The NUI Galway Sports Scholarship Programme is aimed at student-athletes of outstanding calibre who register as students of the University. In the current academic year, student athletes at NUI Galway received significant financial and professional support services. The scholarships aim to help aspiring young sportspeople to continue to develop their sporting prowess. Currently over 60 students receive support under the scheme in a broad range of sports. The scheme has assisted dozens of athletes’ progress to the highest levels of their sport in recent years and is aimed at providing them with the tools for success in the long term.

Applicants for sports scholarships must satisfy the academic criteria for entry to NUI Galway and must have applied to the CAO in the usual manner.

Gary Ryan is Elite Sports Development Officer at NUI Galway: “Our aim is to help our scholarship athletes develop as a student and as a sportsperson. We are not rewarding for past successes rather trying to prepare our students for future achievement”.

A former Irish Olympian and record-breaking sprinter, Gary Ryan sees a bright future for the NUI Galway sports scholarships: “Our efforts in developing a high performance sports environment in NUI Galway have already shown significant success with a large number of our Sports Scholarship students representing county and national teams. We are especially proud of those individuals that have excelled on the International stage. All of these achievements have been secured by students who are also receiving a world class education and being supported by the scheme to meet the challenges of these dual goals”

For the Scholarships, students who meet the University’s entry requirements will be selected on merit by an independent panel. In addition to the scholarship, students will receive specialist support including physiotherapy, treatment of injury, fitness training, coaching and support for travel to national and international competitions.

More details on the Sports Scholarship Scheme athttp://www.nuigalway.ie/sports/scholarships_info.html or by calling the Sport and Recreation Unit at NUI Galway on 091 495979. All applications must be submitted online at http://www.sports.nuigalway.ie/scholarshipform.html
The deadline for application for current and prospective students is Wednesday, 31 July at 5 pm.

Laser Swimming Club (Galway) is establishing a panel of swim teachers to cater for its Learn 2 Swim programme for the school terms from September 2013 until June 2014. The club is interested in hearing from experienced and qualified instructors who may be able to teach in any of the three weekly sessions.

Currently the club has three weekly swim sessions in Leisureland pool, Salthill Galway.

The club focuses on providing a quality service and has recently been awarded the Swim Ireland Clubmark quality award to add to its award of Connacht Swim Club of the Year in 2012.

Essential Qualifications

• Swim Ireland Level 1 Certificate for Teaching Aquatics.
• Child welfare qualifications in accordance with Swim Ireland.
• Garda vetting in accordance with Swim Ireland.

· Due to the nature of this role Fluent English is required.

Desirable Qualifications

• Swim Ireland Level 2 Certificate for Teaching Aquatics.
• A record of continuous professional development and a clear understanding of all stroke techniques and modern teaching methods.

How to apply

Potential applicants should forward a letter of application and CV. Applications should clearly indicate which of the following sessions they may be available for:

Applicants will be required to forward copies of relevant certificates in advance of commencing any teaching.

Applications should be forwarded to: Laser Swimming Club Secretary, Leisureland, Salthill, Galway or
by email to laserswimsecretary@gmail.com.

NUIG Mountaineering Club 38^th Annual Maamturks Challenge 2013

The 38th Annual Maamturks Challenge took place last Saturday 13th April 2013, organized by the NUI Galway Mountaineering Club. The event is supported by Galway Mountain Rescue Team and Galway Radio Committee. The challenge covers 24.3 kilometers over the tough, mountainous terrain of the Maamturks range, with a total ascent over the course of the walk of 2336 meters, commencing between Maam and Maam Cross and ending in Leenane village. The challenge commences at 5am and concludes when all participants have descended off the hills.

The NUIG Mountaineering Club volunteers successfully organise and manage the annual event, with 30-40 volunteers manning 8 checkpoints and 3 finishes on the hills. Volunteers work in harmony to track the progress of the Challenge participants throughout the day, ensuring the safety and well-being of the competitors. Participants are heartily encouraged by the volunteers on the grueling terrain. Last weekend's weather proved particularly inclement, with persistent rain and wind in the afternoon and our volunteers braved the elements for a near 12 hour day on the hills. This year, a total of 187 registered participants took part, with 134 participants successfully completing the Challenge.

Congratulations to one and all for participating and volunteering your time. A great success...

