Alumni memories: sports clubs through the years

With the 2024 Olympics in full swing, take a trip down memory lane with Bath alumni who fell in love with sport during their time at the University.

Majinder Nagra: Class of '96

"I became the first English international rugby player of Asian heritage."

What do you remember from your time playing sports at the University of Bath? 

I recall seeing a group of women on a Wednesday night during my first year at the University, all wearing Bath RFC drill tops. Curious about the ‘R’, I asked one of them, Janet Tuckett, who explained it stood for rugby.  

She invited me to play but I hesitated, citing reasons such as not wanting to wear shorts or risk injury. Janet addressed each concern with friendly solutions and her warm, welcoming attitude convinced me to join.  

I showed up on Thursday and played my first match that Sunday as most of the Bath Uni team who played on Wednesdays also played for Bath Ladies on a Sunday. After my first match, I’ve never looked back, and I am forever grateful, as playing rugby has been the best life decision I have ever made.

Have you been involved with sports since graduation? 

After leaving university, I continued playing rugby with England Students, Waterloo and Hove. In 2016, I established a thriving girls' section at Hove, which now boasts four teams across four age groups and I still coach on Sundays.  

As the first Sikh English rugby international of Asian heritage, I am honoured to have been asked to be a Global Ambassador for the inaugural UK Sikh Games starting on 15 August 2024.

Being bought up in an Indian household in Slough, sport, let alone rugby, wasn’t particularly encouraged. The Sikh Games is therefore an exciting project encouraging Sikhs and Asians generally to partake in sport for their physical and mental health and wellbeing.  

I have also recently created a platform called British Asian Women In Rugby on social media – LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook – to unite players of Asian heritage, share our unique stories and celebrate our successes.  

On a non-rugby related front, I am the President of the Sussex Law Society. 

What sporting event are you most looking forward to watching this summer? 

The Olympics, especially the GB rugby sevens and particularly the women's matches. We have great representation from current Bath University athletes and I look forward to cheering them on.

Fiona and Mike Woods: Class of '86 and '85

"Our love story began on a muddy hockey field."

What do you remember from your time playing sports at the University of Bath? 

My husband and I met at the University of Bath back in 1984 and it was hockey that brought us together. We had met in passing before, at hockey matches and socials, but we got together on the tour. I was in my second year and Mike was back from placement for his final year. Obviously I wasn't grey in those days, and Mike actually had hair!

The hockey club used to go on tour to Guernsey by train and ferry for a weekend in November. Most memories of those weekends are hazy, but the year we met I do remember we took part in a Rambo and Madonna dressing up competition. Let's just say the men didn't dress as Rambo and not all the women were Madonnas.  

In my final year, I became the first woman club captain of the hockey club. Back in those days we played on muddy grass pitches alongside the main entrance to the University. 

Have you been involved with sports since graduation? 

We got married in 1989 and had three children who are all now grown up and ironically, all three went to our arch sporting rivals, Bristol University!  

Sport has been a big part of our family life. Our two sons still play hockey, but we have hung up our boots in preference for golf, which we play regularly both in the UK and abroad. Mike also plays lots of tennis and padel. Our daughter lives in Spain and enjoys surfing, yoga and paddle boarding.   

We both also volunteer at various sports events. Mike is a regular volunteer at Gloucester Rugby and I did a few days at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 in Birmingham. I was also a marshal on the 18th green in Spain for the women's Solheim cup in September 2023. 

What sporting event are you most looking forward to watching this summer? 

We love watching live sport! In the last month we have been to a polo match in Cirencester, T20 women's international cricket in Southhampton and T20 Gloucestershire vs Glamorgan at Cheltenham. 

Our favourite sporting event so far this summer was Wimbledon. We were on court one on the first Monday (the picture is us on Henman Hill) and saw world number one Jannik Sinner. Neither of us had been to Wimbledon for quite a few years. 

Stephen Sykes: Class of '75

"My love for horse riding stayed with me through a career in the military and into retirement."

What do you remember from your time playing sports at the University of Bath? 

In my day, the riding club was very embryonic.  Our host training establishment was Phil Weaver's stables in Lacock, which we used when we hosted inter-university competitions. 

