Adelaide University Sport and Fitness has played an integral role helping students balance their studies with outside life for 130 years. More than 40 clubs and six on-campus gyms provide plenty of options for students to develop important skills and experiences that not only contribute to student retention and academic performance, but also will open employment doors post-studies.
Our social sports, elite athletes, intervarsity events and club sports programs build new relationships and encourage a healthy campus culture. Our clubs foster a sense of community, promote leadership and encourage excellence.
timeline
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| August 1881 | Adelaide University Boat Club founded | First affiliated club with the Sports Association |
| 1885 | Adelaide University Lawn Tennis Club founded | |
| 1889 | Adelaide University Lacrosse Club founded |
adelaide university boat club, 1896
adelaide university lawn tennis club, 1800s
adelaide university lacrosse club a team, 1896
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| April 1896 | Adelaide University Sports Association first formed | Formed by amalgamation of Boat, Lawn Tennis, and Lacrosse Clubs |
Adelaide UNIVERSITY sports association committee
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| 1903 | Affiliation of University (Student) Union | |
| March 22, 1906 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Athletics Club | |
| March 26, 1906 | Adelaide University Football Club formed | |
| April 9, 1906 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Football Club | |
| September 16, 1907 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Cricket Club | |
| 1908 | Adelaide University Rifle Club formed | Affiliation June 28, 1910 |
| May 23, 1908 | Adoption of rules for the Blues Awards | |
| May 25, 1908 | "Blues" crest first recognised by the Association and the awarding of the Association's first Blue Award | |
| August 27, 1908 | "Mobilitate Vigemus" accepted as the Association's motto | "We thrive by mobility" in Latin |
Adelaide university football club, 1908
Blues crest
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| March 21, 1910 | Adoption of Blues for Cricket | |
| June 28, 1910 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Rifle Club | Formed in November 1908 |
| July 11, 1910 | Official opening of the University Oval (Park 12) by Governor, Sir Day Hort Bosanquet | Pavilion erected through generosity of 13 donors |
| July 11, 1910 | Official opening of the Adelaide University Boat Shed | Donation of R. Barr Smith |
| July 24, 1911 | Women students first allowed membership of the Association | Miss M.F. Proud, Hon. Secretary of Women Students Sports Club, elected a representative of the General Committee |
| December 5, 1911 | Special design for Women's Blues | |
| December 6, 1911 | First Women's Blues (for Hockey) awarded to B. Crump and M. Fowler | |
| September 13, 1912 | Affiliation of Women's Hockey Club | Men's team formed in 1928 |
| September 13, 1912 | Affiliation of Women's Lawn Tennis Club | Combined with Men's team in 1970 |
| September 13, 1912 | Women allowed two delegates on the General Committee | One from Women' Hockey Club and one from Women's Lawn Tennis Club |
| May 4, 1914 | New design of guernsey adopted | |
| November 14, 1919 | Extension of two and a half acres to the University Ovals (Park 12) |
park 12 grandstand, 1910
a grade women's hockey team, 1915
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| November 10, 1920 | Scoring Board presented to the Association by Sir JT Melrose | |
| April 20, 1922 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Baseball Club | |
| September 22, 1924 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Women's Swimming Club | Ceased to operate in 1955, revived in 1965 |
| September 22, 1924 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Women's Basketball Club | Netball as from 1970 |
| August 2, 1927 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Golf Club | |
| April 30, 1928 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Men's Hockey Club | |
| May, 1929 | Opening of Women's Dressing Rooms | |
| May 3, 1929 | Sports Association assumes control of sports grounds | Includes Waite Park Grounds |
baseball club, 1922
intervarsity women's basketball team, 1927
intervarsity golf team, 1927
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| September 24, 1930 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Men's Swimming Club | Ceased to operate in 1955, revived in 1965 |
| July 12, 1932 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Boxing & Wrestling Club | |
| March 22, 1933 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Rugby Union Football Club | |
| September 19, 1933 | New Constiution adopted | All affiliated clubs become amalgamated clubs |
| October 17, 1934 | Adelaide University Lawn Tennis Club sub-divided into pennant and non-pennant | |
| March 26, 1936 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Soccer Club | |
| July 28, 1938 | Clock added to University Oval Pavilion | Presented by 34 old members |
| August, 1938 | Sports Association flag made | |
| December, 1938 | Extension to University Oval Pavilion began | |
| March, 1939 | Extension to University Oval Pavilion finished |
intervarsity rugby football team, 1933
soccer team, 1937
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| April 14, 1944 | Addition of words "Club Letters" after "Blues" | Alteration to Clauses 18(a) and (b) |
| May 13, 1946 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Softball Club | |
