University Sporting Blue
Encyclopedia
A Blue is an award earned by sportsmen and women at a university and some schools for competition at the highest level. The awarding of Blues began at Oxford
and Cambridge
Universities. It is found at British, Australia
n and New Zealand
universities.
match at Lord's
, organized by Charles Wordsworth, nephew of William
, resulted in a draw. There is however no record of any university "colours" being worn during the game.
At the first Boat Race in 1829, the Oxford crew was dominated by students of Christ Church
, whose college colours were dark blue. They thus wore white shirts with dark blue stripes, while Cambridge wore white with a pink or scarlet sash. At the second race, in 1836, a light blue ribbon was attached to the front of the Cambridge boat, probably as it was the colour of Eton
. These colours — light blue for Cambridge, and dark blue for Oxford — became the official colours of the two boat clubs, and through the rivalry of the Boat Race became inextricably linked with the universities and contests between the two.
may be awarded a Full Blue (or simply a Blue), Half Blue, First Team Colours or Second Team Colours for competing at the highest level of university sport, which must include being in a Varsity match or race against the University of Oxford
. A Full Blue is the highest honour that may be bestowed on a Cambridge sportsman or woman, and is a much-coveted and prestigious prize. In general, the Full Blue standard is approximately that of being successful at a national level of student competition, and the Half Blue standard is that of being successful at county or regional level.
es had successfully requested the right to award "Half Blues".
In some sports with Full Blue status, the varsity match second team is awarded Second Team Colours.
In spite of claims by the Cambridge University Tiddlywinks Club, there is officially no such thing as a 'quarter blue', though as a stance against the often perceived elitism of the culture of 'bluism' quarter blue scarves and apparel are produced.
The awarding of a Full Blue often requires a person to fulfil a number of requirements in the same academic year, particularly in sports with Discretionary Full Blue status. If, for whatever reason, an exceptional sportsman or woman is of or above Full Blue standard but does not fulfil all the requirements for the 'automatic' award of a Full Blue in any given year, the committee then has the authority to grant an Extraordinary Full Blue to that person subject to scrutiny of the particular case. The individual's case must be presented to the Blues Committee in person and must be backed up by substantial evidence and references. The award is unlikely to be made unless the person is of world-class or at least international standard.
Each sport has specific criteria for each award; details of the individual criteria for women's sports can be found here, and are summarised below.
The winner of a Blue or Half Blue is entitled to wear a blues blazer, which is one of the most recognisable and distinctive garments associated with Cambridge University. Full Blue blazers are completely coloured Cambridge Blue
. Half Blue blazers have a number of different designs, depending on the wearer's sport; a typical design is an off-white blazer with Cambridge blue lapels and trimmings. There is a variety of other Blue and Half Blue paraphernalia, including scarves, ties, pullovers, bow ties, caps and squares. Such items are worn with pride.
, the colour recognized officially by the University as Cambridge Blue actually has a slight green tint.
. Women holding any of these awards are eligible to join The Ospreys, which was founded in 1985.
the committees for awarding Blues and Half Blues works on much the same principles as the Cambridge committees. The principal difference between the two men’s committees is that at Oxford all Captains, regardless of their status as Full, Discretionary or Half Blue must attend meetings of the Committee. Until recently the voting was broken up according to Blues status with Full Blue Captains being allowed to vote on all matters while all the other Captains could only vote on matters directly relating to Half Blue Sports. In Michaelmas Term 2006 the committee finally allowed Discretionary Full Blue Captains the right to vote on matters directly relating to Discretionary Full Blue Sports. This has ended many years of inequality for Discretionary Full Blue status Captains and was largely welcomed by the committee.
The committees are administered by an elected President and Secretary who serve one year. Unlike in Cambridge where the President of Cambridge University Boat Club holds the position, in Oxford any Captain can be elected President, regardless of sport or status.
The role of the President is to call and serve as Chair of any meeting of the committee, of which there are normally 3 per year (6 for the women). They also serve as the representative of the committee and sit on the University Sports Strategy Committee and the Executive Committee of the Sports Federation. Both Presidents along with the Director of Sport represent Oxford at any meetings of a Joint Blues Committee held with Cambridge. The purpose of the Joint Blues Committee is to discuss issues of eligibility for the Varsity match and to settle any disputes between the sporting communities of the two universities.
