By Henry Edwards, Sport Editor and third year History student
November’s BULSCA competition saw an impressive Bristol club excel in a challenging and enthusing sport.
Competitive lifesaving may be one of the best sports you’ve never heard of. With tremendous emphasis placed on elements such as teamwork, problem solving and communication, my experience watching the UBLSC compete at the Bristol SU on 10 November introduced me to a unique and vibrant sport that had admittedly gone under my radar.
Walking on to the viewing balcony, a slight bemusement overcame me, as I looked down at a pool filled with a human dummy and a real human performing as a drowning swimmer. However, my puzzlement soon changed to avid interest as Maisie Gleeson explained the sport and competition.
As she clarified, teams of four, including one captain, competed in a variety of events throughout the day. The teams each took part in: two Situational Emergency Response Competitions – or SERCs – with one on dry land and one in the pool itself; a rope throw relay; an obstacle relay; and a swim and tow race.
For this particular day of competition, the dry SERC was based on a hypothetical commotion based at a service station Costa Coffee. Although I could not go view this event, Maisie explained that each team were required to enter the area, assess the situation and treat the various injuries appropriately.
In this setting, team members had to: use CPR on an unconscious, non-breathing person; place an unconscious breathing individual in the recovery position; ensure a diabetic received sugar; settle a panicking person; and deal with a bleeding hand and broken arm. Abundantly clear was the importance of vital skills such as prioritization, communication and decision-making. Teams were judged based on the effectiveness of their responses.
The wet SERC was imagined in a lake setting. Teams were once again expected to treat a variety of injuries and phone for an ambulance. With every finished team taking their place on the poolside to observe the rest of the competition, a sense of communal support and encouragement was evident to a bystander such as myself. As Maisie said, the practice created 'a really lovely mood' surrounding a very packed pool.
I was able to catch much of the rope throw competition; I’m certainly glad I did. As a foursome, one member stands on the side of the pool, demonstrates correct technique in collecting a rope before throwing it towards a teammate based in the water. If it reaches them, the challenge is then to tow them back to the side. Having been dragged through the water, the teammate jumps out and repeats the procedure for the third member, and so on.
With many university teams competing in the event simultaneously, it made for an exciting spectacle. The noise generated from the supporting club members from poolside was quite deafening - the atmosphere was consistently a lively one.
The fact that the UBLSC hosted the visiting teams in their student houses, headed to a pub for a social following the event, and catered for everyone involved, I think demonstrates how friendly and supportive the people attached to the sport are.
This sentiment was echoed when I spoke to newcomers Martha and Millie. After signing up due to the sport’s distinctiveness, they agreed that everyone they had met were 'nice, friendly and supportive'.
In terms of results, Bristol had five separate teams competing throughout the day. The A team came first overall, while the seconds finished third. Maisie stated that 'this is definitely one of the best results we’ve ever seen'. Meanwhile, out of the 36 fresher teams competing, Bristol’s newcomers finished a highly impressive fifteenth.
'We’ve got many new recruits and a very strong club this year.'
With such huge successes to take forward from the BULSCA competition, Maisie declared that 'we’re hoping to do better than ever'.
If anyone is interested in signing up to such an exciting club, be sure to search for their Facebook page, as well as taking a look at their website: ublsc.com. Training is every Wednesday at 3.30-5pm in the SU swimming pool, and 5.30-6.30pm in the SU’s Stacy Room.
Featured image by UBLSC
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