| January, 1948 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Men's Basketball Club | Combined Men's and Women's Club in 1969 |
| January, 1948 | Graduates Oval and new Hockey and Soccer Ground completed and in use | First cricket match played at the end of March, 1949 |
| December, 1948 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Women's Athletics Club | |
| January, 1949 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Table Tennis Club | Men and Women |
| February, 1949 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Women's Cricket Club | Ceased to operate in 1960, re-established and combined with Men's in 2011 |
intervarsity men's basketball team 1947
intervarsity women's cricket team, 1948
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| June, 1952 | Addition of a senior woman Blue or Half Blue to the Women's Blues Committee | |
| June 17, 1953 | Alteration to Blues Award rules for Club Letters | A member who has been of outstanding service to his club can receive a Club Letter |
| September, 1953 | Men's Basketball and Women's Cricket Clubs raised to status of a Blue | |
| Febraury, 1954 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Badminton Club | Men and Women |
| June, 1954 | Addition of space to the northern side of the University Ovals | Named the Lewis Ground after Mr. R. Brook Lewis, president of the Association |
| March, 1955 | Laying of concrete cricket practice pitch | |
| March, 1956 | Winter Pennant Tennis Club formed following the disbandment of the non-pennant Tennis Club | Male competitors only |
| September, 1956 | Disassociation of the Judo and Boxing Club | Reformed as the Adelaide University Judo Club and Adelaide University Boxing and Wrestling Club |
| December, 1957 | Margaret Gibson wins six events in the Women's Intervarsity Swimming contest | Margaret won six out of six events she could enter, placing Adelaide in third place, and winning all events in record time |
| December, 1957 | Koehne Narcisse wins the Australian Universities Table Tennis Championship | Won every match he played at the championship event |
| May, 1958 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Judo Club | Men and Women |
| September, 1958 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Squash Club | Men and Women |
| October, 1958 | Disbandment of Swimming Club due to a lack of facilities | |
| October, 1958 | First team to enter the South Austealia Summer Hockey Association | |
| October, 1958 | Dean Dawson Memorial Scorers Box was completed at the University Oval | Built to include the original scoreboard and was later replaced by an electrially operated one |
| October, 1958 | Graham J. Crawford first Sports Association nominee for the Amateur Sports Club War Memorial Medal | |
| December 3, 1958 | First formal Blues Dinner held and Certificiates of Merit presented | |
| March, 1959 | Adelaide University Weightlifting Club was granted affiliation | |
| May, 1959 | Badminton and Squash Clubs raised to full Blue standards | |
| May, 1959 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Weightlifting Club |
badminton team, 1957
intervarsity judo team, 1958
women's squash team, 1960
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| 1960 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Fencing Club | Men and Women |
| June, 1960 | Boat landing stage built on the River Torrens facing the Adelaide University Boat Shed | |
| June, 1960 | Floodlights installed on University Oval for Rugby night practices | |
| July, 1960 | Opening of the new Pavilion at Waite Oval | |
| 1963 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Sailing Club | Men and Women |
| 1963 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Mountain Club | |
| 1963 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Water Ski Club | Men and Women |
| March, 1964 | Adelaide University Golf Club divided into two seperate clubs | A Men's and a Women's Club (reunited as one club in 1972) |
| November, 1964 | Seven grass tennis courts opened | |
| July, 1965 | Remodel and extension of University Oval change rooms | |
| 1966 | New change rooms built on Graduates Oval (Park 10) | Refurbrished in 2000 |
| April, 1967 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Snow Ski Club | Men and Women |
| July, 1968 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Surf Board Riding Club | Provided with a block of land on Surfers Beach Estate, Port Elliot |
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| 1970 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Scuba Diving Club | |
| 1970 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Taekwondo Club | |
| 1970 | Men and Women's Tennis teams combine | |
| December, 1970 | Four squash courts built and opened by President of the Sports Association | |
| August, 1972 | Instalation of two synthetic cricket practice wickets on University Oval (Park 12) | |
| March, 1973 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Volleyball Club | |
| November, 1973 | Gillian Birdsey becomes the first woman Deputy President of the Sports Association after the resignation of Rod Seppelt | |
| April, 1974 | Men's Hockey Club move from Waite and University Oval to West Beach | West Beach for matches, training at University Oval |
| April, 1974 | Lacrosse Club move to West Beach for matches | |
| April, 1974 | Additional ground for the Soccer Club at West Beach | |
| May, 1974 | Boat Club wins Oxford & Cambridge Cup at Penrith | First time since 1934 |
| July, 1974 | Adelaide University Bicycle Club formed | |
| July, 1974 | Adelaide University Archery Club formed | |
