Chichester interest in Women’s Six Nations rugby tournament 04/02/11

The influence of the University of Chichester will feature strongly on the opening weekend of the Women’s Six Nations rugby tournament.

Wales will meet England in Cross Keys, near Newport, on 6 February, and University alumni will find themselves coming head-to-head in the match.

Ashley Rowlands, who graduated in 2008 as a qualified PE teacher, is one of nine uncapped players who have been called up to the Wales squad for the tournament, and is straight into the starting line-up in the lock position.

When she takes to the field on Sunday, she is likely to face her Wasps team-mate Claire Purdy as well as Emma Croker (Richmond), who have been selected for the England squad which has retained many of the players that featured in last September’s World Cup final defeat against New Zealand.

Claire is a Sports Studies and Sports Management graduate from 2001, while Emma qualified as a PE teacher three years earlier than Ashley. She also has her sights set on sporting success in another field – after becoming England weightlifting champion, her next target is to represent Great Britain in the London 2012 Olympics.

Talking about how she got into the game, Ashley said: “When I joined the University, I was a hockey player, and only tried rugby in my second year because it was part of my course. I was then asked to play in a full game for the University because the squad was short on numbers, and I scored two tries, and my career has built from there.

“The University coach Andy Turner was a real inspiration to me, and encouraged me to go for county and regional trials, where I met other players and coaches that gave me the opportunity to play at club, and now international, level.”

Dr Sarah Gilroy, Executive Dean at the University of Chichester, said: “To have University alumni taking part in this match on opposite sides is certainly going to add to the spice of the game. With Ashley winning her first cap at the weekend, she joins a growing list of students from the University who have gone on to win international honours in their respective sports, and they are all an inspiration to others wanting to succeed in sport.”

University basketball team forms official partnership with BBL side 04/02/11

The University of Chichester Thunder basketball team has become an official nursery team to British Basketball League (BBL) side Worthing Thunder.

The official tie-up will provide opportunities for the Chichester players to train with the full BBL squad and means the best players at the University can be called on to play by Worthing Thunder if the fixture list allows for the remainder of the 2010/11 season, and beyond. With former BBL players such as Bud Johnston (Brighton Bears), Jasper Chiwuzie (London Capital) and Liam Mitchell (Thunder 09/10) on the Chichester roster, there is plenty of talent within that squad.

In addition to the players being able to play for the BBL side, it also means that Chichester are playing some of their matches at the Worthing Leisure Centre ahead of BBL matches on the same night. The first such occasion was on 29 January, when helped by 36 points for Bud Johnston and 23 for Liam Mitchell, they beat Guernsey 99-52. The next time will be Saturday 26 February at 5pm when they host table-topping Taunton Tigers in what promises to be a great clash ahead of Worthing’s local derby against the Guildford Heat (7.30pm).

Worthing Thunder Operations Director Alan Sweetman-Hicks is pleased that the two organisations continue to forge ever-closer links. He said: “We are grateful to the University for the continuing support they are giving us and in allowing this nursery set-up to happen. It can only lead to good things for both clubs – here in Worthing we will be able to look at and call-up the best talent at the University’s disposal, and the University will be able to attract players who will know that if they perform for the University, there is a chance of a route into the BBL, which in turn should make the University of Chichester Thunder better.

“It also means that all the players coming through our junior programme have somewhere to look at as a viable option for their post A Level studies where they can learn in a great institution and play for the University team in BUCS and National League fixtures, knowing that if they are good enough, they can progress onto the Worthing Thunder themselves.”

Sid Fletcher Sports Development Manager for the University of Chichester Students’ Union also expressed his delight at recent developments between the organisations. He said: “The speed of developments over the past two years has been staggering. When we all first met in Worthing Leisure Centre to discuss the plan, we could never have imagined we would be in this position so quickly, with an official partnership and nursery status with a BBL club, a strong performing National League side, and two British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) teams.”

Football and basketball combine for RESPECT behaviour campaign 01/02/11

A football-based youth engagement programme has crossed the sporting divide and visited the University of Chichester as part of their basketball activities.

Portsmouth Football Club’s RESPECT programme encourages social and personal development and healthy lifestyles among young people by participating in sports. For the past three years, basketball has formed part of the activities and has worked with Rising Ballers, an initiative run by University of Chichester Thunder basketball team coach Emmanuel Davies.

Rising Ballers aims to keep young people active and out of trouble by focusing on positive sporting activities. The number of young people taking part in basketball activities has risen year on year.

On Saturday 22 January, 30 young people came to watch the University of Chichester Thunder’s 83-79 victory over Team Gloster Jets in their National League match as part of the programme.

Emmanuel, who is also performance director for Rising Ballers, said: “Having the kids come to watch the game was a great plus to the programme, as it can show what they can do with their talents if they continued to work hard. The kids are very enthusiastic and we hope they continue using the positive vibes from the project and apply them elsewhere in their lives.”