York’s sports captains have expressed their anger this week at Lancaster’s scheduling of the Roses, claiming it is a deliberate attempt to scupper York’s chances of victory.
Lancaster’s organisers have scheduled this year’s Roses tournament for the first weekend of York’s summer term, a vital examination period for many of York’s students.
With competition due to take place from Friday 30th April till Sunday 2nd May, York’s sport teams are set to lose out as key players are forced to skip Roses to sit exams.
York Sport president Emily Scott was forced to admit that players will be “lost to exams”, conceding: “There are going to be plenty of people and thus plenty of teams affected.”
After being on the wrong end of a 194.5-79.5 thrashing in last year’s one-sided Roses tournament, many feel Lancaster are trying to give themselves an advantage in the battle to regain the Carter James trophy.
An aggrieved football president Greg Gardner has blasted Lancaster’s Sport President today, labelling her attitude “absolutely shocking and despicable”.
“She’s ruined the spirit of Roses by pulling out Lancaster teams she feels will lose, despite this being against the wishes of the Lancaster players themselves.”
Gardner goes on to reveal that the football club will be missing “approximately a third” of its squads, the 1st and 3rd team captains, and two first choice goalkeepers due to exams clashing with Roses. “We’ve played the main football matches on Sunday afternoons for decades, but she suddenly decided to move it to Saturday this year.”
And despite Gardner claiming pitches are “completely free to use” on the Sunday afternoon, the Lancaster Sports President has apparently refused to move the games.
“The way it stands we’ll still compete in Roses and go over there with our heads held high and try to get something out of the game, but the whole atmosphere and politics surrounding the games mean this will surely be the worst Roses in recent history.”
Other sports captains have also shown their annoyance, with rugby captain Alex Redshaw expressing regret at Lancaster’s attempts to “get their own back” after suffering from exam scheduling conflicts themselves last year.
Women’s tennis captain Maria Hunt, has also voiced criticism of Lancaster’s scheduling of the Roses, saying it will “definitely have an impact”.
Hunt bemoans the fact that key players will miss Roses matches, with “some having exams on Sunday”, and even those available for Roses being forced to “miss out on vital training sessions” due to exams. Gardner and Redshaw reserve praise for York Sport however, with Gardner commending YorkSport for “trying to help York’s sport clubs” and attempting to make the Lancaster organisers “realise the pettiness of their attitude”, whilst Redshaw stressing “York University is not to blame”.
Emily Scott has held a diplomatic stance however: “Lancaster faced the same issues last year and we just need to hold our heads up and play hard. As long as everyone does that and enjoys themselves, I can’t ask for much more!”
Sadly though, Scott’s optimism cannot hide the fact that York will start this year’s Roses at a significant disadvantage.
” Emily Scott has held a diplomatic stance however: “Lancaster faced the same issues last year and we just need to hold our heads up and play hard. As long as everyone does that and enjoys themselves, I can’t ask for much more!” ”
Why the hush hush if we screwed them over in the same vein last year? If this isn’t the case, why not disclose details instead of making what can only be described as a snide allusion, almost provocative? I’d quite like to know really.
The fact that Lancaster faced the same scheduling issues last year doesn’t excuse their Sport President’s attempts to create a schedule that will heavily favour the home university.
Perhaps they have a right to feel aggrieved after missing players themselves due to exams last year. However the mature response to that is not to deliberately make life as hard as possible for the York sports captains trying to put out good teams. Doing this purely to get their own back is quite sad really.
In my opinion therefore this article is quite relevant, and not ‘snide’ or ‘provocative’. Apologies if the article offended you though!
Sincerely,
Moron.
Not at all, I just think the Vision writers have a duty and responsibility to provide impartial news, instead of following the example of, say, the ITV football commentary teams every time England play an international match or an English side plays a Champions League tie…no offence taken whatsoever. Thank you Mr. Moron.
I didnt say we have exams on Sunday! I meant Saturday I know im blonde but not that bad ha
and it doesn’t matter what teams we put out we are going to win FACT!
x