Flood Damaged Fields
Tuesday February 7, 2012
The SportUNE playing fields have suffered extensive flood damage from the floods in Armidale during November, and the constant rain throughout December and January.
Armidale was declared a Natural Disaster zone at the end of 2011 because of the floods in November.
November and December 2011 both have unique claims, with November being the wettest and December being the coldest ever recorded.
This has already impacted the Twilight football competition run throughout the summer months on the fields.
‘Unfortunately, last year half of the November competition was played with wet fields’, said Sports Development Coordinator Bradley King.
‘We have had to cancel the February competition this year which is a major blow because there are a lot of people who play in this completion that were disappointed’ continued King.
SportUNE is currently in negotiations with insurers to get the fields repaired as quickly as possible.
While the repair process takes place, SportUNE will have limited space on their playing fields.
‘We are hopeful that the flood damage will not affect university and college sport, which will commence next week with O’Week,’ said Executive Director of SportUNE, David Schmude.
‘Because of the time it will take to repair our playing fields, we will have the opportunity to utilise our new indoor facilities,’ Said Schmude.
SportUNE Greens the Armidale Creeklands
SportUNE and its members will help green the Armidale Creeklands by sponsoring the Urban Biodiversity Eco Creek Project.
Members of the SportUNE and Armidale community are invited to join SportUNE to plant trees from 4pm this Friday, December 9 off Niagara Street near the bike path to do their bit to help develop vegetation in the Armidale Creeklands.
The project aims to rejuvenate the Creeklands and provide a habitat for local fauna while raising awareness of the unique plant species in the region.
Eucalyptus melliodora Yellow Box will be planted. These local trees are well adapted to the Armidale region.
‘The Armidale community is a big part of SportUNE. This is a great initiative. It is important to sustain the native Australian landscape, and a great place to start is in our own back yard’, said Executive Director of SportUNE, Dave Schmude.
The High Country Urban Biodiversity Project began in 2008 to improve the condition of urban riparian and bushland areas through collaboration and engagement of council and community groups
Refreshments, sunscreen, first aid equipment and tools are supplied.
Tree planting will begin at 4pm with all welcome to attend.
For more information, please phone SportUNE on 6773 3856.
UNE student succeeds at internaional mr universe competition
Monday November 14, 2011
SportUNE gym instructor and UNE student, Stewart Grant, recently came 6th in the international competition: The Natural Universe Titles run by the International Natural Bodybuilding Association.
Grant decided to compete in the national titles after his success at various titles earlier this year. Grant received gold at the NSW titles and silver at the Australian titles: ‘when you have these opportunities and you are in contest shape, you need to take them.’
Grant has been practicing bodybuilding for 7 years, and weight training for 9 years. ‘I’d never competed at this level before. I competed at the Australasian titles in 2006 so it wasn’t a completely new experience.’
To prepare for competition, Grant spent four to five days a week in the gym doing weights. 12 weeks before the competition, he also included a cardio workout and used the bike. ‘I enjoy the preparation, I do it because it's fun and I love it.’
‘I love the discipline required, it's such a challenge, whether you are an international athlete or just
trying to lose some weight it's all about doing what you can do, being the best you can be, setting goals for yourself.’
‘The strict diet sometimes is frustrating but it's worth it. As for the competition it's great being out
on stage, executing the poses.’
Grant enjoys being on stage and executing the poses ‘it's sport meets art, you need to display your physique to the best of your ability, show your strengths, hide your weaknesses.’
‘The training and diet is strict and difficult but it comes naturally to me. The diet involves lower calories and carbohydrates with lots of lean meats and green vegetables.’
‘Making time and finding motivation for studies outside of training is more challenging.’
Grant advises any aspiring body builders to be consistent: ‘It doesn't all happen in a few weeks or overnight, it's a long process. To be successful you need to have a passion for it.’
Dietician to give free public talk on Nutrition
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Local dietician, Gillian Woodward, will be offering two free presentations on ‘Nutrition for the Family’ at SportUNE on 22 November at 10.30am and 6pm.
The latest National Health Survey reveals that 61.4% of the Australian population are either overweight or obese. The number of overweight children in Australia has doubled in recent years, with a quarter of children considered overweight or obese.
