Sports at Van Mildert JCR

College sport plays a large part in creating the community at Mildert. Of course, Durham as a whole is a great uni for sports, but playing at a college level is a less pressured, smaller-scale experience. It’s a great way to get involved in college life and provides lots of opportunities to meet new people.

We’re a large college so we have teams of all abilities across a wide range of sports (our men’s football club has 8)! Mildert performs very well across the board, with our Men’s Rugby, Darts, and Netball clubs all coming top of their league this year. Top teams train multiple times a week and expect commitment from their members. Supporting these teams at Floodlit events and high-stakes matches is a college ritual and a great way to feel involved in Mildert’s community. Even if you have never played a sport in your life, we encourage you to get involved… you never know what new passion you may find!

Mildert also provides the opportunity to get involved socially, with many people joining sports clubs purely to enjoy socials and meet new people. There is a great culture in Mildert sport with all clubs appointing a welfare sec to ensure all members feel valued and can enjoy themselves without fear of being judged or excluded. Sport at Mildert is an easy way to find your feet in a new place by giving you the chance to make friends in a familiar and friendly environment. Please note that in order to play Mildert sports, you must be a JCR member.

An introduction from the Sports and Societies Officer, Joe

Hi! My name is Joe and I am your Sports and Societies Officer (SSO) this year at Van Mildert. It is my job to ensure all the amazing sports and societies Mildert has to offer run smoothly and are open and accessible to all. From LGBTQ+ Society, Feather Theatre, Ultimate Frisbee and Football, plus a load more, we have a bit of something for everyone. However, if you have not seen anything that takes your fancy or you have other new ideas, do not shy away from letting me know! You can do this by following @teammildert on Instagram (I’d encourage you to do this anyways!), or email me. To all our new students, I look forward to seeing you at Mildert’s own ‘Freshtival’ during Fresher’s week, where you’ll be able to see what you can get up to in College!

Here’s the latest from our instagram account for sports and societies, @teammildert

Sports available at Van Mildert

  • We are a huge club and are very happy to have a large intake of freshers every year, with many being total beginners. We have a team in every tier of Men's and Women's badminton. We have weekly training sessions for those who want them and social badminton sessions on Friday evenings for those who are looking for a more casual way to fulfil their badminton needs. As Van Mildert is also home to the best college court around, it’s never been easier to pick up a racket (we provide those for free too!).

  • As a fairly small club, everyone gets to know each other through our two training sessions each week and our socials. Our Men’s and Women’s teams cover all ranges of abilities whether you’re looking to make it into a DU team or have never played before. Over the past few years, our Men’s A team has consistently been one of the best in the university, allowing us to compete in varsity matches against Loughborough and York. Matches are roughly every other week for all the teams. If you’re interested in joining or want to find out more follow VM Basketball on Facebook.

  • The Boat Club is one of the largest sports clubs at Mildert with a range of rowers from complete beginners to seasoned rowers getting involved. We run water and land sessions twice a week and you are welcome to as many (or as few) as you want. Our novice squad gets people who have never rowed before up to speed on their technique and allows people to progress into the men’s and women’s squads. We have frequent races throughout the year where we have a history of success at all levels. Due to the slightly unfortunate situation of our boathouse burning down, we are currently rowing out of the amateur rowing club which is fortunately the most well-equipped boat house in Durham. You will get to row on a beautiful stretch of the river Wear down the race course through old Elvet bridge and past the cathedral. Our social secs make sure that we have regular socials which are a great way to meet new people in college. Feel free to message us with any questions on Facebook at Van Mildert Boat Club or on Instagram @vanmildertboatclub.

  • Van Mildert Cheer is a fun, inclusive, and welcoming club, encouraging people of all abilities to join! We have two main teams that compete in the annual inter-collegiate competition: Co-Ed Stunt and Pom, both of which were successful in our most recent competition, placing 3rd in each category. There are also non-competing opportunities to perform at college and sporting events! 

    There will be a taster session at the beginning of Michaelmas Term, where you'll have the chance to try both Pom and Stunt to see if it's for you! We can't wait to see new cheerleaders join this amazing club for another year of success!

  • VM Climbing meets regularly at Durham Climbing Centre; a great bouldering centre which is within walking distance of the college. If you’re already an experienced climber then the society is a great way to meet fellow climbers and if you’ve never climbed in your life then it’s a great opportunity to give a new sport a try! We really encourage anyone to come along regardless of experience as it’s a really fun sport and a great way to meet new people. No equipment is needed and you can walk down to the climbing centre from college with the exec. Join the Facebook group Van Mildert Climbing Society if you’re interested.

