Meet UEA’s sporting elite

Your toned, tanned sporting heroes are ready for a year of wins.

And they need you to make it happen.

The captains of this year’s creme-de-la-creme are battling it out to recruit new blood.

And they’ll say anything to get you on their team.

Football – Eliot Altay

Year and course

Third year Physical Education

Hometown

Solihull, West Midlands

Position

Centre back

What is the funniest or most memorable moment from your last season?

Away days are what UEAFC BUCS teams live for. One particular away day sticks in mind – it was away day to Nottingham Trent. After securing a great win, we started the “back seat on the bus” chant on the way home.

Once all the players were on the back seat, our infamous bus driver, famed for buying celebratory beers for the team, decided to pull over and park the bus up and proceeded to join the rest of the team on the back of the bus.

What makes you the best team at uni?

We have the best socials, most games, we’re one of the most successful clubs, one of the biggest sports teams, we compete at high standards and we’re kings of the LCR.

Who is the one to look out for in your club and why?

Perry Richards, our club’s social secretary and 1st team striker. Second best-looking guy after Chris Martey, often spotted in the gym or at the bar in the LCR, rarely on time and all-round nice guy.

Women’s Football – Sammy Algar

Year and course

Third year History

Hometown

London

Position

Centre midfield

What is the funniest or most memorable moment from your last season?

Tough to pick – we always have great socials and tour was a week-long laugh. However, Derby Day has got to be the highlight.

We brought the points home for UEA and spent the rest of the day dressed as Thunderbirds. Amazing atmosphere and always good to get one over on Essex.

What makes you the best team at uni?

We play football and drink snakebites which pretty much says it all. Also we were Norfolk Women’s League champions!

Who is the one to look out for in your club and why?

My Vice Captain Katie Fray. Pretty much impossible to tackle and has a great shot – scored a couple of great goals last season.

 Rugby – Jordan McBain

Year and course

Third year Business Management

Hometown

South Woodham Ferrers, Essex

Position

Inside centre

What is the funniest or most memorable moment from your last season?

It would have to be the fact that all three teams won their respective leagues, with our firsts winning their league unbeaten.

What makes you the best team at uni?

We have the perfect blend of banter off the field and success on it, and the best socials on campus.

Who is the one to look out for in your club and why?

Matt ‘Bob’ Joseph. Struggled with injury last year but when fit is the ultimate athlete and a force to reckon with.

Women’s Rugby – Beth Sims

Year and course

Second year Speech and Language Therapy

Hometown

Reading

Position

Outside centre

What is the funniest or most memorable moment from your last season?

One girl’s weave fell off mid-game onto the pitch. Enough said.

What makes you the best team at uni?

We play a tough sport and train hard but still make time to have mad socials.

Not to mention our track record from last season – we won our game at Derby Day 70-0, won the Midlands Cup and won Norwich Team of the Year.

Who is the one to look out for in your club and why?

Alice Rayner. She struggled with injury last season but we’ve seen she has an incredible kick and are expecting her to smash it this season.

Also need to watch out for Hannah Trafford when she’s trying to pull on Sports Night. Dangerous.

Netball – Rachel Dean

Year and course

Third year Psychology

Hometown

London

Position

Goal defence

What is the funniest or most memorable moment from your last season?

When the 1st team got promoted into 1A of the BUCS league and both teams winning on Derby Day. Also the 3rd team made a great improvement winning all their matches. Overall the club made great progress!

What makes you the best club at uni?

Netball is the best club because we are one big massive family. We train hard and play to our best making sure we achieve the most we can.

We also have the most fun, with loads of socials and we always mix with lots of other clubs.

Who is the one to look out for in your club and why?

There are loads of upcoming players this year in all three teams of the club, but the one to look out for is Asha Williams. She had an amazing first year as a fresher and played a vital role in the 1st team, and will be a big player this season in leading the line for the team.

American Football – Piers Harrison-Reid

Alex G Daley Photography

Year and course

Third year Adult Nursing

Hometown

I was in Sheffield, but now live in a village on the border of Essex and Suffolk.

Position

Linebacker

What is the funniest or most memorable moment from your last season?

Haha, no comment. Ask the players, we have enough of them! I’m sure everybody has a story.

I think we are all looking forward to the return of Mr Stuart Cooper and his raps, Sky Warrior and the whole team (all 50+ of us) descending on Mantra… again.

Oh, and the annual massacre of Essex on Derby Day does always have the tendency to get a little messy.

What makes you the best team at uni?

I like to think we’re a humble enough team to just enjoy being ourselves without having to puff our chests in some overblown show of machismo.

Our best feature is probably the welcoming family atmosphere, but I’m sure lots of the other lads would say the socials and the Cheeries!

Who is the one to look out for in your club and why?

Have I mentioned Stuart Cooper yet? The Cooper Claw returns after a year’s absence – the night life of Norwich quakes in fear.

Cheerleading – Matilda Scott

Year and course

Second year Psychology

Hometown

Richmond, South West London

Position

Back

What is the funniest or most memorable moment from your last season?

It’s hard to pick one specific moment as there were a few memorable ones (good, bad and funny) throughout the year.