Causes of obesity in children include unhealthy food choices, lack of physical activity and family eating habits.
With so much contradictory nutrition information available, it can be difficult to know what’s best for your family.
Gillian is an accredited practising dietician and can help you understand your nutrition needs, and develop a diet that supports you and your family’s wellbeing.
Gillian appreciates the struggles most modern families face with an increasingly busy lifestyle and in keeping up a healthy diet. She can help guide you through the maze of nutritional information and dispel diet fallacies.
Launch of CXWORX
Monday, November 7, 2011.
Come join the launch of the new Les Mills program, CXWORX, 2pm this Saturday November 19 at SportUNE, the only venue in Armidale to offer this intense new 30 minute program.
Six SportUNE instructors, Mally McCormack, Joshua Edmunds, Lindy Hardman, Bill Bryden, Quinn O’Donnell and Gemma Seaton recently completed the training module for the new program.
Group Fitness coordinator, Mally McCormack says ‘it’s a quick, intense and efficient core workout that challenges mentally and physically. It will tighten and tone the core muscles, improves functional strength for balance, mobility and injury prevention. It will give a better understanding of how the core works and its importance to your physical health.”
A typical CXWORX class lasts just 30 minutes , making it an ideal length for a lunch time class, or tack it on to the end of another Les Mills program or before a cardio workout.
CXWORX is low impact and low cardio, but be prepared to venture outside your comfort zone! Of course, this class has options to cater for all levels so everyone can get the workout they need to succeed and build strength, from beginner to high performance athletes.
Come try out this great new workout at SportUNE . Remember to wear comfortable workout clothes, gym shoes, bring a towel, a drink bottle and don’t forget a positive attitude! We will provide a resistance tube.
For class information please contact SportUNE on 67733856 or check out our website.
2012 Youth National Archery Championships
Monday, October 24, 2011.
In January, 2012 the Youth National Archery Championships will be held in Armidale, with the Target, Matchplay and Clout to be held on the SportUNE Playing Fields, and the Field event to be held at theArmidale Archery Range.
Around one hundred young archers will head to Armidale with their families in the new yearto compete in the championship, which will determine the archers to be selected to take part in the 2012 Trans Tasman Team who will compete in New Zealand later in the year.
Dennis Carson of Armidale Archery Incorporated is looking forward to the high calibre of archers who will be competing. ‘One of the competitors just came third in the World Championships for the under 18’s, and another came seond in the World Championships two years ago’, said Carson.
Five members of Armidale Archery Incorporated will compete. ‘I expect a couple of the Armidale archers will do well. We have a national champion and a state champion in our club’, said Carson.
Carson is looking forward to the event to raise the profile of Archery in Armidale.
Archers up to the age of twenty will compete in the event; with the competition to take place at SportUNE from Monday January 2 until Thursday January 5, and at the Armidale Archery range on January 6 and 7.
‘It’s great to have a national event here and we’re really looking forward to having it’ said Executive Director of SportUNE, David Schmude.
The target event will be held on the SportUNE playing fields on January 2 and 3 and involves competitors shooting at stationary targets which are at variying distances. Matchplay will take place on Wednesday January 4.
In clout archery, held at SportUNE on January 5, the competitors shoot arrows into the air which land in the ground within different scoring zones.
For the field event, archers will shoot arrows at targets on the Armidale Archer’s Range, that are set out at different intervals in the bush.
Because Armidale hosted the state target championships, the Archery NSW asked Armidale’s club to apply to host the National Youth Championships.
Different bows are able to be used, including compound, recurve, barebow compound, barebow recurve and longbow.
Almost everything has been done in preparation for the event. Still to be done is to get the targets from Sydney. Organiser, Dennis Carson says this is ‘one of the hardest thigns to do’.
The Welcome Barbeque will open the event on Sunday, January 1 at SportUNE.
Monday 5 September, 2011
Two University of New England students, Stefanie Taylor and Katie Dean, attended the Australian University Championship Snow Sports, in Thredbo at the end of August.
