Academic Centre
Students can participate in 15 different sports. Moreover, successful players (football, basketball), as well as players of other sports, who have high level achievements, are offered remarkable allowances for their study fee. This year, the UL basketball players for the first time will have an opportunity to claim for scholarships sponsored by Swedbank.
The UL sportsmen can be proud both with their national level achievements (among national universities) and international level achievements. For instance, last year the UL students Liene Fimbauere (slalom) and Liga Glazere (biathlon) participated in Winter Olympics, Vancouver.
What sports are offered
Sports activities in the UL are coordinated by the UL Sports Service Centre. In general, students can choose between 17 different sports, namely, aerobics, athletic gymnastics, athletics, baseball, basketball, chess, cycling, track and field, floorball, football, frisby, kendo, orientation sports, self-defence, table tennis, volleyball and wrestling.
Aerobics classes take place in the morning – from 9.30 – 19.00 pm. The aerobics hall is located in the centre, Faculty of Economics and Management, and there is a possiblity to choose among 9 styles of aerobics of 3 different intensity levels. Basketball and voleyball trainings take place at midday till 18.00 pm, while other sports - in the evenings. Most of sports are organized in the Olympics Sports Centre, 6b Grostonas; aerobics – in 5 Aspazijas Boulevard, but wrestling and gym practices – in Arkadija Sports Centre.
How to apply for sports and what are the activities
First of all, the first-year student must register in LUIS (Informative-Administrative computer system of UL) and apply for sports (LUIS offers 10 types of sports), by marking desired sports. One should also pay a LVL 12.10 transfer to the bank. Having completed this, the student must bring the payment order to the sports coach, who will then put a Sports Service Centre sticker on the student’s identification card. This sticker serves as a pass to all sports and competitions throughout the year. The rest of sports and competitions are free. In addition, these stickers give a free entrance to the competitions by the Latvian basketball leagues.
Sports activities are divided into 3 groups. The first group comprises daily sports activities, combined with training. It is not very hard, but aimed at physical development of students so that looking back at the workout hours they would be able to notice their progress. The second group comprises competitions, which are divided into one-day competitions, night tournaments and home leagues, where teams are participating for the whole semester. The third group is team work, where the UL students – athletes – master their professional skills within the UL teams and represent their university in diverse level competitions. Once a year the UL teams and individual players participate in various international student competitions, for example, in SELL (Suomi, Eesti, Latvian, Lithuanian) games, representing the University of Latvia.
The most interesting part for the students is competitions – home leagues and night tournaments. The University of Latvia has the biggest home leagues in the Baltics, as nowhere else there are 17 football teams and 10 basketball teams playing every week! Students favour also night tournaments. There are about 20-30 teams taking part in these tournaments, where are not only sport games, but also various competitions and cheerleaders’ performances etc.
The UL teams participate both in amateur leagues and in national championships. The highest level has been shown in basketball – there both women and men play in the highest league. Also, the UL volleyball players, together with the players of Jelgava, participate in the highest league. The UL football team plays in the first league. This year the university floorball league was established, involving 12 universities, among them the University of Latvia. Each year approximately 40 UL athletes participate in the University and in SELL games.
Harijs Rubenis, 1st year Bachelor student of the Faculty of Law in Legal Sciences: - I am lucky, because parallel to my studies I can play also basketball that is my real passion. I was not sure whether it would be possible to combine studies and sport; however, I have succeeded thanks to the understanding attitude of the UL. That is why I can say that being a student - athlete means a lot to me. Basketball helps me to develop myself. Sport has helped me to achieve high goals. Basketball gives me invaluable lessons, as well as allows me to meet new friends.
Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.
Harijs Rubenis, 1st year Bachelor student of the Faculty of Law in Legal Sciences: - I am lucky, because parallel to my studies I can play also basketball that is my real passion. I was not sure whether it would be possible to combine studies and sport; however, I have succeeded thanks to the understanding attitude of the UL. That is why I can say that being a student - athlete means a lot to me. Basketball helps me to develop myself. Sport has helped me to achieve high goals. Basketball gives me invaluable lessons, as well as allows me to meet new friends.
Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.
