Sports
RU Sports Admin
Health Suite
The Health Suite is comprised of four sections: Weights Facility (main gym), Group Fitness, Indoor Cycling and Personal Training. We have an additional section that runs through all sections called Exercise Smart.
The Weights Facility or main gym has all the cardio equipment as well as free weights that you would expect to find in a gym facility.
Indoor Cycling is group exercise classes where an instructor coaches you while you are riding on stationary bikes. This is a great cardio workout and there are varying intensities. A great option for those intimidated to train by themselves. There are five classes each weekday and two over the weekends. The class times are 06:15am, 13:00, 16:00, 17:00 and 18:00. On weekends the classes are at 16:00. All Health Suite times change over holidays and during exam times.
Group Exercise offers a variety of different classes varying from year to year depending on instructor availability. Class types range from Step, Taebo, Xtrain, yoga, pilates, Butt & Gutt to other exciting group workouts. There are five classes a day on weekdays and two classes over weekends. The timetables change from year to year depending on class attendance and members needs.
The Personal Training section is composed of qualified personal trainers most of whom are third year HKE students and above. Personal Trainers deal directly with their clients and pay them for each session.
Exercise Smart is an initiative which works towards ensuring that all members are training correctly. We have Exercise Smart coaches who assist members in the main gym during peak times and they also offer free body assessments. We also get different specialists to come and talk about health and fitness issues.
Inter-Res Sports
Inter-res sports is a recreational program aimed at getting students to participate in various sports in order to exercise while at the same time accumulating points for their residences. All sports are modified in order to accommodate even those that have never played the sport before. While model of inter-res sports is along the lines of competition, emphasis is placed on social aspects of participation and all participants are reminded regularly that it is not about winning, but about students getting to experience sports which they may never have tried before.
This program is also used by Rhodes Sports’ Clubs as a platform to identify and recruit talented players with the hope of drafting them into their formal programs. At the end of the season, the winning residences from men and women’s sections are invited to the Rhodes Sports Awards Dinner where they receive their certificates and trophies. The Spirit Award is also awarded to a residences that has participated in most events during the season.
Facilities
We have the follwoing facilities:
Sand-base AstroTurf/ Athletics Track – with changing rooms and sports bar
Great Field – (Cricket & Rugby) with changing rooms
Prospect Fields (Cricket & Soccer) with changing rooms and sports bar
King Field – Soccer (with lights) with changing rooms and clubhouse
Squash Courts – 6 Alec Mullins & 3 Pool Courts
Indoor Hall – Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton
Mountain Wall
Netball Courts x 3
Tennis Courts x 8 with a clubhouse
Futsol Turf (soccer, hockey) with changing rooms and sports bar
Dojo
Rifle Range
Swimming Pool – with Changerooms
The Purple Horse (Pool Club)
The Health Suite (Gym)
Sports Bar (for all functions)
Archery Range
Clubs
Aikido
Aikido is a Japanese martial art which focuses on the soft throwing techniques rather than hard defensive countermeasures. The art focuses on the concept of harmony, not only in movement, but also in the way in which we deal with nature and our fellow human beings.
Archery
The Archery Club caters for both beginner as well as advanced archers. The Club has access to a 30, 50, 70 and 90m range. Equipment is provided and qualified coaches assist members. The more competitive members participate in the Eastern Province Championships, South African Nationals, Indoor Championships as well as other postals and other shoots in the Eastern Cape. All forms of Archery are practised including standard bow, compound and recurve. Adult or junior, the Club welcomes all.
Athletics
The Rhodes Athletics Club caters for athletes interested in road running, cross country, track & field, duathlon, triathlon and biathlon. The Club organises regular training runs. The members compete in Eastern Province Athletics events, as well as races further afield such as the Comrades and Two Oceans Marathons. The Club is also affiliated to USSA Athletics, which enables its members to compete against other tertiary institutions in South Africa.
