As Strathclyde’s Sports Union continues to expand, more opportunities are opening up for students to try many weird and wonderful sports, all from the comfort of our very own campus. As we approach winter in a city as notoriously cold as Glasgow, StrathSnow has all things freezing under control – and a little something for everyone to enjoy.
Regularly training at the Glasgow Ski and Snowboard Centre in Bellahouston, the club is open to all students regardless of skill or experience and currently offers its members the chance to take part in both racing and freestyle. Those looking to compete may also enter the Scottish University Dry Slope Championships (SUDS) and the British University Dry Slope Championships (BUDS), but, more casual involvement is also encouraged.
Spearheading the club is Dominic Cluckie, a fourth-year Computer Science student from Hamilton. “I don’t actually do too much skiing,” he jokes, noting that more of his time is spent answering the club’s WhatsApp group or making sure everyone feels at home at their popular fortnightly socials. A modest but dedicated committee of eight people, Cluckie says that their main goal is to foster a fun, safe space for students to socialise and take part in sports alongside their studies: “We just want to make sure that the club can support people in any way that they want and make them feel welcome.”
One of the team’s major selling points is the flexibility that it offers. “It’s not as constraining as other sports can be,” Cluckie explains. “You don’t have something on every week, which is nice because it’s a lot easier for students to take part.” He also highlights that they are open to new members throughout the year, so students don’t have to wait to get involved.
Despite the name, StrathSnow is so much more than a haven for lovers of winter sports – those simply looking for a break away from studying have come to the right place. Hosting a variety of events such as karaoke, themed pub crawls, and their annual ceilidh, Cluckie insists that there’s always room for an extra person: “People bring their friends along and stuff, which is really nice because it just kind of expands our community. It’s open to everyone.”
Solidarity and camaraderie are at the heart of StrathSnow, and their recent Ceasefire social, in partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University, is one of Cluckie’s proudest moments. Organised in aid of the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, over 600 people attended their sold-out event at Kitty O’Shea’s.
In January, the club will be embarking on its annual ski trip, a venture that will see over 500 Strathclyde students travel to Tignes in the French Alps. One of the club’s most anticipated events, Cluckie recommends it to anyone. “You don’t have to know how to ski or snowboard,” he clarifies. “You get to learn, hang out with other unis, and go for night outs. It’s nice and relaxing. We want to make it as accessible and enjoyable as possible.”
Cluckie’s main piece of advice for anyone thinking about joining is to just lean into all that the society has to offer. “I think the first step is for people to just come along. That makes such a difference,” he says. “We have our Cuff and Chug social, where you get handcuffed to someone for the night, and you have to drink the same as them. Last year, two boys didn’t really know anyone, so I’d handcuffed them. Now they’re living together, and are best pals. I think it’s little things like that, those are the things that make me happy.
“Obviously winning is nice and everything – it’s cool having medals – but, if people are coming back and having fun, that’s all that really matters to us.”
Editor-in-Chief.
Fourth year English and Creative Writing and Politics and International Relations student.
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