Easter Holidays Sports Meeting Minutes

Thu 09 Apr Meeting Minutes

Reviewing Run Club publicity, basketball league plans, and collaborations and events for Term 3.

Minutes by Odin

"If I've solved a LeetCode problem that you can't, you deserve to have your CS student title stripped from you." - Sports Zach (2026)

Zach: The run club can move back to 5 pm now that the Term 2 first-year timetable clash is gone.
Zach: Hopes it can run consistently throughout the term.
- Need to account for exam clashes and, where necessary, find someone else to lead.
Zach: Does not want to overhaul the event, as there are other sports events to focus on.
Zach: Expects better turnout in Term 3.
- Could do cooler routes or destinations.
- Publicity needs more effort if turnout is to improve.
Tom F: Asked whether Sports wanted to do anything differently regarding publicity.
Zach: Last year's Term 3 Instagram stories did not really succeed.
Zach: Suggested that giving more advance notice for Run Club could improve turnout, perhaps through a weekly UWCS timetable.
Tom F: Suggested trying a highlight reel / timetable format for socials well in advance.
Tom F: Term 1 is the main time to trial larger changes for freshers.
Jakub: Agreed that a weekly UWCS post could help people understand the recurring events.
- e.g. what Pub Crawl, Run Club, and Wildcards each are.

Alfie: Basketball League is still going well; re-registering the society should be straightforward.
Alfie: For this term, Sports should drop the football league and instead push it again in Term 1 with freshers.
Tom F: Asked Jakub whether he had the physical trophies for the victories.
Jakub: One is in his room in Coventry; they are still waiting on the other.
Alfie: More publicity could help the leagues going forward.
Zach: Asked whether the basketball team has limited capacity.
- More publicity could bring in better players.
- Asked whether there is room for more than just spectators.
Jakub: Said the society could eventually run an A team and B team, as Maths and Engineering already do.
Alfie: If turnout rises significantly, Sports should explore that option.
- Zach: Agreed.
Jakub: Current turnout is roughly 15 people week on week, which does not yet justify a second team.
Tom F: Will look into getting a trophy box.

Zach: Said this idea came up last term as a way to include more members across the society.

Zach: Proposed a LeetCode-and-run event, similar in spirit to chess boxing.
- Run laps outside DCS, then solve a LeetCode problem.
Zach: Suggested adding a Jeopardy-style scoring system.
- Harder problems or more running could be worth more points.
Tom F: Asked whether Zach was familiar with how long it takes to solve a LeetCode problem.
- Zach: Said easier problems would be fine, especially ones he has already solved.
- Zach: "If I've solved a LeetCode problem that you can't, you deserve to have your CS student title stripped from you."
- Zach: Envisaged easy-to-medium questions.
Tom F: Thought the idea could work well with Academics.
- Mentioned that Academics may already be trying to run Drunk LeetCode.
Tom F: Said Term 3 is the right time for experimentation, so Sports should give it a go.
Zach: Joked that, if experimentation is allowed, perhaps they could hire a couple of cars and do drunk driving.

Zach: Said the BBQ happened so late in Term 3 last year that barely anyone attended because many people had already gone home.
Alfie: Suggested an outdoor sports event in a field.
Alfie: Suggested moving the BBQ to Term 1.
Alfie: Said that, instead of only queueing for food, people could also play football or similar activities.
Tom F: Thinks the Term 3 BBQ is currently scheduled for roughly the same time as last year.
Tom F: Personally thinks the society should bring a bouncy castle to the barbecue.

Zach: Said Sports should have started organising collaborations sooner.
- For example, Run Club-style events such as a 24-hour charity run.
Zach: Thinks people may be more inclined to attend if the event is for a good cause.
Zach: Suggested charity-focused events as a good Term 1 option, since scale matters for turnout.
Tom F: Said Sports would not have to organise everything alone and could speak to the Outreach Officer and Treasurer.
Tom F: Saw no issue with the idea.
Zach: Also mentioned that one of the freps wanted to do something with Dodgeball.
Zach: Suggested a taster event; Alfie and Zach could liaise with other sports societies.
Alfie: Said those societies often prefer groups to just turn up together.
Tom F: Agreed that, if UWCS does a collaboration, it should bring something new to the table.

Two main pieces of feedback came up from the first hike:
- timing
- giving people the option of a longer or shorter route
Better advertising would also help.
Use the April exam period for planning, then schedule it between the April and May exam periods.
Alfie: Term 3 should be a good time to do it, especially for the weather.

Alfie: Sports usually runs a racket sports event once a term, either tennis or badminton in Term 3.
A collaboration with CodeSoc could help turnout.

Alfie: Sports tried watch parties in Term 3 previously.
Alfie: Publicity was limited.
Alfie: Fusion was shut, though he has heard it may reopen.
Tom F: Asked about using the World Cup as the basis for a watch party.
Alfie: Agreed that it would be ideal, but thinks England's games are all at 9 pm.
Tom F: Suggested an easy fallback would be to book a lecture theatre.
Tom F: Ideally it would be in Fusion, as centrally timetabled rooms are not supposed to have food and drink brought in.
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General feeling that Term 3 should be used for experimentation, collaborations, and improving publicity for recurring sports events.
The meeting closed after discussing possible watch parties and venue constraints.

Zach: Check Run Club timing against exam clashes and find alternate leaders where needed.
Tom F / Jakub: Explore a weekly publicity / timetable format for recurring UWCS events.
Alfie: Re-register the society for Basketball League.
Tom F: Look into getting a trophy box.
Alfie / Zach: Explore possible sports-society collaborations, including Dodgeball.
Plan a second hike with clearer route-length options and better publicity.
Consider venues and timings for future watch parties, including Fusion and lecture theatres.