  • Combining cricket at all levels (including complete beginners!) with a growing social side, VMCC endeavours to bring you the best of the ‘village’ side of the game. In Easter term, our mixed outdoor XI will be back in the lofty heights of the prem; in the meantime, we can entertain ourselves with weekly(ish) training at MC, two indoor teams in Epiphany term and numerous socials between now and then. Come down to our stall at Freshtival to find out more!

  • Fancy a bit of fun on a Monday night? Even if you’ve never thrown a dart before there is a place for you in Van Mildert Darts. Every Monday night, all darts teams from each Durham college compete. It’s both competitive and social and is a great way to make friends and have fun. Each year we have a darts derby and every few weeks a social which are nights you don't want to miss. Come along to our Freshtival stall to find out more.

  • VM D Team Darts is a women’s darts team with matches almost every Monday against different colleges. With over 100 members in the last few years we are a really fun and inclusive society to be a part of. There are regular socials which often involve challenges, tasks and good themes for everyone to get involved with. We have some of the best stash around Durham and have discounted entry at lots of clubs. Don’t worry if you can’t throw a dart, none of us have any hand-eye coordination either. It’s honestly just a good way to spend a Monday with everyone across years in Mildert and a great way to meet everyone across Durham!

  • Football. The beautiful game. And never more beautiful than in the Mildert black and yellow kit. Home to 8 teams (A-H), VMAFC offers a great opportunity to regularly play a high (or low) standard of football, and more importantly a fantastic way to develop friendships and memories with like-minded people. Teams are suited to all abilities and experience, ranging from our A team, composed of several University standard players, to our ferocious H team, who wage war in Division 6 every weekend. All sides offer at least a weekly match and a weekly training session, but training slots increase amongst the higher teams. Even better, a sunny European tour is also in the pipeline.

  • Feeling inspired by the rising of the Lionesses? Come along to VMWFC training sessions and matches! No prior experience is needed, as it’s open to people of all standards from beginners to club players! We train for an hour once a week and usually have a weekly match against other college teams as part of a league. Team sheets will alter each week in order to allow everyone a turn in playing. Women’s football is a great opportunity to meet new people and we will have at least one social per term which will not disappoint!

  • Golf is a new club at Van Mildert, and is still getting set up. Keep an eye on @vmgolfclub on instagram for updates.

  • Van Mildert men’s hockey is one of the best clubs in the college, winning Club of the Year in 2020 and VM Team of the Year in 2023. We were League Champions in 2023 and narrowly finished second in the College Cup. With the men’s and women’s teams combined, we are the largest mixed club in college, notorious for bringing out massive support from the Mildert community. We have weekly training sessions and a strong social side to the club with frequent top-class socials which bring together playing and social members from both sides of the club. We hope to see as many of you as possible at the freshers’ fair and are excited for the season to come.

  • Van Mildert Women's Hockey Club is social, friendly, inclusive - and let's not forget successful! There are currently 2 teams in the club and we’re open to any ability, so, no matter your hockey experience, please do join us! We put on weekly training sessions, weekly matches and of course socials! There may even be a hockey tour in the summer.

  • Mixed Lacrosse is one of the most inclusive and fun sports clubs at Mildert. Anyone can join, whether you are a complete beginner or have played a bit (or a lot) before. As a mixed club with members from first year to fourth year, playing is a great way to make friends from all walks of Mildert life. To help you get to grips with the game or polish your skills, training happens once a week and will be led by our captain. The vibe is always relaxed and fun, both at training and at matches which, for those of you who want to play competitively, take place on the weekend. Both our A and B teams performed amazingly last year. Our social secs

  • Van Mildert Netball Club is an inclusive and exciting club welcoming a wide range of abilities. Our 5 women's teams (A-E) ensure that whether you want to commit to a high standard of play, have some friendly competition, or even just be a social member, it is guaranteed that you will fit right in. We want to incorporate some new ideas into the club, such as an end-of-year netball tour. And don’t feel too abandoned boys, as this year we have a mixed social team! We already have some creative socials lined up, including bar crawls, team challenges, and even some mixed socials with our other college sports clubs! If you are looking to make friends and hang out with the best girls (and boys) in college, then please come and join us!

  • Padel is a new club at Van Mildert. Keep an eye on the teammildert instagram for updates.

