Sport in the Community
UCD sports clubs actively engage with the local community, using sports to benefit both the community and students. This involvement provides valuable life skills and benefits the operations of sports clubs by allowing members to utilize and develop their skills. Various forms of engagement include beach cleanups, coaching local sports clubs, and more.
To explore volunteering opportunities and avail the benefits of involvement, please refer to the Volunteering Opportunities section. Additionally, learn more about the numerous benefits of getting involved in the local community in the Why Get Involved section.
UCD Sports Clubs In The Community Report 23-24
Throughout the 2023-24 academic year, the UCD Athletic Union Council and its affiliated sports clubs made significant contributions to the local community through various innovative initiatives. In alignment with the AUC's strategic priority of Volunteerism and Support Services, the UCD AUC offers training and development opportunities to equip and support its sports club members in actively engaging and leading community projects.
UCD sports clubs demonstrated a strong commitment to community engagement in 2023-24, making significant contributions through fundraising, volunteering, and awareness campaigns.
The collaborative nature of UCD sports clubs was instrumental in maximising their community impact. For instance, the UCD Boxing Club supported UCD Karate Club's fundraising events, and the UCD Equestrian Club partnered with UCD and TCD societies to host a charity pub quiz, raising €700 for My Lovely Horse Rescue. UCD Archery Club and UCD Islamic Society co-organised an event on the Sunnah of Archery, blending sport with cultural education. Additionally, UCD Sub-Aqua Club participated in a "Darkness into Light" dive, raising funds for Pieta House alongside other Dublin dive groups.
UCD Sport successfully launched a Women in Sport Week campaign, featuring insightful interviews with female committee members from the UCD Trampoline, Karate, and Archery clubs. These discussions highlighted the role and impact of women in sports. Numerous UCD sports clubs, including Archery, Ladies Basketball, Men’s and Ladies Boat, Canoe, Equestrian, Fencing, Ladies Hockey, Judo, Karate, Mountaineering, Tennis, Trampoline, TaeKwon-Do, Ultimate Frisbee, Orienteering, Women’s Rugby, Sailing, Sub Aqua, and Swimming, all participated in the campaign through various initiatives.
Members dedicate countless hours to officiating, coaching, and volunteering at various events, demonstrating a strong commitment to giving back. UCD Ladies Boat Club members officiated at races like University Champs and the Dublin Metropolitan Regatta. UCD TaeKwon-Do Club and UCD Trampoline Club members regularly serve as officials, coaches, and judges at national tournaments. Moreover, experienced members of the UCD Canoe Club volunteer for safety roles at major events like Galway Fest and the Liffey Descent, while also taking on responsibilities such as refereeing and timekeeping at canoe polo competitions, including the Irish Polo Open and the Dublin Canoe Polo League.
Over 650 UCD students, staff, and graduates generously volunteer each week as coaches and committee members, ensuring the smooth operation of UCD sports clubs. They manage essential tasks such as organising and delivering training sessions, coordinating logistics for competitions, handling club finances, and overseeing equipment maintenance, all of which are crucial for the clubs to function effectively. Their dedication often extends to the local community; for instance, members of the UCD Men's Basketball Club also coach in the UCD Marian basketball program, supporting local youth development.
This spirit of giving back is further exemplified through various fundraising efforts for charitable causes. UCD Canoe Club raised over €3,400 for the Irish Cancer Society through the UCD Relay for Life, with more than 30 members participating and some camping overnight to support the cause. Club captain Bill FitzGerald won the "Spirit of the Event" award for his outstanding contribution. Additionally UCD Ultimate Frisbee Club, UCD Boxing Club, and UCD Archery Club also rallied for cancer awareness by participating in Relay for Life, with the latter two raising funds by training in yellow. UCD Trampoline Club raised €167 for Breast Cancer Ireland with a pink-themed training, while UCD Ladies Hockey contributed €2,111 through a pink training day. UCD Rugby Club's annual Daffodil Day fundraiser generated an impressive €38,195 for the Irish Cancer Society through campus collections, online donations, raffles, and events.
