Brig caught up with Sports Union President candidate, Simon Goodman, to ask him about his campaign. Simon is clearly very passionate about this election and most certainly has the aspirations to succeed. However, before any official announcements or declarations, this is what Simon had to say when I interviewed him .
Can you put an emphasis on anything that you have not already been asked, for example, any new plans you have in the pipeline if successfully elected?
I believe sport is for all and no matter what your level of sport participation from complete beginner to elite athlete, I want to be able to represent you all to the best of my ability. Furthermore, I want to engage with those who are not sport minded and help them in any way I can to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
I also feel that our best athletes past and present should be honoured and will look at establishing a Stirling Hall of Fame so future generations can be inspired by the successes of our greatest athletes.
What is your passion for this position and why are you the candidate to vote for?
Sport has been a major part of my life for the past 7 years through study and experience and I absolutely love sport of all disciplines. My experience, as well as having the knowledge of all levels, from grassroots to elite sport makes me believe that I am the best candidate for the role of sports president.
What experience do you bring with you to the position as far as the understanding of the presidency is concerned?
I am currently a Sport Management Postgraduate student and last year I graduated with a 2:1 Hons in Sport and Recreation Management. I have had real world experience in sports management, as a volunteer at the Olympics and Commonwealth games as well as being having my own annual sporting event which attracts over 1000 people each year. I have also been a part of the sports union executive this year. I feel I am the right candidate for the role as feel my experience and knowledge will be a great asset to sport our university.
If elected, what would you visualize as a success after your year in the position as president of the Sports union?
For me it would of course be a success if any of my manifesto pledges are fulfilled. More importantly though, if more people engage in a more active lifestyle then for me that is a big success. I hope to see more participation particularly amongst students who may not see sport as something they may normally consider.
Are you fully aware of the expectations and the challenges that lay ahead, if elected?
It is true that you cannot necessarily please everyone all of the time but as sports president, I feel I would be expected to maintain an impartial role when it comes with dealing with challenges. I also know that as I would be expected to act at all times in the best interest of our sporting community.
Will you be collaborating with anyone if you are elected as the sports president, for the first time? What advice will you seek, if any?
I will aim to work closely with all the other sabbatical officers as I believe sport is a vital part of university life. I also have contacts with outside sporting organizations and if there is a benefit to our student community then I will utilize these assets.
How do you plan to create more sports enthusiasm and activism if elected among students who perhaps do not get involved as much as other?
I would look at several ways of achieving this. Firstly, I would encourage more “give it a go” sessions and not just at freshers and refreshers. Also, by showcasing what our sports teams can and do achieve is a great way of encouraging enthusiasm. As well as this more active publicity of home matches so more people can experience the atmosphere of watching a game as this may inspire people to take up sport.
If you get elected and Brexit makes funding for anything you wish to create almost a non-reality. How do you explain that to your voters and most importantly those whom you are president over?
Brexit is going to be a challenging time for everyone, and sport is no exception. There is an uncertainty of how funding streams are going to be affected by Brexit. In the event that funding streams become unavailable then this will of course provide a challenge, but I feel my knowledge and experience will be of great use. One advantage we do have is a fantastic new facility under construction and this could be a good way of generating extra income from the wider Stirling community in the form of marketing the facilities for people outside of the university.
I feel that support for clubs and individuals is vital and no matter what the situation becomes I will make sure that I am at the forefront of support and will be there to offer practical advice and help and not just words.
ATV covers local politics, Local Affairs, Arts, Music and Sport.
