Playing sport at the University

Playing facilities at Durham are excellent, with 64 acres of beautiful and well-maintained playing fields on two sites. The Racecourse playing fields, situated close to the City Centre and covering 20 acres, include a cricket ground, a rugby pitch, two football pitches and two hockey pitches, as well as two fives and two squash courts in the Racecourse Pavilion. The Racecourse cricket ground has been used by Durham County Cricket Club for first class fixtures, and also hosted the Australian tourists in 1993. The Racecourse complex has been the venue of the Great North International Cross Country in recent years and the training ground for Darlington FC.

The Graham Sports Centre, which is currently used by Newcastle United Football Club for training, covers 44 acres, three-quarters of a mile upstream from the Racecourse. There is a gymnasium and sports hall, 2 squash courts and a multi-gym, whilst outside there are six tennis courts, 3 netball courts, a 400 metre athletics track, a multi-purpose all-weather pitch, three soccer, three rugby, two cricket, three hockey pitches and one lacrosse pitch.

Across the river from the Centre are 2 rugby and 3 football pitches. These playing facilities were also the site of the World Cross Country Championships in 1995 and the prestigious England Cross Country Championships in 2001.

During Summer 2001, work began on developing these facilities further with:

• the installation of a two floor fitness suite (membership 1,500)
• a dedicated two piste fencing area
• a new four-lane running track
• a new netball/tennis surface

In addition to this, our Stockton-on-Tees campus hosts a fitness suite and a soon-to-be completed £1.2m community-based rowing complex.

Durham’s Sporting Excellence:

In the 2000 British Universities Sports Association (BUSA) national rankings, Durham University’s Men finished 4th, while Durham University’s Women came 9th (out of 149 universities).

For further details on University-level or inter-college sport at Durham, go to:www.durham.ac.uk/DUAU

The University’s commitment to further sporting excellence can be seen in our:

• Establishment of Centres of Excellence for Cricket and Fencing, attracting significant support funding for both sports (£250,000)
• Development of a Sports Science Support Team
• Appointment in 1998 of our Assistant Director of High Performance
• Employment of full-time coaches for Cricket, Fencing and Rowing
• 20 Sports Scholarships per year introduced in 1998
• Estabilishment of Friends of Durham Rugby, Cricket, Rowing and Hockey (provision of financial support)
• Major fixture developments: for example, the Northumbrian Water University Boat Race, Colonial Cricket Festival, and European Rugby Festival.

Sports Development

Our commitment to collaborating with local, regional and national community groups in the provision and delivery of expertise and facilities can be seen in our development of numerous Sporting Partnerships. For example:

• The establishment of the House of Sport in 1994. The Centre includes: five administrative/secretarial staff; Sports Coach UK (formerly National Coaching Foundation); Regional Training Unit for Sport; Sports Aid Foundation; Disability Officer and six Sports Development Officers (Gymnastics, Table Tennis, Hockey, Netball, Rowing and Swimming).

• The University has been central to the establishment of Durham City Sport and Durham Sport (County). The University is represented at all levels on these groups.

• The Director of Sport is a member of the Chief Leisure Officers’ Group for the County.

• The Universities for the North East (UfNE) Sports Group involving the five North Eastern Universities, together with the UfNE Sports Science Group.

• Coaching links developed with local schools in the sports of hockey, soccer, rugby, netball, fencing, golf, cricket, gymnastics, rowing and athletics.

• Increased use of facilities by local schools and links to two sports colleges.

• Newly formed alliances with major Durham City Sports Clubs (Rugby and Cricket). Shared use of facilities, player and coaching exchange.

• Increased use of facilities by outside bodies, including Newcastle United Football Club, Darlington FC, Hartlepool FC, the Durham County Cricket Academy, Netball Academy, Regional Fencing Centre and International Cross Country.

• The £1.2m community-based Boat House and rowing complex at the University’s Stockton Campus.