Scott Christie is a fourth-year sport and exercise science student with a passion for growth: within himself and in his communities. President of Men’s Rugby Club, member of the Sports Executive Committee and ambassador for the OddBalls Foundation, Christie says he thrives by connecting with others and has experience with the behind-the-scenes of the Union.
Christie spoke with Brig to discuss his main goals, if elected as Sports President: building pride, connection and support across every sporting club.
Q. Why are you running for Sports President?
A. “Since I came into the university in first year, no matter what I’ve been a part of — whether it’s rugby, whether it’s my degree, whether it’s the broader Union — I’m always just looking for the next thing to improve on.
“In my rugby club, when I came in first year, it was very much student-led, and everybody always wanted the same thing: we wanted to see our team perform better. We wanted a better club identity. We wanted the boys to be better together. But there weren’t quite those things in place, so I basically just followed in the footsteps of my predecessor, trying to build a club into a better place, as I want to do with the Union.
“I want to help people get the most out of their time here, feel better connected, feel better supported and just proud of their Union and have fun.”
Q. What did Laura Shaw, the current Sports President, do well? What did she do that you would like to emulate in your own work?
A. “Before she joined, clubs were very fragmented. If clubs didn’t know each other very well, bad rumours could have come up. People didn’t feel connected as a whole Union. It was like one club against another, and she’s done a really good job of bringing everybody together under this umbrella.
“Using StirScale has been a great tool, because it means that people have a framework on how to build and connect with each other.
“She’s just promoted Union identity really well, and that’s one of the big things in my campaign, is giving people something to be proud of and get behind that they can all support, no matter the club they’re coming from, no matter their background. All clubs have their own identity, but we want to give them something to be proud of and meet in the middle as well.”
Q. If elected, what is the first thing you will do in the union?
A. “I think there needs to be a bit more transparency between the Union and the clubs.
“Being on Sports Exec and being a president, I understand how the Union operates and who’s involved and what their specific jobs are. I think in the broader community, a lot of people don’t understand who to specifically go to for the support that they need. On the other side, I feel like there’s loads of clubs who have such complex safety regulations, guidelines and just their own unique standards, and the Union doesn’t quite understand that enough. So, we need a better understanding both ways, so that the Union can support clubs the best they can, because at the end of the day, students come first, and that’s all we want out of this.”
Q. What are your long-term goals for the position?
A. “The acronym that’s on my campaign is PRIDE. I want people to be proud of what they’re a part of. I want every club to be able to support each other, whether it’s clubs that aren’t well known or aren’t as well known that are gaining qualifications, are doing upgrades or more complex things, but because they’re not classed as a traditional sport — some might say — they sometimes get overlooked. On the flip side, they also don’t identify well enough with some of your more out-there clubs that host big events, and I basically just want everybody to support everyone and all their achievements and have something to get behind as a part of the community.”
Q. What makes you right for the position?
A. “I served as vice president of the rugby club last year, which gave me a good understanding of how Laura operates her job, and since I’ve come into the presidency role, it’s just completely opened my eyes even more. I’ve served on the Sports Executive Committee this year, so I’ve developed a clear understanding of behind-the-scenes stuff: how the Union actually operates, how development funds and equipment funds are granted so that clubs can improve and grow and become their best selves.
“In my third year, alongside my vice presidency role, I was also the OddBalls Foundation ambassador, and that gave me some brilliant connections. It made me meet so many great people from clubs that I would have never even thought to speak to before, and I think that really cemented one of the things that I now see as one of my strongest personality traits: my ability to connect with people, my ability to see people and see what we have in common and share that, as opposed to seeing how we’re different.
“I understand the difficulties that can come in different walks of life. I think I would just be a great Sports President, because I can see everybody for what they are and what they want to achieve, and I can help them reach that.”
Q. What in the university inspired you to run?
A. “It’s the motto: ‘Be the Difference’. I just love how this university inspires people to be the best version of themselves through hard work and through community. I just want to build on that even more. It’s how I’ve lived my last four years: Getting involved with every opportunity I possibly can, putting myself out there, even when the odds might be against me.
“It’s just an inspiring place to be.”
Scott Christie’s manifesto can be accessed here.
Featured Image Credit: Stirling University Communications Department/ Scott Christie