"I always turn to the sports section first.  The sports
page records people's accomplishments; the front page
has nothing but man's failures."
- Earl Warren

As President of the Athletic Union you are ultimately responsible for 52 affiliated sports clubs, totalling around 2500 students that are directly affected by your decisions. You will be in charge of running the annual sports fayre as well as a Give-It-A-Go Sports Day where hundreds of new students are introduced to the world of university sport. And that's just before you even got started.

The AU President is the person responsible for the smooth running of nearly 300 fixtures spread over two semesters: It's not always easy: exams, weather and any number of other factors might get in the way and require astute searching for solutions. But the good thing is, you are not on your own: the AU committee is there to help and support you by dealing with areas such as accounts, minutes and the AU Ball! The Governing Board of the Athletic Union will give you feedback on your ideas on where you want to take the Athletic Union and be the body that you are ultimately answerable to. The Athletic Union also works very amicably alongside the Department of Sport and Exercise whose staff are also a valuable source of help.

Of course, your role will not just involve staying in St Andrews: As part of the larger university community in Scotland, SUS (Scottish University Sport), all the AU Presidents meet regularly at venues across the nation to discuss current events, share best practice and, naturally, have great nights out! The close links with colleagues at other universities make your daily job a lot easier: they are skeen to get matches played in a fair environment but also can provide a listening ear in times when you just need to rant. SUS is currently gaining more and more clout in BUCS, the UK-wide student sporting association: this means that when you get involved in SUS, you potentially affect university sport throughout Britain.

It's an exciting year with many challenges. It's up to you: can you do it? If you're interested, and if this description sounds like you, click here to find out how to put yourself forward for election on 19.03.10. 
 

Pictured above: the Sports Centre and astroturf pitch