| February, 1975 | Combat Arts Club formed | |
| April, 1975 | Additional ground for the Soccer Club at West Beach | |
| May, 1975 | Adelaide University Karate Club formed | |
| October, 1975 | Sailplane Gliding Club formed | Amalgamation into Gliding Club in 1977 |
| March, 1976 | Affiliation of Combat Arts and Bicycle Clubs | |
| February, 1977 | Adelaide University Wing Chun Kung Fu Club formed | |
| February, 1977 | Adelaide University Windsurfing Club formed | |
| March, 1977 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Gliding Club | |
| March, 1977 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Karate Club | |
| September, 1977 | Adelaide University Fishing Club formed | |
| March, 1978 | Combart Arts Club disbanded | |
| March, 1978 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Hang-Gliding Club | |
| March, 1978 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Softball Club | |
| January, 1979 | Association becomes the Adelaide University Sports and Physical Recreation Assocation Inc. | |
| April, 1979 | Women's Soccer team formed with the Adelaide University Soccer Club | |
| April, 1979 | Women's Lacorsse section of the Adelaide University Lacrosse Club started | |
| May, 1979 | Adelaide University Pistol Club formed | |
| May, 1979 | Adelaide University Swimming Club re-activated | |
| August, 1979 | Amalagmation of the Adelaide University Wing Chun Kung Fu Club |
Rowing Intervarsity Oxford and Cambridge Cup, 1974
scuba equipment, 1978
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| 1981 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Gymnastics Club | |
| May, 1983 | Adelaide University Touch Football Club formed | |
| June, 1984 | Frances Adamson AC becomes the first female club captain of the Adelaide University Boat Club | First female captain after 103 year existence |
| 1985 | Adelaide University Gridiron Club founded | Established around the inception of the Gridiron League of South Australia |
| May, 1988 | West Beach hockey ground completed | |
| March, 1989 | Adelaide University Fishing Club disbanded after period of inactivity | |
| May, 1989 | Official opening of the West Beach Hockey Centre |
frances adamson, 1980s
west beach recreation hub and hockey pitch
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| March, 1990 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Archery Club | |
| March, 1990 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Kendo Club | |
| March, 1992 | New constitution is adopted and Association is re-named the Adelaide University Sports Association Inc. | |
| May, 1992 | Agreement to introduce five annual sports scholarships in 1993 | Known as the Don Stranks Scholarship and the Bob Heddle Scholarship |
| 1993 | Don Stranks and Bob Heddle Scholarships awarded | |
| March, 1993 | Adelaide University Cricket Club win A Grade Premiership for the first time since 1925 | |
| September, 1993 | Participation in the first Australian Universities Games | Now known as UniSport Nationals - first held by Queensland University |
| September, 1993 | Boat Club sets a record with every competitor winning a medal |
cricket club a grade team, 1997
- The Adelaide University Sport Morgan facility (banks of the River Murray) lease was transferred to Adelaide University Sport in 2003.
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| 2002 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Ultimate Club | |
| 2003 | Morgan facility lease was transferred to Adelaide University Sport |
Morgan facility
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| 2010 | Adelaide University Sport moves away from its affiliation with the student union | |
| 2011 | Affiliation of the Adelaide University Cycling Club | |
| 2013 | Probationary period of affiliation for the Adelaide University Lawn Bowls Club | |
| 2014 | Adelaide University Sport competes in the first SA Challenge event | Local intervarsity competition between University of Adelaide, University of South Australia, Flinders University, and Torrens University |
| 2015 | Adelaide University Motorsport Team founded | Founded to provided support for the continuation of the Formula SAE team which was formed in 2001 |
| 2017 | AU Romas team founded, competing in the Rugby Australia UNI7s competition |
Named after Dame Roma Flinders Mitchell (1913 – 2000) who was a pioneer of the Australian women’s rights movement and a University of Adelaide alumni |
| 2018 | Pridham Hall is opened at the City West campus and is added to the list of on-campus sport facilities overseen by UniSA Sport |
|
au romas team
Date |
Event |
Notes |
| 2020 | Affiliation of Adelaide University eSports Club | |
| 2021 | Rebrand of Adelaide University Sport and merge with the AU Sports Hub (Fitness Hub) | |
| Mid-2021 | eSports room is opened in the Lady Symon Building, City East campus | |
| 2022 | Formation and first season of the Adelaide University Waatu team | High Performance university basketball team competing in the New Balance University Basketball League (UBL) |
| 2024 | Involvment in the first season of the UniSport University Tennis League | High Performance university tennis team competing in the University Tennis League (UTL) |
| 2024 | Affiliation of Adelaide University Powerlifting Club | |
| 2025 | Introduction of the AIS & AUSF Scholarship | |
| 2026 | Adelaide University Sport & UniSA Sport merge | |
| 2026 | Merger of Adelaide University Sport & UniSA Sport clubs and introduction of new clubs from UniSA Sport | |
| 2026 | Introduction of the AUSF & Volleyball Australia Scholarship |
esports room, 2021
ubl women's team, 2025