Approximately 300 university students from across Australia compete across thirteen events from the four disciplines of alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, snowboarding and cross country skiing.
Both girls will be competing in the Alpine Giant Slalom, a technical event which involves skiing between sets of poles.
Stefanie Taylor, studying her Graduate Diploma of Urban and Regional Planning will be competing in the Alpine Super Giant, a speed event.
In the Alpine Giant Slalom and the Alpine Super Giant, competitors ‘ski down the hill as fast as possible through different gates’ said Taylor. ‘If you miss a gate, you get disqualified; the better times of two attempts are used’ added Dean.
Katie Dean, a third year student studying Social Work, will be competing in the Freestyle Skier Cross, a race event which incorporates terrain features. ‘It’s like motocross but on snow’ said Dean.
Taylor has been skiing since the age of three, but the University Championship of Snow Sports was her first time competing.
‘Skiing is really fun. It’s exhilarating with the adrenaline pumping through your blood,’ said Taylor
Dean has been skiing since the age of 11, but has much experience on the snow, having competed in interschool competitions and coached a junior race team in Canada.
‘Skiing has all these little components. For one turn, you have to think about all these little things like speed. And try not to fall over,’ said Dean.
Both girls headed down to the ski fields a week before competition commenced to do some on-snow training. To prepare for the competition in Armidale, Taylor has been running, and Dean has been working hard at the gym.
UNE trio to compete in Walcha Mountain Bike Challenge
Murray Scown, Professor Martin Thoms and Dr Mark Southwell preparing for the Walcha Mountain Bike Challenge
Monday, October 24, 2011
Martin Thoms, Mark Southwell and Murray Scown from UNE's Department of Geography and Planning will represent SportUNE in the Walcha Mountain Bike Teams Challenge at the end of October.
The Walcha Mountain Bike Teams Challenge is a fundraising event, with all proceeds supporting the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.
The challenge will be held in conjunction with the Walcha Wine, Food & Craft Festival on Sunday, October 30.
To complete the challenge, teams of three are required to ride one of three courses, either 30km, 70km or 90km. UNE's team will compete in the 90km event. The result of the race is based on the time of all three riders, rather than the first rider to cross the finish line.
The UNE team consists of three riders from the Riverine Landscapes Research Laboratory in UNE's Department of Geography and Planning.
Team leader, Professor Martin Thoms, relocated his research group to Armidale in 2009 and has become involved with the local mountain biking club through participation in social rides and club races.
Thoms is an experienced rider, having already competed in a twelve and a six hour endurance race this year. He is looking forward to competing, as he: 'wanted the challenge and to do my bit for a good charity.'
Dr Mark Southwell is the teams strong man, and moved to Armidale earlier this year as a Post-Doctoral researcher. Southwell, a former competitive soccer player, took up cycling after a recurring injury.
'I have been riding with Martin and Murray for a few years now, more for fitness than competition,' said Southwell, but to prepare for the competition, Southwell has been doing 'lots of riding, trying to put as many kilometres on the legs as I can.'
'Apart from trying to keep up with my other two team mates who are much fitter than me, the biggest challenge will be spending such a length of time on a bike seat', said Southwell.
SportUNE Full Sporting Scholarship holder and PhD candidate, Murray Scown, is an established long distance runner and orienteer who incorporates cycling into his orienteering training.
Scown has competed in various Mountain Bike Challenges, both length events such as the Gibb River Road Challenge and time challenges including the Mont 24 hour and Scott 24hour races in Canberra.
Scown decided to compete in the event because of his love of mountain biking and because 'it's for a good cause, and we have some friendly competition with others in the race.'
All three competitors are especially looking forward to the finish line after racing the 90 kilometre race.
The Walcha Mountain Bike Teams Challenge was established in 2007 to raise money to purchase a replacement helicopter after the Tamworth based Westpac Rescue Helicopter crashed earlier in 2007.
Monday 12 September, 2011
UNE Student, Jennifer Star, was selected for the honour of representing the entire Oceanic region to light the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony of the Universialde in front of 20,000 athletes and spectators.
In August, Star, represented Australia in Judo at the 2011 Summer Universiade, held in Shenzhen, China.
