“It just feels like they don’t care as much”

Frustration expressed regarding women’s five-a-side league organisation

Participants in Trinity’s women’s five-a-side tournament have expressed frustration at discrepancies in treatment between the men’s and women’s leagues. 

Issues have been raised regarding the cost of participation, difference in facilities and signup, lack of communication, and lack of readily available information about the women’s tournament.

The five-a-side is a social sport tournament organised and run by Trinity Sport, and is highly popular among the student body. It is categorised explicitly into a men’s league and a women’s league.

Currently, men’s matches all take place in Botany Bay, with a total of 40 time slots available between 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.

By contrast, the women’s matches take place in the Sports Hall, with only five time slots available in the whole week from 12pm-1pm Monday to Friday. This is a reduction from last year, when there were seven slots available during the week.

Participants of the women’s league told Trinity News that available time slots are “inaccessible and inconvenient” for most of their team members, describing it as a “major barrier for participation”.

Differences can also be noted in the registration process for the leagues. For the men’s league, registration is completed by the captain on behalf of the team. The registration fee is €147 per team, with a minimum of 7 players and a maximum of 10 players, meaning cost per person ranging from €14.70-€21.

This represents an increase in cost for a second consecutive year – in 2023 the entrance fee was €100 per team, and in 2022 it was €60, an increase of 245% in just two years.

Speaking to Trinity News, Cúan Coleman, an active participant in the five-a-side league, called for more transparency regarding the surge in registration fee: “I understand insurance and cost of facilities but I wish there was a bit more transparency for the need of an increase in fees.”

Registration for the women’s league instead happens on an individual basis through the Trinity Sport Clubforce app, at a flat rate of €21 per person, unlike the men’s teams who have the option of including more team members to reduce the price. This fee has also increased significantly, in contrast to €15 per team last year.

A participant in the women’s league who captained her team in the tournament last year described difficulties in sourcing information about the women’s league: “I actually don’t even know what’s going on… I don’t even know if there’s anyone even in charge of running the [women’s] league.”

She explained that all the registration information for the five-a-side competition on Trinity Sport’s social media pages is only regarding the men’s league, and the women’s teams had to seek out the information themselves. 

“I texted the Instagram page asking what the league looked like this year, what the cost is, what the set up is, and just for general information. I was just instructed to download the app for information.”

“I actually don’t even know what’s going on… I don’t even know if there’s anyone even in charge of running the [women’s] league”

In her view, social sports should be accessible and affordable and currently, she does not feel that the women’s five-a-side tournament is either of those: “Even if someone did want to sign up, I don’t think they’d be able to even figure it out.”

Coleman stated that he does not perceive any barriers to participation for the men’s five-a-side league. Both individuals expressed confusion as to why the social sport is separated into men’s and women’s teams in the first place.

The former-captain further details how last year the women’s teams were upset as the men’s teams were prioritised for Botany Bay and they communicated this to Trinity Sport. Following this “we all assumed it would get better and they would figure it out, but it actually just got worse”.

When describing the discrepancies in treatment between the men’s and women’s treatment, she articulated that it feels as though Trinity Sport “just don’t really care [about the women] as much”.

This is not the first time concerns have been raised regarding the treatment of women’s sports in Trinity. Last year, the women’s soccer team was left without a coach last year despite the men’s team having three coaches.

The women’s team went on to win the FAI Division One College and Universities Football League.

Asked about the discrepancies in organisation between the leagues, Trinity Sport stated that “All programs are completely beginner friendly and inclusive”.

Last year, the women’s soccer team was left without a coach last year despite the men’s team having three coaches. The women’s team went on to win the FAI Division One College and Universities Football League”

Trinity Sport explained that prices are based upon sports program length, with four-week programmes costing €10, six-week programmes costing €15 and eight-week programmes or  longer costing €20. All programmes have an additional €1 platform charge. Insurance, administration costs, coaches and equipment were cited as explanations for the fee. 

It further added that the time slots and venue for the women’s league were selected based on feedback from participants.

The women’s league participant further highlighted the irony of the situation, telling Trinity News that last year Trinity Sport had asked to interview her as a representative of women’s social sports to discuss how inclusive and enjoyable the programmes are. She said that she showed up for her interview when she received an email stating the interview was cancelled. 

Tara Ní Bhroin

Is í Tara Ní Bhroin Eagarthóir Gaeilge do Nuacht na Tríonóide. Tá sí sa cheathrú bhliain ag déanamh staidéir ar Altranas Leanaí agus Ginearálta/ Tara Ní Bhroin is the Irish Editor for Trinity News. She is in her Senior Sophister year studying General and Children’s Nursing.