A Week in Sport — Your St Andrews Timetable

From the Freshers' Magazine

Did you ever watch that film ‘Yesterday’? The one where it turns out The Beatles never happened. Well, it’s happened again — not with the Beatles, but with lectures. And seminars. And labs and tutorials and coursework and readings and definitely exams. MySaint? Never heard of it.

Naturally, you’ll be wanting to fill every waking minute with sport, so here’s your new timetable: a week of sport in St Andrews.

Monday

Start with a stretch. Seriously. We have a big week ahead, and we can’t have you doing a Derek Redmond ‘92 (though that clip is a beauty).

The sun is out, so start with a hike along the Fife Coastal Path, setting off from East Sands. The path hugs the entire Fife coast and takes over a week in total, so we’ll just do a brisk section and head back into town. On your way back, take a swim at East Sands — St Andrews students are obsessed with immersion in the North Sea, any season; by the way, it’s never ‘alright once you’re in’. Not all bad though, as you’ve booked a sauna session — good planning! Be sure to check for student rates at the town’s saunas.

Next you’ve got training for BUCS (different teams and sports train at different times, of course). You can do over 50 different sports through the Athletic Union (AU). Head to the Fresher’s Sport Fayre (Tuesday 8 September) and check their website or sport Instagrams to find their “Give it a Go” sessions. For today? How about shinty, an ancient game from the Highlands, or perhaps cheerleading, or even surfing?

Tuesday

Tuesday night, the AU is bustling, and you’ve got your first timetable clash.

“Try Sport Tuesday” at the AU starts with dodgeball, and then it’s a different sport each week — time to meet new people and burn through some competitive energy.

Alternatively, gather a team and sign up for a semester of the Tuesday (or Monday) night football sixes league on the astro. Admittedly, the team names are often better than the football on display, but it’s a cracking way to get some footy in. Anyone can enter a team, and many teams have mixed genders. I think you’ve earnt a drink afterwards too — perhaps just the one.

Wednesday

I hope it really was ‘just the one’ last night, as it’s game day.BUCS Wednesdays are a staple of the UK university landscape. ‘Aberdeen (away), 8pm Kick-Off’. It’s what your whole sporting journey has been leading to. If you’re not keen to play for a team, go and support a friend who does… though perhaps not for the Aberdeen away game.Most sports host socials in the evening: off-pitch chemistry improves on-pitch performance, of course (Noosa in the ‘25 Ashes, a prime example).

Thursday

Thursday, you’ve earnt a rest. A sporty one though, obviously. How about writing up a match report for yesterday’s game? Or interviewing a pro athlete from Fife?

Apply to write for The Saint’s Sport Section, open to all.

Thursday evening, head to one of the town’s gyms for a light-touch session, or a fitness or yoga class. Alternatively, continue your rest day and head to a pub quiz, where you’ll be able to flex some of your otherwise useless sporting knowledge. There’re usually quizzes at Ham’s Hame, The Central, Union, The Rule, The Vic, and more — check which days they are on, and don’t be the person who says “I knew that” after every wrong answer.

Friday

Trainers on, and off to Bubble Run Club, a student-led run club with a range of paces and discounted coffee at Spoiled Life — there are a few running clubs about, so check out which one fits your vibe and schedule.

Saturday

This is the bit in a film that the choir of angels is singing and everything goes very bright. Sling your clubs over your shoulder. The time has come to play the St Andrews Old Course.

Students at St Andrews have the undisputed best deal in world golf. Purchase a ‘Links Ticket,’ and you’ll have access to the town’s eight courses. Eight. 

Never played? The AU offers lessons. Alternatively, ask one of the superb golfers you’ll meet here to take you down to the range. It is worth trying; if you end up loving it, there’s no better place to be.

Sunday

Sunday, get creative:

Fly fishing on Cameron Reservoir — we made a video on it for The Saint’s Instagram, learn more there — that could be fun?

Use your Young Scot Card and explore some of the hiking on our doorstep.

Ice skating in Dundee? Windsurfing? Spikeball on the beach?

Whatever you choose, make sure you’re back in time for our final fixture: Sunday League.

There are two fiercely competitive eleven-aside leagues, played on the 3G pitch. Put together a team or join a pre-existing one. Could your team topple the elite Botswana Meat Convention? Can Strokers bounce back from a poor season just gone? Could Sheffield Tuesday go one further and claim the title? The thrill. 

Stay up to date with the League with The Saint. If you don’t play, go and support your friends. Remarkably, it’s free to watch (don’t tell Infantino).  

You made it. How are the legs?

I suppose this has been a slightly contrived way of demonstrating just how much sport St Andrews can offer you, and how great a uni life with lots of it can be. 

A week wasn’t enough to mention everything, so the AU is a great port of call for further questions about how to get involved.

Play well.

Photo credit: Manraj Gill