Alex Lacey Interview

Why do you want to be AU President?

Sport at York is not a high priority for the University, it never has been. However, without an A.U. that is focused and efficient it never will be. The 'Sport at York' motion is an excellent start, but it will be difficult to keep alive by an A.U. that has no direction.

Why do we want better facilities, for example? Is it to do better at BUSA? Attract more students to the University? Attract better sports people to the University?

I want to be AU President to give the AU that direction. Because of the AU's fantastic selection of clubs I want that direction to be inclusivity- "an A.U. for A.ll the U.ni". What this means is catering for all levels of sport and exercise, from individuals who don't regularly exercise to elite sports people, and everyone in between! I want to provide better facilities, transport, opportunities and benefits for A.U. members, and do it all as soon as possible, so the students that are here now will reap the benefit.

Why do you think you should be AU President?

Because I'm the best person for the job! I'd like to think I have the most professional experience, being qualified (REPS certified level 2 gym instructor, ABAE boxing tutor) and having worked in a gym, and as a volunteer boxing coach for 2 1/2 years. This professional experience is complemented by varied and committed participation in University sport- College Hockey, University Lacrosse, Boxing & Gymnastics.

This solid knowledge of sport at York from every level is rounded off with my committee experience: Boxing President, Goodricke Newsletter Rep. & Fresher's Week Committee, and York Apprentice Business Competition winner.

However, I think a more important reason I should be AU President is my passion for sport and fitness. I think the amount of hours I have spent coaching and running the boxing sessions over the last 2 1/2 years is testament to this: I don't expect to do a good job as AU president, I expect to do the best job possible. Because of this, running for this position is something I've been planning for a long time, and I feel this is reflected in my policies.

What are your policies? Where will the money go?

Firstly, I don't think that money can solve most of the problems I see in the AU, nor should it be able to. A manifesto that relies heavily on expensive policies is rarely realisable, and I'm not interested in promises I can't keep.

So...

- Simpler membership fees, with something tangible for your A.U. membership. I'd like to see free fitness classes and discounts on sports gear. It would give the AU card a point too. This would attract more members, bringing more money into the AU.

- To cater for elite sports people: development plans to gain eligibility for bursaries, as well as more coaching. For complete novices to sport and exercise: more free taster sessions and a completely free 'cross fit' circuit around campus, for anyone to use, with lots of weird and wonderful stations to play around on.

- A rethink about lots of AU functions. The club budget system needs an overhaul, and should be based on club development plans to help newer or smaller clubs. The transport system needs to be more reliable, better value, and easier to budget for. The AU needs a press and publicity officer, as well as another ordinary member to help out with...

- A better and more inclusive campus Wednesday event! At the moment the event isn't appealing to clubs that don't binge drink, which ostracises many groups. I propose a Wednesday event themed on one of the campus clubs, with games & prizes, drinks offers, and coaches to the top of mickelgate afterwards.

- A temporary 'dojo' in a campus hall- giving the martial arts clubs somewhere to train where setup times can be accommodated for, and freeing up space in the hall to get clubs out of the hall in winter: which most clubs hate!

- Facility improvements that will help students here now!: bird scarers to get the poo off the running track, better kept squash courts, support for a pool and snooker room in the old Derwent squash courts, and better and more storage for club kit, to name a few ideas.

Are you doing this just for the CV or do you really want to improve the uni?

I imagine I'm unlike some of the other candidates in that I intend to work in the sport & fitness industry, so perhaps this question is even more pertinent. It's true that the AU Presidency would be a great experience for me in a role that will hopefully echo my later career.

This is probably a good thing though- I'll want to do the best job I can because of it! However, the reasons I want to be AU President are largely the same as the reasons I want to work in the fitness industry: I believe sport and exercise is of invaluable benefit to everyone, and time spent promoting and supporting it is time well spent.

I think sport at York has grown in a very organic way, which is great in many ways because it has lead to a great selection of clubs and sporting wisdom at York. However, as I've said, the lack of a direction will continue to stifle further progress, which is frustrating. I want to improve the Uni so that the potential of the students can be realised, as it is currently masked by the workings of an AU that has grown in an ad hoc fashion.

Has Jo Carter done a good job? Where can you improve on her work?

Yes she has! Though she hasn't met two of her campaign goals I feel that when she entered the position she realised that problems that were not part of her campaign needed to be solved, such as getting the ball rolling for better transport.

She has also made the most of opportunities she could not have predicted at the start of her term, such as the sports centre management change, and acted well- creating strong links with the sports centre that I hope to further. She did what was best for the AU, despite probably knowing that at the end of the year she'd get criticised for it.

I aim to keep her level of charity involvement going, perhaps by raising money through games at the new Wednesday event. However, I feel that the wisest way to add to her work is by using the solid base she has created through her hard work to look into how the AU runs and give it some direction, whilst continuing to ensure the 'Sport at York' movement is not ignored: not by nagging but by changing the AU into a more efficient body that demands recognition and support.

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