Sports Editors Joel Lim and Amaya Sharma spotlight the athletes, volunteers, and teams shaping KCL’s sporting life this term.
When was the last time you played a sport?
A kick-about with friends, a calm morning run with a club, a fitness class between lectures. Simple moments that create real memories and bonds.
From the grassroots sessions in our boroughs to thousands of fans rallying behind local clubs, sport has an inextricable link to community. It can unite, empower and bring together people from all walks of life. That power is why so many use sport to drive positive change close to home.
We have seen high-profile examples. Barcelona’s Marcus Rashford mobilised the country on child food poverty, helping to raise over £20 million in donations and prompting then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson to extend free school meal vouchers over the 2020 summer break.
Change through sport, though, is not the preserve of professionals. Research by Leeds Metropolitan University into a Rochdale Community Sports Project found local programmes strengthened social networks and even brought together residents who had previously been at odds.
You can see that on campus too. Several KCL clubs now run community-focused initiatives that turn training time into something bigger than results.
Campaigning for Inclusivity by KCL Tennis
KCL Tennis’ ‘Inclusive by Design’ series won KCLSU’s Event of the Year for opening the sport to more students and groups.
Credit to: KCL Tennis
“We saw a problem – tennis still had too many barriers to entry. Seeing this pushed us to take action. Our mission became to create a club that is inclusive by design so students can not only discover tennis but also find their own second family within it.” – Adrien Szakolczai, Vice President of KCL Tennis
During Disability History Month, in partnership with the Queen’s Club Foundation, the club hosted hands-on workshops introducing adapted formats of the sport. Students learned how tennis can improve mobility, provide mental stimulation, and raise living standards for disabled players, while also picking up the coaching basics that make sessions more accessible.
The club also ran its first LGBTQ+ Tennis Festival, welcoming all abilities and arranging fixtures with the South London Smashers, an LGBT+ group, to create a genuinely open space where sport and community overlap.
That spirit is visible in individual members too. Szakolczai volunteered as a sparring partner ahead of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, sharpening his game against elite wheelchair players and learning more about how to support them. Similarly, Women’s 1st Team captain Natalie Wagner organised a Women’s History Month Panel to spotlight gender equality and break down barriers in university sport.
Charity Match for UK for UNHCR
Credit to: Harsh Tank, Instagram Account: @tankharsh
“Football is often more than a game, a force for unity that brings together people from varying backgrounds and beliefs.” – Conrad Stott Smith, President of KCL Men’s Football
Inspired by the phenomenal work of UK for UNHCR, KCL Football began with a kit partnership to raise visibility, then used its social media following to champion the cause as student ambassadors.
The milestone came in December 2024, when KCL Football hosted its first UK for UNHCR charity match with Queen Mary Football. The fixture raised over £4,000—money and awareness driven by student organisers, players, and supporters channelling their passion for football into tangible help for displaced people.
KCL Netball
Credit to: KCL Netball
KCL Netball closed the season with a ‘Mini Macadam’ alongside GKT Netball, donating all ticketing profits to Grassroots Suicide Prevention. Individual members were inspired to go further; raising funds for the OddBalls Foundation and Teenage Cancer Trust through Fight Night and running some of London’s half marathons. This year the club will continue to promote and support personal initiatives alongside its wider fundraisers.
Ways That You Can Get Involved
If you love sport, or just want to do something practical for others, there are incredibly easy entry points.
Partnering with a charity or sports-based community project is a great way to immerse yourself. They are usually delighted to find ways to leverage your skillsets, be it in terms of getting supplies for logistics or raising funding.
Beyond that, look no further than our very own KCL clubs! Many of them, like the ones listed above, regularly organise community-based events that you can participate in. These events are most often publicised on their social media pages!
Think back to that recent sport memory. The fun and focus, the way an hour with friends lifted your week. Now imagine pairing it with a cause you care about or a group you want to support. The win isn’t always just on the scoreboard; it’s the community you are helping to build.