The current executive of the two committees http://www.sport.ox.ac.uk/sports-federation/blues are:
Oxford University Men’s Blues Committee
Oxford University Women’s Blues Committee
Both Committees share a common Senior Member. The post currently being held by the Director of Sport Jon Roycroft.
awards 'Bristol Reds' to students who have produced exceptional performance in their respective sports at a level of achievement and commitment beyond that normally associated with University first team play. Though not absolutely necessary, this can be demonstrated by performances or honours beyond student level.
awards 'Colours' to students who play at county level (Half Colours) or a national level (Full Colours). The student must demonstrate selection/participation in a national side to be awarded Full Colours, and similar with Half Colours. Half Colours can also be awarded for an exceptional contribution to that sports club.
to its sportsmen or women who demonstrate two or more of the following qualities: 'Ability of a High Standard' (international representation), 'Service to a Club' and 'Attitude and Commitment'.
The award is called a 'Palatinate' rather than a 'Blue' because Palatinate
(a shade of purple) is the historical colour of the university.
Some Durham colleges independently award College Colours, for sporting prowess at a college level.
awards Pinks to students at Trinity College
who compete at international level, as well as with their college club. A captains' committee, consisting of the captain of each club currently affiliated to the university's Central Athletic Club, meets biannually to elect new Pinks. There are no half-Colours awarded.
The Pinks scarf is plain light-pink, and the tie is navy-blue with a pattern of pink crowned harps, the design for the Blazer is currently lost.
Election to Pink status is extremely difficult, as participation on a first team is not sufficient; one must also compete at international level.
Sporting clubs for elite sportsmen and women also exist at the University of Dublin: the Dublin University Knights of the Campanile for men, and the Dublin University Heraeans for women. However, membership of these social clubs is by no means restricted to holders of the Pink and entry is secret with unknown criteria.
awards Purples and Half Purples for competition at the highest level of university sport, in a similar way to Oxford and Cambridge Blues. These are taken to be the equivalent of Blues at other universities.
awards Maroons and Half Maroons for competition at the highest level of university sport, in a similar way to Oxford and Cambridge Blues.
awards Blues and Half Blues in a similar manner to the above universities. the awards are given during the annual blues ball awards ceremony hosted at RGU: SPORT. The award of a Blue allows a medal to be worn with graduation gowns. Another set of awards, the Scarlets and Half Scarlets are awarded to students for non-sporting achievements (e.g. societies) with an equivalent standard required to achieve them.
awards Colours and Half Colours for competition at the highest level of university sport, in a similar way to Oxford and Cambridge Blues. These are taken to be the equivalent of Blues at other universities.
in Canberra
, Australia
awards Blues and Half Blues in this way.
in Canberra
, Australia
awards Blues and Half Blues to students that show outstanding achievement in sporting pursuits at a national or international level.
in Adelaide
, South Australia
awards a Blue, Half Blue and Club Letters in a similar fashion for outstanding sporting achievement.
in Sydney
, New South Wales
awards Blues for outstanding sporting achievement. Blues are nominated in October at the conclusion of the annual university sporting calendar and the successful nominees are presented with their Blues at the Annual Blues Dinner. Blues earn the right to wear the Blues jacket in the traditional stripes of Blue and Gold with the Sydney University Shield.
in Western Australia
awards Blues and Half Blues to students as well as club members for outstanding sporting achievement.
Oxford University:
Other universities:
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
Universities. It is found at British, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
universities.
History
The first sporting contest between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge was held on 4 June 1827 when a two-day cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
match at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
, organized by Charles Wordsworth, nephew of William
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads....
, resulted in a draw. There is however no record of any university "colours" being worn during the game.
At the first Boat Race in 1829, the Oxford crew was dominated by students of Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, whose college colours were dark blue. They thus wore white shirts with dark blue stripes, while Cambridge wore white with a pink or scarlet sash. At the second race, in 1836, a light blue ribbon was attached to the front of the Cambridge boat, probably as it was the colour of Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
. These colours — light blue for Cambridge, and dark blue for Oxford — became the official colours of the two boat clubs, and through the rivalry of the Boat Race became inextricably linked with the universities and contests between the two.