NUI Galway Rugby hosted and won the Irish Universities Rugby Union (IURU) junior intervarsity competition, the Maughan Scally Cup, in Dangan on Saturday. NUI Galway, UCC, UCD and Trinity College Dublin all fielded sides this year. Each university played each other in a format of 3 x 40 minute matches, 20 minutes a-side, with the first round of games kicking off at 12pm. The fine weather on Saturday helped to ensure expansive, running play, which made for eye-catching and exciting rugby for the sizeable attendance in Dangan. NUI Galway just managed to squeeze past UCD in their opening game owing to a dramatic try with the last play of the game. When the UCD fullback rounded the NUIG cover to score an excellent individual try late on, the match looked like it would end in a 15-15 draw. However, after receiving the restart, NUI Galway ran the ball from within their own 22 and excellent handling and interplay between backs and forwards culminated in captain and winger Alistair Baird touching down for the winning score in the corner. Fullback Cillian Waldron added the touchline conversion to ensure the win for the home team. NUI Galway's second match with TCD was a more open affair, with NUIG enjoying a comfortable lead going into half-time. NUI Galway's industrious and mobile back row led the way, contributing three tries in what looked at half-time like it would be a comprehensive win for the home team. TCD rallied however and through adventurous and exciting running rugby brought the game back to within a score by the final whistle. NUI Galway's defence stood firm and they were able to hold out and set up a thrilling final game with UCC, who had also won both their opening two games. The final kicked off with both teams relishing the physical exchanges early on and neither side looking like they would yield a score. However, as the game wore on, NUI Galway's pack started to dominate in the set piece and in the loose. With the forwards laying the foundation in the scrum and out of touch, NUIG's backs ran in three great tries from David Ryan, Eoin Himpers and Jack O'Callaghan. Player of the tournament, outside centre Robert Kennedy converted all three tries and added a penalty to leave the final score 24-0 to the home side. It has been a memorable week for NUI Galway Rugby with the men winning the Maughan Scally Cup for the second time, and the women's side unlucky to lose out by a single score to a strong University of Limerick side in the final of their league. The women's side will be hoping to go one better in their intervarsity competition in Queen's University Belfast this week. NUI Galway's results for the day were: Round 1: NUIG 22 - UCD 15. Round 2: NUIG 31 - TCD 29. Final: NUIG 24 - UCC 0. This intervarsity success is a well-deserved reward for everyone involved, and the industrious player/management team of Pete Small, Justin Conboy and Tom O'Regan.

The NUIG Ladies Soccer team claimed their first piece of silverware in over 10 years on Tuesday the 19^th March with a 4-2 victory over Athlone IT. The management team of Padraic De Burca and Johnny ‘Beano’ Hynes were thrilled and the girls gave all their supporters in Drom a lively rendition of the “Fields of Athenry ” after the victory.

NUIG started the game the livelier team with Karen Mc Elwaine showing good composure in midfield to pass the ball around. AIT’s Shaunagh Jackson began causing problems for the NUIG defence early on and she made a number of dangerous runs before opening the scoring with a clinical finish 15 minutes in. Straight from the restart Athlone went on the attack once more. Katie Kilbane was quick of her line to deny Jackson picking up a through ball from Nora Ward. Danielle Gordon was making an impression in midfield, working well with Anne Marie Flanagan and she got the equaliser for Galway, latching onto a nice through ball from Maebh Coleman. This game was proving to be end to end stuff and AIT took the lead once more with 10 minutes left in the half. Shaunagh Jackson once again showed she has pace to burn, racing past the Galway defence and finishing from the tightest of angles. NUIG thought they had scored again from a corner just before half time but Sarah O’Connell was unlucky when the ref blew for a foul on the keeper.

The girls did not let their heads drop and came out for the second half determined to turn things around. Rachel Keyes moved up front and worked tirelessly to try and create something for the college. O’Connell got her goal after the Athlone goalie blocked a good effort from Mc Elwaine. The striker was in the right place to blast the ball off the crossbar and into the top of the net. With thoughts of extra time and penalty’s crossing some player’s minds, Galway came out on top and hunted down that third goal. Captain Rosa Shine was substituted mid-way through the second half after receiving a ball to the face with Katie Gibbons coming on in her place. Emma Curley flashed a shot narrowly wide for the IT and only for superb defending from Trish Moran and Leanne O’Dowd, and Katie Kilbane’s goalkeeping Athlone would have scored again. Irish international Jenny Byrne showed her class when she scored one of her trademark free kicks. The Galway players knew this game was within their grasp and were dealing well with the pressure put on them by the away side. Substitutes Alanah Jennings and Shauna Kerr made sure to continue closing down any Athlone attacks and Flanagan was having an unbelievable game, making tackles all over the pitch. Gordon was running the ball into the corners any chance she got, easing the pressure on her teammates. Maebh Coleman sealed the win with an excellent free kick late into the second half. Cue the celebrations. Thanks to everyone who travelled up to watch the game on a freezing cold day and a big thank you to the girls and the management team for the hard work put in throughout the year. Hopefully the team can push on from this and get to many more finals in the coming years.

The Ladies Soccer team won a couple of awards at the recent NUI Galway Sports Awards where Jennifer Byrne received a Player of the Year award. Byrne has also been selected in the provisional squad for the World University Games and we wish her the best of luck with the upcoming trials. The Ladies Soccer club was also chosen as the Most Improved Club. Congratulations to everyone involved with the team on this achievement.