Alice Larsen, Candidate for Sports Officer
Joining a sports club (we have over 60!) can be a great way to pursue passions and build strong friendships. Every year, we have thousands of new students eager to get involved and the Sports Officer plays an important role in being the voice of these students. As a Sports Officer, you will be given the opportunity to develop and approve new clubs, plan and deliver events as well as allocate funding, all while working closely with Students’ Union staff. You’d also ensure that BLSA sports clubs and the Students’ Union maintain strong communication so that everything runs smoothly!
What's your favourite moment from being a student here?
One of the best moments that I can remember was going to watch the men and women’s hockey teams play Merger at Lee Valley last year. COVID caused this to be our first Merger and I didn’t know what to expect. But I distinctly remember walking up towards the building and seeing different groups of people wearing Barts stash. Just because we all had the same logo on our tops, we all smiled, said “hi” to each other and celebrated together after the win. It really exemplified how much of a community Barts really is, especially within the sports sector. This feeling of being part of a family is a key theme throughout my manifesto and it’s something I want to protect and deliver for all students to come.
What's something you've done that you're proud of?
I’d say that being BL Netball’s 1st team captain is probably what I’m most proud of. Experiencing a victory in Merger, despite the controversial lead-up and organisation of our fixtures, felt like a really well-deserved moment. Our loss in the UH final last year, although gutting, is also a time where I felt very proud, because we worked hard together and continued to play our game. With 3 years on Netball committee and as a member of the Club Sport Board, all I can say is I love sport. And more importantly… I love Barts sport.
What is a problem facing students and how do you propose to fix it?
In a 2020 Survey conducted by the Anti-Racism Steering Committee (ARSC), a number of responses explained that people often feel like they can’t participate in sports clubs due to their cultural background. I joined the ARSC last year, and what I learned there and from listening to other people’s experiences, led to the development of the BL Sports Anti-Racism Forum (BLSARF). I set this up this year with the aims of “Education and Implementation”. We have completed 3 education-based meetings but implementing real change has been more difficult. As a member of the BLSA board I believe that I can have a more direct impact on improving the inclusivity of our sports clubs, and addressing the issues identified from this survey.
