Athletics Union
Despite our central London location, the LSESU has a surprisingly excellent range of sporting facilities and clubs to join through the Athletics Union.
Get Involved!
It is only as you flitter between sports stalls at the Fresher’s Fair that you begin to realize the diversity of sports the LSE has to offer. From football to rugby, capoeira to Ultimate Frisbee, the choices are endless for beginners and budding national champions alike. As an Athletics Union, our central aim is to provide sport for all. As a result, despite its central location, the LSE Student’s Union provides a range of facilities easily accessible to all. Whilst providing an on-campus ski-slope may admittedly be beyond our means, you will find squash and badminton courts, a gymnasium and fitness centre on site. A short train ride away, in the picturesque setting of suburban Surrey lies the fortress that is Berrylands. Plenty of lush pitches (weather permitting!) for footballers and rugby players to strut their stuff, also the home of our multisport area for netball, tennis and 5-a-side. In addition for the coming year, we will have also been donated floodlights so girls and boys can go on playing long into the night…!
All competitive clubs are affiliated with the British Universities Sports Association (BUSA), who organise competitions across England, Scotland and Wales. In addition, the LSE SU is a member of the University of London Union (ULU), who organize participation in sports such as swimming, where individual college entry is not practical. They also run fiercely competitive inter-collegiate league and cup competitions for many sports. There are also chances to pit your wits against your friends in inter-hall competitions, games that can quite quickly into fierce battles…
Info
All clubs cost £10 for one academic year’s membership. In addition, some clubs also charge a nominal class fee. All Athletic Union clubs have pigeonholes and notice boards in the SU Gym Reception (Rear of 1st floor East Building) where you can leave messages or obtain training information. A timetable of all class and training information is also displayed here.
THE Social scene of LSE AU
Plato once said, “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” Same could be said of an hour of drinking with your new mates! The AU should be considered an international superstar at combining the two. We are the largest (2,200+ members) society in a small University. Being a member not only provides all the sporting opportunities, it opens up a whole social group beyond the sweat and blood. Unlike most Universities where you can meet someone and not encounter them again during your time there, the beauty of LSE is that everyone knows everyone and you’ll continue seeing familiar faces, building relationships as you go along.
The starting point is the legendary Wednesday nights starting at our spiritual home, the Three Tuns. No matter which club you belong to or at what level, you’re guaranteed an ‘interesting’ night, to say the least. Join in the drinking
games, belt out a love-song on the karaoke or simply catch up with your friends, expect to think of nothing else when asked ‘what are you doing Wednesday?’
The AU Welcome Party kicks off the year. Your first shot of the fun and frolics that soon prove as contagious Another event to look forward to is the AU Carol (unsurprisingly) held at Christmas, probably the funniest, definitely
the messiest event you’ll have ever experienced. Hardcore fans of this will sign up with gusto for the Calella ‘tour’ in Easter – five days of similar mayhem, five times the fun! The year ends with the AU Summer Ball, where the dress may be formal but the occasion is made for banterous reminiscing! A huge proportion of the AU come together to celebrate each other’s successes (and yes, we achieve a remarkable for such a small institution), as awards and colours are handed out.
