Early days of Sport at Stirling:

For the first students arriving in 1967, Sport facilities were available from the outset; this was in the form of an inflatable sports building, the Barracuda, situated in the grounds of Alangrange, the staff/student social space, and extensive undeveloped playing fields for football, rugby and hockey. The Barracuda accommodated all indoor sports, badminton, tennis, basketball, volleyball etc. Ian Thompson, the first Director of Physical Recreation, was appointed in 1969 and sport developed rapidly. Ian played a central role in transforming provision and, over time, sport at Stirling has developed from a traditional recreation service into a national centre that combines community engagement, elite sport and, eventually, academic study.

Expansion and Community Involvement:

The expansion of facilities on campus included new playing fields, squash courts, a sports hall, the National Swim Centre and, eventually, an indoor tennis centre. Funding often came from external partners, sporting organisations and charitable trusts rather than university budgets, reflecting a continual need for creative solutions. One of the distinctive features of Stirling’s approach was the decision to open up the sports facilities to the surrounding community. Local residents, schools and clubs were encouraged to participate, and summer activities and youth programmes helped turn the campus into a regional focal point for sport rather than a closed academic environment.

High Performance Sport:

Alongside this community ethos, the University moved increasingly towards high-performance sport. A pioneering sports bursary scheme, one of the earliest in the UK, allowed talented athletes to continue their education while training at an advanced level, particularly in golf, tennis and squash, as well as other sports. This led to Stirling gaining national attention for sporting , especially in golf, where the University produced a number of highly successful players. Partnerships with organisations including the Royal and Ancient Golf Club helped secure funding and enhanced the University’s reputation with Stirling university athletes enjoying success at national and international levels. These achievements attracted wider attention and financial backing from a range of sporting bodies and helped to establish Stirling’s reputation for excellence well beyond Scotland.

Sport as an Academic subject:

Over the first few decades there were repeated attempts to introduce academic courses in physical recreation or sport, which were initially rejected. Slowly, through research activities, postgraduate work and collaboration with supportive academic departments, space was opened for sport to be considered a legitimate subject of study. Although formal academic structures took many years to develop, the foundations eventually led to the establishment of a full academic department and degree programmes in Sports Studies during the 1990s. This transformation in the role of sport within a new university - from a narrow focus on student recreation to a complex identity combining community participation, elite performance and academic legitimacy - presents Stirling as an institution that gradually recognised the wider social and educational value of sport and ultimately positioned itself as a leading centre for sporting excellence in the United Kingdom. Stirling now delivers the best for Scottish sport through a powerful and inspirational combination of sport and education. An international reputation has been developed for delivering Sports degrees that get results, choosing from a Sport degree focused on sports science, performance, business management or psychology. Our Sport courses are integrated with the University's world-class sports facilities to provide a unique and rewarding studying and sporting environment.

And nearly 60 years later...

We prepare athletes for world-stage success and improve the nation's health through physical exercise. Stirling is now internationally recognised as the University for Scottish Sporting Excellence.