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Best clubs/socs to join
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I really can't recommend mountain biking enough! I joined at the start of last year with basically no previous experience of mountain biking and absolutely love it now :cool: It's a pretty laid back club, nobody wears lycra shorts and we don't usually get huge crowds out on spins so it's easy to get to know people.
There's cycles every sunday, you don't need your own bike (or helmet) as the club has a load you can borrow. Last year the spins were quite a nice mix of fast adrenaline rushy stuff and more relaxed cross country cycles. The ones at the start of the year are always pretty beginner friendly. We also meet for pizza every monday
We went on two weekend trips away last year, one to killarney and one to wicklow where we got a day of coaching from a professional cross country rider. Highlight of the year was 10 days in Les Gets in the french alps in June.
I'd really encourage anyone to give it a go, like I said you don't need your own bike and the first few spins will be very beginner friendly. If you're curious feel free to post on our forum or PM me!0 -
Defo go with Trampolining!!! I'm in it and it's awesome!! (Hows that for vested interest advertising).
No seriously, your from Limerick we are doing a 24 hour Guiness record breaking attempt out in Delta tomorrow. Its on from 1pm tomorrow afternoon to 1pm saturday afternoon. Come out and ask one of the Trampoliners for Dave or Frenchy (both are me) and we'll throw you up on the trampoline for a laugh!!! Teach you some of the simple stuff and then you can see if you like it or not !!
Thanks for the offer but I couldn't actually make it today which is disappointing seeing as I'm only up the road from Delta. I'll get to bounce eventually
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Fair play for taking the time to do a summary, special note to the clubs and societies not mentioned though that some clubs & socs, like ladies hockey or airsoft are great to join but might find it hard to get widespread recognition because they are specific. Sports clubs will always attract members who have an interest, but they will not retain them when matches come along, simple fact of life. No committee member would willingly let any member fall off their radar though, as (lets be cynical here) they are potentially a great source of income!
You mention the Sub Aqua crew limiting their members and costing so much, their problem is that it cost so much to train people that they have to make sure they get committed members and justify the money. In saying that, I've wrecked my brain trying to come up with a better budget system, which would provide the core funding each club needs - not wants. I don't think it's fair that club X get funding to buy some expensive equipment while club Y can't afford a bus to a match. It's fundamentally wrong, in that a members experience of C&S is put in the hands of another student, who may make a budget error or, heaven forbid, miss a council meeting due to a project, thus forfeiting part of the entire club's budget. #rant 0 -
Fair play for taking the time to do a summary, special note to the clubs and societies not mentioned though that some clubs & socs, like ladies hockey or airsoft are great to join but might find it hard to get widespread recognition because they are specific.
I think there should be something (like what I posted) on the first page but with other people's comments too about clubs and societies. That way the ones I didn't have a view on (or had a view that was incorrect) a more up to date view could be heard. As for being hard to get widespread recognition, some clubs forget to make themselves known and just compete nothing else.Sports clubs will always attract members who have an interest, but they will not retain them when matches come along, simple fact of life. No committee member would willingly let any member fall off their radar though, as (lets be cynical here) they are potentially a great source of income!
Societies will also attract members who have that interest too. You would be surprized as committee could just use people to join so that their membership numbers are increased (for the 75% students condition) and that they have money which they can use for what they please. Enterprise and Finance is an example of the committee (from what I've heard!!) shunning members which helps them get access to limited facilities to a select few.
That's what I've heard (the limiting part). As for training people, it costs ~€45 per pool dive so that's ~20 times per member (fundraising half!). No club or society should ever exclude anybody, for any reason. If you have to be skilled to play, training or coaching should be available. It should not an elite group who spend the budget on themselves.You mention the Sub Aqua crew limiting their members and costing so much, their problem is that it cost so much to train people that they have to make sure they get committed members and justify the money.In saying that, I've wrecked my brain trying to come up with a better budget system, which would provide the core funding each club needs - not wants. I don't think it's fair that club X get funding to buy some expensive equipment while club Y can't afford a bus to a match. It's fundamentally wrong, in that a members experience of C&S is put in the hands of another student, who may make a budget error or, heaven forbid, miss a council meeting due to a project, thus forfeiting part of the entire club's budget. #rant
Well if you go through the figures for membership last year and budgets awarded, Sub Aqua were awarded ~€440 per member (raised ~€460 per member) while DJ soc was awarded ~€3.70 per member (raised ~€9 per member). A category A club (high competition (more than one team, compete often) should get awarded more than a category B club (one team compete weekly/fortnightly/monthly), while a category B club should be awarded more than a category C club (low/no competition). A catgory C club should have similar funding as a society as neither compete (or have low levels of competition). Sub Aqua (60) and Skydive (119) combined got more this year than GAA (800 members).