Basketball
The Rhodes Basketball Club competes successfully in the Nelson Mandela Bay Basketball Association and Campus Basketball Leagues. There is one indoor court at Rhodes with a sprung wooden floor, and an outdoor, floodlit, all weather surface. The facilities are available for use by all Rhodes students. The Club provides numerous players, on an annual basis, to the Nelson Mandela Bay senior and Eastern Cape students’ teams.
Canoe
The Rhodes Canoe Club caters for both social and serious canoeists, with members training at Settlers’ Dam. The Club is affiliated to the Eastern Province Canoe Union, which has a full race calendar through the year. Members travel across the whole country to all major races.
Chess
The Rhodes Chess Club is affiliated to USSA Chess and Eastern Province Chess. The Club provides chessboards and sets, clocks and coaching books. The Club competes in all tournaments organised by either of the two bodies it is affiliated to as well as open tournaments. The Rhodes Chess Club hosts an annual Open Tournament at which players from across the Eastern Cape compete against each other.
Cricket
The Rhodes Cricket Club competes successfully in both the Eastern Province and Grahamstown Leagues. The First XI are dominant in the Nelson Mandela Bay Premier League, while we have two sides competing in the Grahamstown First League. In addition a Fourth XI competes in the Grahamstown Second League and the Club participates in both the Grahamstown Night League and the annual Pineapple Tournament. A number of players have represented Border/EP at the senior and Colts level while the Second XI regularly provides players to the EP Country District Team. Rhodes competes successfully in the USSA Cricket Week held in December each year. The club organises a very popular internal T20 league.
Dance Sport
Dance Sport was established in 2009 and offers a variety of dance classes from beginner to advance level. The Club also offer social dance lessons to staff members and other students who do not want to pursue dance as their main sport. Dance Sport is affiliated to FEDANSA and participates in various competitions provincially and nationally.
First Aid
The First Aid Club was formed in 1998. The Club is affiliated to St John Ambulance. Foundation Courses are run to train members at both elementary and more advanced levels each year. Practical experience is gained through providing first aid at university sports matches.
Fly Fishing
Rhodes University Fly Fishing was formed in September 1994. The Club has grown in size and reputation over the past few years with organised events including fly fishing evenings, video shows, casting clinics and trips to both salt and fresh bodies of water. Annual trips include visiting dams in King Williamstown, Maclair, Hogsback, Queenstown and local dams around Grahamstown.
Golf
The Rhodes Golf Club offers exciting opportunities for competitive and social golfers. Events and tournaments include Night Golf, Intervarsity and the USSA Golf Tournament. The Club also operates on a programme which caters for beginners.
Hockey
The Rhodes Hockey Club is the biggest competitive club on campus, fielding 4 men’s and 4 ladies’ teams in the Eastern Province and Grahamstown Leagues. We are the only club to have both our 1st and 2nd men’s and ladies’ teams in the EP Premier League, whilst also catering for social hockey league. We are fortunate to have our own artificial hockey surface, which provides outstanding opportunities for our players. The Club provides numerous players to Eastern Province and South African teams and is competitive throughout the leagues.
Karate
The Club is affiliated to Eastern Cape Shotokan-Ryu. Members participate in regular training sessions and can advance towards grading sessions and competitions at the club on provincial and national level. The club has a number of highly qualified coaches.
Mixed Martial Arts
Based on the Cobra, this is a practical form of self-defence, which leads to the development of a sense of awareness. The Rhodes Mixed Martial Arts divides their training sessions into beginner & advanced classes, with each group training 3 times a week. Also included are lessons in Goshin Ruy Ju Jutsu.
Mountain
The Mountain Club is one of the largest clubs at Rhodes. Hikers and climbers of all levels of proficiency are catered for. The Club provides climbing and hiking equipment to members, and hikes and climbs are arranged for weekends and vacations. There is organised indoor sport climbing twice a week and the Club members compete in local and national climbing and hiking competitions.