University of Cambridge
Sportsmen and women at the University of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
may be awarded a Full Blue (or simply a Blue), Half Blue, First Team Colours or Second Team Colours for competing at the highest level of university sport, which must include being in a Varsity match or race against the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. A Full Blue is the highest honour that may be bestowed on a Cambridge sportsman or woman, and is a much-coveted and prestigious prize. In general, the Full Blue standard is approximately that of being successful at a national level of student competition, and the Half Blue standard is that of being successful at county or regional level.
History
Once light blue had been chosen as the colour of Cambridge's Boat Club, the other university sport clubs followed suit, though out of courtesy would request permission from the Boat Club before awarding such a "Blue". In the 1860s the three senior sports — rowing, cricket and athletics — were awarding Blues, and the presidents of each formed an informal "Blues Committee" to oversee such awards. By 1880 a number of smaller clubs involved in Varsity matchVarsity match
A varsity match is a sporting fixture between two university rivals; in its original and most common form, it is used to describe meetings between Oxford University and Cambridge University.-Popular British and Irish Varsity matches:*University of Oxford v...
es had successfully requested the right to award "Half Blues".
Awarding process
The criteria for awarding blues are different for men and women. Awards are made at the discretion of the men's and women's Blues Committees. The Men's Blues Committee is formed from one representative of each of the Full Blue sports, and the Women's from one representative of each of the Full Blue and Half Blue sports. Each committee meets frequently to discuss issues relating to Cambridge sport.In some sports with Full Blue status, the varsity match second team is awarded Second Team Colours.
In spite of claims by the Cambridge University Tiddlywinks Club, there is officially no such thing as a 'quarter blue', though as a stance against the often perceived elitism of the culture of 'bluism' quarter blue scarves and apparel are produced.
The awarding of a Full Blue often requires a person to fulfil a number of requirements in the same academic year, particularly in sports with Discretionary Full Blue status. If, for whatever reason, an exceptional sportsman or woman is of or above Full Blue standard but does not fulfil all the requirements for the 'automatic' award of a Full Blue in any given year, the committee then has the authority to grant an Extraordinary Full Blue to that person subject to scrutiny of the particular case. The individual's case must be presented to the Blues Committee in person and must be backed up by substantial evidence and references. The award is unlikely to be made unless the person is of world-class or at least international standard.
Each sport has specific criteria for each award; details of the individual criteria for women's sports can be found here, and are summarised below.
Categorisation of men's sports
| Full Blue - whole team |
|---|
| Boxing Oxford University Amateur Boxing Club The Oxford University Amateur Boxing Club is the boxing club of the University of Oxford, England, located in Oxford. The club was founded in 1881. It is the second oldest active amateur boxing club in the UK... , Cricket Cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the... , Field Hockey Field hockey Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks... , Football, Golf Golf Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes.... , Lawn Tennis Tennis Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all... , Rowing Sport rowing Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water... , Rugby Union Rugby union Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand... , Squash Squash (sport) Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball... |
| Full Blue (some) / Half Blue (rest) |
| Athletics, Basketball Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules... , Cross Country Cross country running Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road... , Rugby league Rugby league Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players... , Swimming Swimming (sport) Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native... |
| Discretionary Full Blue |
| Badminton Badminton Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their... , Canoeing Canoeing Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'.... , Cycling Road bicycle racing Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most... , Dancesport DanceSport Dancesport denotes competitive ballroom dancing, as contrasted to social or exhibition dancing. It is wheelchair dancesport where at least one of the dancers is in a wheelchair.... , Fencing Fencing Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games... , Judo Judo is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an... , Karate Karate is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,... , Lacrosse Lacrosse Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh... , Modern Pentathlon Modern pentathlon The modern pentathlon is a sports contest that includes five events: pistol shooting, épée fencing, 200 m freestyle swimming, show jumping, and a 3 km cross-country run... , Orienteering Orienteering Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they... , Rifle Shooting (small-bore and full-bore) Shooting sports A shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns . Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an Olympic event... , Sailing, Skiing Skiing Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding.... , Water Polo Water polo Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a... , Real Tennis Real tennis Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original indoor racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis , is descended... |