At one point, we organised a one-day event, consisting of dressage, followed by cross-country, then show-jumping, on campus in what I assume is now a car park!

We had a cross-country course which skirted the campus and involved jumping the stone wall onto the golf course.  We managed the course with solid fences built by the incredible groundmen. The course went around the site for a couple of miles, without leaving grass, coming up somewhere behind the School of Horticulture and finishing at the car park. We had a large turnout! 

Competitions were combined training – dressage and showjumping. What was particularly challenging was having to compete on horses we weren't familiar with, as we went from competition to competition to other university hosts. 

Our constant rivals were Bristol University, with whom we regularly competed. One member of the opposition at the time went on to become an Olympic rider of international repute. 

Have you been involved with sports since graduation?

On graduating (from my second degree) in 1975, the state of the architecture profession was incredibly dire. I decided that, rather than kicking my heels, I’d initially opt for a three-year Short Service Commission in the Army. 

Having established a reputation for my equine pursuits, I was approached by the Royal Artillery and the Corps of Royal Engineers, with the view to pursue my competitive riding and representing them very much in mind. 

I entered RMA Sandhurst in 1976 and, having seen the light, opted for a Regular Commission in the Royal Engineers which was a full career and better utilisation of my Bath architecture training. 

Not forgetting my riding, while undergoing specialist training in Chatham I became an member of our Corps riding school, including teaching Gurkhas how to ride! 

My first posting was to Nienburg, near Verden, the home of German international equestrian teams. Combining it with my military duties, I managed to continue my riding – both competing and judging. 

Eventually ended up as a rather minor NATO chairman for Southern Europe. 

After many years living around the globe, I eventually retired to Ireland, to fulfil my ambition of having a few horses around the place.

After years of enjoyment with my own ex-racehorse, breeding horses and working in a friend's racing yard, I decided that, in my 70s, I don't quite bounce as I did! 

What sporting event are you most looking forward to watching this summer? 

Without a doubt, I am looking forward to the equestrian events at the Olympics – especially the dressage (notwithstanding recent controversy!). Dressage was something I had had my sights set on while in Bath. 

Apart from equestrian, it would have to be men's gymnastics, swimming and diving. I know Bath has a fantastic record in swimming which I have followed closely.

Mike Jarrett: Class of '69

"We made the most of the sport facilities we had back then."

What do you remember from your time playing sports at the University of Bath? 

I enrolled in the pharmacy degree in September 1966. My first two years were spent in Bristol, where the Department of Pharmacy was based at the time, as there were only one or two buildings at Claverton Down. Our accommodation on Muller Road overlooked the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club grounds (now the Seat Unique Stadium) so we used to watch the matches from our house there. I remember seeing Fred Trueman playing! 

Sport didn’t feature too much for me at this time as there were no facilities yet, but we did take part in the UCAL Cup – a football tournament which all the Pharmacy Schools entered.

We did pretty well in the tournament as there were some decent footballers. 

Terry Rowlands (pictured second from the right in the image above) played in the University first team – his grandson has just been given a professional contract with Swansea City and is training with the first team squad. I’m at the bottom right with my arm on Martin Lloyds shoulder. This photo was taken at Aston University after we had just beaten them!  

My claim to fame was scoring the winning goal against Chelsea School of Pharmacy when we borrowed some kit from Southampton FC. We got to the final that year but lost 2-1 to Sunderland.  

Once we had moved to Bath the facilities were slightly better and I had a few games of cricket. It was rather ad-hoc but enjoyable nonetheless.  

Have you been involved with sports since graduation?  

I carried on cricket for a while after I left university but, like everything else, working for a living came first. 

I took up golf after graduation and got down to a golf handicap of eight, but sadly, I’ve had to give up golf this year because of mobility issues caused by osteoarthritis. 

What sporting event are you most looking forward to watching this summer? 

I am looking forward to watching the golf and athletics at the Olympics.  

My highlight this year was a visit to Troon to watch the Open Championship. It was very busy and the old legs are feeling it now because on the way back we slept in my son's VW van!