The games, held every second year, are an international University sporting competition, the second largest multisport competition in the world (after the Olympics), with over 8,000 athletes from 152 countries competing in the event.
The Universiade aims to promote international peace and cultural exchange among youth through sport, with the motto of the 2011 games being ‘make a difference’.
This aim has been a desire of Stars for the past few years, having moved to remote India in 2009 to develop her charity, Tara.Ed.
Star chose to develop her skills for this Non-Government Organisation by studying her Graduate Diploma of Education at the University of New England, chosen because of the great external program on offer.
'I am always travelling and I needed a university that was flexible and suited my travel. UNE is well known for its distance education so it was a natural choice,' said Star.
‘When I moved to India, I thought that I’d have to let go of judo. It took me four months to realise that I couldn’t possibly survive without it. I ended up with the Karnataka State Men’s Military team’ said Star.
‘In Australia, an elite athlete has a team: a coach, a physio, training partners, a sports psychologist and training facilities. In India, it was just me,’ said Star of training in India.
‘Being an elite athlete in a developing country is an interesting phenomenon. Simple things are made impossible.’
Some of theses challenges included dietary deficiencies, power cuts, heat and lack of resources available in India, especially for women.
‘I didn’t just have to fight on the mat; I had to fight stereotypes, injuries, facilities and motivation. But somehow I actually made it, and I was a better athlete at the end of it.
Tara.Ed aims to improve cultural links between Australian and Indian schools, to offer practical training for Indian and Australian teachers, and to provide resources to rural schools in India.
Star believes 'sport is all about the journey, not the destination. If you focus on getting it right in training, you'll get it right in competition.. so make every session count.'
'There are times when it all comes crashing down, but I have a great network of people who support me in my various roles and work really hard to make the way easier for me. It's not hard to excel when you've got people cheering you on from the sidelines' said Star.
Star has been competing in judo for sixteen years, and in international competition for seven. Some of Star’s significant achievements include gaining bronze in the 2005 Youth Olympics, and placing ninth in the 2009 Universaide, in Belgrade.'
'I still have a lot to do in both Judo and with Tara.Ed. I'm just incredibly lucky that I have the opportunity to pursue the things I love!' said Star.
Olympian Special Guest at UNE Sport Awards
Sarah Cook representing UNE in the Australian University Games
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The University of New England and Armidale community enjoyed the evening on Monday when the sporting achievements of colleges, teams and individuals from the UNE community were recognised at the 63rd Annual Sports Awards.
There were many outstanding contributions to sport on a local, state, national and international level that were recognised at the Awards Night, a testament to the impressive year in sport at the University of New England.
'It's wonderful for us to recognise the achievements of our students and volunteers who have helped make 2011 a very successful year of sport at UNE,' said Executive Director of SportUNE, David Schmude.
'It's very pleasing to see the high calibre of sporting success from UNE',
Special guest, Sarah Cook, won the UNE Sportsperson of the Year.
Guests at the event were given the opportunity to ask questions directed at special guest Olympic Rower and SportUNE Clem Jones scholarship holder Sarah Cook who is currently studying her Graduate Diploma in Education at UNE.
Last year, Cook gained silver in the FISA World Rowing Championships held in New Zealand, an improvement on the bronze medal she received for the 2006 competition held in the United Kingdom.
Cook has also won gold in the World Cup, held in Austria in 2007, as well as a bronze in the World Cup in Holland (2007) and Germany (2006). Cook placed in the top ten at the 2008.
Emma Gillogly was awarded a Full Sporting Blue to recognise various achievements during her study at UNE; most recently her selection in the Australian Rugby 7's Women's Squad. This will see her competing internationally and across Australia over the next year.
Gillogly is an all-rounder athlete who has been an active participant in sport during her studies at the University of New England, having played at a state and national level for touch football and been a representative in athletics. She has also competed in soccer, athletics and touch football in intervarsity competitions, as well as captained the UNE team for three consecutive years.
Alex Badaoui was awarded a Half Sporting Blue in recognition of his gold medal in taekwondo at the Australian University Games. Badaoui has been training in taekwondo for nine years, but only competing for the past year and a half.