| Half Blue |
| Archery, Australian Rules Football Australian rules football Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either... , Eton Eton Fives Eton Fives, one derivative of the British game of Fives, is a hand-ball game, similar to Rugby Fives, played as doubles in a three-sided court. The object is to force the other team to fail to hit the ball 'up' off the front wall, using any variety of wall or ledge combinations as long as the ball... and Rugby Rugby Fives Rugby Fives is a handball game, similar to squash, played in an enclosed court. It has similarities with Winchester Fives and Eton Fives.... Fives Fives Fives is a British sport believed to derive from the same origins as many racquet sports. In fives, a ball is propelled against the walls of a special court using gloved or bare hands as though they were a racquet.-Background:... , Gymnastics Gymnastics Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body... , Chess Chess Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player... , Ice Hockey Ice hockey Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take... , Korfball Korfball Korfball is a mixed gender team sport, with similarities to netball and basketball. A team consists of eight players; four female and four male. A team also includes a coach. It was founded in the Netherlands in 1902 by Nico Broekhuysen. In the Netherlands there are around 580 clubs, and over a... , Lightweight Rowing Lightweight rowing Lightweight rowing is a special category of rowing where limits are placed on the maximum weight of competitors. The rationale is that larger, taller people have a small but significant physical advantage and tend to dominate the sport... , Mountain Biking Mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can... , Pistol Shooting Shooting sports A shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns . Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an Olympic event... , Polo Polo Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a... , Powerlifting Powerlifting Powerlifting is a strength sport. It resembles the sport of Olympic weightlifting, as both disciplines involve lifting weights in three attempts. Powerlifting evolved from a sport known as 'odd lifts' which followed the same three attempt format but used a wide variety of events akin to Strongman... , Rackets, Association Croquet, Riding Equestrianism Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses... , Rifle Shooting (small-bore and full-bore) Shooting sports A shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns . Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an Olympic event... , Table Tennis Table tennis Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net... , Volleyball Volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive... , Windsurfing Windsurfing Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a... , Ultimate Frisbee Ultimate (sport) Ultimate is a sport played with a 175 gram flying disc. The object of the game is to score points by passing the disc to a player in the opposing end zone, similar to an end zone in American football or rugby... and Yachting Yachting Yachting refers to recreational sailing or boating, the specific act of sailing or using other water vessels for sporting purposes.-Competitive sailing:... |
| Currently undecided / under review |
| Gaelic football Gaelic football Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland... |
Categorisation of women's sports
| Full Blue - whole team |
|---|
| Fencing, Football, Hockey, Lacrosse, Lawn tennis, Netball, Rowing, Rugby union, Squash |
| Full Blue (some) / Half Blue (rest) |
| Athletics, Cricket, Dancesport DanceSport Dancesport denotes competitive ballroom dancing, as contrasted to social or exhibition dancing. It is wheelchair dancesport where at least one of the dancers is in a wheelchair.... , Modern pentathlon, Swimming, Volleyball, Basketball |
| Discretionary Full Blue |
| Badminton, Cross-country, Cycling, Gymnastics, Judo, Karate, Orienteering, Rifle shooting (full-bore), Sailing, Skiing, Volleyball, Boxing, Real Tennis |
| Half Blue |
| Archery, Canoeing, Canoe polo Canoe polo Canoe Polo is a competitive ball sport played on water, in a defined "field", between two teams of 5 players, each in a kayak... , Cricket, Eton Fives Eton Fives Eton Fives, one derivative of the British game of Fives, is a hand-ball game, similar to Rugby Fives, played as doubles in a three-sided court. The object is to force the other team to fail to hit the ball 'up' off the front wall, using any variety of wall or ledge combinations as long as the ball... , Gliding Gliding Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s... , Golf, Ice hockey, Korfball, Lifesaving, Lightweight rowing, Orienteering, Association Croquet, Pistol shooting, Riding, Rifle shooting (small-bore), Taekwondo Taekwondo Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"... , Trampolining Trampolining Trampolining is a competitive Olympic sport in which gymnasts perform acrobatics while bouncing on a trampoline. These can include simple jumps in the pike, tuck or straddle position to more complex combinations of forward or backward somersaults and twists.... , Triathlon Triathlon A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances... , Windsurfing Windsurfing Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a... , Waterpolo, Ultimate Ultimate (sport) Ultimate is a sport played with a 175 gram flying disc. The object of the game is to score points by passing the disc to a player in the opposing end zone, similar to an end zone in American football or rugby... , Yachting |
| Currently undecided / under review |
| Table tennis, Windsurfing |
Regalia
Cambridge Blue (Colour)
Cambridge Blue is the colour commonly used by sports teams from Cambridge University. There is considerable dispute regarding the exact shade of the colour that should be used. Most notably, the colour used by the Cambridge University Boat Club is different from that used by the rugby union club...
