Some fantastic news for our club during the dull times!
The Sports Awards is a special event in the Sydney Uni Sport & Fitness calendar where we acknowledge our new scholarship recipients and generous donors, celebrate our clubs, athletes and administrators and come together as a community in the name of a shared love: sport.
Though this year’s event was not able to be held, the awards were announced online, and the Kendo Club has proudly won the Ann Mitchell Unisport Team of the Year!
” Kendo placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd in three of the six events competed in at the UniSport Div 1 Nationals. In the other three events the club finished 2nd and 3rd in one and 1st in the other two. After a week of competition, Kendo were named men’s champions, women’s champions and overall competition champions helping the University of Sydney claim the overall title in 2019. ”
Awesome job team!
So what’s Unisport nationals?
Unisport Nationals is an annual competition held for students across 43 Australian universities to compete head to head in a number of national sporting competitions.
In other words, for Kendo, it is a competition held once a year (last year at the Gold Coast) where you can represent the University of Sydney at a national level. This is for university students only – and that’s where most people start Kendo in Australia – so it can be considered one of the most important events on the calendar!
It is also one of the most highly recognised events for us – after all we are a club for students of the university. Last year our student team absolutely smashed the competition, we were recognised by the CEO of SUSF, and now even given this prestigious award!
A big, big, congratulations to our team last year! You have made our club and the entire university proud (put this on your CVs!). Thank you to all players and a special thank you to our coaches who supported the growth of our student members.
So that’s all the technical stuff, let’s hear what the students who went on a weekend trip to the Gold Coast have to say! Why is Unigames fun?
“I think Unigames is great because we form such a strong team bond and you really feel supported by everyone. It’s fun to challenge ourselves to put our skills to the true test and no matter the results we can all celebrate our own achievements together.”
“Why is it fun…. well:
– Only Kendo competition that is nationally recognised while in university (a chance to compete for many students).
– Although it is a competition, it is also a trip! Great time to bond with the people who are going.
– Lots of teamwork is present. Everyone is there to support each other while having fun doing Kendo.”
“Team spirit. From waking up at “stupid O’clock” to get to the airport to catch the first flight out, or from cooking a terrible but filling pasta for dinner together while having laugh, Uni games is as much fun as it is serious.”
“Ever remember going to school camp with your friends and having a blast? Like that, but your adults this time around.”
Unfortunately, this year’s Unisport Nationals is postponed.
Sorry to end on a low – but the 2020 UniSport, that was initially going to held in Perth, has been postponed due to COVID-19. Though understandable, it is sad news and we will definitely get our revenge on COVID-19 by coming out of this situation happier and stronger than ever before.
Instead let’s train up the remainder of this year when we return, and aim for gold again the year after!
Beginners of 2020: This means you all have plenty of time to train up, be selected on the team, and represent our club on the national stage next year! 😀