Full UXIN results
Welcome to our interview with Strathclyde captains and recent winners of University Mixed Indoor Nationals: Karina Aitken and Andrew Warnock!
Let's start off with a quick introduction, tell us a bit about yourselves.
Andrew Warnock
I'm in fourth year of uni and started playing in first year. After my second year I played for GB U20's at euros and this year I played with GUX at world's and euros! This is my second year as Men's captain at Strath and it's going not so bad so far
Karina Aitken
I'm also in my fourth of uni and started in my first year. This is my first year as Women's captain and I'm still getting used to it but really happy with our team! I haven't played much outside uni as I had another sport going on but I've applied to GB U24 Mixed and Women's this year.
How does it feel to be able to say the words: Strathclyde, National Champions?
Andrew
About bloody time
Karina
It feels amazing! We're the first Dark Horses team to win nationals div 1 so it's hecking awesome. We've always had really good players on Horses but I think this time we had a great depth to the team. We all knew that everyone would do their job and we could trust that.
Andrew
We've been tipped by many the last couple years to do very well at national tournaments and we've never quite managed the final hurdle - the closest coming at UMWIN when both our teams won a silver. So it's nice to no longer be chumps and actually have a trophy to show for all our hardwork.
Who has the trophy? Do they give two out for Mixed (e.g. one for each gendered captain)?
Andrew
Karina ran away with it whilst I was taking the minibus back.
Karina
It's actually in my bedroom pride of place on my bedside table. We can have a time share on it.
So what was it that helped the team win this year?
Karina
Bananagrams in-between the games.
Andrew
I'd say depth and experience. Everyone on the team (bar Karina cause she was away last year) has been in a nationals final before and gotten to the latter stages of multiple tournaments. So to have that behind was really helpful. We also have 2 brand spanking new coaches this year (Shaun Webb and Nicky Shaw)!
But of course Bananagrams worked a charm.
While I know your entire team played their part, are there any particular people on the team you'd like to give a shout-out too?
Andrew
As the current longest serving horse Cameron Mackie is the big dog of the team and there's not many people in uni ultimate that can shut him down (even if they played in the AUDL), but our girls just dominated every team which was huge for us. I'd feel bad picking just one of them out.
Karina
That's tough, as you said the fact we worked really well as a team and didn't just rely on one person was key. I'd say all the girls (Erina Brown, Caroline Charnley, Zsófi Marozsák) did a fantastic job of both defence and offence. They were attacking discs on D but still keeping chilly on O.
What were some highlights for Strathclyde this weekend?
Andrew
I threw a greatest, nuff said.
Karina
I'm super proud I bid on hard court that's a first for sure.
Andrew
Although have to shout out Caroline Charnley for making a huge sky in the semifinal against Birmingham for a break that really gave us the momentum to go and win.
What were your favourite games of the weekend?
Karina
My personal favourites are the semifinal vs Birmingham and the final vs UCL for sure. They were our most intense games and there were some great plays in both.
Andrew
The semi was a really brilliant game because we played hacky sack with Birmingham before the game which really set the tone to be well spirited and fun but it still didn't take away from the high intensity and the huge athletic plays from both teams.
If you guys had to each add one other player this weekend to your roster from another side, who would you pick?
Andrew
We were actually missing two players! We lost Hayley Dalmon to GB Mixed trials, and Ian Tait cause his knee is jelly. So only because you are forcing me to pick someone I'll go with Axel Ahmala (please don't let his ego get bigger) cause he's one of the most all rounded people in Uni Ultimate at the moment.
Karina
Yes, I'd have loved to have Hayley with us as this might be the first time I've not played a tournament with her, however I would pick Melania Koschnitzki from Aberdeen!
It's interesting that you both picked players who have uni roots in Scotland, because this weekend Strathclyde were really the only Scottish team to perform. Do you think we're reaching a shift in Uni Ultimate? Is there no longer any #scottishdominance, and only #strathclydedominance?
Karina
As I haven't played much outside uni I don't know a whole lot of people. However I do know that both Glasgow and St Andrews didn't send their best players this weekend which I think showed a bit of misrepresentation of the Scottish Uni Ultimate level
Andrew
We came 3rd in our region but won Nationals so I think that should tell you Scottish Ultimate is still as strong as ever.
Karina
However I like #strathclydedominance
Was Mixed Nationals your main hope for trophies for the year? Or do you think Strathclyde can do the triple with Men's and Women's Indoors as well?
Andrew
I see no reason every Nationals trophy shouldn't have Strathclyde on it by the end of the season.
Karina
I think the women stand a great chance at their Nationals this year!!!
I'm also going to ask for a bold early prediction from you - do you think you'll be able to retain this trophy next year?
Andrew
It's pretty unclear what guys currently in the team will be here next year so it's hard to say. Although a lot of the girls will be returning so there's no reason we won't go very far again!
Karina
We lose a lot of players this year but I don't think that plus some good ol' fashioned hard work means that we won't be able to be in contention.
How much time to you guys spend training for Mixed, as opposed to single gender trainings?
Karina
We only have one session a week that is dedicated to single gender training so the other 3 are varying levels of experience but Mixed.
Andrew
We have a Mixed indoor session at 7am on a Thursday as well which shows how hard this team trains.
Karina
Secretly my favourite training.
Knife pulls, yes or no?
Andrew
Absolutely yes. If you complain about knife pulls you're an idiot.
Karina
Who doesn't like a bit of spice to start the point.
What do you guys think of spirit at University level?
Karina
I think spirit is a great thing to think about during the game and when you're discussing calls because there is no referee to call the shots for you like in most other sports. However I get very caught up in the game so never know what to say when it gets to spirit circles haha!
Andrew
It's not something that has ever been taken very seriously from my perspective (I was a spirit captain with GUX this year and there was a lot more emphasis on a spirit captain's job during and after a game). A lot of the time a teams reputation can be a bit of a hindrance as well with the same teams seemingly at the bottom. But saying this all our games this weekend were actually really good with Birmingham being the stand out (was good to see them win spirit) and even the final against UCL (who had a very low spirit average) was a really fun game to be a part of.
Finally, what advice would you have for any other captains out there reading this?
Bring Bananagrams
Karina
Cuddle puddles
Andrew
Can I change my last answer to "Bring Bananagrams and have a really obnoxious chant for when you get a break"?
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