Sportraad Utrecht
YOUR QUESTION:
What is the Sports Council and what does it do?
The Utrecht Sports Council, also known as the Sports Council, is an umbrella organisation for all student sports clubs affiliated to the USS Mesa Cosa foundation. The Sports Council also champions the interests of students who are not members of a student sports club, but who use the sports programmes, activities and facilities of the USS MC foundation and who therefore have a sports card. The purpose of the Sports Council is to promote student sport in Utrecht and to champion the interests of the student sports clubs and individual student players. The Sports Council provides support to its target group where necessary and possible. This primarily takes the form of a mediating role between student sports clubs and organisations, such as Utrecht University, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht City Council and USS Mesa Cosa.
What is USS Mesa Cosa?
The USS Mesa Cosa foundation was set up on 1 January 1991 as part of the privatisation of the tasks of the student affairs department of Utrecht University. USS Mesa Cosa is short for: Utrecht Student Sports Foundation 'Mens Sana in Corpore Sano' (Juvenalis, Satirea 10. 356). This can be translated to 'a healthy mind in a healthy body'. The foundation has been using a modern version of this motto for some years now: 'Move your body, stretch your mind!'
The foundation aims to promote physical education and sport in particular for students studying at higher education institutions in Utrecht. It endeavours to achieve this aim through management and operation of Sportcentrum Olympos and other facilities.
What is Team Utrecht?
Team Utrecht is the biggest student sports team in the Netherlands. Anyone who is a member of one of the student sports clubs affiliated to the Sports Council is part of Team Utrecht, as are individuals who take part in sport at Olympos. Through Team Utrecht, we demonstrate that we are one strong community that promotes student sport together. It’s a bit like Team NL during the Olympics. Although Team Utrecht includes athletes from a wide variety of disciplines, together they form one team. See also: https://www.sportraadutrecht.nl/team-utrecht/
What is the Student Sports Club Handbook?
The Student Sports Club Handbook is a document containing important information for boards and athletes who belong to a student sports club. It lays down the ‘rules of play’ for your dealings as a student sports club with USS Mesa Cosa, Olympos and the Sports Council. Among other things, the Handbook covers procedures for obtaining a grant, the use of facilities and sports training. The main purpose of the document is to provide information.
When do I contact the Sports Council and when do I contact Olympos?
The Sports Council organizes open meetings several times a year. The advantage of this is that student sports clubs can share experiences with each other and learn from each other and common problems can be identified. The Sports Council can act as advocate and mediator in this context. For issues relating to leasing, the use of changing rooms, keys and/or to consult lists of members, you should contact Olympos in the first instance. You can find the email addresses of Olympos contacts here. For all other queries, student sports clubs should contact the Sports Council. After all, that’s what the Sports Council is there for!