Christiaan Steenekamp
The University of Pretoria is well known for its academic excellence, both nationally and internationally. However, a balanced student life is optimal for success. What better way to maintain this balance than by participating in student sports? The main sports events within UP fall under campus leagues, which are coordinated by TuksSport, TuksRes and Student Sport collaboratively. Here a vast array of sporting codes are covered, including football, rugby, netball, hockey and tennis – just to name a few. Other lesser-known but extremely exciting sports like volleyball also form part of the campus leagues. Campus leagues are non-professional, meaning anyone can participate in them regardless of their experience in the specific sport. Residences, societies and faculty houses all take part in these leagues, and they are open to all UP students.
Your connection to your faculty may feel bonded solely in academics. However, all faculties also play a key role in creating an interactive and diverse sport environment. Each of the nine faculties at UP, consists of a student-led faculty house. Each faculty house has at least one sport Official who will form sports teams and liaise with tournament coordinators. This means that first-year students who are not part of a residence can also partake as part of the faculty house and make tons of new friends. It is important to note that faculty houses generally compete in events where participation numbers from the student body are high. Examples of these in 2023 were the football, netball and hockey leagues. The biggest one-day tournament was the UPlympics field and track day.
Students living in residences can speak to their Sport HCs for more information regarding involvement in sports. Students part of day houses and societies can also garner information from the leaders of those groups. For students not part of any of the abovementioned structures, you can join your faculty house’s team. First-years can keep track of sporting announcement and updates by following your faculty house on social media or checking your email for any sport related ClickUp announcements.
For a fun breakaway, especially as a first-year, get involved in camps leagues. The memories and friends one makes on the sports grounds will last a lifetime. When the academic stress starts to heap up, it is best to clear your mind and relax. Participation in campus leagues is a great way to achieve this!
Instagram handles of each of the faculties houses at the University of Pretoria:
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences: @commercii_tuks
Faculty of Education: @up_house_education
Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment, and Information Technology: @ebithouse
Faculty of Health Sciences: @healthhouse_up
Faculty of Humanities: @househumanitiesup
Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences: @nathousetuks
Faculty of Theology and Religion: @house_theology_and_religion
Faculty of Veterinary Science: @opvsc or @opvillage_insta