Varsity Football returns to Cambridge

By Laura Kenworthy 3min read
Tati Kasujja
Tati Kasujja
Emilia Keavney
Emilia Keavney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the Cambridge Blues teams prepare for the Varsity football match to take place in Cambridge for the first time in seven years, there’s distinctly Homertonian vibe. The Presidents of both the women’s and men’s teams are Homerton students, and the College is well represented among the players.

Tati Kasujja, undergraduate finalist in Human, Social and Political Sciences and President of the Women’s Blues team says that “pretty much the first thing I did when I arrived at Cambridge was to look for the women’s team, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well established it was.”

Growing up in Greenwich Tati played football alongside her twin brother at school, training in Bromley and later playing for Crystal Palace. As President, she is responsible for club relations, social events, maintaining contact with alumnae and, currently, organising the Varsity match.

“University sport is quite demanding – I’d love to be able to do more in College. College football is really fun and very flexible, based on everyone’s availability.”

 Kosi Nwuba, President of the Men’s Blues and in the final year of his medical degree, agrees that there can be an unnecessary perception that players need to choose between College and University sport.

“I’d like to see more focus on College football. There’s an attitude that Blues don’t play College football, but when you narrow that gap it’s more inclusive.”

Although he played football at school, his family’s focus on academics meant that Kosi hadn’t devoted much time to the sport until his time at Cambridge. While here he has combined the demands of studying Medicine with playing football at the highest levels, seeing Homerton rise up the rankings.

“When I first came we were Division 3, so it’s exciting to now be among the best Colleges.  As the Medicine course is so long I’ve got the benefit of longevity - out of everyone in the club I’ve been here the longest.”

While Tati and Kosi will both leave Cambridge this summer, Homerton’s success on the football field looks set to continue. First-year Engineering student Emilia Keavney is the Blues women’s goalkeeper, having recently returned to football after a series of injuries.

“Football was my entire childhood. I played in girls’ teams and boys’ teams, and trained at Sunderland Academy.”

Emilia is already supporting the same love of the game in the next generation, and recently visited a Cambridge primary school to promote football to the children and teach a PE lesson. As well as the University team she plays for Hemmerton, the combined women’s team representing both Homerton and Emmanuel.

“It’s very inclusive – we have spare boots and spare shin-pads, and you don’t have to have played before.”  

The Varsity match will take place at Abbey Stadium on Sunday 13 March, and a student ticket to both games is just £8. Tickets are available  here

Kosi hopes that the presence of the match in Cambridge will serve not only to attract more students to attend, but to increase interest in student football more generally.

“It was very odd to come to uni and find everyone talking about rugby,” he says. “You come into the Buttery during the Six Nations and it’s packed, and then completely empty during the Champions League, which is the opposite to how it is in the rest of the country! Football’s very accessible – all you need is a ball. We’d love more people to get involved.”