Netball
Netball is popular with students both on a social and competitive level. The Rhodes Netball Club is affiliated to the CACADU and Nelson Mandela Bay Leagues. This Club consists of highly competitive women and it continues to grow from strength to strength. It is this growth that has seen three new netball courts established in order to cater for growing numbers.
Pool
Pool is popular with students both on a social and competitive level. The Rhodes Pool Club is affiliated to the Grahamstown and Eastern Province Leagues. This Club consists of highly competitive men and women and it continues to grow from strength to strength. All Club activities are hosted on campus at the “Purple Horse” where its tables are housed.
Rifle
This is the only university club of its sort. It caters for both beginners as well as advanced shots. The Club supplies all necessary equipment and ammunition is partially subsidised. The Club participates in shoots in Port Elizabeth, Grahamstown and the Nationals in Pretoria.
Rugby
The Rhodes University Rugby Football Club is affiliated to the Eastern Province Rugby Football Union, and participates in the EP U/21 League. The Club has a 1st XV, 1st Reserve team and U/21 teams. The University has one floodlit field. In the past Rhodes has been well represented in the Border U/19, U/21, and 'A' teams. The Club organises an Internal League which is highly popular amongst residences that compete fiercely for the champion’s title.
Sailing
The Sailing Club offers sailing in the Rebel, Sprog and Laser categories, whilst kite-boarding is growing in popularity. The Club competes annually in the USSA Sailing Regatta as well as regional and provincial regattas. Boat activities take place on the nearby Settlers’ Dam to which aspirant sailors are transported.
Soccer
There are 20 men’s teams that take part in the Rhodes Internal Soccer League. From these, teams are selected to represent Rhodes at inter-tertiary and inter-club matches. The selected Rhodes soccer teams compete in the USSA Eastern Cape Football League with the aim to qualify for USSA Football National Championships at the end of the year. The Club has also established a 5 a side indoor soccer (futsal) league that caters for both men and women. The futsal league matches take place every Friday during term from 18:00 – 21:00.
Squash
The Rhodes Squash Club caters for both competitive and social players – with 8 teams (men’s and ladies’) participating in the Port Elizabeth and local Grahamstown Leagues. The Rhodes Ladies’ Internal League ensures regular matches for all levels. Members are encouraged to participate in Graded Tournaments in Port Elizabeth, to ensure selection to provincial sides. The squash courts are also available for social games by non-member students at no charge.
Surfing
The Rhodes Surf Club is a social surfing and body boarding club, which welcomes members of any skill level. Several internal competitions are held to select an Intervarsity and USSA team, but apart from these, lifts ferry surfers to the beach every week. The local break is in Port Alfred (55 km from Grahamstown), where surf is particularly consistent and those dedicated enough to get there are seldom disappointed.
Tae Kwon Do
The Tae Kwon Do Club is the biggest martial arts club on campus. The Club holds 2 practice sessions per week for both advanced and intermediate/novice members. The Club is affiliated to the Phoenix Federation in the Eastern Cape and their members compete at various national events.
Tennis
The Rhodes Tennis Club has eight courts which are floodlit. There are official men’s and ladies’ club practices and qualified coaches assist members. The Club competes in Port Elizabeth & District and Grahamstown Day & Night leagues. Rhodes also competes successfully in the USSA Tennis tournament held in December each year. A number of Rhodes students have represented both Eastern Province and the South African Students’ Teams.
Underwater
The members of the Rhodes Underwater Club play underwater hockey and do scuba orienteering at social, club and provincial levels. The Club also offers a wide variety of (NAUI) training courses from beginner to dive master. Limited club equipment is available for its members.
Volleyball
The Rhodes Volleyball Club is affiliated to the Eastern Province Volleyball Union and has both men’s and ladies’ team which compete in the EP league. The teams practise twice a week and qualified coaches assist members. The Club provides numerous players, on an annual basis, to the Eastern Province senior and Eastern Cape Students’ teams. The Club boasts a beach volleyball court, which is available for use by all students.
Last Modified: Wed, 09 Mar 2022 11:46:08 SAST