What committee are you part of and what roles have you held?
In my first year I was the boat club (river rowing) social secretary and now I’m the club president.
What made you want to run for a committee role?
When I joined the boat club the members and committee were so welcoming of me and I knew fairly early on that I wanted to be a part of running the club. Social secretary was a fantastic first committee role giving me an insight into the operations of a sports club and our student’s union without too much responsibility. I’d had management experience before university and a vison of how the club should run and so when the next elections came around, I decided to run for president.
What has been the most enjoyable part of being on committee?
Being part of a team of people your age equally passionate about your sport/ activity is very enjoyable. While on committee I also got a coaching qualification which helped me to assist with teaching our novice rowers. Seeing them grow their skills, succeed at competitions, and make friends in the club is so rewarding.
Can you tell us about a time where your role was challenging?
I found the role challenging at the start due to it being an entirely new set of responsibilities and a lot to learn, but the online training provided by the SU is great and you tend to quickly settle into your role. There are also a lot of logistical challenges for sports club committees which you don’t tend to see as a member such as transportation to events, ordering new equipment and networking with other clubs, businesses and sport governing bodies, but these are all fun challenges.
Do you feel that being on a committee has been beneficial in terms of preparing you for the future?
Absolutely. The skills you gain from being on the committee of a club/ soc are so invaluable and will look incredible on a CV. I think the most important skill you learn is teamwork: not everyone on the committee will agree about everything and so bringing those people together to make a collective decision is a skill that will come in very useful in future workplaces. If you’re going for a leadership role such as president or captain, this will certainly equip you with the skills you need for any kind of management/ team leading roles in the future.
What piece of advice would you give to an incoming committee member?
Enjoy it. There are obviously times where seriousness is needed but at the end of the day your job is to spread your love for your chosen sport/ activity to other Aber uni students, which is an absolute joy and privilege. Have fun with it 