. Half Blue blazers have a number of different designs, depending on the wearer's sport; a typical design is an off-white blazer with Cambridge blue lapels and trimmings. There is a variety of other Blue and Half Blue paraphernalia, including scarves, ties, pullovers, bow ties, caps and squares. Such items are worn with pride.
, the colour recognized officially by the University as Cambridge Blue actually has a slight green tint.
Hawks' Club/Ospreys
Men holding Blues, Half Blues or Second Team Colours in a Full Blue sport are eligible to join the Hawks' ClubHawks' Club
The Hawks' Club is a members-only social club for sportsmen at the University of Cambridge. It was founded in 1872.-Eligibility criteria:Application for membership is open to any man who is either a member of any college at the University of Cambridge or who has been admitted ad eundem to the...
. Women holding any of these awards are eligible to join The Ospreys, which was founded in 1985.
Administration
At Oxford UniversityUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
the committees for awarding Blues and Half Blues works on much the same principles as the Cambridge committees. The principal difference between the two men’s committees is that at Oxford all Captains, regardless of their status as Full, Discretionary or Half Blue must attend meetings of the Committee. Until recently the voting was broken up according to Blues status with Full Blue Captains being allowed to vote on all matters while all the other Captains could only vote on matters directly relating to Half Blue Sports. In Michaelmas Term 2006 the committee finally allowed Discretionary Full Blue Captains the right to vote on matters directly relating to Discretionary Full Blue Sports. This has ended many years of inequality for Discretionary Full Blue status Captains and was largely welcomed by the committee.
The committees are administered by an elected President and Secretary who serve one year. Unlike in Cambridge where the President of Cambridge University Boat Club holds the position, in Oxford any Captain can be elected President, regardless of sport or status.
The role of the President is to call and serve as Chair of any meeting of the committee, of which there are normally 3 per year (6 for the women). They also serve as the representative of the committee and sit on the University Sports Strategy Committee and the Executive Committee of the Sports Federation. Both Presidents along with the Director of Sport represent Oxford at any meetings of a Joint Blues Committee held with Cambridge. The purpose of the Joint Blues Committee is to discuss issues of eligibility for the Varsity match and to settle any disputes between the sporting communities of the two universities.
Oxford University Men’s Blues Committee
- President: Thomas Bloomfield (Modern Pentathlon, Exeter)
- Secretary: Vit Sipal (Judo, Balliol)
Oxford University Women’s Blues Committee
- President: Rhian Price (Netball, SEH)
- Secretary: Ann Hyams (Swimming, St John's)
Both Committees share a common Senior Member. The post currently being held by the Director of Sport Jon Roycroft.
Costume
The colour of an Oxford Full Blue blazer is dark blue. The Oxford Half Blue blazer can be one of two designs. Either it is composed of thick vertical stripes of dark blue and off-white, as in the image to the right, or it can be dark blue, as the Full Blue blazer, with two white stripes above the club badge on the left breast.Clubs
The club for Oxford Blues is Vincent’s Club, although it is not restricted to Blues. Atalantas is a club for sportswomen at Oxford, and also is not restricted to Blues.University of Bristol
The University of BristolUniversity of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
awards 'Bristol Reds' to students who have produced exceptional performance in their respective sports at a level of achievement and commitment beyond that normally associated with University first team play. Though not absolutely necessary, this can be demonstrated by performances or honours beyond student level.
