that are available at the University of Warwick.

Nadia Tancheva 
BSc International Business

"Let us look at the following scenario: You are about to begin university, It is exciting but can also be a nervous time in your life. However, looking past the nervous feelings you want to make sure your time at WBS is as memorable as possible and for this, I would recommend joining a society or sports club.

The University of Warwick doesn’t have a quota on how many societies there should be on campus, nor are there any requirements regarding what areas the societies should relate to. So, if you have an intriguing hobby; if you want to see whether a certain profession would really suit you or you want to share the traditions of your own culture, joining one of Warwick's many societies is a perfect place to start exploring, developing and growing your skills and interests alongside other passionate individuals. One of my highlights so far includes my role as an Alumni Rep for the Warwick Bulgarian Society, through which I share my own diverse and enchanting culture with other students.

In addition, if there is not already a society that you consider to be your perfect fit, then you can work on creating a completely new one. This was one of the reasons why I am so proud to be a Warwick student; the university is dedicated to making sure that the students have a great university experience and the societies/sports clubs are a big part of that.

Overall, there are around 250 societies on campus, focusing on a range of areas from musical interests such as Warwick Drumming Society to food interests such as the Vegetarian Society. If you enjoy playing a sport, you can continue that here with over 60 sports clubs available to join. Some of the sports clubs on offer here include volleyball, rugby, football, squash and even water polo. 

You can also join societies to help with your career goals. Quite a lot of the societies more or less resemble a small company similar to a start-up. Being a part of one will not only be an insightful experience and improve your skillset when it comes to areas such as networking, but it also allows you see whether you actually enjoy the specific career path you thought you would.

No matter your decision on what society and/or sports club to join and when, keep in mind that all of these societies are also like families. The relationships you can build there will last you for a lifetime and the experiences that you can have with the people there certainly make your days at the University of Warwick filled with lots of excitement."

James Kariuki
BSc Management 

"My first term at Warwick was one of the most active and exciting time of my life. Outside of academics there are lots of sports clubs and societies with which you can keep yourself engaged and entertained throughout the year. In my first year, I took on pretty much everything that caught my interest. From football to public speaking and all the way to boxing, I don’t think I at any point lacked an activity to do.

The societies on campus range from the massive Warwick Finance Society and Warwick Business School society to the more niche wine tasting society, you’ll definitely find a society that suits your interests. The range of societies on offer are great, and even on the off-chance that your society of choice is not available you could always start a new society! Be it for socializing or learning about new cultures or even taking on leadership positions, Warwick clubs and societies are the perfect place to start.

I somewhat ambitiously decided to run for and won the presidential position at the East African Society at the end of my first year. It has been an exhilarating experience and it not only forced me to grow out of my shell but has also taught me valuable leadership and teamwork skills. Not to mention that I have made some good friends from these extra-curricular activities. Taking an executive position in a society not only gives you a chance to develop your leadership and communication skills, but also teaches you how to work as a team and can create very strong bonds with those that you work with. It is also a good way to add experience to your CV.

Societies have proven to be an excellent place to meet new and exciting people, but also a way to delve into your interests and develop your skills. Not to mention that I have made some good friends from these extra-curricular activities. Muay Thai and football allowed me to not only develop a solid routine but also improved my discipline which I could use when it comes to my academic life. Training sessions for such activities are usually held after normal academic hours, so you do not need to worry about missing your classes.

If you are anything like me and have a problem choosing what society/club to start with, then I have some good news for you. You don’t have to pick and choose at the very beginning what you want to be a part of. You do not need to commit or feel pressured to join any one club/society early in the term. You can always take a casual approach and go at your own leisure. This entails taking part in social events hosted by societies and training sessions by clubs, but not really being part of the core exec or main team. This is ideal for someone that doesn’t want to continuously commit a significant amount time to any one society, but would like to join several different ones.

You shouldn’t worry about joining societies too late and being the only new person, as members normally come and go as they wish. However, for the more team based sports clubs such as football this may prove to be a bit more difficult. It is best to start on early in sports and get a solid spot on the team if you wish to play regularly.

So, as you get used to life here at Warwick, joining clubs and societies should not worry you at all as you are guaranteed to have the time of your life, I certainly am!"

The University of Warwick host society and sports fairs during Freshers Week to allow new students to get a taste of the societies/sports clubs on offer.

There are also a number of WBS student led societies that you will have a chance to meet at our WBS societies fair.

You can find out about all the student societies on offer by visiting the Warwick SU website.