Why joining a sport society was the best thing I did at Birmingham

If you’d told me in my first week of uni that I’d spend my Tuesday mornings going to 7am pitch training on the Bournbrook pitches, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. But looking back at my three years at UoB, joining the Birmingham Pussycats - our cheerleading society - was easily the best decision I made.

In my first year, I joined Tabbycats. It’s our social team, which means we only trained once a week. This was exactly what I needed while I was still settling into uni life. It was low-pressure, fun, and the perfect way to meet new people without the stress of a heavier training schedule. I really enjoyed Wednesday sports nights every week - though my attendance has sadly lessened year by year - it really does help you bond and have fun with your new teammates.

Yet, both teams are still part of xpLosION - which is definitely one of cheer’s favourite events to perform at! If you haven’t been, it’s the second-largest uni sporting event in the UK - an American Football game with fireworks, a DJ, and a massive crowd. I also love performing at our own BUCS Super Series event, ‘Full Out’, which is basically our chance to show off how great our teams are.

By second and third year, I moved up to the competition team, training three times a week. Being on a competitive team gave my week some much-needed structure. When I needed a distraction from my degree, I knew I had training with all of my friends to look forward to. While it has been hard work, it’s always worth it when we smash our performances and compete nationally against other unis.

This year, I even got to give back to the club by joining the committee as Kit Rep. It’s been so rewarding to see how a society actually runs and has made me feel so much more connected to the club beyond just being an athlete. The highlight has definitely been designing our new uniforms and bows, I feel so proud whenever I see the whole team step out onto the mat wearing something I helped create!

I’ve met some of my best friends through this society. It’s not just about the actual sport and competitions that stays with you, but it’s the people who become your family. We’ve all seen each other at both our worst and our best, and honestly, there’s something about being part of a team that just makes the stressful parts of uni way easier to handle.

If you’re sitting in your room in halls wondering if you should join a sports team or a society - just do it. I think we would all agree that it's been one of the most rewarding things we’ve been part of at uni!