Written by third year student and Wing Community Leader, Megan Burton
Sport at Emmanuel is such a unique and special experience. Whether you are on or off the field, the camaraderie and support shown by your fellow Blue Dogs, is like no other. Running onto the field alongside your closest friends with a sea of blue and white behind you, is what makes college sport so exciting. Rugby union and netball are two of the most anticipated sports on the ICC calendar. Often, our Wednesday nights involve grabbing an early dinner, rugging up in a jersey, and making it over to UQ just in time for a team tunnel.
Heading into a very busy semester 2, our men’s rugby and women’s netball teams arrived at College three days early for an intensive training camp. These training camps are crucial in developing team bonding, understanding play tactics and the dynamic of the team. The teams were carefully selected after several trials, with 14 athletes being selected for the netball, and 30 for the rugby. Both teams are feeling confident for the upcoming season. Myles Rogers, Rugby Union Convenor, said the boys are set to be competitive against our rivals at St John’s College. Along with fitness training, students also had the opportunity to attend an information session hosted by Praxis Physiotherapy. The presentation was extremely helpful to our athletes covering topics such as injury prevention and taping strategies. Both teams had the chance to showcase their skills at the conclusion of the camp, hosting a game against a team of old dogs. Family and friends were invited to spectate, after attending a lunch in the quad. For many parents, it was the first time seeing their children sporting the new Blue Dog colours on the field, and the day was a great success. Over the coming weeks, teams will compete weekly in the ICC Competition and a game schedule is available on the UQ Sport website.
