The Glasgow Guardian’s Sport of the Month series turns its attention to a “real girl boss” sport.
This month’s Sport of the Month is the Glasgow University Tigers or better known as the University’s American football club. President Dominique Hewitson has described the club in three words: “friendly, inclusive, hardworking”. Here’s why American football has clinched the spot for Sport of the Month.
The Glasgow Tigers have had a fantastic two years as a club winning a number of awards, including the GUSA Team of the Year 2021 and the GUSA Sustainable Club of the Year 2021. Furthermore, this year the Tigers won University Club of the Year at the Glasgow Council Sport Awards 2022. If their CV of amazing achievements is anything to go by, the high-spirited club, with their competitions and socials, places it high on the list of clubs to join this new year.
Glasgow Tigers have one team who competes in BUCS division 1 Open Borders. They are a mixed team with no tryouts, so anyone is welcome. BUCS competitions are great fun and have personally shaped my university experience massively, so if you’re looking for fun and friendly competition, the Tigers’ team could be the one for you. Last year, the Tigers were incredibly successful in their BUCS competitions: they won their conference and went onto the finals where they reached the playoffs.
Sustainability is at the heart of the club and the Tigers continue to actively be involved in charity work surrounding sustainability. They have also recently completed their annual Movember fundraising.
Glasgow Tigers cater for a range of abilities. Many of their members enjoy training but don’t compete, whilst others train for competition and with great success. The Tigers have members playing on the under-19 Scottish team, as well as some members having been invited to development camps for Great Britain. Furthermore, a number of their members play Senior Ball in the summer, with some of the Tigers’ members making it to the finals with their senior teams.
The competition success within the club and by some of their members outside of the club does not mean that the Tigers are only about competition. They absolutely love their club socials: the Tigers host classic-themed sports socials every Thursday as well as NFL watch parties each Sunday if you’re looking for a more chilled, laid-back environment. There’s definitely something for everyone.
Dominque has described the best three things about the club as being, “the people, the sport itself, and the socials”. Glasgow Tigers attract a variety of people and they become one tight-knit family who all love playing the same sport. It is the sport that allows all their members to be competitive and aggressive when it comes down to the competition, but they all laugh with each other once the play is over.
When I asked Dominque what she would say to someone who is considering joining the club but is still unsure, she said, “Joining the Tigers has been the best experience I have had at university; I have made so many great friends and done things I never thought I’d be able to do. We are such a family and look out for each other that once you join it feels like you’ve been in the team forever! The spirit itself is amazing and has something for everyone!”
The Glasgow Tigers train regularly and are open to all levels and newcomers.
For more information, please reach out to them on social media. You can find them on
Instagram: @gu_tigers
Facebook: Glasgow University Tigers
