image: Our 47 Sporting Clubs engaged in a wide range of activities before COVID-19, and work is underway to resume activities as soon as it is safe to do so.
Alex Ferguson; 11 August
Engaging in any sort of sporting activity, be it socially with friends or alongside our teammates, seems like an eternity ago. However, if the careful planning and efforts of our sporting clubs and Melbourne University Sport staff after the first lockdown are anything to go by, there is a bright light shining at the end of this lockdown tunnel.
In the ten days it was open to members between 22 June and 8 July, the Beaurepaire Centre recorded 2113 visits to the gym, of which 70% were students. The pool also recorded 471 visits during this timeframe – that’s just under 50 swimmers a day! 20 of the student-athletes engaged with the Elite Athlete Program also resumed their strength and conditioning work in the Beaurepaire Centre, highlighting their commitment to their sport, even in times of uncertainty around the future of competition.
However, some of the most encouraging figures came from the engagement of members in our sporting clubs. Keen to return to organised sporting activity, 1433 club members completed the University’s COVID Return to Campus Health Check, participating across 186 training sessions and recreation trips organised by clubs.
These numbers come primarily from the hard work of sporting club committees, with over half of our 47 clubs submitting a ‘Return to Play Plan’ to ensure they had developed a roadmap for training and competition within the changing restrictions. 19 of these 25 clubs managed to successfully return to campus within this short timeframe, engaging primarily in competitive club training.
While at the moment it can be difficult to picture any sort of normality, it is reassuring to know that our clubs are working hard behind the scenes, preparing another plan for how their training, trips, and competition can be adapted and reintroduced once restrictions are reduced in the coming months.
For those in lockdown, we wish you the best in these difficult times. While you’re waiting ardently to resume training and activity, make sure to reach out to your teammates from your club. Maybe even challenge them to keep up their skills in a home-style contest!
Check in on your friends and family too – a strong community and support network will get you through these challenges. But most importantly, make time for yourself and the things that make you happy.
While we won’t be seeing you face to face for a while, we have created lots of online fitness resources that everyone can access for free, including pre-recorded group fitness classes, running and strength training plans, and much more. You can access them here:
We look forward to seeing you again as soon as possible!
Stay safe, and stay kind.