One that does stick out is competing at BCA in April. The squad received a partial bid to compete in the World Championships in Florida. We were all very proud after the hard work we had put in all year!

What makes you the best team at uni?

Most of the team have started cheerleading at UEA having never done anything like it before as it is such a unique sport. Yet within less than a year we manage to create a routine and compete with a high degree of success against teams with much more experience.

Who is the one to look out for in your club and why?

We have over 20 girls in the squad and I think lots of them could be considered! I’m not sure I could pick one…

Men’s Hockey – Gabriel Inch

Year and course

Third year English Literature

Hometown

Harlow, Essex

Position

Central midfield

What is the funniest or most memorable moment from your last season?

Definitely Derby Day. The bus breaking down on the way (which resulted in a huge UEA Hockey banner being unfurled on the A12), a very close and hard-fought victory in front of a raucous crowd, and the loud and proud celebrations after.

The hazy hours that followed saw celebratory drinks with the whole hockey club and general festivities in the square at Essex.

Memories captured forever in the infamous team selfies – the best of which were taken in the showers.

What makes you the best team at uni?

While we have a 1st XI that competes to a high standard and is this year pushing for double promotion, we also have sides for newbies and those who want a social sport – as a club we put out a total of six men’s teams, all of whom are very close and support each other at match days.

We of course also have a particularly strong and intimate relationship with the ladies’ hockey club, and being such a large group of players our socials are typically loud and eventful.

Who is the one to look out for in your club and why?

Brian Daden. Having contributed a dodgy kit contract, cheap knockoff hockey sticks and some glorious team talks to the club he’s bound to eventually contribute some hockey playing ability sooner rather than later. Plus he’s still trying to sell his car so if anyone’s keen, give him a message.

Women’s Hockey – Helen Busfield

Year and course 

Third year Business Management

Hometown

Rugby, Warwickshire

Position

Right half a.k.a. number 1 super sub

What is the funniest or most memorable moment from your last season?

Christmas dinner is always a highlight with some surprises for the freshers. Morning aerobics on tour is an image I will never be able to get out of my head!

What makes you the best team at uni?

We have a work hard, play hard attitude. With four teams we welcome both experienced players and beginners. You will always find us dominating the LCR in hockey corner.

Who is the one to look out for in your club and why?

Cecilia. She’ll get you when you’re not paying attention.

Men’s Rowing – Andreas Krohg Stabell

Year and course

Second year Economics

Hometown

Oslo, Norway

What position do you play in?

Stroke side, either bow or stern pair

What is the funniest or most memorable moment from your last season?

Picturesque sunrises made 6am morning outings on the river during winter an unforgettable experience.

What makes you the best team at uni?

Rowing is the ultimate student sport – it is good exercise and very social. Because we do all the training together as a team you get to know your teammates very well and make friends for life.

We are also proud of being a Focus Sport of the Union of UEA Students, which provides us with excellent equipment and experienced coaches.

Who is the one to look out for in your club and why?

There are many talented rowers in the Men’s Squad – among them is Bryce Taylor who stands out with exceptional technique on the water.

Women’s Rowing – Katie Godfrey

Year and course

Second year Education Studies

Hometown

Cambridge

Position

Stroke

What is the funniest or most memorable moment from your last season? 

Our last regatta race at Peterborough is my favourite moment I think – despite the many messy and embarrassing socials, rowing is really a sport where you become a family.

You train every day with the same group of people, and as it was our last race of the year, we just wanted each crew to be successful – which we were!

We had a great day of racing, proving how hard we had trained all year and it was obviously followed by a night out, which would be one to remember if I actually could…

What makes you the best team at uni?

Considering the amount of funding from the Union to ensure we have good quality boats, equipment and coaching, we ensure that we always deliver results.

We deliver these results because everyone works hard together, for each other. Being a part of the rowing club means you end up having a great social life, making friends that you will keep forever, from both the men’s and women’s squads.

You don’t realise just how good it is until you start – it becomes and obsession and you never want to stop.

Who is the one to look out for in your club and why?

On a night out it is hard to miss Leah Stack – keep your eyes out so she doesn’t knock your drink over while creating some of her famous shapes on the sticky LCR dance floor.

But also keep your eyes peeled for Sam Redgrave – I’m certain we will see her one day winning a gold medal for GB. Watch this space (no pressure Sam).

Cricket – Elliot Whiting

Year and course

Third year Physical Education

Hometown

Norwich

Position

Middle order batsmen and wannabe opening bowler (if taller with lighter shoes).

What is the funniest or most memorable moment from your last season?

Having to explain to all-rounder Michael Spring that the big white boards at either side of the ground were intact sight screens and not wind breaks.

What makes you the best team at uni?

We care more about good teas than winning and can drink more Frosty Jacks cider per player than any other team.

Who is the one to look out for in your club and why?

Rowell Moat. Outrageous dress code when turning up to games. Worst selfies in the whole of UEACC. Borrows bats and breaks them for fun.

Has been known to swing the ball both ways this season, but also bats for both sides. Watch out for the Moat.

Click here for a full list of sports offered at UEA.