Sports

Rowing

Whether you have rowed at school or have never seen a boat, rowing is a diverse sport with something for everyone whatever their ability.

Rowing is Oxford’s most popular and renowned sport.

Somerville Boat Club has a very friendly atmosphere and it’s a great way to meet people, from your own year and other years.

Rowing is low impact and is a combination of cardiovascular and strength conditioning making it a good addition to your fitness.

Netball

Come and play netball for Somerville!

Last year we had a fantastic season: getting promoted to Division 1, finishing really high in the league, and being the runners up in Cuppers, the inter-college netball competition, by only one goal.

We also try and end each term with a boys vs girls match. The netball team is a great club to be a part of so get in contact either by emailing Maddie Culhane or catching us at the Somerville Freshers’ Fair.

Captain – Maddie Culhane

Rugby

Somervillians can play for ‘Corpusville RFC’ – an amalgamated club for Corpus Christi and Somerville colleges containing a strong Somerville contingent.

College rugby at Oxford is a lot of fun, with matches every weekend during Michaelmas and Hilary terms, and often extremely enjoyable post-game socials. The rugby team is one of the most relaxed and inclusive teams in Oxford, with players ranging from those who have never picked up a ball to players playing for the university 1st XV- all are welcome!

There is a strong sense of camaraderie within the team and in recent years this has led to a number of successes, including reaching the Cuppers’ Plate final in 4 out of the last 5 years and gaining promotion to the top tier of college rugby.

If you are at all interested in turning out for the team, whether you’ve played before or not, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch either via email or Facebook.

Captain – Aaron Henry

Vice Captain – Daniel Tucker

Swimming

Founded recently in 2016/2017, Somerville College Swimming Club (S.C.S.C) is open to swimmers of all abilities.

Indeed, we have had swimmers fledge the S.C.S.C. nest and end up in the Oxford Swimming and Water Polo Blues Teams, and we offer a taster session in Freshers’ Week for all those interested.

Sessions occur in the evenings at Ferry Leisure Centre in Summertown, typically on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays.

Please contact the captain (Sasha Martiyanov) for details, including those relating to costs.

The S.C.S.C. has a subsidiary club, the Somerville College Water Polo Club (S.C.W.P.C.). This club is as new as the S.C.S.C. itself, and so far it has only been active only for cuppers – however, 2017/2018 could see further developments regarding Water Polo-specific sessions during the year (TBD). Anyone is welcome to join the S.C.W.P.C. too.

There are two important competitions for the S.C.S.C. during the year:

  1. Swimming Cuppers – held in November, this is a competitive and really exciting event to participate in and anyone is welcome to join. Just ask any member of the victorious S.C.S.C. 2016/2017 team!
  2. Water Polo Cuppers – held in May/June, this too is an exhilarating and highly competitive event which Somerville has yet to win. Again, anyone is welcome to participate, especially if we want to have an All-Somerville team for cuppers.

We have a Facebook group where updates for sessions, payments and other events are posted (news for Cuppers is posted on the JCR noticeboard of course). We welcome anyone interested in pushing the S.C.S.C. forward onto other types of social media

Please feel free to contact the captain or secretary (or via Facebook if appropriate) if you have any questions regarding the club, details of cuppers events and any other matters.

Captain – Sasha Martiyanov

Vice-Captain/S.C.W.P.C. Captain – Charles Keen

Chairman, Founder, Secretary – Alessandro Pirzio-Biroli

Men’s Football

We welcome players of all abilities and in all positions, and would love as many 2020 Freshers as possible to get involved, starting with our taster session on the Wednesday of 0th week.

We have two men’s football teams here at Somerville, who each tend to play two matches per week throughout the Michaelmas and Hilary terms, both in a league division and in Cuppers (knockout).

For any questions, contact Barnaby Harrison.

Captain – Barnaby Harrison

Women’s Football

Whether you were tackling as a toddler or have never kicked a ball in your life, Somerville Women’s Football Team is for you!

We welcome players of all abilities, training weekly in university parks and playing in an intercollegiate league throughout Michaelmas and Hilary terms. College women’s football at Somerville is very relaxed and loads of fun – we generally end up contravening the offside rule each match we play but we have a great time doing it.
If you weren’t tempted already, we also have termly crew dates and merry get-togethers, and are looking into getting football stash for the new year. If you’re interested, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Eve Althaus or sign up for a taster session at the Freshers’ fair!

Captain – Eve Althaus

Hockey

Hockey is a new sport which we are trying to start and build into a great team!

Currently consisting of players of all levels, the JCR has arranged for a joint Cuppers’ Ladies team with Magdalen for Michaelmas and Hillary with a mixed Cuppers’ team being entered in Trinity.

Everyone is encouraged to play, learn and have fun!

Captain – Charlottte Thornton

Squash

Squash is back! Be excited.

If you’ve played before, or haven’t ever picked up a racquet and want to play, let me know!

There’s a wide range of abilites at Somerville, so don’t be afraid to get involved if you are a beginner. I’ll be entering teams for cuppers and there’ll be opportunities to play casually if the competitive side of the game isn’t your bag.

Drop me, Patrick Middleton, an email at if you want to get involved!

Captain – Patrick Middleton

Basketball

College basketball is a rather popular sport in Oxford especially during Trinity term when there is basketball Cuppers.

However, you can participate this sport by simply turning up to the college league sessions in the first two terms and play!

Simply join the Facebook group to keep up with all things college league related.

If you have any questions regarding playing then simply email Junming Samuel Liu.

Captain (Mens) – Junming Samuel Liu

Cricket

Somerville cricket welcomes all types and levels of players.

However, the team in many ways represents the rump of what one would call good society in the college. We are persons of activity, leisure, and of adventure: whether one is chatting on the boundary, ensconced at the crease or tucking in to the teatime restoratives, the atmosphere is one of geniality and hope.

The worries of work are cast down and left behind in the libraries and the noise and squalor of the Vaughan JCR becomes a distant memory as we travel to the plush pastures of the Somerville sports grounds.

We aim to do well but welcome all abilities, and a drink in pub is common practice after a game!