BY JOSH MARR
A Plymouth Herald article last week revealed that the Life Centre will be closed for “essential repairs” until at least April 2021, leaving the survival of some sports clubs in question. The Everyone Active-owned facility has been open for eight years and supports at least six sports clubs as their facility, on top of the free student swimming sessions and countless other local sports clubs and teams.
“It’s been announced at the worst possible time” Max Kimble, Chairman of the Plymouth Mantas told Plymouth Gazette, “we had a really successful year last year in terms of gaining more paying members than ever before […] this closure could send us back to where we were five years ago; struggling to get students interested and worrying about not being able to continue.” This is a reality being faced by many sports clubs who operate within of the Life Centre on a regular basis following the announcement that the sports complex will be closed for the next nine months.
This anxiety is widespread within multiple clubs who depend on the Life Centre. The Canoe and Kayaking Club told Plymouth Gazette that for the coming year plans were being made to base more training in the pool to help boost student’s confidence in the water before paddling in the sea. “Long term it would mean that we cant train our members in the same way we used to” the clubs Secretary said. The club is affiliated with the Port of Plymouth Canoe Association meaning that they will be able to use other pools to help train their members in surrounding pools with the Association’s help, but those pools are not easy for students to get to, which is why the Life Centre is so vital where it is.
Although BUCS has decided to cancel Wednesday competitions, some clubs, like the Surf Lifesaving Club (SLC) are concerned about other competitions throughout the year ran by their governing body. “It may make it more difficult for us to compete in BULSCA Lifesaving competitions next year, but in the current pandemic situation no one is too sure when those will be resuming anyway” says the club’s Secretary. Luckily for some clubs like SLC they are able to train in the sea and the surrounding area, but that doesn’t give them the same training if competitions go ahead.
What are the SU Doing?
The Student’s Union during the Sports Forum on 28/07/2020 announced to all clubs that this year there would be no minimum number of students who sign up to their club because of the difficulties that have come about from current regulation. Verity Lemm (VP Activities) continued by stating that no club will be shut down as a result of the Life Centre closure but certain allocated sport time may have to be reassessed depending on how many people sign up.
UPSU have advised sports clubs to adhere to national guidelines from their respective national bodies which oversee the specific sport, and to practice social distancing while training.
For those sports who are directly affected by the Life Centre closure, the CEO of UPSU is currently in talks with senior members of Plymouth City Council and Everyone Active to arrange support for those clubs, whether that be through financial help or by arranging pool time at other facilities.
Speaking to a spokesperson from Everyone Active Plymouth, the company said that it was a “priority” to contact the SU about the closure with a senior member of Plymouth City Council when it was announced. Everyone Active Plymouth states they, too, are working alongside the Council and the SU to “seek alternatives” to the Life Centre.
One thing remains clear throughout this situation; it’s not just the clubs who are affected but the people who are getting involved in sport who will suffer long term. There is a correlation between the quality of one’s physical health and mental health. If physical health decreases then it is likely that mental health will also take a hit. This is an important consideration when relating this to university and the everyday stresses of deadlines and exams as sports and societies offer an escape unlike anything else. It allows a student to fully express who they are, or to succeed when they feel that nothing else is going their way in academia. This closure also means the social aspect of sport will decrease too, affecting students in more ways than previously thought. This is why it is more important than ever that sports clubs who are dependant on the Life Centre can come together and try to help one another to train and stay healthy in any way they can.