The Spirit of Sport at UNE was award to Honorary Life Member of SportUNE Dr Jack Hobbs. The Spirit of Sport Award recognises active and regular participation in sport and physical recreation while displaying a positive spirit and enjoyment which is an inspiration to others.
Hobbs has been a committed member of SportUNE since 1965 and has been actively involved, as past president of cricket, hockey and fitness clubs. Hobbs is currently serving on the Board of Directors, and a former President; as well as having served on Blues and Scholarship Committees and the old General Committee and Executive in various capacities.
Sports Recognitions Awards acknowledge valuable service to sport and were presented to Dominique Carter, Samantha Manet Lees and Bradley Smith.
Students who had participated in intervarsity sport this year were recognised. The women intervarsity athletes did well, with the Intervarsity Team of the Year being awarded to the Women's Soccer who competed at the Northern University Games. The Australian University Games Women's Tennis received the Spirit of the Games Award.
The sport of Rugby Union had a successful night, with St. Albert's Rugby winning McDonalds Club of the Year and the UNE Club Team of the Year. Ian Tonkin of the UNE Barbarian Rugby Union Club won Coach of the Year and Sam Piddington won a Club Honours Award.
Peter Barker also received a Club Honours Award which recognises exceptional contribution and administration. Sports Administrator of the Year was received by Charlotte Egan.
SportUNE won the Interdepartmental Trophy for the lunchtime sporting competition.
Drummond and Smith College won the Mary Bagnall Trophy for female intercollegiate sport, and Duval College won the President's Trophy for male intercollegiate sport.
The event was hosted by Mark Lowe of ABC Radio New England North West Sports Editor.
Individual Competitors Win Medal's at the Australia University Games
Friday, October 14, 2011
A team of eighty-one students represented the University of New England at the Australian University Games, held on the Gold Coast at the end of September.
The UNE team had much success in the competition, especially athletes competition in individual sports, who scored gold, silver and bronze medals.
Second year studying biomedical science student, Alex Badaoui, achieved excellent results and received gold for his competition in the taekwondo.
'It's still just only sinking in that I competed at an Australian level with good results' said Badaoui.
Badaoui has been training in taekwondo for nine years, but since beginning study in Armidale last year, has taken up kung fu with Anthony Kelly.
'As most of my training involves creating muscle memory, competing in martial arts is enjoyable as it allows my brain to switch off and my instincts to take over'
This gold medal comes after only a year and a half after Badaoui started competing, usually finishing in first or second place.
Of his experience at the Australian University Games, Badaoui comment that: 'I was lucky to get a hit on my competitor early in the grand final, as this shattered his confidence and boosted my own.'
As a full time university student, Badaoui must balance his sport with study: 'It is sometime difficult to balance my study with training, but I've found that I just have to get in and do it,' said Badaoui. 'I use training as a reward for completing my university work.'
'Because practice is critical to success in martial arts I train for a minimum of an hour a day. Another vital factor in my success is my desire to win,' said Alex.
Badaoui was not the only individual competitor at this year University Games to bring home medals, with UNE winning medals in rowing and athletics.
SportUNE scholarship holder, Sarah Cook won the silver in the Single Scull rowing event, which was held in Penrith.
Executive Director of SportUNE, David Schmude commented that 'it was a really tough day as the wind made the water more like white-water.'
Schmude commends Cook's efforts: 'This is a great result, especially as she came second to the current world champion single sculler.'
'I'm glad that SportUNE is able to support external student athletes to excel at their sport,' said Schmude.
Sports Science student, Emma Gillogly managed to achieve a bronze in the heptathlon. This was exciting as Gillogli only just missed out on the bronze at the 2010 Australian University Games.
These medals are a great result for such a small university, and shows UNE's commitment to sport and the support of elite athletes.
Students from UNE also participated in team events of mixed beach volleyball, men's hockey, women's soccer, women's netball, women's tennis and men's and women's water polo.
The Australian University Games is the largest annual multi-sport event in Australia and provides student athletes a friendly environment compete in sport at an elite level. The event has a strong focus on developing relationships between students from universities around Australia so is a great avenue to develop cross-university relations.