Cardiff University
Cardiff UniversityCardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
awards 'Colours' to students who play at county level (Half Colours) or a national level (Full Colours). The student must demonstrate selection/participation in a national side to be awarded Full Colours, and similar with Half Colours. Half Colours can also be awarded for an exceptional contribution to that sports club.
Durham University
The University of Durham awards PalatinatesPalatinate (award)
The University of Durham awards Palatinates to its athletes or former athletes who demonstrate the following qualities: 'Ability of a High Standard' , 'Service to a Club' and 'Attitude and Commitment'....
to its sportsmen or women who demonstrate two or more of the following qualities: 'Ability of a High Standard' (international representation), 'Service to a Club' and 'Attitude and Commitment'.
The award is called a 'Palatinate' rather than a 'Blue' because Palatinate
Palatinate (colour)
Palatinate is a colour associated with the University of Durham A separate colour, 'Palatinate Blue', is derived from the Coat of Arms of the County of Durham...
(a shade of purple) is the historical colour of the university.
Some Durham colleges independently award College Colours, for sporting prowess at a college level.
University of Dublin
The University of DublinUniversity of Dublin
The University of Dublin , corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin , located in Dublin, Ireland, was effectively founded when in 1592 Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College, Dublin, as "the mother of a university" – this date making it...
awards Pinks to students at Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
who compete at international level, as well as with their college club. A captains' committee, consisting of the captain of each club currently affiliated to the university's Central Athletic Club, meets biannually to elect new Pinks. There are no half-Colours awarded.
The Pinks scarf is plain light-pink, and the tie is navy-blue with a pattern of pink crowned harps, the design for the Blazer is currently lost.
Election to Pink status is extremely difficult, as participation on a first team is not sufficient; one must also compete at international level.
Sporting clubs for elite sportsmen and women also exist at the University of Dublin: the Dublin University Knights of the Campanile for men, and the Dublin University Heraeans for women. However, membership of these social clubs is by no means restricted to holders of the Pink and entry is secret with unknown criteria.
University of London
The University of LondonUniversity of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
awards Purples and Half Purples for competition at the highest level of university sport, in a similar way to Oxford and Cambridge Blues. These are taken to be the equivalent of Blues at other universities.
University of Manchester
The University of ManchesterUniversity of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
awards Maroons and Half Maroons for competition at the highest level of university sport, in a similar way to Oxford and Cambridge Blues.
The Robert Gordon University
The Robert Gordon UniversityRobert Gordon University
Robert Gordon University is located in Aberdeen, Scotland. Building on over 250 years involvement in education, it was granted university status in 1992. Robert Gordon University currently has approximately 16,407 students at its two campuses at Garthdee and the City Centre, studying on over 145...
awards Blues and Half Blues in a similar manner to the above universities. the awards are given during the annual blues ball awards ceremony hosted at RGU: SPORT. The award of a Blue allows a medal to be worn with graduation gowns. Another set of awards, the Scarlets and Half Scarlets are awarded to students for non-sporting achievements (e.g. societies) with an equivalent standard required to achieve them.
University of Warwick
The University of WarwickUniversity of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
awards Colours and Half Colours for competition at the highest level of university sport, in a similar way to Oxford and Cambridge Blues. These are taken to be the equivalent of Blues at other universities.
'Blues' in Australia
At some universities a Blue is an award given to an individual by the Sports Union or Association of the university for outstanding achievement at a national or international level. Typically the recipient must have achieved a medal winning performance at national or international university competition level or must have won a Gold medal at a regional level.Australian National University
The Australian National UniversityAustralian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
awards Blues and Half Blues in this way.
University of Canberra
The University of CanberraUniversity of Canberra
Over the years the Stone Day program has gradually become larger and larger, taking up a whole week and now Stonefest is one of Australia's most popular music festivals. The first foundation celebrations were held in 1971. In 1973 Stone Day celebrations were held over two days, which was expanded...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
awards Blues and Half Blues to students that show outstanding achievement in sporting pursuits at a national or international level.