By fundraising for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), UCD Sub-Aqua Club and UCD Canoe Club support an organisation dedicated to ensuring the safety of their members and other water users. UCD Sub-Aqua Club hosted their annual Christmas dive at Bulloch Harbour, where participants in Santa gear took to the water to raise funds. Similarly, UCD Canoe Club held a raffle at their March ball, raising €351 for the RNLI.
UCD Ultimate Frisbee Club, UCD Rugby Club, UCD Sailing Club, UCD Trampoline Club, UCD Men's Hockey Club, UCD Mountaineering Club, and UCD Surf Club all participated in Movember, a charity dedicated to addressing three major men's health issues: mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.
UCD Karate Club raised nearly €1,000 for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland (CFI) through a variety of efforts, including charity Kumite classes, a Pub Quiz, a Self-Defence class, and a Dogi Hike. The club also participated in CFI’s nationwide events, like Christmas Jumper Day and 65 Roses Day, where they taught a 65-move Kata, Kanku Dai, to raise funds and awareness. Additionally, members supported the charity by promoting and attending external events such as the CFI Head 2 Head Hike and the Mac Fleetwood charity concert.
UCD Men's Basketball Club raised €2,000 for the Knights of St. Columbanus' Christmas Day Dinner through their annual collection. UCD Trampoline Club hosted a Rainbow-themed competition, raising €450 for LGBT Ireland, and showed ongoing support for LGBT hate crime victims by adding purple ribbons to their gear. They also organized various fundraisers, including committee challenges, a pub quiz, and a "Dragons' Den" event, collectively raising €905 for LauraLynn. Meanwhile, UCD Canoe Club held a table quiz with other college canoe clubs, raising over €200 for the Irish Red Cross to support relief efforts in Gaza.
Overall, the dedication of UCD sports clubs to community engagement has been remarkable, leaving a positive and lasting impact.
Volunteering Opportunities
To assist you in getting involved in a voluntary capacity we have provided you with a list of current options below.
Volunteer with the Local Sports Partnership
Why Volunteer for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown (DLR) Sports Partnership?
- Volunteers are an important resource when it comes to developing opportunities for sport and physical activity participation. Sport relies heavily on the time and commitment provided by volunteers.
- Volunteers provide a unique service to DLR Sports Partnership, the benefits of which are difficult to quantify. If you are interested in volunteering contact DLR Sports partnership on 01 271 9502 or email sportspartnership@dlrcoco.ie.
Volunteer with Studentvolunteer.ie
- (opens in a new window)Studentvolunteer.ie is a network of Higher Education Institutions that have come together to create an online resource to connect students to community groups, charities, schools, public bodies and NGO's.
- Once registered you can browse through a database of volunteering opportunities, including those in the area of sport and recreation, and sign up to become a volunteer.
- visit their website for more information.
Why Get Involved
There are many benefits to getting involved with the community through your sports club. Using sport to benefit communities and life skills is mutually beneficial for the local community and for students themselves. This engagement can also assist the operations of the UCD Sport clubs through providing the members with an opportunity to utilise and develop their skills.
Throughout the years many UCD students benefited the local community through their involvement in a variety of ways, whilst at the same time developing their own skill set.
Learning Outcomes
- Positive impact on students’ academic learning.
- Improves students’ ability to apply what they have learned in 'the real world'.
- Positive impact on academic outcomes such as demonstrated complexity of understanding, problem analysis, problem-solving, critical thinking, and cognitive development.
- Improved ability to understand complexity and ambiguity
Personal Outcomes
- Greater sense of personal efficacy, personal identity, spiritual growth, and moral development.
- Greater interpersonal development, particularly the ability to work well with others, and build leadership and communication skills.
Social Outcomes
- Reduced stereotypes and greater inter-cultural understanding.
- Improved social responsibility and citizenship skills.
- Greater involvement in community service after graduation.
Career Development
- Connections with professionals and community members for learning and career opportunities.
- Greater academic learning, leadership skills, and personal efficacy can lead to greater opportunity.
Relationship with the Institution
- Stronger relationships with faculty.
- Greater satisfaction with college.
- Improved graduation rates.