“I’m an international student, can I still join the team?”, “I’m sorry, English is not my first language, could you repeat?”. These are sentences one could hear in the aisles of the Welcome Week’s Sports Fair, where sport societies were introducing themselves to new students. As an exchange student myself, for whom English is definitely not the first language, I must admit I might also have asked some of these questions. Navigating the University of Edinburgh’s sports landscape as a foreign student can be quite scary: will I fit in the team, or understand their discussions? Am I going to be able to keep up their pace? Will I form bonds with them, even if I am only here for a semester?
The Edinburgh University’s International Sports Club has been a great answer to these issues since 2022. The association hosts weekly taster sessions, open to every international student, whether they might be staying at university for their whole curriculum, a year or a semester. Surrounded by other internationals, one can try disciplines like football, lacrosse, karate, basketball, or even less-known sports such as korfball.
“It’s a great way to get experience and try something new,” I was told by Vlada, the Club’s Participation Officer, “and there are some sports I had never tried myself!” she assured. There are indeed no level requirements to attend the sessions – the rules of the selected sport are always explained – and neither are there attendance expectations or membership fees. “Just go there and have fun,” is Vlada’s recommendation to any international student interested in getting active and social, all of it in an “inclusive,” environment, where people are “chatty, friendly, and there is no awkwardness”.
“Inclusive” is definitely the word Vlada would use to define the International Sports Club, which holds sessions every Monday from 5:00 to 6:00pm, at Pleasance Gym. Korfball, a Dutch ball-sport, was the subject of the first session, where approximately 20 participants gathered in a cheerful atmosphere. Three sessions (without sign-up requirements) are planned in the next few weeks, ranging from pickleball to volleyball, also including futsal (a form of football). Further sessions will be announced on the Club’s Instagram account (@eu_internationalsportsclub).
Although sports have already proved what wonders they can make to create social links, Edinburgh’s International Sports Club is yet more evidence of their powers of inclusivity, in this case, breaking borders and language differences.
“The Pleasance during the Festival” by kim traynor is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.