Issy English

Hi everyone, my name’s Issy and I’m running for AU and Sports Officer. I’m a second-year Astrophysics and Education student and have been heavily involved in sports during my time at Keele. In my first year, I was awarded the Sheila Walton Award for Female Fresher of the Year due to my commitment to both Korfball and Netball. Currently, I’m the 1st Team Captain and Coach for Netball. For Korfball, I am the Social, Charity and Tour Secretary. I have extremely good time management skills as a result of balancing all my committee roles and I also play regional netball on the weekend. I love being involved in ensuring the smooth-running of both clubs and I would love the opportunity, as AU and Sports Officer, to do this on a larger scale next year.

This year I have taken on a bunch of responsibilities in my committee roles - from organising the Korfball Charity tournament just last week, to learning to coach and develop four different ability netball teams over the semester. In managing a team, and coordinating coaching for the club, my communication skills have improved as I’ve had to listen to the needs of many different players, and learn to accommodate their preferences. Furthermore, to keep on top of all of my responsibilities I’ve had to be incredibly organised and learn to work efficiently. I believe that many of these skills would be put to use in maintaining a more productive and organised AU.

I enjoy the organisational aspects of my current committee roles and want to help to organise more multi-team tournaments next year, integrating the AU community and highlighting a range of sports clubs. I believe that this is a great method of team-bonding and also encourages students to try new sports. 

I am incredibly passionate and want to create a smooth sporting experience for all AU members. I want to encourage more university members to join a sports society - competitive or otherwise - and in doing so improve the mental and physical health of Keele students. 

1. Fight to clear Wednesday afternoon timetabling, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to play sport

I know many people this year have struggled with commitments on Wednesday afternoons. I aim to continue the fight to clear Wednesday afternoons of lectures for as many students as possible - everyone should have the opportunity to participate in sports. For those who study languages, this may not be an option. However, I would like to look into the number of sports social teams available to increase overall accessibility.

2. Emphasise the importance of Mental and Physical Health

By working alongside the Welfare and Internationalisation Officer, I want to create more opportunities for participation in sports, increasing accessibility and integrating the AU community. I want to work with sports teams to highlight mental health issues and how best to support their teammates and fellow athletes. Mental health is an incredibly important issue, and especially prevalent in University life. More needs to be done in supporting students and ensuring their time at University is safe, healthy and enjoyable.

3. Provide access to, and information on, sporting qualifications

For those interested in leaving university with more than just a degree, I will work to provide access to qualifications which will enrich individual clubs. First aid, Umpiring, Coaching and Refereeing courses are available throughout the country and could be made more accessible to AU clubs. Not only are these courses a good bonding activity, but having more qualified sports-people will benefit clubs and create more opportunities for individuals.

4. Work with both larger and smaller clubs to create a more harmonious AU

I believe that, with a little work, the AU community could be brought together and work more efficiently. By encouraging inter-team competitions - like the Korfball and Netball Charity events - we see more integration between clubs. In working together, each club could have the opportunity to showcase their sport, get competitive and most importantly raise money for a good cause. If enough teams get involved, I would like to further organise an AU night out in celebration - almost like an internal Varsity. 

5. Work with transportation companies to adapt and improve current and potential issues with transportation

A lot of teams have been impacted by timetabling and transportation this year. If elected, I would look into issues with transportation to provide safe and trustworthy drivers for key events. I would also attempt to increase transparency and communication between clubs and transport, as this could put an end to many of the issues faced. Furthermore, I wish to re-evaluate timetabling in the Sports Centre to provide more equal effective training slot times for both large and small AU clubs. As Keele is a relatively small university, it’s known that resources aren’t currently ideal, and by re-imagining timetabling and transportation issues, I believe the AU can be much more efficient. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my manifesto. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions (w9s78@students.keele.ac.uk). I hope you will support me and elect me as your next AU and Sports Officer as I know I have the experience and the skills to help advance the AU and create a better experience for students. 

Feel free to visit my facebook page if you want to know more! https://www.facebook.com/IssyEnglishAU/

Issy x