The system is a whole discussion in itself and I think only people active with the system for 2 or more years know how it works so it should be left with that, though I would be interested in hearing about people's possible solutions to the budget system.0 -
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Trampoline
Went on foreign trip this year and one of their members were injured. They didn’t inform anyone that they had left the country even though they are required to do so. They are trying to set a world record, looks like fun.
Don't be scaring people away and telling tales
. And just a quick update ... We got the record. That person got mighty fine NHS treatment as well I'll have you know - she was lucky to be injured abroad
+1 for looks fun, tis fun too when you do it...0 -
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bazkennedy wrote: »Here's my two cents as someone who's been in and around the c&s scene for a few years.
When ever you get a group of people together for what ever reason (sports team, hobby or interest, shared experience) friendships are formed, in jokes are born etc etc. Now to the outsider looking in this almost always looks like a closed group.
While close friendships and in jokes are common in clubs and sods, I can tell you most of them are very open and welcoming and you'll soon feel like you've been a member for years. This is proven by the large numbers of first years who join every year and get heavily involved during their 4 or so years in ul.
There are a few clubs and socs that I am a member of but I have friends in a lot more and often find myself on nights out with clubs or socs that I would have no interest or reason to join.
By their very nature clubs and socs need to be open and welcoming or they will cease to exist. I could mention one or two former clubs, socs which fell by the wayside for this reason.
As for why there aren't more c&s in ul? It takes students to run them and students to join them.
Excellent Baz I agree clubs and societies need to be open as much as possible but without sacrificing the clubs' ideals. What do I mean by this?
A club is nothing without its members/students/teachers. And a balance is needed for everything for a club to succeed.
Well I've been part of the Karate club for six years or so. Over this time I had seen some highs and lows (with the club and with my person). It is through the club and the friends/comrades/sempai(senior) and kohai(junior) that I rose above things such as bereavement and heart break (different important life lessons).
There were phases to the club I would describe as "chapters". The first was what I'd describe as a "social club". Not that it is necessarily a bad thing. The atmosphere was very soft and open. The chairperson at the time won Club Individual of the Year and deserved it. Nights out in Molly's/Trinners were practically a weekly thing. It was during this time my father died unexpectedly and the club (aside from my classmates) was there for me.
But the training was very lax and sloppy (especially after the departure of the black belt instructor due to internal and external politics). The Karate world is wrought with politics (same goes for every other mass spread martial art) and this was more likely to affect those already indoctrinated than the beginners/freshers. I was a beginner who just wanted to train. I wanted to learn this Japanese art (despite my Chinese background) and get healthier, stronger, and understand myself more. I don't give a rats' ass about politics and affiliates, only care for the individuals that make it "work".
The second phase is the chapter I'd call "seriousness with a feint smile". I became much more serious with my training after second year of college, and found some people who joined were senior to me on the Karate or Life path and guided me. Those who were now junior to me I kept an eye on and we can easily spot those wh have heart and those who see it as a brief fling with fitness and learning to kick butt. Karate isn't about "kicking butt". You want to learn to fight from day one, you've the wrong Martial Art.
Not to be condescending, but my admirations always go to those with spirit/heart who keep coming back (who may not be very good at this Karate), and not the technically brilliant with a natural talent who come back only once a month (and who'd rather go on the bottle). "Karate is like boiling water, once the heat is removed it returns to its tepid state" -a Karate maxim.
The club is still in this current chapter. Although we train with utmost seriousness, we have had fun times. I recall many a martial art/nerd movie night (cinema or DVD), discussions about Bruce Lee/Karate masters/our own instructors late into the night... or a few nights just making shapes in the local disco. Instructors come and go, but I believe the club has achieved what it sets out to do: To introduce people new to this art/activity, and also provide a place for those who already train in Karate back home before coming to UL. I have recently found a "home club" to train with and found my own "sensei" (teacher). Without the club I'd never have found what I needed in life the most aside from money, family and career.
MY honest word is this: if you come with a "heart" I will take you seriously. Otherwise it is a waste of my time.
Time is like a finite number of transactions of your life. And to waste time rather than spend time effectively (or spend it with people you like) is a waste of life.0 -
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