Leeds Varsity 2022 makes triumphant return

Leeds Varsity 2022 saw 15 time winners Leeds Beckett University succumb to an overall defeat to rivals the University of Leeds for just the second time in the event’s history.

 The loss failed to dampen the spirits of the competitors and spectators, with more than 7,000 students, staff, and family members in attendance for the Leeds Varsity Rugby Finale at Headingley Stadium.

The Rugby Finale saw Leeds Beckett’s men’s and women’s team claim a double victory for the first time in the event. The women won their first Rugby Finale trophy with an emphatic 41-12 victory, while the men’s team retained their trophy with a hard-fought 22-15 win.

Students and staff enjoyed a week-long event which included more than 50 sports fixtures, with Leeds Beckett’s sports teams winning 24 of the 58 contests played. Graduating players were able to represent Team Beckett one final time before leaving the university, capping off their university journeys at the event.

Jo Mannion, Sports Office Manager and co-lead of Leeds Varsity from Leeds Beckett University, hailed the returning event as a huge success:

“After nearly three years, it was amazing to be able to hold Leeds Varsity once again. It was fantastic for staff and students alike to see our facilities full of sports activities and spectators after so long away.

“The icing on the cake was the double victory at the stadium, in particular to cheer our women’s team on to their first win at Headingley Stadium.

“The joy of Leeds Varsity is watching the teams support each other throughout the week. It is a great event to end the academic year with and I hope we have given many of our graduating students some great memories to leave Leeds Beckett with.”

Students were also instrumental in delivering a vital experience off the field at this year’s Leeds Varsity.

Leeds Beckett Sports Journalism and Journalism students were on hand to report live on events taking place during the Leeds Varsity Festival. The team then produced a live Sky Sports style broadcast of the Rugby Finale at Headingley Stadium.

More than 25 students were present at Headingley Stadium working to deliver a live visual experience as part of their studies, with students operating as camera crew, runners, production assistants and presenters for the Rugby Finale.

BA (Hons) Sports Journalism Course Leader Taylor Umland said the experience of covering the event was invaluable for students:

“Given that we only have first year students in our programme, the Rugby Finale felt like a real workday for a journalist. In the past seven days, students have been shooting and editing video, writing scripts and building a pre-game show. For the event in the stadium, they did that show live. First-year students wrote scripts, ran the cameras, presented and reported form the side-lines, running the entire show.

“A mixture of Sports Journalism and Undergraduate and Postgraduate Journalism students broadcasted both rugby matches. Students from different years and courses worked together in a way that does not happen often in university. As a teacher, that kind of peer-to-peer learning and teamwork in a live environment was great to watch.

“Leeds Varsity caps a year full of immersive, hands-on learning experiences for the Sports Journalism students. They have interviewed Leeds Rhinos and England international Rugby players, reported on matches across Yorkshire and are already working for clubs like Leeds United and the Rhinos. To finish the year with live broadcasts in front of 9,000 people, I’d call that a fitting end.”

Student volunteers were on hand throughout the final day of Varsity helping to keep the community tidy. Students took part in litter parks in the surrounding areas of Headingley Stadium to ensure the event was well-managed and the neighbourhood kept safe.

Student coaches from Leeds Beckett University helped deliver the Leeds Varsity Community Open Day, which invited local residents and families to take part in sports, fitness and swimming activities.

The open day welcomed 25 new families to the Carnegie Junior Sports Academy programme. The event saw juniors take part in a range of fun activities delivered by students from the university’s sports leadership academy.

Congratulations to all Leeds Beckett University students who competed in this year’s Leeds Varsity.