  • Being part of Van Mildert Pool society is a great way to get yourself involved in the social aspect of uni life. We will have great socials, pot some balls and participate in the Durham Pool League where we have weekly matches against other colleges. There will be relaxed trials at some point after freshers week to determine which team you will be in. Whether you want to play seriously or if you just want a laugh there is a team for everyone!

  • VM rounders is a very relaxed and fun way to spend some time in Easter term! Although games are only run in the summer, socials will be run throughout the year, and there is no commitment needed to attend. No experience is required to join the team, just be up for a laugh!

  • Welcome to Van Mildert College RFC. Being one of the few colleges to boast both a first and second XV, we offer a fantastic array of both playing and social opportunities. We can offer both an extremely competitive standard of rugby, yet also something a tad more relaxed for those looking for more social sport. With weekly fixtures, training and gym sessions, bi-weekly socials that cater for everyone, an annual tour and an extremely sexy stash to boot, the boys look forward to welcoming you into our black and gold brotherhood and joining what is by far and away one of the most enjoyable parts of Mildert life.

  • Our team is made up of a group of fantastic young women from both Mildert and St Aidan’s college, known as Van Maidans with a captain from Aidan’s and a vice captain from Mildert. We are an inclusive team looking for players of all levels of experience. At training, we’ll be building from the basics, including passing and moving the ball in hand, and working towards tackling, tactical play and allocating individual positions in preparation for intercollegiate games. We’ve built a friendly, supportive and winning team together, so if you’re looking to get muddy and have a good time, join us and get involved! We also have weekly socials, to build team spirit, and take part in charity initiatives such as period poverty schemes.

  • Van Mildert Running Society is for everyone! Those at the start of their running journey and those who already are in love with the sport are more than welcome to join us. As well as our long-distance group, we are looking to start a sprints group and get some regular training on the track. Mildert Running Soc will be looking to take on other colleges in the Park Run League this year, after a win last year. However, do not fear if you do not wish to run competitively!! That is completely fine. Mildert Running will be hosting the BEST socials of the year. We will be having themed socials full of challenges as well as more chilled socials throughout the year. We hope to see many of you at the Freshers Fair.

  • Van Mildert Squash is one of the largest and most successful college squash clubs in Durham. We aim to have two training sessions a week. We cater to all levels of ability, so whether this would be your first time, or if you’ve already played a lot before, come on down! This year we will have 3 men’s teams and a women’s team, to play against other colleges. We can’t wait to meet you!

  • With 3 teams in the intercollegiate league from DU players to total novices, VMTT is a great way to learn a new skill and meet like-minded people. With two table tennis tables being recently installed in our very own JCR, we are ready to make a comeback. We’re super excited to meet you this year whatever level you’re at!

  • VMTC is up there with the best college tennis teams in Durham, and we offer a fantastic opportunity for beginners through to advanced players to get involved with the best racket sport! We will be running training and games sessions weekly throughout the first two terms at MC and will then have inter-collegiate matches in the Easter term. These will allow you to develop your tennis skills in a friendly and supportive atmosphere but also meet some fantastic people and enjoy another exciting aspect of college life. Furthermore, we run socials and other events (such as in-house competitions and charity matches) so this club has something for everyone. We are also very lucky to have our own, well-kept tennis court hidden from public view which we hope to use more this year… We look forward to meeting you!

  • Mildert Ultimate Frisbee is a mixed club for people of all abilities. It's a sport most people have never heard of, let alone played, so whether you're experienced, have thrown a frisbee a couple of times in the park, or have no idea what one is, come along! We train once a week with matches scheduled on weekends. We have an A and B team, so everyone gets plenty of game time.

  • Welcome to VM Yoga! We meet once a week for an hour to do some exercise, de-stress and think happy thoughts. All levels of ability and experience are welcome, especially if you have never tried yoga before! Join Van Mildert Yoga Society on facebook for updates.

  • Van Mildert Mixed Volleyball is the University’s largest college volleyball club, with members ranging from complete beginners to experienced DU players. We have two teams that play in an inter-college volleyball league in Epiphany term, which means everyone gets a chance to play competitively at a level that they feel comfortable with. With regular sessions to both train and have fun, as well as some of Van Mildert’s best nights out, VMMVC is also one of the best clubs around for socialising and meeting new people. Join our pages on Instagram (@vanmildertvolleyball) and Facebook (VM Mixed Volleyball) to keep up to date.