Get your game on

You know that motto 'a healthy body means a healthy mind'? Well here at Essex it's not just your brain we're interested in training.

Essex Sport

We know that exercise improves your mental well being, can help you keep calm during those stressful exam periods and boosts performance in your studies. 

We have something for everyone from informal drop-in Active sessions to easy to follow learn-to sports courses. Essex Sport is our university run scheme that connects all of our amazing sports facilities here, for athletes and occasional exercisers.

First, there's the gym, home to over 160 fitness stations, on-site parking, machines with TV and audio systems and 300 fitness classes every monthThen there's our 250-metre climbing wall with bouldering and top roping facilities to take your fitness levels to the top. Plus over 20 indoor courts, including basketball, volleyball, squash, netball and futsal. 

We also have the £12 million Essex Sport Arena. A multi-purpose space, used for sporting events, exhibitions, dance events and more.

If competitive sport isn't your thing, Essex offers the excellent Just Play scheme. Just Play focuses on engaging students from all abilities and backgrounds, with a non-competitive and low commitment sport.

Fancy being part of a club? The Essex Blades contains 44 clubs and over 4,500 members, so there's bound to be a club you'll enjoy at Essex!

Membership packages have been tailored to suit everyone's needs with options of a monthly direct debit or a one-off annual membership. Visit our sport pages for further details.

Essex-sport-courses-discount-members
"If you're looking to gain a new skill, Essex Sport also offers a range of 'Learn To' courses to help you master something new"
Katrina Palmer MA Politics

Sports scholarships and bursaries

Essex Sport strives to provide innovative, athlete-centred programmes in our performance sports and focus teams: volleyball, basketball, rugby 7s, tennis and football.

We have a high ambition to become the leading sports institution in the East and offer sports scholarships to ultra-talented athletes, providing coaching and support services, gym memberships and free kits.

We also offer a range of sports bursaries. Our sports bursaries are cash awards, paid on a termly basis dependent on adherence to sporting and academic targets following a review.

Find out more information and how to apply for one of Sport scholarships or bursaries.

Sports Therapy Clinic

The School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences contains a fully equipped treatment and rehabilitation centre, catering for the sporty and non-sporty alike.

The Clinic can help with:

  • Sports injury treatment
  • Sports injury rehabilitation
  • Neck and shoulder pain
  • Occupational repetitive strain
  • Low back pain
  • Muscle/ligament sprains
  • Arthritic joint pain management
  • Foot and ankle pain

Our third year undergraduate Sports Therapy students assess, treat and undertake rehabilitation and management of sports injuries, joint and muscular pains.

The clinic is open for staff and students during term time, find out more and book a consultation appointment.

Discover more sport at Essex

The Essex Blades

The Essex Blades is the shared name for all of the SU Sports Clubs on campus. With 44 clubs and over 4,500 members there's bound to be a club you'll enjoy!

There really is something for everyone, from clubs you're used to playing at school like Netball, Rugby or Football, to ones you perhaps haven't given a go before like Ultimate Frisbee, Fencing or Boxing.

Our clubs train together throughout the year, with many competing in local or national competitions. The SU offer a variety of social events for Blades members through the year too! From Derby Day to Alumni Weekend to Sports awards, there's always a chance to celebrate your club's success.

The Sport Arena

The £12 million Essex Sport Arena is a multi-purpose space, used for sporting events, exhibitions, dance events and more. At the Arena we have an array of different types of events to interest everyone. including basketball, volleyball, netball, badminton and futsal; with seating for up to 1,655 spectators, there's always something on for you to see and do!

Essex Rebels

Essex Rebels Women’s team are BUCS Nationals Champions for 2022.

The Essex Rebels is a basketball end-to-end programme that encompasses a full pathway from senior professional teams through to the Rebels Roadshow schools outreach programme.

The name of the Essex Rebels reflects the history of both the University of Essex and the city of Colchester in which the University resides. Students at the University have been known for their political activism throughout its history, reflected in the strapline of ‘Rebels with a Cause’ used today.

Both our Men and Women's teams are comprised of inspirational role models, our players are drawn from across the World, as well as young players from the Basketball England talent pathway.

Learn more about the Essex Rebels teams. 

Green exercise

Take your exercise into the fresh air in our 40 acres of outdoor sport area, including an all-weather tennis court, 18-hole disc golf course, three jogging routes, two rugby pitches, seven football pitches, two cricket squares, four tennis courts, a netball court and an artificial pitch for hockey. If you are looking to take a leisurely stroll, you can just enjoy the 200 acres of scenic parkland around campus (it's even won the Green Flag Award!).

Just Play

If competitive sport isn't your thing, Essex offers the excellent Just Play scheme. Just Play focuses on engaging students from all abilities and backgrounds, with a non-competitive and low commitment sport.

They plan a minimum of two large scale events per term such as gaming days or the Holi Festival. You can always keep up to date with the latest information by searching Just Play on social media. 

Check out some of the action in the video of our Nerf gun wars, hosted on campus by our Student Union's Just Play scheme.