University of Adelaide
The University of AdelaideUniversity of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
awards a Blue, Half Blue and Club Letters in a similar fashion for outstanding sporting achievement.
University of Sydney
The University of SydneyUniversity of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
awards Blues for outstanding sporting achievement. Blues are nominated in October at the conclusion of the annual university sporting calendar and the successful nominees are presented with their Blues at the Annual Blues Dinner. Blues earn the right to wear the Blues jacket in the traditional stripes of Blue and Gold with the Sydney University Shield.
The University of Western Australia
The University of Western AustraliaUniversity of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
awards Blues and Half Blues to students as well as club members for outstanding sporting achievement.
See also
- Hawks' ClubHawks' ClubThe Hawks' Club is a members-only social club for sportsmen at the University of Cambridge. It was founded in 1872.-Eligibility criteria:Application for membership is open to any man who is either a member of any college at the University of Cambridge or who has been admitted ad eundem to the...
– social club for men holding a Cambridge Full Blue, Half Blue or Second Team Colours - Rugby League Varsity MatchRugby League Varsity MatchThe Rugby League Varsity Match is an annual rugby league match between Cambridge University and Oxford University. It is played at Twickenham Stoop in London, England, usually in the first week of March. The 2010 match took place on Thursday 4 March. Oxford, the winners of the match, received the...
– annual rugby league match between Oxford and Cambridge - The Boat RaceThe Boat RaceThe event generally known as "The Boat Race" is a rowing race in England between the Oxford University Boat Club and the Cambridge University Boat Club, rowed between competing eights each spring on the River Thames in London. It takes place generally on the last Saturday of March or the first...
- The Colours MatchThe Colours MatchThe Colours Match is an annual rugby union fixture between University College Dublin and Trinity College, Dublin. Traditionally, the match is held at Lansdowne Road stadium in Dublin, but at present the fixtures are played at Donnybrook Rugby Ground, the traditional home of the Leinster rugby union...
– annual rugby union match between University College Dublin and Trinity College, Dublin - The University Golf MatchUniversity Golf MatchThe University Golf Match is the annual golf match contested between the Full Blue golf teams from Oxford and Cambridge universities. Dating back to 1878, it is the oldest amateur event in golf, as well as the oldest team event in golf...
– annual golf match between Oxford and Cambridge - The University MatchThe University Match (cricket)The University Match in a cricketing context is generally understood to refer to the annual fixture between Oxford University Cricket Club and Cambridge University Cricket Club...
– annual cricket match between Oxford and Cambridge - The Varsity MatchThe Varsity MatchThe Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. By tradition, the match is held on the second Tuesday of December. In 2005, however, this changed, and the match was on Tuesday 6 December. In 2007, it was held on a Thursday for...
– annual rugby union match between Oxford and Cambridge - Varsity letterVarsity letterA varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
– similar award granted by schools in the United States - Vincent's ClubVincent's ClubVincent's Club is a sports club predominantly but not exclusively for Oxford Blues at Oxford University.The club was founded in 1863 by the oarsman Walter Bradford Woodgate of Brasenose College, Oxford, and he was the first president of the club...
– social club for men consisting of Full Blues, Half Blues and others of appropriate character at the University of Oxford
External links
Cambridge University:- Blues Committees
- Cambridge University Rugby Football Club
- A history of the Cambridge Blue
- Cambridge University Hawks' Club website
- The Ospreys website (the female equivalent of the Hawks' Club)
- Cambridge University Rugby League Football Club site
Oxford University:
- Oxford University Sport
- Oxford University Squash Racquet's Club
- Oxford University Association Football Club: The Varsity match
- Oxford University Vincent's Club website
- The Atalantas website (the female equivalent of the Vincent's Club)
- Oxford University Rugby League Football Club site
- Oxford University Amateur Boxing Club (OUABC)Oxford University Amateur Boxing ClubThe Oxford University Amateur Boxing Club is the boxing club of the University of Oxford, England, located in Oxford. The club was founded in 1881. It is the second oldest active amateur boxing club in the UK...
Other universities: