12 week course for all students of Enschede
Improving the mental health and emotional wellbeing through regular exercise and connection with other students
The Enschedese Rugby Club 69 launched a free 12 week course for students of Enschede, to help them deal with mental issues and consequences of the corona crisis, by getting them Rugby Fit through physical training and connection with peers. Within these 12 weeks, the students will do a weekly rugby and fitness training, receive nutritional coaching of a dietician and experience the power of the rugby community, sportsmanship and new friendships! Participating is completely free of costs, we will provide everything you need: certified trainers, rugby shoes, a rugby shirt and short and a mouthguard.
Why? And why now?
The municipality of Enschede has set up a fund to make the city and its inhabitants stronger after corona. This is much needed, as the mental health of foreign students at the University of Twente is affected a lot by the pandemic. With this funded program, the Enschedese Rugby Club wants to help out the students of Enschede that are dealing with mental issues.
Mental health issues of foreign students in Enschede
Cees Jansen, general practitioner of the Campus, sounds the alarm, not for the first time. These issues include complaints about anxiety, study stress and loneliness. The problems that Jansen raises are not limited to the UT. It’s a nationwide problem. A quarter of the students are tired of life… Corona has definitely not helped with this.
Dutch students also have issues, but Jansen says that the proportion of foreigners in his consulting room is proportionally greater. “The problems of foreign students are more complex.”
“They don’t have a safety net here. They’re telling their parents that everything’s fine, but that’s not true. 70 percent of the issues are psychosomatic complaints. They often mention abdominal pain, intestinal complaints and headaches. Or fatigue. The loneliness has been added due to corona. If they lock themselves up, it causes fear of failure as well.”
Something has to change!
Research shows that people who exercise regularly have better mental health and emotional wellbeing, and lower rates of mental illness.
Get Back on Track – Get Rugby Fit
The Enschedese Rugby Club ’69 wants to help out the students who were physically or mentally affected by the pandemic. Research shows that people who exercise regularly have better mental health and emotional wellbeing, and lower rates of mental illness. Taking up exercise seems to reduce the risk of developing mental illness. It also seems to help in treating some mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety. During a 12 week course, we will get you RUGBY FIT and provide you with physical and mental skills, through rugby training and fitness training, with a strong community, sportsmanship and hopefully new friendships!
During these training sessions, you learn the basics of our powerful sport, so that you can train with the regular team later if you want – but that’s not obligated.
Rugby as a sport
Rugby is tough, but fair and requires a lot of teamwork, strength, speed, technique and tactics. In addition, discipline, respect and tolerance are very important. Due to the different positions on the field, it is suitable for young, old, small and large. Because of this, Rugby is the number 1 sport in a large part of the world. Rugby is also becoming increasingly popular in the Netherlands. For example, the number of members of ERC ’69 has been growing steadily for a number of years, from 47 members in 2014 to 200 in 2022.
RUGBY FIT – 12 WEEK COURSE FOR STUDENTS OF ENSCHEDE
- What: free 12 week course with: 1 rugby training + 1 fitness training a week + dietician coaching + Free Rugby shoes, shirt, short + mouthguard!
- Where: Enschedese Rugby Club ’69 / Wethouder Horstman Sportpark 3a, Enschede
- When: The course started at September 5.
- Days + times: Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
- Requirements: being a student in Enschede
Signing up is no longer possible. We hope to launch another 12 week course later this year.
If you want tot try rugby, check our introduction training.
